Fourteen
veterans were
among the 80
athletes on hand
Saturday as the
Sarnia
Legionnaires
opened their
2010 training
camp.
With so many
experienced
players back,
Coach Jeff
Perry's squad is
expected to be a
top contender in
the Greater
Ontario Junior
Hockey League
this winter.
Here's a list of
returnees who
were on the ice
Saturday at the
Clearwater
Arena:
Forwards:
The Legionnaires
have a lot of
firepower up
front, with such
snipers as Jesse
Drydak, Chase
Clark and
Captain Tyler
Cicchini back
for another
campaign. That
trio combined to
score 73 goals
last season,
despite the fact
that,
collectively,
they missed 16
games.
Superpest and
forechecking ace
Owen Rogers was
also there, as
was playmaking
specialist Shawn
Waldie. Last
year's rookie
sensation,
Nathan Mater,
also skated.
Mater, who was
just 15 years
old last season,
scored a crucial
playoff goal
against the
Chatham Maroons
in Game Six of
the league
quarterfinals.
Rugged forwards
Tanner Tomlinson
and Andy Sokol
were on hand as
well, which
means opponents
who try to take
liberties with
the Legionnaires
will do so at
their peril.
Those two can
also score, with
Tomlinson
blinking the red
light 14 times
last year, while
Sokol dented the
twine on 10
occasions.
Another
experienced
player, Brent
Sauve, was among
returning
forwards. Sauve,
a big winger, is
expected to be
much improved as
he enters his
second season.
Defence:
On the blueline,
veterans Jeff
Paulley, Tanner
Ferguson, Steve
Farlow and
Jordan Leyser
suited up.
Goalies:
Veteran
netminder Kyle
Washer, who
picked up two
shutouts last
season, is back
for his third
campaign.
Washer, who was
a member of the
Legionnaires
2009 Western
Ontario
championship
team, is
entering his
third season.
Holes to
plug:
Still, there are
some holes to
plug. Players
not returning
include forward
Joel Steeves and
defenceman Tommy
Ziolkowski (both
lost to
overage), goalie
Jesse Raymond,
who has signed
with a Tier 2
Jr. 'A' team,
forward Jake
Unsworth (out
with another
shoulder injury)
and forward
Tanner Garrick.
General manager
Bob Williamson
said there were
dozens of
skilled players
among the
newcomers.
“There are a lot
of good hockey
players here
from the Sarnia
area and from
the U.S.,” he
said.
The Legionnaires
also hope to
have a pair of
Europeans in the
lineup, although
they must still
be approved by
Hockey Canada
before they can
suit up.
Training camp
will continue
today (Sunday,
Aug. 22) with an
intersquad game
starting around
2 p.m.
The club will
play a
home-and-home
exhibition
series with the
Strathroy
Rockets, with
the first
contest going
Saturday, Aug.
28 at the Gemini
Centre in
Strathroy, with
the puck drop
set for 7:30
p.m.. The second
will be staged
the next night
at the
Clearwater
Arena, beginning
at 7 p.m.
Sarnia will host
the St. Thomas
Stars Sept. 2 at
Clearwater
Arena, again at
7 p.m.
The regular
season opens
Sept. 9 when
Sarnia plays in
Leamington.
Season ticket
sales:
Meanwhile,
season ticket
sales are
strong,
according to
Cliff Smith, a
Legionnaire
vice-president
in charge of
sponsorship and
season ticket
sales.
"We've sold
between 300 and
400 seasons
tickets to date,
and that's not
counting all the
sponsor passes,”
he said. “We're
ahead of
expectations."
Traditionally,
sales pick up
after the roster
has been
finalized. “Then
the girlfriends,
grandparents and
parents come out
of the
woodwork,” he
quipped. When
all is said and
done, Smith
hopes sales will
hit the 1,000
mark.
Sponsorships are
also going well.
“We're getting
calls every day
about wanting to
be a sponsor or
doing ads in the
program,” he
said.
