Stars regular season kicks off on September 21 in Prince Albert. (Submitted photo/Battlefords AAA Stars)

By Keaton Brown

Compete Learn Grow

Battlefords AAA Stars starting pre-season off on the right foot

Sep 13, 2019 | 2:00 PM

It is starting to look a lot like hockey season in the Battlefords.

The Battlefords AAA Stars are two games into their pre-season action with one more to go and are already looking like a much improved team over last year.

The team wrapped up the season last year on the outside of the playoffs looking in. They hope to remedy that situation with a strong year. Their motto for this season is to compete, learn and grow.

Head coach Brett Parker said their focus on improving this year started right at the end of the season last year.

“We missed out on playoffs last year so our goal this year was minimum making the playoffs. While everyone was in playoffs we put our minds to work finding the best players possible coming into this season. We finished just a few points out of the playoffs last year and will take what we learned to improve this year,” Parker said.

Rustlers Volleyball

Crusaders' Bell excited for next chapter with Lakeland College

7h ago

Nothing but Net

Vikings' standouts ready for national stage with Team Saskatchewan

10h ago

Missing person

Spiritwood RCMP searching for missing woman

12h ago

The Stars have also added Blair Jones to their coaching staff for this season. Jones skated in over 130 NHL games and over 600 professional games during his playing career.

With six players potentially returning from the team last year there will be lots of competition in camp for those remaining roster spots.

“We are looking for relentless competitors and team players. That is what we are looking for through camp and that is what we want to see. We are seeing that right now on the ice at practices and by the beginning of the season we will have that competition ingrained in our players,” Parker explained.

The Stars’ new focus seems to be paying off as they have won two games against Prince Albert so far in pre-season action.

The team’s last exhibition game will be against Beardys before their regular season starts with a game against Prince Albert on September 21.

Parker said their goals for this year are to find a spot in the playoff picture and play in the Mac’s AAA Midget Hockey Tournament hosted every year in Calgary in December.

“We want at a minimum to be in the playoffs. Our goals are going to be set high; we want to play in the Mac’s tournament. We want to have a good run in playoffs and we’re not afraid to talk about winning the league either. This is a good group of players and good teammates, they can really achieve what they put their minds to,” Parker said.

—

Keaton.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow