The Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs have a little bit of extra incentive to go all the way this year. The local AA team started their season with good news. "We were named the host of the 2018 Sr. AA provincials at the end of March.
The Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs have a little bit of extra incentive to go all the way this year.
The local AA team started their season with good news.
"We were named the host of the 2018 Sr. AA provincials at the end of March. We're trying to put the best team together to win it all," explained Sr. Pontiacs general manager Floyd Isley.
After losing in the finals last season to the Daysland Northstars, the Pontiacs will be looking for a North Central Hockey League championship this time around.
A strong mix of returning players and seven new additions to the lineup are expected to help the team improve on their successful 2016/17 campaign.
"This year, I think we're going to have an even stronger team. Most of our guys are returning. I think there are only four guys that aren't. Besides that we've picked seven more guys who have played Jr. B locally, and Jr. A right here in Bonnyville," detailed Isley.
Hosting the provincial championship tournament has helped Isley in crafting this year's roster.
With a guaranteed shot at earning the right to be called the best team in the province, the recruiting process became easier for the Pontiacs staff.
"I definitely think that you want to win it all when it's in your own rink. It's a little easier to convince guys to come and play when they know they're going to provincials regardless. It becomes easier to recruit," Isley noted.
Playing host will also have an effect on the expectations the team sets for league play. According to Isley, the importance of winning a league championship is amplified for the host city.
The Pontiacs will open the season intending to prove they belong in the provincial tournament regardless of location.
"Some people think it doesn't matter just because you're going to make provincials anyways, well, it does. You want to be the top team in the league just to prove to everybody that it doesn't matter where they were held, you would have won it anyways," said Isley.
Lofty goals aren't a problem for the coaching staff. Instead they're embracing the opportunity in front of them.
Head Coach Brad Paice is confident the additions to the squad will help the team reach their goals.
"Expectations are always high coming into a new season. There might even be a little more emphasis because we're hosting provincials, but we've got some good young guys we've added that are going to help out for sure this year," said Paice.
The season becomes even more meaningful for the locals on the team who put the work in to win the bid to host.
Now that they've succeeded, they want to be the ones celebrating on their home ice when it's all said and done.
"Our team is mostly made up of local guys. They took a lot of pride in putting the work in to get the tournament here in our home rink. It changes the dynamic for some of those guys," noted Paice.
The Pontiacs will continue to add to their roster leading up to the beginning of the season. While they don't have a final product to judge, the coaching staff expects the combination of rookies and veterans will help get them where they want to be at the end of the season.
"The same core coming back is very important because the leadership will be there in the dressing room and on the ice. We also have a lot of talent coming in for those veterans to take under their wing," described Paice.
Main camp will be underway near the end of September, with the teams first regular season action expected to be in the first week of October.
