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Recently minted Victoria Royals captain Justin Kipkie has been delivering net front cross checks for years now, whether that’s been playing mini sticks with his two younger brothers back home or defending the Royals goalmouth over the past few seasons.
But this past summer, playing in his first exhibition game for the newly relocated Utah Hockey Club, the recipient of that lumber happened to be Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone.
And although everyone loves a Mark Stone goal celly – mouth agape in celebration with his wizard-like hair bursting from his helmet – it was Kipkie’s task to make sure that didn’t happen.
“The third preseason game was in Las Vegas which I was fortunate enough to go to and play in and it was a really amazing experience,’ Kipkie recalled in a phone conversation with VIctoria Buzz.
“Vegas put out a pretty good lineup with Stone, (Jack) Eichel, and (Alex) Pietrangelo and it was crazy to play against all of those guys.”
“In front of the net you gotta box out Stone and give cross checks, it was a good time and fun to battle against those guys because they’re players you watch growing up,” Kipkie continued.
“It’s insane to think about that you get to play against them.”
A 2023 5th round pick by the now-relocated Arizona Coyotes, Kipkie’s second NHL camp had a different feel to it. As an 18-year-old in camp last year, most of the Coyotes NHL players were in Australia for the NHL’s Global Series event, a two game exhibition event between the Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings. That meant his first go-around was more of a prospects and AHL camp.
“It was a different vibe [this time] and pretty cool to play against those guys.”
Kipkie also suited up for three games of the 2024 Rookie Faceoff, an annual prospects tournament held in the Western United States. This time it was in California, and his dad was able to come down and join him for a dinner or two.
“It was a really good camp again, a stepping stone, and a great camp for sure.”
Before Kipkie became a WHL captain, NHL draft pick and Utah HC training camp participant, he was just another lad born into a hockey-crazed country, the oldest of three boys. Born in Vancouver, Kipkie’s family lived there until he was 7 years old, eventually moving to Calgary in 2012.
Hockey and sports were ever-present in the Kipkie family, with both of his parents having athletic backgrounds. His dad played hockey his whole life and volleyball in university, while his mom starred in track and field.
He and his two brothers are spaced apart by about 2.5 years each, making for a fun environment where they were competitive about everything. They’d play every sport under the sun and were always battling in hockey, mini sticks, basketball, and whatever other games they could play out in the yard.
Kipkie was also a pretty good baseball player who was able to play on some travel teams growing up, playing tournaments in Arizona and Montana.
“It was pretty cool to see how big of a sport it is down there and how invested they are. They can play a couple more months a year down there than what you can in Calgary when it snows; there’s not much of a baseball season here.”
Despite being a lefty for hockey, Kipkie swings a baseball bat and a golf club right-handed.
“I think that’s my dad’s fault, he wanted me using his clubs and didn’t want to pay for for other clubs. My brothers are lefties though so I think he gave up pretty quickly on that,” he said, chuckling.
His left-handed sport appears to be his best one.
Kipkie tried it all when it came to sports, playing football for one season, enjoying golf and every school sport he could – notably badminton and volleyball.
But hockey was always number one, and everything else was a good time – but a placeholder.
“I was always into hockey as the main one and was always waiting for winter to start to get back out on the ice.”
Despite spending his pre-teen and early teen years in Calgary, Kipkie still maintains his allegiance as a Vancouver Canucks fan, buoyed by the fact his dad loved the Canucks – an Ontario-born hockey fan who was enamoured by Pavel Bure back in the ‘90s.
“Being from Vancouver I had to cheer for the Canucks… all my buddies are big Flames fans but I always stuck with the Canucks and kept cheering for them.”
Summers are a bit different for Kipkie now, with NHL development camps getting underway in early July, before things ramp up in September. While most Victoria Royals players need to show up in August ready to roll, being an NHL drafted player means the summer is chopped up a bit more.
“Summer was pretty busy with lots of ice times and hockey and stuff like that, and now being older with the NHL camp in the middle of it and development camp, which is right in the middle of summer. So you have to train for that and ramp it up right in the middle of summer there.”
Over the summer, Kipkie prepared for a big season. He had an excellent post-NHL draft season for the Royals last year, posting 16 goals and 52 points in 67 games. He could sense the team might be improved this year – and of course has his own NHL goals, trying to make good on Utah’s bet of a 5th round pick.
This season he’ll be trying to prove he has what it takes to earn an NHL or professional contract for the following season. And to help the Royals take the next step.
