The Victoria Royals headed into the holiday break carrying both competitive momentum and a strong sense of community after one of the most anticipated nights of the season at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
In one of their final home games before Christmas on December 12th, the Royals hosted their annual Teddy Bear Toss, collecting 2,731 stuffed animals in front of a nearly sold-out crowd.
The bears have since been distributed to several local organizations supporting children and families across the region.
“Once again, the community rallied behind our team in what is one of the most impactful traditions in hockey,” said Royals Vice President of Hockey Operations Joey Poljanowski.
“The over 2,500 teddy bears that were collected on Friday night have been distributed to our key partners… We are very grateful to belong to a city that recognizes the impact of this game and comes together in such strength to support local children and families, especially during the holiday season.”
The bears were delivered to Surrounded by Cedar Children and Family Services, the Salvation Army, the Mustard Seed, the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island, Victoria General Hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and the Esquimalt Celebration of Lights Committee.
Players Roan Woodward, Reggie Newman and Cosmo Wilson personally helped deliver bears to the pediatric ICU, spending time with young patients and their families.
On the ice, the Royals continue to stay firmly in the Western Conference playoff conversation despite a significantly retooled roster this season.
Victoria currently sits ninth in the Western Conference, just a handful of wins back from the conference leaders, which include the Everett Silvertips, Prince George Cougars and Penticton Vees.
In the BC Division, the Royals are fifth, with a tight standings race that could shift quickly over the coming weeks.
The club’s progress comes after a major offseason reset that saw several star players depart for the NCAA, including Keaton Verhoeff and Cole Reschny, both of whom are now representing Canada at the World Junior Championship.
The new-look roster has leaned on balanced scoring and strong rookie contributions to remain competitive.
That youth movement was highlighted this week when forward Ludovic Perreault was named Western Hockey League Rookie of the Week for the period ending December 21st.
The Winnipeg product recorded four goals and one assist in a home-and-home series against the Vancouver Giants, including the first hat trick of his WHL career in a 5-1 Royals win. Perreault now has 11 goals and 17 points in 31 games in his first WHL season.
Offensively, the Royals have seen consistent production throughout the lineup. Roan Woodward and Hayden Moore lead the team with 33 points each, while Timofei Runtso, Miles Cooper and Nolan Stewart have all surpassed the 20-point mark.
Woodward also tops the team in goals with 20, while Moore leads in assists with 22.
Victoria will close out 2025 on the road, returning from the holiday break for back-to-back games against the Prince George Cougars on December 27th and 28th.
The Royals then return home on January 1st to open the new year with an afternoon matinee in front of their home fans.
With a tight playoff race, an emerging young core and continued community support, the Royals head into the break positioned for an important second half of the season.
