Okotoks Junior A Oiler Everett Sheen (26) fights off a check from a Drumheller Dragon during the regular season finale last month. Sheen is one of eight Oilers who have secured a college scholarship. Sheen will be heading to Merrimack next season. Wheel file photo
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By John Barlow
Editor
An early exit from the playoffs was not enough to dull the luster of a record-breaking season for the Okotoks Junior A Oilers.
The Oilers were expected to make a run deep into the Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs, but a gritty Drumheller Dragons club ended Okotoks’ run in the second round.
However, rookie head coach Dan MacDonald said winning an AJHL championship is not necessarily the number one goal of Okotoks’ Junior A franchise.
“Our goal is to showcase our players and for them to secure college scholarships,” said MacDonald. “Winning a championship is the ultimate goal, I guess, but that is step two.”
This season MacDonald preached a firewagon brand of hockey that helped the Oilers to a second place finish in the AJHL’s South Division with a phenomenal 45-11-1-5 record for 96 points, just seven behind the perennial powerhouse Camrose Kodiaks.
From a regular season perspective, it was the Oilers’ best season in their short three-year history.
Not only was the freewheeling style the Oilers employed entertaining for the fans, it also caught the attention of college and university scouts — MacDonald’s ultimate goal.
“To showcase our players’ talents we want to play at a high speed,” said MacDonald. “They have to show they have the speed and skill to play at the (NCAA) Division I level.”
The Oilers obviously had the talent as eight players from this year’s club have signed commitments to play college hockey in the United States either next season or the following campaign. The Oilers’ eight players with scholarship commitments is second only to Camrose which has nine.
MacDonald said another two scholarships for Okotoks players are imminent, but have not been finalized.
The current Oilers who will be off to play college hockey include captain Jesse Perrin (Western Michigan University), David Civitarese (Colorado College), Kyle Schussler (Dartmouth College), Justin Daigle (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Brad Eidsness (University of North Dakota), Curtis Leinweber (University of Alaska Anchorage), Elliot Sheen (Merrimack College) and Carter Madsen (Merrimack College).
MacDonald said the stunning loss to Drumheller in the second round will not impact the style of play he will employ next season.
“We will play a certain style, but we will have to prepare how to play against certain defensive styles so we can adjust sooner.”
Drumheller’s trapping style in the playoffs neutralized the Oilers’ explosive speed, something Okotoks was unable to overcome losing the series in five games.
Regardless, the Oilers’ head coach is not about to let one setback rewrite the Oilers’ vision of showcasing the players.
In essence, he said Drumheller’s decision to play a mind-numbing defensive style did nothing to help the Dragons’ stock in the eyes of the college scouts.
“We will play a high tempo, fast paced game and showcase our players,” he explained. “We have 10 scholarship players, they have two.”
This season the Oilers continued their growing reputation of securing their players scholarships to play college and university hockey.
This past season eight former Oilers were playing hockey at a post-secondary institution including Derrick Burnett (Air Force), Jeff Sapieha (Connecticut), Neil Graham (Mercyhurst), Andrew Owsiak (Dartmouth), Dallas Hand (New England College), Nathan Brummitt (Utica), Jeff Matheson (York University) and Everett Sheen (Holy Cross).
Sheen honoured
Sheen led the Holy Cross Crusaders with 15 goals in 32 games and was the team’s nominee for the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player. In addition, Sheen was named to the Atlantic Hockey Association’s all rookie team.
Camrose in control
The Drumheller Dragons’ role as giant killer seems to be in peril as they trail the Camrose Kodiaks 2-0 in their best-of-seven AJHL semi-final.
The Kodiaks swept the opening games last weekend 3-2 and 4-1 to take a stranglehold in the series.
In the other semi-final, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons are up 2-0 on the Spruce Grove Saints. However, Spruce Grove overcame an 0-2 deficit against the favoured Grande Prairie Storm to win their previous series in seven games.
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