“As a person, I was trying to work on leadership aspects and getting ready for a big season.”
On the ice, Kipkie continued working toward that never-ending goal for a 6’3 man: improving his foot speed and mobility.
“The summer was focused on getting quicker,” Kipkie recalled.
“Being a bigger guy you want to get faster feet and be more agile, too. I think that’s something every summer that’s a main focus. Otherwise it’s maintenance and continuing to work on your strength as well.”
It was in a team meeting after a Monday gym session that Kipkie learned he would become the 9th captain in team history.
“It’s an honour for sure, I take a lot of pride in that … We’re going to raise the level of everyone whether it’s in practice working our hardest and pushing other guys to do their best or whether it’s in games to make sure that we’re getting the most out of everyone.”
How does he tend to lead the group?
“It’s a little bit of everything for sure,” he said when asked about his leadership style.
“Whether that’s in the dressing room and you’re talking to guys and making sure everyone’s ready to go, or leading by example in practice and making sure that you’re the hardest worker out there.”
Joining Kipkie in the leadership group are Royals veterans Nate Misskey and Reggie Newman, as well as youngster Cole Reschny.
While Reschny was able to get playoff experience as a 16-year-old rookie last year, Kipkie, Misskey, and Newman joined the Royals organization under much different circumstances. They joined a program that was floundering and one that didn’t ice a very good hockey team.
Kipkie’s first season as a Royal was one that saw the team win only 17 games. They were a team devoid of depth and struggled overall to sustain any meaningful pressure throughout the course of a hockey game.
“It was definitely a tough season as a team and you never want to be in that position where it’s a tough night every night.”
Kipkie remembers that season as a challenging one, but also one ripe with opportunities and lessons. Playing on a struggling team gives you plenty of chances to put your head down and grind, battle through adversity, and keep showing up to work no matter the circumstances.
“We all took a lot from that year and built up some resiliency,” Kipkie said.
“That’s going to help us in the long run when we go into funks or stuff like that, which you hope never happens. But being able to understand how to rebound quick and learn from those losses and experiences and how to make yourself better.”
Last year, the Royals took a step forward, finishing 7th in the Western Conference and ending a four year playoff drought (COVID cancelled one of them) and introducing a few key younger players. But it’s the maturation of a quality group of veteran players that have helped elevate the team. Kipkie, Misskey, Newman, Tanner Scott, and Teydon Trembecky all played on that 17-win team. Now, they’re the leaders and play drivers on a team with much higher aspirations.
“It was nice to come back (from NHL camp) to a 3-1 team and not have to dig out of a hole.”
The Royals have kept up their fine play since, and are currently 5-1-1-1, sitting 5th in the Western Conference. By points percentage, they’re 2nd.
The team has heightened expectations – both internally and externally – for the first time in years, hopefully a sign of things to come. This season the playoffs are a “must”, not a “nice to have”.
“That’s what’s so exciting about this year is that we have such a strong team and such a strong core group of guys.”
Has head coach James Patrick’s message changed at all? Is there a different feel in the room?
“I don’t think anything changes in his wording,” Kipkie said. “He’s a very straightforward guy and he knows what he’s talking about, he knows how to push this group. He expects a lot out of us for sure but I think that’s what he did last year, too.”
It’s possible that this year could be the start of a much more successful run of Royals hockey. The team’s core of under-18 players looks strong and will be buoyed by two highly talented first round picks in Jacob Schwartz and Ludovic Perreault next year.
Kipkie is aware that he could be leaving the franchise in a much better position than he joined it in. That’s the nature of WHL hockey – some players join a high end team and just need to find a role and contribute. Others join floundering programs that require a cultural reset, often delivered by management and coaches but executed by the players.
“I think the biggest thing is leaving here with a strong culture, and keeping a culture that can sustain a winning environment and a team that can keep building and winning… I know the 2005s have been doing everything they can to bring a winning culture here and yeah, we want to leave a legacy that’s going to take this community and organization to the top”
“But the main focus is on this year for sure and seeing where this can take us.”
Last summer, after another season ended in early April, Kipkie and his family went out to the family cabin for 10 days in Kenora, Ontario, after Utah development camp in July.
It turns out coach Patrick also has a place out there.
“I didn’t see him, but maybe I’ll ask him for a game of golf next time.”
And hopefully, it’ll be after a long playoff run and a really short summer.
You can catch the next game in that journey tonight as Kipkie and the Royals take on the Prince Albert Raiders.
Puck drop is 7:05 p.m. and you can grab your tickets here.
