The Oil Caps had a strong second half of the regular season and finished with a 35-22-1-0 record. In the postseason, they made it all the way to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League finals, which the Steinbach Pistons won 4-1.
“I think it was a great experience for us and to have a number of guys back from that team is a good start,” Oil Capitals head coach and general manager Tyson Ramsey said. “They got a feeling of what is required to get there, and I think we learned a lot about ourselves throughout that playoff run that we can use moving into this season.”
The Oil Caps start the 2023-2023 regular season at home on Sept. 22 against the Pistons. On Sept. 24, the Virden squad visits Portage.
Five 2002-born players aged out from last year, including captain Brody Wilson, fourth leading scorer Colten Miller, and Manson defenceman Bray Rookes. Virden’s own Ty Plaisier is back with the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats after splitting last season between that team and the Oil Capitals. The team returns 16 players from last season.
“I think when you look at the strengths of our team it starts in goal and works its way out,” Ramsey said. “Returning both goaltenders from last year is huge when they are both in the top tier of goaltenders in the league. I feel like we have a bigger, mobile defence that defends hard and a group that can move pucks efficiently up ice and can contribute offensively. Up front, we return most of our top point getters from a year ago and have signed a mix of players that can score and play a gritty type of game.”
Back to stop pucks for Virden are Eric Reid and Owen LaRocque. Reid, a hometown product, posted a 3.03 goals against average and a .899 save percentage last season. In his rookie campaign, LaRocque had a .900 save percentage and a 3.08 GAA.
“They were a huge part of our success last season, and they will, in our opinion, be one of, if not, the best tandem in the league,” Ramsey said.
Five defencemen return for the Oil Capitals. David Bielik led the team’s blue liners last season with 32 points in 57 games. Also back are Trevor Hunt (24 points), Nolan Wallace, Thomas Phillips, and Ethan Guthrie (21 points). One of the key additions on the back end is 17-year-old Cole Slobodian from Brandon.
“I think Cole Slobodian could be a guy that has success in our league as a rookie this season,” Ramsey said. “He is a smooth skating guy that moves the puck extremely efficiently and has a great shot. He has a good stick and can defend as well as an ability to put up some offence from the back end.”
Up front, the Oil Caps have nine forwards back. That includes its top three scorers in Nolan Chastko (20 goals and 43 points in 54 games), Dean Gorchynski (40 points), and Josh Lehto (39 points). Also back are Joey Bielik (36 points), Roux Bazin (32 points), Layton Veitch, Nicholas Guberman, Naton Miller, and Brett Sabel. The Oil Caps have added some young players to that mix.
“Bryce Bryant and Noel Englot have really impressed to this point,” Ramsey said. “They are going to be very good players in this league. We are very happy with all of the forwards that we signed in the off season.”
Bryant is from Virden, while Englot hails from Candiac, Sask. Bryant, Reid, and Pipestone’s Luke MacKenzie, a forward, are the local players currently with the Oil Caps.
Last Week
The Oil Caps sent 2005-born forward Dylan Schrader of Brandon to the Neepawa Titans for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 MJHL Draft.
Three goals in the third period lifted the Oil Caps to a 5-4 win over the host Portage Terriers in a rookie exhibition contest on Sept. 12. Oak Lake Beach’s Tyson Draper lit the lamp twice for Virden. Also scoring for the Oil Caps were Jeremy Warkentine, Maxx Hamelin, and Jaxson Fillion. In net, Kenton’s Connor Rapley got the win with six saves on eight shots while teammate Austin Kindrat started and stopped eight of the 10 shots he faced.
In Estevan on Sept. 15, the Oil Capitals fell 3-1 to the Bruins. Estevan led 2-1 and 3-1 at the intermissions. Joey Bielik had Virden’s lone goal. LaRocque made 19 saves. Things got physical late with 22 penalties being handed out in the third period. For the contest, Virden had 16 infractions for 75 minutes, while Estevan had 52 minutes on 14 infractions.
On Sept. 16, the host Oil Caps downed the Dauphin Kings, 9-4. Gorchynski and MacKenzie each scored a hat trick. Bazin had four points, including a goal. Also scoring for Virden were Pierre Gouin and Rhylan Baxter.
The Oil Caps wrapped up the preseason by beating the Terriers, 4-2, in Virden on Sept. 18. The hosts led 3-1 after the first period. LaRocque made 29 saves. Scoring for Virden were Hunt, David Bielik, Joey Bielik, and Miller.
