There's still a big question mark standing between the pipes, but 100 Mile House Wranglers coach Dale Haldun is happy with the early direction of the local Junior B hockey team following main camp and two exhibition games against the Kamloops Storm on Sept. 5-6.
A strong core of veteran defenceman are returning, and the forward lineup will be “deep” as well, the coach says.
Coming back to man the Wranglers' blue line are Josh Odelein, Jaydon Gilding, Tavis Roch, Liam Cumberbirch and Tate Page, with new additions Kolten Carpenter and Mason Palaga.
Some of the forwards set to return are Stephen Egan, Tyler Garcia, Justin Bond and Nick McCabe.
Local talent Cole Zimmerman is still trying out for a Junior A club in Flin Flon, Man., while the return of last season's top scorer, Brett Harris, is still up in the air as the crafty local skater nurses a knee injury and is working full time in Kamloops.
“I have to talk to him about how it could work [in 100 Mile],” Hladun says of Harris.
A new bright spot at forward is the addition of Tyler Povelofskie, a 19-year-old Williams Lake product who played Junior A in Vernon and Alberni Valley.
Hladun was very impressed with his effort in exhibition games against the Storm.
“Here's a player that has played two years in Junior A, had zero to prove, and he blocked shots covering his face to win in exhibition. If that is the character he's bringing to us – this is why we're going to be a championship team.”
Regarding the current, early forward situation, Haldun says: “We've got some guys that can score goals, but I think we'll need to generate goals from hard work, like from rebounds and on the power play. We're not going to have one goal scorer that leads us with 80 points. We might have three or four that are 40 point guys.”
“But again,” he adds. “It's September 8th. There are still camps going.”
A decision on goaltenders – the biggest pieces left to address it seems – will likely come at the end of the month, Hladun says.
“I'm still fielding calls [for goaltenders]. I have to play them in [regular season] games because we've had such a short preseason.”
Hladun ran a small camp with only 27 skaters at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre on Sept. 3-4.
Kamloops won both exhibition games – 4-3 and 5-4 – but Hladun was impressed with the overall effort he saw from the players.
“I thought our kids worked so hard. Kamloops has some talent there, but they didn't like getting run into by some of our vets. Overall, I thought, if that's how we're going to start, we're already miles ahead of where we were last year at this time.”
The Wranglers open the 2015-16 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season at home on Sept. 12 against the Chase Heat before traveling to Sicamous for a game against the Eagles on Sept. 15.
Looking ahead to the opener, Hladun says fans can expect a “real good effort” from a team that's “in the zone”.
“The guys are talking the right way,” he adds. “It's like we just finished playing the Storm in the [2014-15] playoffs and they want to get the job done. There are a lot of hungry guys. I think we're going to have a hell of a season.”
For season ticket information, contact office @ 100milewranglers.com or drop by the organization's office inside the South Cariboo Rec. Centre.
Volunteers for home games and billet homes for players are also needed for the season. Contact Sandy Craig about volunteering and any employment opportunities for Wranglers players at 250-945-4902. Contact Kim McCoy about billeting at 250-395-8085.
On Sept. 19, the Wranglers are hosting a Second Annual Golf Scramble with all funds going towards assisting Wranglers' alumni in career development.
Entry fee is $75, which includes 18 holes of golf, a power cart and dinner auction. Tickets are available at the Wranglers office inside the South Cariboo Rec. Centre. There's a shotgun start at noon.