Close to 100 hockey players donned their gear and took to the ice at the Elgar Petersen Arena last week, hoping to end up wearing a Humboldt Broncos team jersey this season.
The junior A hockey team held its annual fall training camp September 2-4, kicking off a historic season which will see them host the RBC Cup, Canada's junior A hockey championship, in May.
As the host team, the Broncos have an automatic berth in the tournament, but the Bronco coaching staff wants to put together a team that will win its way to the tournament, and hopefully claim another national title.
The camp went "pretty good," Broncos head coach and general manager Dean Brockman told the Journal.
They were able to see some of the young guys they're keeping tabs on, and got a chance to see some of the veterans they've acquired through trades skate on Humboldt ice. They have a total of six guys coming in to the team this fall from trades, Brockman said.
As for the veterans returning from last year's Broncos team - 20 were eligible to return, and 17 are back - "everyone came back in great shape," Brockman reported.
The calibre of play they witnessed over the three days was good, he indicated.
"We liked what we've seen," he said. "We're at a good starting point for the year for sure," he added.
They were looking to fill a few specific holes in the team. Starting goalie Andrew Bodnarchuk was the only 20-year-old to graduate from the team last year, so the coaching staff did have their eyes out for another goaltender.
"We have a couple kids who are going to be with us after camp, auditioning for that job," Brockman said.
As for the other positions, Brockman said they were looking to bring in players that would push their veterans, and contribute to scoring, something the Broncos were lacking last year.
"But we won't know if we've addressed that situation until we start playing our exhibition games," Brockman noted.
That exhibition season is pretty gruelling - five games in six days.
Forty-three players played in the Green and Gold game at the end of the camp. Brockman said they planned to make a few cuts after that game, so they could carry somewhere around 30 for the exhibition season.
They may have a few more than 30, depending on what happens with the potential Broncos who are still at Western Hockey League camps.
Eventually, cuts will lower the number of players on the team, but Brockman anticipates starting the regular season this year carrying more players than they would for a normal season.
They have to weigh several factors, he said, including the number of 20-year-olds and the number of imports on their roster.
Their process at the camp was a little different this year, Brockman noted, as they normally don't have players coming in from other teams to the camp. Usually, they're bringing in young players to replace departing vets.
But overall, their approach to the camp was the same as any other year, he noted.
After the five exhibition games, two of which will be at home on September 8 and 10, the Broncos will officially open their regular season on Saturday, September 17 with a game against Notre Dame.
So far, season ticket sales are going well, Brockman reported.
"We've got a good start on them," he said, "but with the big year we're having, we hope more people take advantage of what could be a very special year for the community, the team - everyone."
