Hope springs eternal at the Eagles’ training camp: The team is tied for first place in the AJHL standings, everyone is tops in league scoring and the promise of a new season buoys even the most dour of forecasters.
This year is no different.
“We’re looking for the best 23. We want to see guys who worked out all summer and we’ll look to the veterans for leadership in that area,” said Eagles head coach/general manager Andrew Milne.
The team is looking to rebound from a disappointing season that saw them limp into the playoffs and lose out in the first round. A new look defence and increased responsibility on offence and in net will be key for this season.
“We made a couple of deals in the off season to bolster our backend,” Milne said. “We certainly have some holes up front, but last year’s group wasn’t given a fair assessment.”
The team has a lot of scoring to replace, as Cody Cartier, Brian Doust, Kory Roy and Ben Bitz – all of whom who scored at a point per game rate last season – finished their Junior A careers.
Milne said instead of one powerful line, the team is looking at a scoring by committee model.
“You’ll see a different group who will see an increase in scoring because of their health,” Milne said. “We’ll look to a guy like Connor Hoekstra who had 10 goals last year to increase scoring and guys like Steven Phee and Zach Rassell. Keegan Thompson is also set to have a good year.”
Those players all scored less than a point per game rate and had serious injuries last season. Milne is convinced they’ll bounce back with better seasons.
Taking a break in camp, Phee said he’s anxious to get back on the ice. He knows he’s expected to have a big year and, more importantly, wants the team to win more games.
“The summer has been too long,” Phee said. “I think winning one of the top three spots in the south is a good goal, and hopefully followed with a long playoff.”
In net, Brady Rouleau appears set to take on the starter role after backing up Steve Papciak last season. Milne said there are a few good young goalies in camp, but also said there’s something in the works as well.
The team will likely have three or four Canmore residents on the squad. John Stevens appears set to rejoin the backend, while a handful of younger players will battle it out for a role, including Luke Simpson and Patrick Dove.
Jeremy Gordon is one of the Canmore players looking to crack the lineup. He played three games with the Eagles last season and, at 17, has a good shot at lacing them up for the Eagles.
“I want to make a good impression in camp. I’m gonna play my game, which is a simple defensive game and make the least amount of mistakes,” he said.
Gordon played most of last season with the Cochrane Generals and Milne mentioned him as one of several local players the team will keep an eye on.
He’s also looking hard at Simon and Luke Philp, the Canmore brothers who could end up playing a big roll with the Eagles. Simon scored in his Eagles debut last season, while Luke is a highly touted player who is also weighing his WHL options.
In other Eagles news, Milne has again been named as an assistant coach with Team Canada’s Junior A program. The coach said he was honoured to represent his country and hopes to help the team rebound and win a medal at this year’s event.
