Here it comes: the 2009-10 Victoria Salmon Kings season.

And with the new season comes the new look squad, built with some of the players that made the team successful last year along with a long list of fresh faces.

The freshest of those faces belongs to Taylor Ellington, the latest homeboy to skate for the club.

When he’s grinning, the 20-year-old (he turns 21 on Halloween) is an approachable, likable kid who recalls playing for the Saanich Braves’ minor hockey association. But when he’s on the ice he’s far from sweet. In fact, players who’ve experienced his physical play might say he’s sour.

Self-described as a hard working, goal setting individual, Ellington’s game is a shutdown player. He’s a defensive defenceman who doesn’t make mistakes and relies on key positioning. He also likes to use his sizable 6-foot-2, 210 pound frame to smash oncoming forwards. And according to

hockeyfights.com, Ellington backed himself up seven times in the Western Hockey League last year. He also dropped the gloves once during his brief stint with the Manitoba Moose this preseason.

“It’s really weird how everything works, you have this dream to play in the NHL. You know there’s going to be a lot of steps in between, but in my wildest dreams as a 16-year-old I never thought I’d be (starting) in Victoria,” said Ellington, who last played here as a Jr. B Peninsula Panther in 2004.

But Ellington’s not complaining, saying he’s happy to hone his pro-game in the ECHL.

“I set my goal to be in the (American Hockey League) but we have great coaches here and great defencemen here, I’m going to learn a lot.”

One of the things he’s learned is patience, something he picked up while watching the Manitoba Moose’s Calder Cup playoff run from the press box last spring. He arrived in Manitoba after signing an entry level contract with the Canucks on March 16. He even scored a goal in his only regular season AHL game before the Moose went on a long run only to come up short in the AHL final.

“Just being there for it all was unbelievable, seeing what it takes to win,” said Ellington. “In Everett we were taught to win, all the time, but seeing it from the pro-side (in Manitoba), I learned a lot there.

“Those guys never make mistakes, they’re always in the right place.”

A top Canucks’ prospect as a sizable defenceman, Ellington knows his chance will come, and he plans on being prepared by working hard.

The same goes for teammate and fellow Victoria native Dan Gendur. The two players are crossing paths again -- they played together for two years on the Everett Silvertips prior to being selected in the 2007 NHL Entry draft, Ellington 33rd overall and Gendur 206th.

“We grew up playing against each other and when (Gendur) was playing in Prince George (Cougars) we always used to joke about playing together,” said Ellington.

But it’s no joke now, as Gendur and Ellington were reunited in the Canucks’ rookie camp and were both assigned by the Moose to start the season in Victoria.

The Salmon Kings’ schedule starts with a trio of games in Anchorage, home of the Alaska Aces, tonight (Oct. 16), Saturday and Monday.

The home opener is Wednesday, Oct. 21 against the Bakersfield Condors, 7:05 p.m.