Game On Magazine - April 2017 Game on Preview Edition | Page 24

Swan Valley
Stampeders (20-34-6
46 pts)
After finishing 14 games
under .500 a year ago, the
Swan Valley Stampeders have
undergone some major chang-
es. A whole new coaching staff
was brought in, including head
coach Taurean White, and the
team’s board of directors has
been replaced.
The team will be counting
heavily on the likes of veteran
goalie Brett Evans and return-
ing forwards Keaton Jameson
and Trevar Mann to get the
team headed in the right direc-
tion this season.
“The best 23 or 24 players
are going to make this team,”
White said. “I’m a big fan of
two-way (hockey). That’s what
I like to incorporate in my
teams. And I want the team to
be competitive on a consistent
basis.”
Virden Oil Capitals
(26-26-8 60 pts)
Virden is looking to take a
big step forward this season
after a young Oil Kings club
finished the 2016-17 campaign
with a .500 record and lost
their opening round playoff se-
ries with Winkler. Head coach
Troy Leslie could have as many
as 16 returnees in the lineup
this season including forwards
Tyler Kirkup, Kirklan Lycar,
Dylan Thiessen, Ben Dalke and
Brayden Billaney, defencemen
Morgan Magwood, Tristen
Cross and Marco Creta and
goalie Riley McVeigh.
“Our expectations are higher
this year. We have a lot of guys
who gained some experience as
18 and 19-year-olds last year
and we expect them to have
big years for us,” Leslie said.
“Last year we were a team that
struggled a little five-on-five.
We have higher expectations
in that regard this year. And
we feel our power play will be
strong for us again.”
Dexter Kuczek and linemate
Levi Cudmore of the Blues
Waywayseecappo
Wolverines
(14-42-4 32 pts)
Following a last-place finish
in 2016-17 there’s nowhere for
the Wolverines but up.
New head coach Arnie
Caplan said he doesn’t care
what happened in the past
and everyone will be given an
opportunity to start fresh this
season. That includes return-
ing players like goalie Hunter
Lorenson, defencemen Wade
Johannesson and Derek Wood,
and forwards Jake Bestul,
Adam Withers and Chad
Kilimnik.
“We want to be competitive
and play every game with the
right attitude and intensity and
get people in our community
interested in the team again,”
Caplan said.
Winkler Flyers
(41-16-3 85 pts)
These two guys are stars and the
picture is action packed.
2 4 | G AM E O N | S E P T EM BER 2 0 1 7
Hungry might be the best
word to describe the Winkler
Flyers this season. After post-
ing a second-place finish in
2016-17 the team was knocked
out in the second round of the
playoffs by the OCN Blizzard.
“I know that success has
made the guys hungry. I spoke
with players all summer and
I think they are looking for a
bit of redemption,” head coach
Ken Pearson said.
“We’re going to play an
up-tempo game. We have
defencemen who defend well
and can move the puck up to
the forwards. And we’ve got
good depth up front. We’ve got
three really good lines that can
score.”
The Flyers will have a solid
nucleus of returning players
including goalie Mitch Dyck,
defenceman Tyler Jubenvill,
and forwards Nolan McGuire,
Coltyn Bates and Will Blake.
Winnipeg Blues
(27-27-6 60 pts)
The Winnipeg Blues are look-
ing to build on a strong second
half of 2016-17 that saw them
pull off a series of trades that
helped propel them into the
playoffs.
The club will be looking for
contributions up front from a
number of returning forwards
including Dexter Kuczek, who
enjoyed a breakout 30-goal
campaign a year ago, Levi
Cudmore and Matt LeBlanc
and defencemen Ryan Mutch,
Kane Stevenson and Brock
Shwaluk.
“It will be a completely
different starting point for us
from last year,” said head coach
Billy Keane. “We’re going to
look after our end first. We’ll
create a lot of turnovers from
being really tough defensively.
Up front, we’re very fast and
we’ve got some good skill.” ❍