It’s an open door policy for youth on the Okotoks Oilers.
Birth years are not the be all and end all leaving the door open for 2000 born Okotokian prospects Gibb Coady and Noah Wakeford as the Oilers took one step closer to finalizing their roster for the 2016-17 season at their annual main camp Aug. 25-28 at Pason Centennial Arena.
“With the 2000s at the end of the day it’s about their development,” said Oilers head coach Tyler Deis. “We have to make sure that we put them in good situations where they’re developing all the way through the season. If we feel like they can be a contributor on our team, then we’re going to pick the best guys.
“If we feel they’re development is better suited in playing more minutes, more top minutes at other teams, we have to we create that relationship to make sure that their families and those players understand. That communication is huge.”
Coady, who has grown in leaps and bounds both literally and figuratively in the past two years at sport schools Pursuit of Excellence and Edge, felt ready for the competition at the four-day camp.
“It’s really competitive, there are a lot of bigger guys,” Coady said. “My goal was to make the team, to make it this year.
“I need to produce, need to hit a lot and to just fit in with everyone.”
Wakeford, a fast riser through the Okotoks minor hockey ranks, was a coach’s favourite and one of the top contributors on the Rockyview M-15 Raiders last season.
“It’s really fast hockey compared to what I played last year,” Wakeford said. “I need to keep up with the pace and show what I can do and standout.”
Both players bring junior experience to the ice having skated at the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks main camp last summer.
Doing it in your own backyard is a different ballgame.
“It would mean a lot to get to play at home,” Coady said. “To be at home and play in front of my friends.”
Neither player has surprised the Okotoks brass, but that might not be a bad thing.
The 2000 born prospects are well known commodities to the staff.
“Wakeford and Coady, for the last three years I’ve been doing their skill development so I know exactly where they’re at,” Deis said. “They’re playing awesome out there, it’s everything I expected.”
The same can be said for the lone local member patrolling the blueline at camp.
Defenceman Cooper Krauss, a 1998-born prospect, skated for the Foothills CFR Midget AAA Bisons last season where Deis served as assistant coach on Oilers scout Sandy Henry’s staff.
“Cooper I coached last year and he looks great. He’s done a good job out here,” Deis said. “You know how strong we are with our defence and how many guys we have coming back, but Coop is playing hard.”
Okotoks kept things intimate at the four-day session. Only 30 players attended, half of which played for the team last season.
One of the biggest competitions was in-between the pipes where four netminders – including Edge product Matthew Armitage, Calgarian Dakota Omura and 2000 born Blake Pilon and Ty Grant – fought for the right to join incumbent starter Riley Morris.
“Our main camp is small and the idea of it is everyone who’s coming in here we feel have legit opportunities of playing on this team,” Deis said. “With the younger guys we’re making sure that if we do pick them, is it the right thing for development?
“There is no surprises, we know everything about every kid out here. These guys are playing to be around for the next day.”
Deis said he expects three or four cuts prior to the exhibition schedule kicking off this week, carrying 26 or 27 players into the team’s Pre-Season Tournament from Aug. 31- Sept. 3 at Pason Centennial Arena.
The showcase features the Oilers, Drumheller Dragons as well as the Calgary Mustangs and Canucks.
The coach expects to carry a roster of 21 or 22 players entering the season while the club will lean heavily on what’s expected to be a healthy group of affiliate players.
For more information go to okotoksoilers.ca
