YORKTON - The Yorkton 18U Maulers were back on the ice over the weekend as the team held its fall camp.
First season head coach Jason Gordon said the camp was very much about the future – who might push for a look this season, and also beyond.
“Most of the province knew we had signed our full roster going into fall camp,” he told Yorkton This Week Monday.
But, even with roster pretty set 77 attended the team’s main camp.
Gordon said when it game to the final contest in camp he saw two teams made up of players he said he feels could play U18 hockey.
In some cases they may yet be Maulers, he added, noting several of the signed players will attend Western Hockey League camps, and if they stick on a Junior team it will open spots.
And, there are affiliated players to consider, some of whom will play U18 games with the Maulers.
In that regard Gordon said he was spending time Monday on the telephone making calls to let some players know he hopes to see them in a Mauler uniform at some point in the future.
The Maulers also held what they termed a ‘rising stars’ element, which brought 65 players – most born in 2010 or 2011.
Gordon said having the young players in camp allowed the team “to plant the seed” in terms of thinking about the Maulers as an eventual place to play when they hit the U18 division.
Interestingly three of the players were sons of former Maulers – Neil Schell, Lee Rusnak and Lyle Andrusiak – who were part of the team winning the Air Canada Cup in 1993.
While the ‘rising stars’ are still some years away from being potential Maulers, Gordon said they were able to give the young hopefuls “good feedback” to help them continue their hockey journey.
While evaluating young players is not easy, Gordon said you can generally tell “the kids that want to play hockey,” in the sense of work ethic and a desire “to get better.”
“You know the development path is going to be there.”
In other Mauler news the team has added to its coaching staff with Chace Sperling joining as an assistant coach. Sperling, who hails from Theodore, played women’s college hockey at St. Cloud State.
The Maulers start the preseason action in Tisdale Sept. 13, then host the Trojans at the Westland Insurance Arena Sept. 15.
The regular Saskatchewan U18 League season opens against the Saskatoon Contacts.
