Cubs wrap different look training camp

The Medicine Hat Cubs got down to business over the weekend in preparations for the 2024-25 HJHL season.

The Cubs held a modified training camp from Friday to Sunday, with an early focus on getting ready for the first game of the season than narrowing down a roster. They invited 30 players to camp and enter the preseason with a roster of 22.

Head coach and general manager Randy Wong says spring camp helped them identify younger players they wanted to include and he says they want to hit the ground running for the regular season. He says having 14 returning players also allowed for a more intimate camp.

“We invited some of the key guys we felt could make the club, we kept our numbers relatively low, just to make sure that they get adequate time to start the year,” Wong said. “It was a smaller training camp than normal but we settled the guys in quicker and get them introduced to the system sooner, and hopefully we will have a good start for game one early in the year.”

The new approach also carries into the preseason, with the Cubs having just two tune-up games before the regular season kicks off on Sept. 21. They’ll head to Coaldale on Saturday to face the Copperheads before hosting them on Sunday at 3 p.m. to wrap-up the exhibition season.

The Cubs are entering their 51st season, coming off a Game 4, semifinals loss to the Sylvan Lake Wranglers. With only having 22 players on the roster, the Cubs have three open slots Wong hopes will be filled as local players filter through Junior A camps in the coming weeks.

Coming out of camp, Wong says they’re missing some size from last season but he likes the early energy he’s seen from the youth of the lineup.

“We’ve got some good, young, hungry guys that that also have some size, so they’ll get opportunity to play,” Wong said. “If we had everyone back from last year, then maybe they don’t get a chance to get in the lineup as much, so I like our starting point.

“We were happy with what we saw. We identified the right guys in the springtime and we got the rookies coming in that we want. So we’re optimistic that we’ve got a real competitive team again albeit young, I think will be be fast this year.”

Even with new players being introduced, the 14 returning players have a lot of connections Wong says and he expects a lot of former connections to rekindle and chemistry to bloom early for the group.

“There’s no strangers in there and that’s a good thing,” Wong said. “The team gels quicker, which is part of the process this year, getting everybody working as a team and getting everybody familiar with each other. That does equate to more success on the ice when they know each other, they’ll play hard for each other.”

The Cubs preseason contest on Sunday at the Kinplex gets underway at 3 p.m.