The returning Heritage Junior B Hockey League North Division champs are ready for hockey season to start.
In preparation for the upcoming season camp officially opened this week, Sylvan Lake Wranglers head coach Pat Garritty said.
“At the start of camp we have 26 guys that we then narrow down to 23 to form the roster as we head into the preseason and we are excited about the roster that we are going to be able to put on the ice this season.”
This year 12 of those 23 players are new to the team, Garritty added.
“We got 12 new guys in the line up this year but they are all for the most part veterans with multiple years of junior hockey under their belts.”
The vast majority of the players on the team are also local, he said.
“All of the players are local. With the exception of a couple of the guys that are going to RDP, they are all guys that have come through Sylvan Lake Minor Hockey at some point.”
For the preseason the Wranglers will have two game sets with both the Beaumont Chiefs who play in the Capital Division and the rival team in the North Division the Mountain View Colts.
“During the first preseason game against the Beaumont Chiefs, we are just there to iron out some of the kinks and get our game legs underneath us with not a ton of pressure. But when the puck drops you do always want to win,” Garritty said.
“It is also exciting just to be back in the rink. These guys have been itching to play and are ready to go after a long summer,” he added
For Wranglers fans there will be a great deal to look forward to during this fifth season of Wranglers hockey in Sylvan Lake, Garritty said.
“Fans are going to see a really high caliber level of hockey played by a team with incredible depth which is going to be exciting to watch. ”
The regular season home opener for the Wranglers will take place on Sept. 22.
“Our goal is to be the best team we can on a nightly basis recognizing we have an opportunity to win every time we step on the ice and not taking that for granted,” Garritty said.
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