Broncos Training Camp Preview

Another season of Bronco hockey got going with the start of main camp Wednesday.

The players were worked hard in fitness testing as staff got an idea how much progress each guy had made in the gym over the summer.

Four teams of players will now spend the next four days battling it out on the ice to try and make an impression on evaluators.

"I really liked how we finished last year, I liked a lot of things about our team," said Coach/GM Mark Lamb. "But we missed the playoffs and we're not there yet. The building is on going (and) I think the expectations have gone way up."

Assistant General Manager Jamie Porter expects it to be tougher to make the club this year.

"Probably don't have a ton of spots open," Porter said. "The situations where we think we do look like they're going to be very competitive. Kind of year three of a rebuild now where we should start to see some real strides. I think as an organization we're really enthusiastic about where the next phase is."

One of the toughest battles at camp will be on the blue line. Though potential overage defencemen Erik Fleming (school) and Jordan Evans (concussion) are not returning, there are still six veterans back from last season. That will make it a bigger challenge for rookies like Brycen Martin, Zack Gonek and Bobby Zinkan to crack the big club.

"It is probably our most competitive area for training camp," Porter noted. "It will be interesting to see how some of our younger guys have developed, it will be interesting to see whether some of our older guys have taken a stride or not. We're keeping an open mind about it. We do know it's one of the key strengths of our organization and we want to make sure we take our time in making some decisions back there."

Lamb hinted the glut of talent on defence could lead to a trade involving that depth to fill a hole elsewhere.

Martin and Gonek are both first round picks entering their 16-year-old seasons. Traditionally first round picks have a very good chance to make the team, but Lamb has specific expectations from them.

"We need to see potential and attitude," Lamb said. "If they have the attitude to trust what we're doing... I don't expect anybody to like being sat out, everybody comes to our team and wants to play every game, but you have to learn. When you're not playing the way we want you to and you're not developing the right way, sometimes it's better to take a step back, we can show you , we can teach you. (Dillon) Heatherington, that's what we did with him, but we knew he had the ability to play in the league. That was the number one thing for us and that's going to be the number one thing for all the rest of these young guys too."

"They have to have the ability to play in the league and the have to have the attitude to go through some adversity."

There will also be a change between the pipes as Jon Groenheyde has graduated and Austin Smith has elected to play Junior A this season. Import Eetu Laurikainen is the favourite for the starting job, while rookies Steven Myland and Landon Bow are the most likely fits for the second spot.

"We need push from the bottom," Lamb said. "It doesn't matter if it's in goal, forward or D... we want one of our young guys to step up in camp and we want to develop them too. We've had a hard time with goaltenders and we've got to develop them better."

Up front, the Broncos are looking to replace graduated scorers Taylor Vause and Brad Hoban. Both played top six roles last season and Lamb is hoping to replace them internally.

"Colby Cave is going to take a big step," Lamb noted. "He had an excellent learning year. Josh Derko has come a long ways, Bews was really good at the end too. Can those guys take the next step? Hopefully they can take it. If they cant' we can go out and get a top six forward."

The 20-year-old competition appears decided on paper with only Christian Magnus, Ryon Moser and Dalton Reum coming to camp. That doesn't guarantee them those spots. Lamb believes some high end overage players could become available. He expects them to be leaders on the team in order to keep their positions in the lineup.

On a local front, the departure of Andy Blanke to the University of Saskatchewan leaves the Broncos with only one Swift Current native on the roster. Forward Shea Howorko is still battling the effects of concussions that have kept him off his skates since the mid-way point of last season. Other local hopefuls include 2010 bantam draft pick Zac Mackay and 2011 pick Jordan Wittman.

There will be scrimmages open to the public at the Credit Union iPlex on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 4pm and 6pm. The Black/White game is set for Sunday afternoon at 1pm.

Click here for full interviews with Porter and Lamb