By John B. Spigott /
Bonnyville Pontiacs
The Pontiacs can potentially return 18 players from last year’s team that made it to the second round of the playoffs before being swept by the eventual champions from Spruce Grove. With the departure of captain Lucas Isley, AJHL Defenceman of the Year Matthew Register and sniper Shawn Bates to university, the Pontiacs will look to 20-year olds Tyler Henry and Devon Kalinski to pick up the slack for a Pontiacs team that finished sixth in the North Division last season in goals scored.
Despite the loss of Register, Bonnyville will lean on rugged Donnie Harris and Jordan Krankowsky to solidify the blueline in front of goaltender Julien Laplante.
Drayton Valley Thunder
Only four position players graduated from last year’s vastly improved Drayton Valley team, and with a pair of emerging snipers in 18-year-old Jordan Martinook – a 21-goal scorer in 2009/10 – and 17-year-old Nathan Smith, the Thunder look poised to improve on last year’s 12 wins and should certainly challenge for a playoff berth.
In goal, head coach Fran Gow acquired former Oil Baron Joey Quattrocchi to replace workhorse Braely Torris, who graduated to the University of Southern Maine after appearing in 49 games for the Thunder last season.
Fort McMurray Oil Barons
After pushing the Spruce Grove Saints to Game 7 of the AJHL final last season, the Oil Barons bring back four of their top five leading scorers from a year ago as well as one of the top goaltenders in the AJHL in 20-year-old Jesse Kallechy. Three 20-goal scorers from a year ago figure to lead the attack, as Adam Johnson, Ben Lake and Markus Gerbrandt are all back in the blue and gold this year.
After losing four defencemen from last year’s club, head coach and general manager Gord Thibodeau shored up his blueline this summer by acquiring Brock Maschmeyer from Lloydminster for forwards Gui Glasspoole and Kirk Sangris.
Grande Prairie Storm
After graduating their top three scorers from a year ago – including AJHL scoring champ Zahn Raubenheimer – the Storm will be looking for a way to replace the 121 goals that were put up by the trio of Raubenheimer, Dennis Rix, and Travis Dunstall.
Look for a breakout year for 19-year-old forward Dan Correale, who will get a chance to fill the void on offence after putting up 39 points in his first AJHL campaign last year. Correale was solid in the postseason as well, with seven points in nine games as the Storm eliminated Lloydminster in Round 1 before falling to Fort McMurray in five games in Round 2.
Lloydminster Bobcats
Head coach and general manager Brian Curran took the helm of the Bobcats midway through last season, was one of the more active general managers in the AJHL this summer, pulling the trigger on four trades. The Bobcats lone all-star from a year ago, Brett Slobodzian, was shipped to Trail of the BCHL in exchange for former Brooks centre Steve Dobbin, while the goaltending situation was also addressed on Aug. 15 with the acquisition of former WHL goaltender Kraymer Barnstable from Nanaimo.
Sherwood Park Crusaders
Reigning Canadian Junior Hockey League Player of the Year Cody Kunyk, eligible to return to Sherwood Park for one more year after putting up 87 points last season, will forego his last year of junior to suit up at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, a departure that leaves a sizable hole to fill for new head coach Tim Fragle.
However, with Patrick Terriss set to take over the starting job in goal and five defencemen eligible to return, look for Sherwood Park to once again settle into the top half of the North Division.
Spruce Grove Saints
Only a handful of players return from last year’s club that rolled through the regular season with 52 wins before going on a playoff run that saw the club beat Fort McMurray in seven games for its first AJHL championship and come within an eyelash of advancing to the RBC Cup, falling to eventual national champion Vernon in Game 7 of the Doyle Cup. In addition to the changes on the ice, also gone from a year ago is head coach Steve Hamilton – who has joined the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL as an assistant coach – and has since been replaced by former assistant coach Jason McKee.
While Spruce Grove has a lot of bodies to replace, they will return goaltender Vincenzo Marozzi, who had 26 wins and a sparkling 1.67 goals-against average in 31 games last season and shared the AJHL Top Team Goaltenders award Travis Rolheiser, who will play this season at York University.
St. Albert Steel
As the Steel head into their fourth season in St. Albert, they will do so without the luxury of being able to ice leading scorer Bryce Williamson, who put up 107 points to win a share of the league scoring title last year, and graduated to Bowling Green University after a stellar three-year career in St. Albert.
But scoring hasn’t been a problem in recent years for the Steel, who have traditionally struggled with keeping the puck out of their own net.
To crack the top half of the North Division, head coach and general manager Greg Parks will look to shore up a defence that has allowed over 237 goals against in each of the last three seasons. |