New in nest
By Russ Ullyot
The whirlwind that is a Canmore Eagles’ training camp wound down Thursday afternoon with the annual Blue-White game.
More than 40 players took part in a four-day camp as the team prepares for the upcoming Alberta Junior A Hockey League season.
Many of the faces are familiar to fans with 14 returning players.
The team has two proven No. 1 goaltenders in Alexander Scheiwiller and Hudson Sedo. Scheiwiller was among the league’s most valuable player candidates, while Sedo played for Canada West at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge.
There is again a strong veteran presence along the blue line with Casey Black returning for a fourth season – he was named the Eagles’ captain during the summer. Returning for a third season is Banff native Haruki Morikawa, who made the conversion from forward to defence last season out of necessity and it proved a valuable move for both team and player. Liam Magnuson is back after a stellar rookie campaign that saw his status as a reliable backend player grow over the course of last season.
Reid Larson will buoy the veteran presence, an off-season acquisition from the Drayton Valley Thunder, as he enters his third season in the AJHL.
Defencemen five and six are currently 2007-born CJ Watson (Mount St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket, Rhode Island) and Landon Scott (Titans Hockey Union, Spruce Grove).
The lone 2005-born forward is Tavynn Hamilton, entering his third season. Teams are allowed eight 2005-born (under-21 years of age) players and the Eagles are at five with Scheiwiller, Black, Morikawa and Larson among that age grouping.
The 2006-born returning forwards include Aidan Tkachuk, Bryson Insinger, Josh Cleary, and Cohen Daoust. Daoust had a six-point game (one goal and five assists) last season in a 9-2 win over the Olds Grizzlys on Jan. 28 – the most by an Eagle in one game in eight seasons.
Cole Wadsworth, who missed a majority of last season with two shoulder separations but did return of the playoffs, is back on the shelf to start this season and he continues to resolve lingering issues.
How the offence goes might come down to a pair of mid-season forward additions last campaign in Hudson Landmark and Will Lutic (both are 2007-born), with the expectation they will be among the league leaders in their second seasons after brief but stellar first years: Landmark put up nine points (2G-7A) in 11 games; Lutic had 21 points (8G-13A) in 19 games.
As for rookies, several have already made impressions including 2007-born Jonathan Gomez (Fairmont Prep, Anaheim, California), Miller Komarniski (Fort Saskatchewan Rangers) and Kanyan Unger (Prince Albert Mintos). Unfortunately, Unger will miss the start of the season after suffering a knee injury during spring camp.
A pair of 2008-born players earning their wings are Keegan De Sa (Edge High School, Calgary), and Easton Milne (Aidrie CFR Bisons), who appeared in two and three games last season, respectively. Easton Milne is the son of Andrew Milne, the Eagles general manager and head coach.
There is still time for other camp invitees to impress the coaching staff with two exhibition games with the defending national champion Calgary Canucks: Friday (Sept. 12) at the Canmore Recreation Centre beginning at 7 p.m.; and Saturday (Sept. 13) at the Max Bell Centre in Calgary at 5 p.m.
As for the Blue-White game it was won by the White squad 8-7 led by a Landmark’s two-goal performance, although the winning goal went to Watson, with a centre-ice steal of the puck and then driving through the defence before lifting the puck over the goaltender’s extended right pad. Blue defenceman Nixon Chanski (St. Albert Flyers) made it close with a pair of last-minute goals as his squad tried to rally back from a 6-1 third-period deficit.
OVERTIME: Room on the roster came following the graduation of eight players: forwards Rhett Dekowny, Owen Jones, Ethan Look, