After an extremely disappointing campaign last season the new head coach and general manager of the Drumheller Dragons has overhauled the roster in hopes of lighting a fire within the moribund franchise.
Last season the Dragons finished next to last in the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s (AJHL) South Division with a dismal 17-43-0 record. The Dragons clinched the final playoff spot, but were bounced from the postseason by the Okotoks Oilers.
As a result, the Dragons dismissed the coaching staff and brought in former Lloydminster Bobcat bench boss Brian Curran to rejuvenate the club.
Curran could have retained the bulk of last season’s roster, but he said it was time for a new start.
“How good was this core if they only won 17 games last year?” asked Curran. “There had to be a lot of changes and we made some signings and some moves that will make a positive difference.”
There could be as many as a dozen new faces on the Dragons’ roster this season as Curran made substantial changes in an effort to rid the dressing room of what he called “a losing mentality.”
“We needed a different attitude,” he explained. “Things can get pretty stale when you are losing year after year after year.”
While there will be several new faces, Curran has held on to a few veterans including leading scorers Ryan Bloom and Doug Jones. Bloom led the Dragons with 45 points last season while Jones was the top sniper with 18 goals.
Curran said he has been impressed with the change in attitude and work ethic in Bloom and Jones.
The veterans had to make changes if they had any hope of seeing the ice.
“If you are not performing and you are not putting in your best effort you won’t play,” said Curran. “You have to be accountable if you want to play here.
“This is a new start and my teams are notorious for working hard and this will be no exception.”
The key for Curran and the Dragons will be the performance of some newcomers who have been infused into the line-up to add spark to the club.
Some of the youngsters Curran will be relying on include Colton Vanucci who is a dynamic skater and Mitchell Cook who has notched a hat trick in the preseason.
Key Returnees: Ryan Bloom, F, 17 goals, 45 points; Doug Jones, F, 18 goals, 42 points; Brennan Baxandall, D, 23 points, 132 pims; Christopher Wray, G, 3-6-0, 3.93 GAA.
Key Losses: Sam Lawson, F, Braden Gamble, G,
Key Additions: Colton Vanucci, F, and Mitchell Cook, F,
