The Virden Oil Kings and Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks are looking to contend for a championship in a new-look North Central Hockey League.
“This year’s league is going to be structured a little different from years past,” Oil Kings coach Brett Braybrook said. “It will be a two-division team league with Foxwarren, Shoal Lake, and Rivers all taking a year’s absence. Entering the league is Waywayseecappo and Langenburg.
“People sometimes sell senior hockey short. I feel we have a very competitive league with some talented men.”
The C-Hawks and Oil Kings will play in the NCHL’s South Division with Moosomin and Langenburg. Miniota-Elkhorn enters the season looking to defend its league championship.
“The league is always getting stronger, so it is important to not get complacent,” C-Hawks coach Garth Mitchell said. “As the calibre of the league gets higher, so must your motivation.”
The Oil Kings host Langenburg on Friday to open the season. Miniota-Elkhorn kicks off its campaign in Virden on Saturday. The C-Hawks’ first home game is Nov. 9 in Elkhorn.
Oil Kings
Last season the Oil Kings posted an 11-3-2 regular season record to finish third in the league. They swept Grandview in the quarterfinals before losing to Miniota-Elkhorn in the semifinals. The Oil Kings return most players from that squad – including goalie Josh Peterson, who was injured in the playoffs, and defenceman Colin Paull, who was hurt partway through the season.
“When we have all our guys, we feel we can compete with anybody in the league and are not settling for anything less than a title,” Braybrook said.
Among the top players returning for Virden are Drake Bodie, who had a team-high 36 points in 15 games; hometown product Tanner Lewis, who was third in the NCHL with 17 goals last season; and Derek LeBlanc, who posted 18 points, among others. Braybrook has been preaching puck possession to the Oil Kings, saying “as men now, we don’t need to work harder; we need to work smarter.
“I feel we have a very knowledgeable team that wants to buy into a system, which is sometimes hard with grown adults,” Braybrook said. “I am very fortunate to work with these men and have them put their trust in me as I have with them.”
C-Hawks
Miniota-Elkhorn has almost all of its group back from the team that went 15-1-0 in the regular season before winning the championship.
“The majority of last year’s team is returning ... Work and family commitments are always a challenge and the North Central Hockey League is a ‘working man’s league,’ so there are always those players managing very busy schedules,” Mitchell said.
Among the many players expected back are Brad Cole, a former pro who was the NCHL’s Top Defenceman last season; fellow First Team All-Star blue liner Dillin Stonehouse; Dustin Fisher, second in the NCHL with 39 points last season; and netminders Cory Gardham and Ian Oliver. Mitchell said the team’s overall depth in the roster is its strength: two solid goalies, a skilled and veteran blue line core, and solid, talented forwards.
“This is a collection of very talented, dedicated hockey players,” Mitchell said. “I have had the pleasure of coaching all of these players in the past and am really looking forward to this opportunity this season.”
