It has been a busy summer for the La Ronge Ice Wolves.
The team has signed eight new players for the 2019-20 season and a majority of them have come from the KIJHL in B.C.
Rob Fiola is the head scout for the Ice Wolves and he says he’s pleased with how the recruiting has went for the upcoming campaign.
“Overall, I think optimistically and on paper, it looks very good,” said Fiola. “Again, the game is played on the ice, so we’ll see how it transpires from main camp to exhibition season, to the regular season. Overall, I think we are extremely happy with how the summer has gone.”
Forward Spencer Kennedy, forward Bryce Trimmer, forward Kyle Ford, defenceman Kalem Hanlon, defenceman Sawan Gill and goalie Ryan Baker are the six players the Ice Wolves have recruited out of the KIJHL. Fiola is expecting those players to make an impact.
“We want them to come in and be top-nine players,” said Fiola. “Predominantly in the SJHL, fourth-line players are your younger kids – maybe your 17-year-olds that you’re bringing up a year early or your 18-year-olds. When you are bringing in guys from there (the KIJHL), 19-year-olds, you don’t want them to play on the fourth line, you want them to play top-nine.”
In addition to the six players from the KIJHL, the Ice Wolves signed forward Nikolai Rajala out of the high school hockey ranks in Minnesota and forward Daylon Mannon, who spent last season in the NAHL.
Meantime, the Ice Wolves are slated to open the pre-season Sept. 5 in Saskatoon versus the Kindersley Klippers.
La Ronge starts the season for real Sept. 13 in Flin Flon at the historic Whitney Forum against the Bombers.
(PHOTO: The Ice Wolves at the SJHL Bantam Draft in Nipawin. Photo courtesy of the SJHL, Facebook.)