Team Silver after winning the Art Strueby Cup at the Battlefords North Stars training camp this past weekend. (Facebook/Battlefords North Stars)

By Ryan Lambert

North Stars set to Start Preseason Tonight

North Stars set to begin the preseason tonight in Bonnyville

Sep 9, 2025 | 4:11 PM

The Battlefords North Stars are in Bonnyville, Alta. tonight to start their preseason against the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) at 7 p.m. MDT at R.J. Lalonde Arena.

The Stars have 14 new players in tonight’s lineup, and six players returning from last season. Even among those six, four of them played less than five games with the North Stars last year. This means new head coach Connor Logan will have his hands full in the first game figuring out line combinations and how the team will mesh.

A preseason game like tonight’s is the perfect opportunity to do so. Since Bonnyville is in the AJHL while Battlefords plays in the SJHL, the teams, more than likely, won’t meet each other again this season, so both teams may be able to try some different things with their lines and strategies.

It’s the first time the North Stars are in action since falling in five games to the Weyburn Red Wings in the first round of the 2025 playoffs after winning the Nutrien division. For the Pontiacs, it’s their fourth game of the preseason. Bonnyville currently holds a 2-1 record in the exhibition season, winning their last game 4-1 over the Lloydminster Bobcats last Saturday.

Some returning names to the North Stars roster this season include Anthony Campbell, Gavin Granger and Josh Knittig who will make up the leadership group for Battlefords this season. Campbell will serve as team captain, while Granger and Knittig will wear the ‘A’ on their chest. Coach Logan made the decision on his captains very quickly after taking over the reigns as bench boss. He had the opportunity to speak about that on SJHL’s SCSA Coaches Convo with Jamie Neugebauer.

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As is common in preseason, none of those guys will be in the lineup for tonight’s game as coach Logan will look to see what he has in the rest of the roster. Carter Geysen, Kobe Sawyer, Millar Anderson, Nash Coquet, Sebastian Miles, and Millar Kramer are the only players from last year’s roster who will be in the lineup tonight.

The game will be available to watch on FloHockey. After tonight’s contest, the two teams will face off once again Wednesday evening in North Battleford.

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com