Lloydminster, AB- The Lloydminster Bobcats are set to embark on the 2019-20 season Friday night in Sherwood Park taking on the North Division regular season champions. It has been an off season overhaul on and off the ice for the organization. After wrapping up the season in early March the Bobcats set on the recruiting trail looking for a special class of players and people. The off-ice upgrades came first as the Lloydminster Bobcats Performance Center fueled by King?s Energy Group took shape allowing the players to have an in-house gym, players? lounge and video room. It is also home to Bobcats own Athletic therapist Hailee Dayman and her business Go To Athletic Therapy, as well as the home office for management and coaching staff. In the next project the floors were ripped out and the paint peeled back to start a complete makeover of the dressing room, a highlight is the new four screen media center.
Throughout the process the hockey operations continued on with off season transactions.
The Bobcats started the recruiting process signing 17 year old local Ben Byrgove and 16 year old Jayven Leslie (Bandit Energy Bobcats). More Alberta recruits were added in Jared Miller (Edge Academy), Alex Danis (Calgary Royals), Tyson Kowaluk (St. Albert) and sixteen year old defenseman Tegan Skehar (Edge Academy 16u). After landing local and provincial talent the Bobcats headed south signing four Americans Tanner Mack (East Grand Forks), Mason Hendrickson (Minnetonka High School), Sam Carper (Ohio Blue Jackets), and goaltender Garrett Larsen (Team Wisconsin). From there the Bobcats went east to New Brunswick to sign Ryan Nause (Newbridge Academy). With a young recruiting class added to the future roster the Bobcats staff made moves to add junior experienced players from within the league. The deadline deal saw future considerations players Cameron Aucoin and Kyle Fulton come to the Bobcats from the Sherwood Park Crusaders. In the midst of summer Bobcats GM & Head Coach Nigel Dube made a six player trade to see the Cats? get Gunner Kinniburgh, Nolen Coventry, and Chad MacLean from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Only a few days after he continued by receiving Tyler Schendel from the Camrose Kodiaks. To add to the junior hockey experienced youth the team signed Kris Bladen from the former Calgary Mustangs as the Mustangs are on leave from the AJHL. The most recent acquisition was defenseman Kaeden Tenkoppel from the Grande Prairie Storm. Only 5 players are returning from the 2018-19 team including one 20 year Chance Adrian and 2000-born forwards Breydon Berthold and Ty Mosimann, defenseman Ryley Hogan, and goaltender Cale Elder.
It is a new team going into the 2019-20 season – a youth filled line up with an average age just over 18 years old. Players from across Canada and the United States reported to Lloydminster in the middle of August in a new culture laying the foundation of success, ?we are really excited about the group we have here, it is a really tight dressing room and we have young men who want to succeed on and off the ice. We are going to continue to grow everyday as a team and that is the fun part of this group, they are hungry to learn, want to succeed, and they have a brotherhood willing to do anything for each other? commented Dube, ?We want Lloydminster to be proud of each and every player and the team as a whole.?
The Bobcats are set for game one on the road in Sherwood Park 7:00 pm September 13 before the home opener on Saturday, September 14th at 7:30PM against the Crusaders. 1 UP gaming will be located in the parking lot before the game for kids of all ages to enjoy for free. Beat the lines and get your season tickets today by calling 780-871-0900 or emailing admin@lloydminsterbobcats.com. Individual game day tickets are available at Tait?s Liquor and Payless Carwash. See you Saturday!
