MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- One season ends, and another immediately begins.
Less than a week after holding their WHL Championship celebration to close out the 2023-24 Western Hockey League campaign, the Moose Jaw Warriors are back on the ice for the return of their Development Camp from Thursday through Saturday.
The event will feature a host of on-ice and off-ice activities through the three days, with the goal of giving some of the team’s youngest prospects a chance to get a feel for the Warriors organization.
“We’re looking forward to hosting our first development camp since 2019 and seeing the next crop of Warriors on the ice together over the weekend,” Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger said in a team press release.
“This is a great opportunity to have those players begin to learn what it takes to play for the Warriors and build relationships with their future teammates, coaches and staff.”
Things kicked off with meetings on Thursday, followed by fitness testing on Friday morning and the first ice sessions at the Barkman Arena in Caronport on Friday afternoon.
The weekend will mark the first opportunity for the Warriors to see their 2024 WHL Prospects Draft class on the ice together, including second-round pick Cohen Williams.
The camp will also see players in the 2007 and 2008 age groups in action as they aim to crack the Warriors line-up next season.
All told, 15 forwards, nine defencemen and three goaltenders will take part in the event.
In addition to on-ice and off-ice hockey activities, the players and their parents will take part in sessions to help them become familiar with the Warriors organization as well as the team’s education partners at Vanier Collegiate.
The first ice sessions will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday as well as 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
-- with files from Marc Smith / Moose Jaw Warriors
