TRURO, N.S. – Truro Bearcats coach Shawn Evans is encouraged by what he sees during the early stages of training camp.
The Maritime Junior Hockey League team opened camp last Sunday with more than 40 players, and have staged five on-ice sessions at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre.
“We had a very disappointing season here last year, both on and off the ice, and that is not going to occur this year,” said Evans. “We’ve got a good, solid veteran group that’s returning, a bunch of brand-new recruited players, drafted players, got some nice kids that I like that are on tryouts; the culture will be different here this year and I’m expecting the results to be different as well.”
The Bearcats will hold another on-ice session today, Aug. 29, before Evans makes his first round of cuts. Players who remain will be given the opportunity to show themselves in game action this weekend. On Saturday, the Bearcats host the South Shore Lumberjacks at the RECC, 7 p.m. On Sunday, Truro visits the Valley Wildcats at 2 p.m.
“That will be a mixed bag of players playing in (those games); some kids are being evaluated, some kids are getting ready for the season,” said Evans.
Most of the Bearcats selections from this summer’s draft are attending camp, said Evans, including second-round pick, forward Lucas Parsons.
Truro’s first-rounder, forward Keiran Gallant, however, won't be coming to Truro. Gallant signed with the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec major junior league Thursday morning.
Last Saturday, veteran Bearcats defenceman Jack McGovern was released by the Halifax Mooseheads Q-league team, while forward Gavin Hart made the Mooseheads and won't return to Truro.
Between the pipes, the Bearcats are currently without their newest goaltending acquisition, Sébastien Plamondon. The 20-year-old puckstopper broke a knuckle this summer, and is expected to return near the start of the regular season.
The Bearcats will be looking to rebound this season after finishing fourth in the Eastlink South Division last year before they were swept by the eventual league champion Yarmouth Mariners in a first-round playoff series.