In the heat of summer, a five-day Lancers’ training camp signalled a new hockey season for Lloydminster’s boys of winter.
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Under the direction of new coach Chris King, the U18 AAA Lancers staged their main camp Aug. 24-28, with 44 prospects participating in tryouts at Servus Sports Centre.
“Everyone got a bunch of ice time, which was great,” King said during the fifth day of camp.
The numbers thinned out throughout the week, not because of cuts, but due to the departure of players who were also attending major junior camps with their respective WHL teams.
“We have 10 at Western league camps, which is awesome,” King said as his remaining Lancers skated through drills on a humid evening.
“We started losing guys on Monday — our guys who had to go down to the States, Spokane and different areas — and that continued throughout the week.”
With some of those bigger-name players out of town, the greater complement of prospects tried to take advantage of even more opportunities to showcase their skills in front of the Lancers’
coaching staff.
“We’re really happy with what we saw,” King said. “As you can see, the intensity for this camp has been great. The guys are working hard and getting along well, which is a big plus sign for us. Especially when you’re trying out for spots, sometimes that’s not the case.
“Obviously, we’ve got to wait and see what happens with our guys at junior camps — to see if anyone stays — but we’re looking to take 25 to 27 guys into our pre-season roster. Then, we’ll figure it out as guys come back, or don’t come back, from their junior clubs.”
PRE-SEASON PLANS
The Lancers have scheduled five pre-season games, beginning with Sept. 12 and 13 action in Edmonton. Their first exhibition game in Lloydminster is set for Sept. 14.
With an infusion of talent, the new-look Lancers are trying to regroup after a last-place finish in the Alberta Elite Hockey League last season. Albeit it an early evaluation, the training camp showed promising signs.
“I would say the vibe has been good,” King said. “It’s exciting. This time of year is always exciting. It’s like Christmas. You see all your pieces and you hope they come together.
“Every coach thinks their team is awesome at this time of year. And then, you start playing and you figure out what you need to work on.”
Along with the Lancers attending major junior camps, other prospects participated in junior A training camps on the Labour Day weekend.
King reported that “four or five” Lancers were bound for the Lloydminster Bobcats’ AJHL camp, which began Aug. 29 at the Centennial Civic Centre.
“They’ll hopefully be playing some exhibition games with them, so it would be nice to see our guys on that stage locally,” he said. “Which is the goal for all these guys — they want to play junior hockey. So, that’s what we want to get them to, and if they can play locally, it’s a double win for us.”
As they search for more wins this season, the Lancers bank on cashing in on that experience their players gained at major junior and junior A camps.
“When they come back, we need them to bring the intensity that they had at those junior camps, whether it’s major junior or junior A,” King said. “They should learn a lot of lessons (at those camps) and figure out what they need to do to play at that level, and hopefully our intensity picks up.”
MAJOR JUNIOR CAMPERS
The Lancers’ contingent at major junior camps included 2025 WHL draft choices Tripp Fischer (Prince Albert Raiders), Kael Scott (Calgary Hitmen) and Josh Frazer and Brody Sunderland (Spokane Chiefs).
Along with 2024 pick Connor Knickle, Spokane’s camp included three players in the Lancers’ mix.
The Red Deer Rebels’ camp also featured a Lancers’ trio in Denton Setzer and recent 15U AAA graduates Cobin Garnett and Jax Munro.
Scott’s company at his first Calgary camp included Lancers’ 17-year-old defenceman Rhett Romanchuk, who was originally drafted by the
Saskatoon Blades in 2023.
Lancers forward Trey Bohlken attended the Moose Jaw Warriors’ WHL camp. Last season, he was a 15-year-old rookie with the U18 AAA Lancers.
Bohlken, Romanchuk, Logan Flewell and Gavin Pratt were among the local faces
auditioning for the Bobcats in their exhibition opener Sept. 1 against the Kindersley Klippers of the SJHL.
Pratt led the U17 AAA Lancers in scoring last winter, with 19 goals and 35 points in 34 games.
‘DEVELOPMENTAL TOOL’
Because of their age, most of the Lancers who attended this year’s WHL camps aren’t eligible to play major junior on a full-time basis this season.
As they trimmed their U18 AAA roster to 28 players this week, the Lancers planned to keep some of their prospects in the system.
“Some of these guys will be playing for our U17 (AAA) team, which is a developmental tool for us,” King said. “Some of those guys will affiliate with us and some will play U18 AA, or other places as well.”
The Lancers’ tryout process began last May with an identification camp that involved 100-plus players.
King advised on Labour Day that all his major junior campers were back in town or headed back to Lloyd early this week.
The exception was the 15-year-old Fischer, who earned a longer look in Prince Albert. He scored the tying goal Sept. 1 as his Team White rallied from a 4-0 deficit and won 5-4 over Team Green in the Raiders’ showcase game.
In May, the Raiders chose Fischer in the third round of the WHL prospects draft. This summer, he was shortlisted for the U16 Team Alberta.
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