Thirty-three female major midget players have gathered in Prince George for the start of the Northern Capitals training camp today.
By sundown Sunday, just 18 will remain with the team.
The defending champions of the B.C. Female Midget Triple-A Hockey League figure they will be just as strong if not stronger than last season, when they were known as the Northern Cougars and brought home their first banner in eight years as members of the league.
"It's going to be a fantastic team, I'm so excited," said head coach Mario Desjardins. "They will be very competitive and they will be looking to rein in another championship, which means they get to host the Pacific Challenge Cup in Prince George. I would go so far as saying that falling short of going to the Esso Cup (national championship) would be a disappointment."
Desjardins and new assistant coach Brandon Nichol saw some of what they have to work with last weekend at a prep camp and were impressed with how organized the players were on the ice and how crisp passes and breakouts were - a far cry from when Desjardins started working with the team two seasons ago.
"It's really nice to watch how far the female game has come in the North with regards to skill and talent and with some good coaching from other coaches who have done a great job teaching their players," he said. "It's amazing what just a few months and a focus on training will do."
In goal, 17-year-old Kelsey Roberts is as good as they come in the B.C. triple-A league. The Kitimat native anchored the team which went 25-3-2 in the regular season and defeated the Fraser Valley Phantom in a three-game final playoff series.
On defence, the Capitals welcome back Victoria Byer, Sydney Jordan, Casey Norris, Victoria Johnston, Kenna Lloyd and Grace Barlow, who is back on the blueline after a season at forward. Lloyd has an abundance of speed and might see forward duty this season
Sage Desjardins (second in league scoring in 2014-15 with 16 goals, 26 assists and 42 points), Marissa Nichol, (13-21-34, third overall), Hunter Mosher (14-14-28) and Taylor Beck head an impressive list of returning forwards. They've also got Caily Mellott and midget rookie Myah Bowal.
"I coached Myah back in the day in Terrace and she is arguably the best forward for her age group in British Columbia," said coach Desjardins. "She was the only U-16 forward who had an invite to the U-18 camp. She's one of those kids who just loves to play the game and works hard away from the rink to get her game to the next level."
Six players from last year's championship team have graduated - defencemen Jayden Malgunas and Chantelle Beadman-Rolph and forwards Jocelyn Forrest, Cassidy Mellott, Ava Keis and Madison Fjellstrom - and that means the Capitals will have to replace some significant firepower. Keis was the league scoring champion with 20 goals and 44 points in a 30-game season. Forrest was eighth in the scoring race and Fjellstrom was 10th overall, each clicking at nearly a point-per-game pace.
Fjellstrom, Malgunas and Forrest will suit up for SAIT in Calgary, Beadman-Rolph in now at Mount Royal University in Calgary, and Keis has moved on to play for Nipissing University in North Bay. Ont. Mellott is also into post-secondary studies at UNBC on a full-ride academic scholarship.
The Capitals also need to find a goalie to take the place of Emily Nichol, now at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. Assuming all the returning players keep their jobs, that leaves four forward positions, one on defence and one in goal will be up for grabs this weekend.
The team's name change reflects the league-wide initiative to take the duties of running the teams out of the hands of the local minor hockey associations to lend the teams more stability in their year-to-year operations. While that has added nearly $2,000 to each player's season registration fees (from about $6,000 to $8,000), it's business as usual for the Northern Capitals.
B.C. Hockey now handles all registrations and supplies helmets, gloves, jerseys, pant shells with team logos, socks, team jackets and clothing for off-ice training. The players get to keep their equipment at the end of the season. The provincial organization also arranges hotel rooms and bus transportation. One of the reasons for the significant cost increase is the league wants players to share a hotel room with just one other teammate, rather than sleep four to a room, as in seasons past. The fee also covers the Capitals' off-ice fitness sessions at UNBC.
The team will still be responsible for other equipment costs, meals on the road and tournament fees. To help minimize costs for parents, Desjardins said the players will take part in fundraising initiatives like the barbecue being planned for the night of the Prince George Cougars Black vs. White intrasquad game in September.
"It is going to be more expensive but if we can raise lot of money and get some community support from businesses to support our team we can alleviate that extra $2,000 and keep it around the same mark," said Desjardins.
Mosher is the only Cougar remaining on the 25-player B.C. under-18 team roster, which will be cut to 20 players following a camp in September. Team B.C. will play in the under-18 national championship, Nov. 4-8 in Huntsville, Ont.
The Capitals open their season in Vancouver at the league's super weekend, Oct. 2-3, with a series of three games against the Kootenay Wild. That means the Caps won't have to make the 13-hour trek to Cranbrook to play the Wild this season. The Caps' opener will be played in early November at Kin 1.
Northern Capitals training camp schedule
Today
2:30 p.m. -- Fitness testing (Masich Place Stadium)
7:30 p.m. -- Skills evaluation (Elksentre)
Saturday
8 a.m. -- Intrasquad game (Coliseum)
2:45 p.m. -- Intrasquad game (Coliseum)
Sunday
9:45 a.m. -- Intrasquad game (Coliseum)
