Newly named captain Brody Wilson enjoyed the Virden Oil Capitals’ Comfort Inn & Suites Fall Training Camp and is looking forward to the season.
“I enjoyed and thought camp was high paced all weekend with challenging fitness testing, competitive games and practices, capped off with a close final game for the Garry Cup,” the 20-year-old Birtle product said. “I enjoyed meeting all the new guys as well it was great having all the returning players back together again. …
“I’m excited and looking forward to a good season, watching the guys build, improve every day, and to see what we can accomplish here this year… and to give our fans some exciting hockey to watch.”
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League team’s fall camp ran Sept. 2-4 at the Tundra Oil & Gas Place. About 45 players put their skills on display – looking to earn a roster spot for this season or the future.
A highlight of the camp every season is the concluding intrasquad game – the Garry Cup. It is named for the team’s longtime dressing room assistant. This year Team Black triumphed.
“It is such a treat to be able to know Garry,” Oil Caps returning defenceman Nolan Wallace said. “He’s such a great guy and is always such a positive figure in the dressing room. Whenever we see him, he’s always asking us how we’re doing and keeping us in line, and of course always with a smile on his face.
“I think being able to play for a trophy named after him is a privilege for all of us and something that we all look forward to each year coming into camp. He has a big role with us especially in our game day routines at home, and I couldn’t imagine a better guy to have around the rink.”
Prior to the fall camp, the organization held its 10th annual golf classic. It is an important fundraiser for the team.
“The annual Golf Classic was a lot of fun to kick off camp weekend as it’s a great way to meet many of our sponsors and community members and thank them for all the support they give to the team,” Wilson said.
He joined the Oil Caps in a trade from Nipawin, Sask. partway through last season and quickly made an impact on and off the ice.
“We are very happy to name Brody as the next captain of our hockey club,” Virden head coach Tyson Ramsey said on the team’s website. “Brody embodies everything we want in our players both on and off the ice. Brody has an unbelievable work ethic. He is the first one on the ice and into the gym, he enjoys volunteering his time to the community and he understands the culture we are continuing to grow here. He is so well respected by his teammates and coaches, and we are very fortunate to have Brody lead our hockey club into this new season.”
Exhibition Season
The Oil Caps opened the exhibition season on Tuesday in Portage. They host the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Estevan Bruins on Friday. The Oil Capitals are in Saskatchewan the next night to play the Bruins. Virden concludes its exhibition season on Sept. 12 by hosting the Portage Terriers.
Roster Moves
The Oil Capitals have acquired talented 17-year-old forward Daniel Tokariwski from Portage for goalie Bailey Monteith and the Junior A rights to Calder Anderson. Virden will also receive future considerations. Last winter Tokariwski racked up 64 points in 43 games of the U18 AAA Winnipeg Thrashers. The Winnipeg product scored 21 goals. Monteith joined the Oil Caps partway through last season and led the team with 12 wins. Anderson spent last season in the major junior Western Hockey League.
“As an organization we are sad to see Bailey move on, but he did such a great job for us last year that when the opportunity came up to send him to a team that was hosting the Centennial Cup, we wanted to explore that,” Ramsey said on the team’s website. “We are getting a great young player in Daniel who will be a big body that can score when he is ready to play at the junior level. We feel he will be a very good player for us for three years. We want to thank Bailey for all he did for us in his time here and we wish him all the best with his new club.”
In exchange for future considerations, the Oil Capitals acquired Dean Gorchynski from the Winnipeg Freeze. The 19-year-old forward had 27 points, with nine goals, in 40 games as a rookie for the Freeze last winter. The Winnipegger also played four games for Selkirk.
