“It was a very difficult year this past season,” Terrier general manager and head coach Mat Hehr told the team’s Annual General Meeting Monday.
“Heading into this past season, there was a lot of high hopes for our team,” he said, adding it was the team’s goal was to win the championship.
“I thought the previous two years we had a great opportunity to win. We were division champions and then our playoffs were cancelled in the middle of the first round.
“Then we had an extremely strong core return, that we kinda built for these past couple years, only to play six games.”
Hehr noted it was particularly hard on the veteran players.
“I feel extremely bad for the players, especially the 2000 born players who had their 19-year-old seasons cut short, only to have pretty much their entire 20-year-old season cancelled,” he said.
However, the Terriers did place some players on the way to better things, noted Hehr:
*Carson Miller committed to play hockey at the University of British Columbia.
*Riley Egan committed to play for NCAA Division 3 Alvernia University.
*16-year-old forward Vaughn Watterodt joined the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Hockey League.
*19-year-old goaltender Jacob Herman will be attending Swift Current Broncos camp.
*17-year-old defenseman Ryan McCleary joined the Portland Winterhawks.
McCleary would end up being drafted this past season in the seventh round by the National Hockey League’s Pittsburg Penguins, noted Hehr.
“We are extremely proud of all these players moving on,” he said. “I am not sure when the last time Yorkton had a player that started a season for them and was drafted in the NHL, but it was a very successful year of player development.”
With moving players on, that also means we will have big holes to fill for next season.
“We have signed local goaltender 18-year-old Kael DePape,” said Hehr.
DePape played for the Moose Jaw AAA last season.
“We are expecting him to solidify our crease,” said Hehr, adding the second goaltender spot is essentially up for grabs at camp this fall.
The Terriers also signed 18-year-old Colton Loran from Alberta.
“He played for Olds Grizzlies in the AJHL at 16 before returning to AAA this past season,” said Hehr. “We are expecting him to step up and play big minutes for us.”
Kody Norberg is a 17-year-old who will be an under aged player this coming season.
Norberg was the Terriers 2019 first round pick in the draft.
“He will play some solid minutes on the young back end for us,” said Hehr.
Clay Sleeva an 18-year-old from Canora also signed with the team.
“He played for the Tisdale AAA last season. We are excited to get his energy and speed into the lineup,” said Hehr.
The Terriers also signed Ethan Zurawell from Edmonton.
He played for SSAS AAA last season. He also will bring speed and youth to our lineup, said Hehr.
Overall, “we will likely be a much younger team heading into next season,” noted Hehr, adding they are still adding players to cards and to camp to come compete.
“I don’t think any coach in any league can really tell anyone how their teams will be. It will definitely be interesting how each training camp goes, since mostly every recruit and most returning players have only played a handful of games over the past year.”
The Terriers will be holding training camp Sept. 3 to 5, followed by six exhibition games.
They open the season up against Estevan, who will be hosting the National Championship. Opening weekend will take place Sept. 24, in Estevan and then the home opener Saturday Sept 25.
