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Vancouver added DeRoose as a list player, which is WHL speak for signing him as a free agent. He recorded 17 goals and 19 assists in 43 games with the Yorkton Maulers of the Saskatchewan midget league last season, to go with 77 penalty minutes. He ended up playing three games with Vancouver as a call-up.

He has two assists and 42 PIMs in 18 games this season with Vancouver.

He knew exactly what the WHL is about. Older brother Darcy, 21, played 38 games over three seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors and then Everett Silvertips. He had 28 goals, 48 assists and 111 penalty minutes in 53 regular-season games last season for the Estevan Bruins of the Saskatchewan Junior A league and he moved onto the University of Calgary for this season.

As well, the younger DeRoose grew up a fan of Giants’ stalwart Milan Lucic, so that’s at play as well.

“I’ve always modelled my game after his,” DeRoose said of the bruising Edmonton Oilers winger who helped Vancouver win the 2007 Memorial Cup national championship at the Pacific Coliseum.

“I like what he brings to the table,” added DeRoose. “I got a chance to meet him during training camp, right here in the hallway by the dressing room. He gave me some advice and I took it. It was good to meet him.”

People remember that Lucic scored 30 goals in the regular season of that Memorial Cup campaign. They often forget he had just nine as a WHL rookie the season before. It will be interesting to see what kind of improvement DeRoose can make. He had been a frequent healthy scratch earlier this year, but he’s dressed for five of the past six games.

“I need to put in the minutes after practice,” said DeRoose. “I need to make sure that I know all the details. I need to be good at all the little things.”

SEwen@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/SteveEwen

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