The 20th season of Oilers hockey in Okotoks is officially underway.
The Okotoks Oilers raised the curtain on their first full season in the BCHL on Friday with a 5-0 loss to the Brooks Bandits in the 2024-25 home and season opener in front of 1,074 fans at the Viking Rentals Centre.
Ahead of the contest, Okotoks introduced its leadership group with third-year forward Jackson Rowland named captain with second-year winger Brett Wilson and 2004-born blueliner Cyle Clayton earning alternate captain status.
“Jackson is an extremely motivated and hard-working individual who has always represented the Oilers organization with pride and distinction over his time in Okotoks,” said Oilers head coach and GM Tyler Deis, in a team release. “We look forward to watching him continue to grow as a player and, now, as our captain in his final junior season.”
Okotoks’ opening day roster features just six returning players, seven rookies and 19 players new to the Oilers.
The team features 13 Albertans, two from B.C., one from Ontario and seven American-born skaters. In goal, Quebec’s Olivier Ciarlo and Sweden’s Simon Westling form the tandem.
“It’s definitely different,” said Rowland of his veteran status. “You have to teach the young guys some new things and show them the ropes as the older guys in the past have done for us. It’s been fun.”
Bowen Burke, acquired from the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings for future considerations on Friday, made his debut with the team in the opener.
The 2005-born right-shot defenceman from Arizona, a Union College commit, played three seasons with the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s program and skated last season with the NAHL’s Colorado Grit.
Okotoks continued the opening weekend Saturday night in Brooks in a 5-1 loss with Jacob Goudreau scoring the visitors' first goal of the season.
Next week, the Oilers and Cranbrook Bucks have their home-and-home set starting Friday in the Kootenay region and the back-end held at the Viking Rentals Centre on Sept. 28.
Okotoks, Brooks, Blackfalds, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove and Cranbrook make up the BCHL’s Interior East Division. The Oilers will get their first taste of non-divisional action on the first weekend of October with stops in Penticton and Salmon Arm.
For more information, go to okotoksoilers.com.
News and notes...A pre-game ceremony at the Viking Rentals Centre on Friday officially recognized the arena renaming and Viking Rentals’ 10-year naming rights partnership with the Town of Okotoks, bringing what was formerly known as the Centennial Arenas and Foothills Centennial Centre under one name. The ceremony featured Lars Pettersen, the owner of Viking Rentals, and Town of Okotoks Coun. Gord Lang.
