FUNK GEARED FOR RETURN

The Kamloops Blazers have been without team Captain Ryan Funk for eight games now. The 5th year WHL defenseman brings a steady presence to the young hockey club on and off the ice.

After being acquired in November, the Morden, Manitoba product has played in 32 games and has scored 7 goals while contributing 19 points and a +3 rating in his time as a Blazer. Over a five year WHL career with Saskatoon, Vancouver and Kamloops, Funk has played in 274 games.

Here are some thoughts from Ryan Funk as the Blazers finish up the last two weeks of the regular season and head into the playoffs.

How tough is it right now having to sit out and watch your team play?

“Ya its pretty tough, it’s never fun watching your team play, especially when you have big wins like we did against Medicine Hat. You want to be part of the team and part of the celebration and be there to help out the guys. They did a good job on their own though; it’s difficult watching from the sidelines.”

What would you like to see from the Blazers as the team finishes off the regular season?

“We want to go into playoffs with a positive attitude and get some wins to finish off the season. It’s important for us to stick to the game plan and to keep getting better as we enter the playoffs. I think that’s the most important thing we can do.”

With your WHL career winding down, how have you enjoyed your time in the league and as a Blazer?

“It’s been amazing in the league. I have told many people since I have been here that if I could do my WHL career all over again, Kamloops would be a place I would want to have played in for four or five years. I have been fortunate to be here for the last four or five months. The city of Kamloops, the fans and the organization have been really good to me.” 

What are you hoping to see from the team come playoffs in two weeks?

“We just want to work hard and stick to our game plan. We are young and we know we are young, so to be successful we are just going to have to work hard and be positive which will hopefully lead to success.”

With the season winding down, are you thinking about plans for next year?

“I am trying not to think about next season. A lot of schools are calling right now, and it seems that is my only option for the time being. I am hoping some other doors will open in the next little while and when that happens I will go from there.”