Competitiveness, work ethic and character are top priorities for Flin Flon Bombers head coach and GM Mike Reagan at this year’s main training camp.
“If you don’t work hard, you won’t be a part of this team,” Reagan told the 25 players who were invited a week early to Flin Flon.
“I told them exactly what I’m looking for,” he added.
Reagan says it’s important that the players know what the expectations are for the main camp as well as the season.
“We’re trying to set the tone early on,” he said.
The Bombers organization welcomed 25 players a week early to become comfortable with their surroundings and get into hockey mode.
The group consists of both returning players and those stepping into the Whitney Forum for the first time.
They held their first skate together Sunday night and Reagan saw a lot of promise.
“If there is any indication from last night what kind of camp we’re going to have, I think it’s going to be very competitive,” said the coach Monday afternoon. “For the first skate, I’m very happy with what I saw. I don’t want to get too excited too early, but it was a good indication that [there] is going to be a lot of good, healthy competition at camp.”
This year’s camp will see 60 players fight for roster spots as the remainder of the players will arrive for the first day of camp on Friday.
“We really want to have a team that competes hard,” said Reagan. “We want to be a team that is really tough to compete against. The guys that we selected in our trades for future considerations were guys that we thought were tough to play against.”
Making a run
Reagan has high expectations for this season as he hopes to make a run not only at the SJHL title, but the national title as well.
“It seems every two years we’re trying to make a run at it,” he said, “and that’s this year.”
The past two seasons have been spent rebuilding, but Reagan expects
to see better results
this year.
Inviting players like defenceman Tanner Lishchynsky is going to help, said the coach. Lishchynsky brings national championship experience from the Yorkton Terriers.
Forward Chris Rauckman is another player Reagan has his eye on for this season. He finished his last season in the AJHL with 33 goals.
“Along with being able to score, Chris can play the tough areas,” said Reagan.
“That was one of the things when we were looking at trades, was guys who are tough to play against and compete hard, but also have that combination of skills.”
In the past, the Bombers have had “very skilled teams and some big teams,” but this year Reagan hopes to find the happy medium between the two.
“We’re looking for that mixture,” he said. “Along with that skill, we want a high compete level. We want guys who are going to pay the price and be tough to play against.”
Reagan says “every coach would love guys like that,” but the reality
is that “they are hard
to find.”
Looks promising
Even though main camp hasn’t even officially begun yet, Reagan sees potential in the blueliners up for roster spots.
“I think our D core is going to be a lot stronger this year,” he said.
Reagan also has confidence in his returning goaltender. Simon Hofley took centre stage last season after veteran netminder Devin Buffalo received the trade he requested after the Christmas break.
“I thought Simon had a terrific stretch,” said Reagan. “There was some rust that he had to shake off, but I think Simon has a lot of confidence from last year.”
The Bombers will have six goalies at camp, but Reagan says they will be “relying heavily” on Hofley.
Eager to start
This isn’t the first time Reagan has brought players in before camp starts, but in years past there has only been a dozen or so invited.
Returning players as well as recruits and those picked up in trades make up the 25 players who arrived early.
“The majority of the [top players] are here,” Reagan said, “but we still have got five players in the Western Hockey League camps as well as a couple of younger guys that are very high on our depth charts that won’t be here until camp.”
Reagan says both he and the players benefit from the extra days on the ice and in the rink together.
“I think it eases the stress level for a lot of the guys where they can come in and get comfortable [before the camp],” said the coach. “And it’s a good opportunity for me to watch players a little longer than just watching them at main camp. I have a better feel for them once main camp gets here, and [more] time to evaluate them.”
The extra time on and off the ice will make Reagan’s choices around which players to cut more difficult.
“It makes my decisions a little tough and my job tough, but that’s a good thing,” he said.
