INNISFAIL – As birds of nature prepare for their annual autumn flight south for warmth, the birds of local hockey are staying put to prepare for new season in the chill of fall.
It’s time for the first practice of pre-season hockey, and 16 excited hopefuls arrived at the Innisfail Twin Arena during the evening of Sept. 21.
They came with high hopes of filling a spot on the rejuvenated Innisfail Eagles hockey team; the town’s senior men's AAA squad entering its 75th hockey season with dreams of winning its first-ever Allan Cup, the country’s highest honour for the best mens amateur hockey team.
Longtime goalie and Eagles diehard Jason Reckseidler is back. Known by everyone as Rexy, he was a regular netminder for the Birds from 2002 to 2006. He was at the Eagles dressing room early to welcome returning players, hopefuls and even the press.
Reckseidler will do anything for his team, including the role as an emergency back-up. Last year he did just that and was needed to fill that spot in a home game. His efforts sealed a big win for the Eagles.
However, last year, the team was playing double A hockey. This year it’s back to triple A in the revived three-team Chinook Hockey League (CHL), and Reckseidler is bubbling with excitement.
“Everyone is excited to be back on the ice. We've got some new players coming on board as well. Some are here tonight. Some will be here at the next few skates and we'll see how it goes,” said Reckseidler, who is also the team’s director of marketing. “We’re looking for the same core of guys. It will be the same exciting hockey.”
One core player at the rink on Sept. 21 was Innisfailian Chad Robinson. The 29-year-old centre is entering his sixth season with the Birds.
Robinson is keenly aware of the organizational changes in the off-season; moves he believes will benefit the team after the trials of the COVID-19 pandemic and having to play in the AA Ranchland Hockey League last season.
“I think it's pretty exciting. There's been a lot of people behind the scenes, putting in a lot of work to resurrect this league,” said Robinson. “This gives us an opportunity to play more competitive hockey, which is very exciting for us as an organization, and we're looking forward to this season.”
Calgarian Quinton Lisoway is set to play his third full season for the Birds. The 27-year-old forward had a great season last year with 23 goals and 10 assists for 33 points in just 13 games.
Heading into the dressing room for the first pre-season practice he noted a distinct but welcome difference.
“This year there just seems to be a little bit more excitement around the team and in the dressing room. I mean, you look out on the ice now and we got a team logo in the centre of the rink. That's always a nice touch to add. Everybody in the room seems very optimistic, and everybody just wants to get going,” said Lisoway with an eye on the special prize. “Our goal here is to win an Allan Cup. That's what we come here to play for. It just adds add to the excitement of the season.”
But they need a leader to guide them. Brian Sutter has stepped down as head coach.
For now, Ryan Dodd, the team’s longtime general manager and former coach and player, will lead the squad until a permanent replacement can be found.
He believes the revived CHL, which will include the Birds, Stony Plain Eagles and Coyotes Hockey Club, will be an “elite league” that will showcase an abundance of hockey talent.
Dodd also feels the future looks bright for senior mens hockey, especially at the local level.
“I look at some of the guys that we have coming into our room now, and I've coached some of these kids. So, I look at the future of the Innisfail Eagles, and we're seeing more of our hometown kids. We've got six or seven kids from town here,” said Dodd. “It's good to see that core of Innisfail kids coming back and maybe you didn't know the names from before, but you're going to know them now.
“It's going to help draw some fan base, and people are going to come see the kids they knew growing up and through school, and now some of them work in town,” he added. “So, am I excited about the future? Absolutely. 100 per cent.”
The Birds season opener is a home game set for Oct. 15.
