An impossible decision for the management of Okotoks Bisons was rendered slightly easier prior to training camp.
Veteran forwards Todd Callaghan, Brock Boswell and Dylan Kendrick chose not to report to training camp, Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 at Piper Arena in Okotoks, lowering the Bisons total of 21-year-old overage players to five.
The Bisons now have to cut one from the group of five — Chase Fallis, Jeremy Smith, Ty Fehr, Zachary Baba and Colin MacMurdo — to be down to the maximum of four 21-year-olds per roster.
“We will make that decision before league starts for sure,” McFarlane said. “We have to look at what we’re trying to build here and all five guys are fighting for it.”
That leaves Okotoks with 13 players from last year’s roster returning and 10 spots up for grabs.
With the Bisons annual training camp now in the rearview mirror, McFarlane said the finalization of his roster is still a long ways away.
“It was a good start,” he said of the training camp. “We’re going to be actively waiting at the trickle down effect for the next month or so to see what happens as far as players coming in.”
“It’s going to take some time and exhibition is going to allow to see a little bit more.”
McFarlane said there’s not a huge rush to thin the herd in Bisons country.
“We’re going to make a couple cuts tonight,” McFarlane said after training camp ended Sunday. “But the majority of the guys are going to get into some exhibition games starting on Friday.”
The Bisons strive to carry 25 to 26 players for the start of the regular season, as the roster cut down deadline to 25 isn’t until December.
“Some of these kids are 17 so we’re not going to mess around with them,” McFarlane said. “They’re going to go back to Midget or AAA, but for the guys that have nowhere to go they have an opportunity to stick around and show us a little more.”
McFarlane said a couple freshman players improved their stock with strong showings at the four-day fall camp, namely forwards Chris Price, Colton Griffin and defenceman Chris Couper.
In between the pipes, the Bisons are still looking for someone to take hold of the backup spot behind veteran netminder Tyler Hughes.
“Goaltending is going to be tough, we had five goalies including Tyler,” McFarlane said of the carousel of goalies at camp. “And I know for sure from a goaltending standpoint there will be some more options that come through.”
With much of the veteran core of a provincial silver medal winning team remaining, the two-time defending Heritage Junior Hockey League champions aren’t looking to stray too far from what’s made them successful.
“We’ve got all the fire power that we wanted from last year when you look at Ty Fehr, Dillon Loomer, Phil Dillon,” he said. “So we’re looking for fillers as far as the frontend goes.”
“At the backend we’ve got five (returning) defencemen so we’re looking for two more that can step up.”
Roster hopefuls will have their first opportunity in a competitive Heritage Junior Hockey League game when the Bisons begin their pre-season with a pair of road tilts, Friday in High River against the Flyers and Saturday in Strathmore versus the Wheatland Kings. For full schedule information go to www.okotoksbisons.com.
