The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
With 95 players at the Flin Flon BombersÕ Spring Camp in Saskatoon this past weekend, there certainly wasnÕt a lack of talent to choose from. Head coach and GM Mike Reagan came back to Flin Flon knowing he had four players confirmed for his roster. Reagan and his team signed former AP Bomber Mitch Dougall. Dougall split his time with a Moose Jaw AAA team and with the Bombers last season. ÒWe know weÕre getting a guy who will never quit. He will always give 100 per cent. ÒHeÕs a banger and a crasher and a tough guy to play against. WeÕre extremely happy to have him come back,Ó says Reagan. Also making a sign was defenceman Stephen Lemercier, from Edmonton. The 6Õ1-185 lb player was on the Midget AAA All-Star team for the North last year. ÒHeÕs a very defensively responsible and aware,Ó says the coach. ÒHeÕs a guy who we feel has a lot of potential to make great strides this year. WeÕre extremely happy.Ó But it wasnÕt just Reagan who was happy. ÒHe had a huge smile on his face and his Mom was pretty excited.Ó Also on the roster will be Devin Mitzner, from Strathmore, AB. The former UFAB Bison was in the top 15 for scorers in the Midget AAA in Alberta last season. But it was no surprise as he had 22 goals and 16 assists, which worked out to be 38 points in 35 games. ÒWeÕre extremely high on this guy,Ó says Reagan. ÒThis guy can (possibly) play in the top two lines next year.Ó Mitzner comes to the Bombers with a great shot, according to Reagan. ÒHeÕs extremely happy to be here,Ó says Reagan. The new Bomber came for a visit last season during the Melville series and Òenjoyed the atmosphere of the Whitney and the facility. And he loved the crowd.Ó With a player with this much skill, the Bombers werenÕt the only team looking at him. ÒHeÕs been heavily recruited as the number one choice in Alberta. ÒWe think he has All-Star potential and to be one of the top players in the league in a few years.Ó Joining Dougall, Lemercier and Mitzner will be goaltender Bill Pigden. The netminder comes from the Interlake Lightning in, but is from Winnipeg. Although the Bombers had two strong goalies last season, injuries happen to the best of them. ÒYou canÕt let a guy like Bill slip through our fingers,Ó Reagan says. The Spring Camp was a great time for Pigden to show his skill as he earned four shutouts and only let in two goals throughout the weekend. The goalie attended the camp the last two years as well and he had a lot of options, but Flin Flon was his first choice. The goaltender was also named as Defensive Player of the Month for February. ÒHeÕs a goaltender that can steal you a game,Ó says Reagan. Spring Camp With 95 players, born between 1989-93, coming out to impress the Bomber Organization in Saskatoon last weekend, Reagan says heÕs pleased with those numbers. See 'The' on pg. Continued from pg. Last year 56 players came out and Reagan says they turned people away. ÒBut this year with the successful year...the word got out. The organization should be successful for the next couple of years, which makes it easier for parents to send them to camps,Ó he says. The Bombers were looking to build their list players as well as their protected players, for those who are still too young to play for the team. ÒWe have a 50-man protected list,Ó says Reagan, noting these are players that the Bombers want to protect from other teams. ÒThese kids have the potential now and in the futureÓ to be Bombers, he says Those born in 1993 are too young to play, but they come to be a part of the list. ÒThe younger kids try to earn a list spot, while the older try to earn a roster spot.Ó Twelve local players made their way to Saskatoon this year. ÒItÕs not surprising. We expect as many locals as possible,Ó Reagan says, adding that itÕs a good experience for them. ÒThis is going to be a very competitive team to make.Ó All said and done, Reagan says heÕs pleased with the camp. ÒExtremely. We signed four kids out of camp. There was one kid we were really happy with also,Ó he says. Kendall McFaul, a 1992 born blueliner, has Òthe possibility to play this year. HeÕs a third round draft pick for the WHL.Ó And there were also a few other players Reagan was impressed with including last yearÕs AP players Andrew Johnston, from the Saskatoon Contacts and Darren Gillen, also of the Contacts and the Saskatoon Blazers. Johnston earned himself 28 points last year while Gillen had a 24 point season. ÒThese are two guys we feel could play for us next year as well,Ó says Reagan, noting thatÕs if things donÕt work out in the WHL. The Bomber organization will be taking a closer look for their potential team at the Main Camp, hosted at the Whitney Forum from August 29-31. Roughly 50 to 60 players, which include those from the Spring Camp, as well as current Bombers, will be taking each other on to make this yearÕs roster.
