The Moose Jaw Generals are looking to be competitive and take a step forward next season.
After having six players graduate at the end of the season, the Generals are looking to go with a younger core of players, but still have a veteran leadership presence.
The Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League team held their annual spring camp over the weekend with 80 players competing for a spot on the roster for September.
“We think there are some pretty skilled kids here,” said Generals head coach Ray Wareham. “Everybody that we wanted to perform at camp as lived up to expectations.”
Even with a core of returning players, the Generals will be a fairly young squad next season and are hoping to make the right changes needed to succeed.
“I think we can be competitive right away next year, even though we may have some younger guys,” said Wareham. “We feel like we are good enough to try and accomplish our goals and take a step forward from this year.”
One of the players that will be exciting for fans to watch next season is 14-year-old Regan Nagy. He was signed by the Generals at the end of the season in March. He played four regular season games and was an affiliate for two tournaments and showed composure and skill when called upon by the coaching staff.
“We think of him as more of a veteran,” said Wareham of Nagy. “We expect him to step in and contribute right away. He is a dynamic player and we think he can put up some points right away.”
Now that Nagy is signed with the team for next season, he feels he is ready for the next step and to be part of the organization, but acknowledges that he still has work to do in order for that to happen.
“It feels good,” Nagy said. “It always feels good knowing you have a good chance making the team, but you still have to go out there and work hard.”
Nagy will be part of the top 1997 players expected to be high picks in the Western Hockey League draft in two weeks and having him develop his game with the Generals is something not only he is looking forward to, but also bodes well for the program.
“I like the coaching, I think its really good,” Nagy said. “It’s a really good atmosphere in the room and I’m learning a lot too.”
For more on this story, read an upcoming edition of the Times-Herald.
