(File photo/northeastNOW)

By Clark Stork

SJHL begins Friday

Regular season opens Friday night for Nipawin Hawks

Sep 23, 2021 | 1:59 PM

The Nipawin Hawks are back on the ice for their first regular season game since Nov. 21 of last year Friday night when the team opens the 2021-22 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season in La Ronge.

Following a just over nine-month layoff due to COVID-19 the team held a significantly longer training camp and seven exhibition games.

Head Coach and General Manager Doug Johnson said the team needed that much time to prepare for what they hope is a full 58 game season.

“I think it’s been needed,” Johnson said. “It’s been nice to get the guys out, it’s been nice to have a purpose to come the rink every day, but it’s definitely been needed. The COVID break has definitely taken its toll on some players and they need to figure out how to play hockey again. The skills are good, the skating is strong, the team play and the passing and how to process the game under duress is rusty. We’ve liked the long camp.”

The Hawks will return six forwards from the 2019-20 roster and bring seven new players into the fold. The offence will be led by 20-year-olds Andrew Schaab and Christian Albertson. While 2002-born forwards Alex Johnson, Rylan Lefebvre, Carson Dobson, and Brody Wilson will play their first full seasons with the team.

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The club will bring in seven newcomers and Johnson said, on paper, the group looks thin, but he expects the players to make a mark as the season moves along.

“I think they are going to surprise some people,” he added. “We were concerned with our goal scoring and there is still a concern there, but I’m sleeping a lot better at night after working with these guys for a month that’s for sure.”

The strength of the Hawks this season will be the defense core and netminding. Unlike the forward group, the blueline is loaded with veterans that are expected to lead the team into the playoffs.

“That is going to be our strength, there is a lot of depth there. Our defense must be our strength, it must be the backbone of our team night in and night out. If they play to their capabilities, it’s sure going to help us this season,” Johnson said.

The team has three goaltenders on the roster including 19-year-old Chase Hamm of Saskatoon. Hamm made the club as an 18-year-old last season. With the departure of Ross Hawryluk last year to university, the net belongs to the Saskatoon product. He will be supported, for now, by Loic Mainguy-Crepault and Dylan Lacroix. Johnson said the trio will be solid compliments to the defensemen.

“Definitely, Chase is going to be the guy we lean on and we expect him to be the man all year and seeing how everyone else develops,” Johnson said.

The Hawks open the SJHL year with a home-and-home against the Ice Wolves beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The Wolves return to Nipawin’s Centennial Arena Saturday.

Johnson said it’s hard to gameplan for opponents with the unknown of rosters and players so he will focus on his 20 players to pick up victories this weekend.

“We need to use our backend, make sure they are playing strong to help minimize scoring chances against and get the puck out of our end quick I think our forwards can do some damage against La Ronge’s defense. They have a younger defense core so if we can exploit that weakness we know we will find a rebound or two to bang in at some point,” he said.

RONA Nipawin Hawks Hockey returns to the airwaves this season with the pregame show will begin at 7:15 p.m. on 105 CJVR.

Puck drop Saturday is also 7:30 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork