Kevin McBain
of The Clarion
It’s that time of year when you can start saying goodbye to the hot weather, school is about to restart and hockey players are digging out their gear for another season.
The ice is in and the Jr. Klippers are getting ready for the 25th season of Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League play in Kindersley.
About 55 players are expected to check in to camp this week. It all begins Thursday at 3 p.m. with registration. The players will be divided into three teams.
The Jr. Klippers are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and they want you to come out and celebrate with them
The first sessions takes place at 5, 6:30 and 8 p.m. Practices and games will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and again from 6 to 8:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The player list will be whittled down and will form two teams for the annual Kimmer Cup Intrasquad game on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend any of the on-ice sessions to get a preview of the upcoming season.
Head coach Geoff Grimwood is returning for his third year at the helm and he says things are shaping up for a strong season.
“We have 15 returning players, which is good,” he said. “We already have 75 to 80 per cent of our roster figured out going into main camp, but we always leave some room for players who may have improved a lot over the summer or maybe someone comes up who surprises us.”
The 2016-17 season was a disappointing one. The team finished in last place in their division with a 25-30-3 record and were swept in the wildcard playoffs by the Weyburn Red Wings.
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After the final series, Grimwood said they had to look for some more scoring and to tighten up on defence.
Grimwood said that they addressed these needs during the off-season and that it should be a different story this year.
“Last year was disappointing and we were truly humbled,” he said. “But we’ve been working towards this season and we should do well. The group of forwards is probably the deepest we’ve had since I’ve been here and, with a couple of additions on defence, we should be very strong. We want to get off to a good start and go from there.”
He said training camp not only gives the coaching staff a good look at players in the mix for this year, it also lets them identify players who can help a year or two down the road.
Hockey camp …
The Klippers were scheduled to host a hockey camp for players born between 2007 and 1012 players, but due to low numbers, the camp had to be cancelled.
However, the extra conditioning camp for players born between 2003 and 2006 that was added this year is going on as planned. It started Monday and will continue through to Friday withe sessions from 2 to 5 p.m. each day.
Local content …
Forward Kyle Bosch, defenceman Brody Ryberg and goaltender Justen Close are back for another season with the Klippers.
“We want to put the best team we can on the ice. We work hard to bring in as many local players as we can,” Grimwood said. “We have three players right now returning and they are good, solid strong kids. We also have a few more who are just on the cusp of making the team.”
Also getting a chance to be on the team is Tyler Baier of Macklin and Eston’s Billy Trarback, an 18-year-old defenceman who played midget AAA for the Beardys Blackhawks.
Off-season moves …
Aug. 24 –1997-born defenceman Taylor Dernyck was acquired from the OCN Blizzard. Dernyck is six-feet tall and weighs in at 165 pounds. He is from Whistler, B.C., and has played with the Comox Valley Glacier Kings and Alberni Valley Bulldogs before joining the Blizzard in 2015-16.
June 28 – 1997-born centre Curtis Peck from La Ronge in exchange for ’98-born winger Drayton Thunderchief. Peck served as the captain for the Ice Wolves last season and had 10 goals and 16 assists.
June 16 – Defenceman Brendon Borbely was acquired from the Lloydminster Bobcats in exchange for a player development fee. He’s a 1999-born player who played 40 games in the AJHL.
June 8 – Andrew McCann, 20, was traded to the Lloydminster Bobcats for future considerations.
June 3 – Defenceman Tyler Baier of Yorkton was traded for Kyle Sargent. Baier played three seasons for the Terriers.
June 3 – In a move that completes last season’s Josh Bly trade, the conditional player to be named has officially been announced as former Klipper Tanner Thompson.
Tanner played the 2015-16 season with the Klippers, registering 15 points in 53 games. He also played a chunk of the 2016-17 season before leaving the team as part of the major trade with the Nipawin Hawks. Tanner had an exceptional 2016-17 season, putting up 42 points, including an impressive 24 goals.
Let the games begin …
The first pre-season action for the Klippers is Sept. 6 against the Flin Flon Bombers in Warman. Sept. 7, the La Ronge Ice Wolves come to town. Game 2 is scheduled for the next day in the Battlefords and on Sept. 9, the SJHL champs will be in Kindersley. Games are at 7:30 p.m.
The regular season kicks off with the usual home-and-home series against the Battlefords Sept. 15 and 16. Game 1 will be played in Kindersley and game two will be in the Battlefords. Both start at 7:30 p.m.
Business side of things …
The Klippers are looking for more billets, singers for opening ceremonies and game-day volunteers.
To volunteer, contact business manager Tyler Orr at 306-430-8011 or email: [email protected].
For billeting inquiries, contact Grimwood at [email protected].
For volunteering you will receive some Klipper cash or Klipper credit to go towards some Klipper swag.
Players will soon be out and around town selling their Kash Kalendar, a great way to support your hometown team with a chance of winning some cash in return.
Don’t forget the Klippers’ coupon books are for sale. For just $275 you get more than $1,000 in value, including a season ticket for the 2017-18 season. There are tons of great coupons from local businesses and tickets for a couple of draws.
There are plenty of opportunities to sponsor the team this year. Already more than 140 corporate partners have stepped up to contribute anywhere from $300 to $25,000. It’s time to get on board. Contact Tyler Orr for more details.
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