Young talent was the talk of the Flin Flon Bombers spring camp this past weekend.
At the event in Saskatoon, head coach and general manager Mike Reagan and his staff were impressed with the younger players who competed.
They are at least a season or two away from donning the maroon and white. What did the Bombers like about these young guns?
“Just the skill level for being so young. Their composure playing against guys three years older and, in some cases, four…I was really impressed,” Reagan said.
Among the players at the camp were athletes the Bombers tabbed in last year’s inaugural SJHL bantam draft.
Reagan was impressed with the development of these players. He expects some of them, who are entering their 16-year-old seasons, to compete for roster spots in another year.
The spring camp also gave the Bombers staff a close look at some of the players who are eligible for the 2016 SJHL bantam draft, which will be held Thursday in Nipawin.
“It is fresh in the memory going into the draft,” Reagan said.
The Bombers have four picks in this year’s draft after trading away two selection opportunities. They will select seventh overall in each of the first, second, fourth and sixth rounds.
Reagan said the team will likely look to balance their selections between forwards and defencemen.
He said the squad certainly has a list of players it likes, but he noted that things can be dictated by what other teams do.
The SJHL held its first–ever draft last year. In his second time around, Reagan said his approach might be a little different after seeing how last year’s picks developed.
In addition to the draft, the Bombers also have an Auto-Protect B List. This is for players who are from the Flin Flon and Creighton area. They are protected by the Bombers until they turn 17 and then must be added to the 50-player protected list or can be listed by other teams.
As well, Flin Flon players can be chosen in the Manitoba Junior Hockey bantam draft, which will be held on Sunday.
The Bombers drew 85 to 90 players to their spring camp. Some of these will be among the seven or so players Reagan hopes to sign on June 1.
“There were ... some good players we feel will be good Bombers in the future,” Reagan said.
The spring camp drew players from all over western Canada. The Bombers did not bring any American players into camp, but they have their eyes on some southern recruits.
