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OSHAWA -- As training camp battles go, the one in the nets for the Durham Fury has turned into a pretty good one.
With six goaltenders in camp, but unable to remain healthy, the Fury had quite the dilemma on their hands last week. As the Sept. 9 season opener continued to draw closer, the opportunity to fairly evaluate their goaltending situation ceased to exist.
But this week brought six healthy bodies to the nets, and coach/GM John Annis could have a difficult decision to make come the end of next week when he hopes to have most of the roster finalized.
"It has been a really spirited camp so far and the guys have been working hard, fighting for spots," Annis said on Wednesday. "They are all back now, we've got six, and we'll have some decisions to make."
Of course, that's not to say one, or a couple of those choices might not be made for Annis courtesy a couple of Ontario Hockey League clubs.
Three of the goaltenders in camp, Wes Annis (Kingston), Brandon Foote (Brampton) and Brett Van Pelt (Belleville) will be attending OHL camps on Monday. Annis could stick in Kingston, while in Belleville, Van Pelt has been asked to hook up with the Quinte West Pack (formerly Trenton Sting), the Bulls' affiliate team.
On the other hand, Annis expects Foote to be one his two goaltenders to start the year, filling out one of two available slots for 16-year-olds.
The other spot, says Annis, is wide open.
"We've got one 16-year-old kind of solidified and the other one kind of changes from skate to skate, whether to take a defenceman or a forward," he said. "There is so much talent there. It's been a tough decision. We're definitely taking Footy in net though."
The other three goaltenders in camp are Brian Picak of New Jersey, Kevin Franklin, who played for the Whitby midgets last season and Nick Fontana, a former Port Perry MoJack.
FURY FILES: Durham will play an exhibition game, in Port Hope, on Aug. 30, while the Predators will return to Oshawa on a yet to be determined date. The Fury are also slated to play Cobourg at home on Sept. 3 and on the road Sept. 7 to close out the preseason... Coach/GM John Annis hoped to have the roster cut down to 30 players after last night's practice.
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