Without the required enrolment, the Trail, B.C., Smoke Eaters has had to cancel this weekend’s official development and identification camp for local minor hockey players.

But assistant coach Jesse Leung of the Jr. A club will still be here for three days for general skill development. upon the request of Yukon Hockey.

Club operations manager Steven Robinson explained earlier this week he and other staff of the Smoke Eaters were very much looking forward to holding their second development and identification camp in Whitehorse.

Last year’s camp was most successful, and they were excited about coming up this year, he said.

Robinson said they were hoping to get at least 60 players registered in the camp but when they only had close to 20 at their deadline, they had to make the call.

“We were totally disappointed about that,” he said. “But these things happen. By no means are we closing the door. If there is interest next year, we will take a look at it.”

Robinson said the Smoke Eaters wanted to provide the development and identification opportunities for local players without them having to travel to Jr. A camps down south.

It is, after all, the goal of the club is to widen the Smoke Eaters’ fan base, he said.

Robinson said they’d already had club jerseys printed for the Whitehorse camp. They’ll have to remain in the box for now but they’ll be available in the future, he assured.

As a result of last year’s camp, he pointed out, the Smoke Eaters did identify Bryce Anderson as a prospect, and Anderson will be suiting up for the club this coming season.

Leung said after the camp was cancelled he was contacted last week by Yukon Riverman coach Martin Lawrie on behalf of Yukon Hockey.

Lawrie told him Yukon Hockey would do all the organizing, registration and put the camp together, and asked Leung if he’d come up to help run it, the assistant coach said, adding he knows Lawrie personally from their years in hockey.

“Although its not totally a Smoke Eaters camp, I am coming.”

Leung spent three years as assistant coach with the major midget Valley West Hawks of Langley, B.C., and three more years as head coach before joining the Smoke Eaters last June.

Anderson did play for him as a Hawk in the 2016-17 season, he noted.

Leung said while he didn’t join the Smoke Eaters until after last year’s camp here, he did talk to the coaching staff before they made the trip to advise them to keep an eye on Anderson. And they did.

While not the official camp of the Jr. A club, Leung said he will make himself available to answer any questions budding players may have.

“I am excited to work with the players and share with the players what I know,” he said.