The Olds Grizzlys hit the ice in preparation for the 2012-13 Alberta Junior Hockey League season last week.
The Grizzlys are looking to fill about about two spots up front and two more on defence. To accomplish that, the team brought in a total of about 75 players into the rookie camp. About 20 veterans joined the camp a few days later.
“We're looking for some character players. We don't have a whole lot of spots to be filled here … (but) I'm very impressed with the character players we have,” said Brett Hopfe, head coach and director of hockey operations for the Grizzlys.
Hopfe noted in the team's 3-0 loss to the Brooks Bandits on Wednesday, the predominantly rookie line-up acquitted itself well.
Even though there aren't that many spots available on the team, Hopfe said even the veterans will have to play their way on to the team, and if the effort is there from a rookie, he could displace a more seasoned player.
“These guys are working hard to take jobs away from some of our veteran players and it's going to be up to our veteran players to make sure that they keep their jobs,” he said.
Hopfe said the one thing he is looking for throughout the process is that players compete hard and show that they will put in the effort to make the team.
“(Competing) is huge. In this day and age of hockey, you can have a lot of skilled guys, but if there's no compete level there, it's completely useless for the team, so our character guys carried us through last year to where we got and we're going to find character guys to get past where we got last year,” he said.
After Saturday's annual black and gold intersquad game, the Grizzlys were to be whittled down to about 30 players before opening the season at home Sept. 7 against perennial powerhouse, the Spruce Grove Saints.
