The defending Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League champion Victoria Cougars are looking ahead to the new season with great anticipation.
"Last year was such a great team, the graduating group was so strong that we've got some tough holes to fill, not just in the scoring department, but the leadership department," returning head coach Mark Van Helvoirt said of his championship crew.
Steven Axford, Josh Wyatt, Chris Bannister, Jacob Nixon and Connor Stephens have all moved on from the Cougars, who after securing a league title in 2011-12, dropped a tough 3-2 decision in overtime to the Abbotsford Pilots in the final of the Cyclone Taylor Cup.
"Those guys will be missed, but there is a younger group coming up who are ready," insisted Van Helvoirt, who will look to returnees Brody Coulter, Samuel Rice and Mark Walton among his leadership corps.
The Cougars began training camp this week and, as always, have sights set on another crown.
"We're up for the challenge," said Van Helvoirt. "We had a great season last year. The plan coming in is, we should have a strong team off the start, and we'll be the most improved team over the course of the season. It's always tough to repeat, but I think we're up for the challenge."
Van Helvoirt will also have Evan Roch back in net and camp will dictate who becomes the backup.
"It's always tough to tell exactly what you have coming back because of the trickle effect from the Western Hockey League and Junior A, but we probably expect to return half our roster."
He will have roughly 10 roster spots to fill and expects to start releasing players on Sunday, down to a manageable number of 25 to 30. Other players will head off to their respective WHL and Junior A camps and Van Helvoirt will wait and see who returns.
One such player is Dysin Maio, a third-round bantam draft pick of the Edmonton Oil Kings, who also recently competed for a spot on Team Pacific.
"They have a great draft record of moving on defencemen," Van Helvoirt said of the 2011 WHL champions. "There is evidence of that in the [NHL] draft the last couple of years. I think if he does come back and plays, I know he'll be an elite defenceman in this league."
Up front, the victorious coach will have VIJHL veteran Garrett Brandsma, who was acquired from the Comox Valley Glacier Kings.
"He'd been their assistant captain the last two years," said Van Helvoirt. "He played on their top line last year and he's an elite player in this league. He's about as well rounded a player as you'll find in the league. He's good defensively and he's good on the power play and penalty kill. He's about as competitive as they come and he has good touch around the net."
Brandsma, a five-foot-10, 160-pound native of Powell River, had 14 goals and 25 assists last season.
"I'm really excited about playing for Victoria and I'm looking forward to putting my talents to good use for my new team and teammates," said Brandsma.
The Cougars will play two exhibition games against the VIJHL's newest teams, the Westshore Wolves (at home Aug. 30) and Nanaimo Buccaneers (away Sept. 2).
Victoria will open the regular season Sept. 8 when they travel to Kerry Park to take on the Islanders.
