The Brooks Bandits ran away with the league title last season and with its line-up almost intact it looks poised to do it again.
The Bandits dominated the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s (AJHL) South Division last season en route to the franchise’s first league championship. Brooks finished the 2011-12 season with a 47-13-0 record for 100 points 27 more than second place Okotoks.
Head coach and general manager Ryan Papaioannou said the team has a solid core returning and with the addition of experienced veterans to fill some holes the Bandits will be favoured to repeat as South champs.
“It is not easy to replicate last season and it’s not easy to repeat a championship season, but that is our goal,” said Papaioannou. “You want to play as close to perfection as you can. You are never going to get there, but at least we can try.”
Although Brooks had a 100-point campaign in 2011-12, it was only a couple of seasons ago the organization revamped its entire roster. Even Papaioannou admitted he was somewhat surprised the team came together as quickly as it did.
“I thought it would take a little bit longer to win a championship,” he said. “You don’t expect a new hockey team to be put together and win a championship.”
With such a strong nucleus in place Papaioannou and his staff are certainly not going to overhaul the roster this season.
Although leading scorer Matt Wilkins (34 goals and 99 points) is gone, the team boasts plenty of scoring depth with Cam Maclise (32 goals and 82 points), Mark Reners (41 goals and 77 points) and Anthony Petruzzelli (23 goals and 47 points) returning.
On the blueline, Chris Muscoby will be leaned on to lead the defensive corps, but he will have plenty of help.
Although there will be three defencemen back this season Papaioannou wanted to bolster the blueline and has done so adding Shane Pilling of the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars and towering 19-year-old Cody Bardock, who is 6’4” and 220-pounds.
Papaioannou said they scouted hard for experienced players who could step in to what is a championship-calibre line-up and borders were not an issue as they have added players from Minnesota, California, Washington and even Belarus.
“At this level I don’t think you ever have to turn the whole thing over,” he said. “There are a ton of hockey players out there and we went all over the map finding experienced players.”
With a solid veteran core and an infusion of experienced newcomers it will be tough to steal the AJHL crown from the Brooks Bandits.
Key losses: Matt Wilkins, F, Colton Semenok, D, Jan Obernesser, G
Key returnees: Cam Maclise, F, Mark Reners, F, Michael Frederich, G
Key additions: Shane Pilling, D, Mark Logan, F
