(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Mustangs Training Camp

‘Compete’: Mustangs to enter pre-season with about 30 players

Sep 2, 2019 | 10:00 AM

Around 80 players started at Melfort Mustangs Training Camp on Friday, Aug. 30 and as pre-season begins, 30 will remain.

Heading into camp, only about 10 players were expected to return from last years’ squad that made it to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League final, now things are a bit clearer, but there is still plenty to be decided according to Head Coach Trevor Blevins.

“It was a successful camp,” Blevins said. “I thought compete wise was there for the most part. We had a different range of players and really the waters are still a little muddy, so we’ve got four exhibition games this week. Players will typically play themselves on or play themselves off.”

The team also held their annual intra-squad game on Sunday, Sept. 1 with about 40 players. The game was played with some great pace and was good for the fans who came to watch. Team Green ended up coming out on top against Team Gray 5-4.

One of the areas that was a big question heading into camp was the second goaltender spot to play behind Shawn Parkinson. The team needed to let a few go, but Blevins said there is still some decisions to be made.

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“There’s a handful of guys that are really good,” he said. “We’ve got three guys that are going to push for that position. They’ve got a short window to prove themselves again and we’ll let it play out.”

While SJHL camps are going on, Western Hockey League camps are underway as well and those teams need to dwindle down their numbers, and while Blevins said there are a few guys who may be joining the Mustangs at some point, they are focused on the players they have now.

“Until they’re here, we don’t factor them in,” Blevins told northeastNOW. “There is three or four guys out there that could potentially be here, but again, you can’t plan for that. It’s just a matter of if and when it happens.”

The Mustangs will try to cut down their numbers a bit more before the regular season commences and they’ll start their pre-season on Monday, Sept. 2 at the Northern Lights Palace when the rival Nipawin Hawks come to town. The two teams will meet again the next night in Nipawin. That is followed by a home and home set against the Humboldt Broncos on Sept. 6 and 7. When asked about what he wants to see out of pre-season, Blevins had a pretty simple answer.

“Compete,” he said. “We’re not going to have time to do a lot of structure. But as far as I am concerned, when you play Humboldt twice and Nipawin twice, you have to play with an edge, and you got to play heavy and that’s what we’re looking for to start the season. If you have the work ethic and the attitude, you’re going to go far with a player.”

The regular season begins for the Mustangs on Friday, Sept. 13 when the Nipawin Hawks come to town for the first half of a home and home.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6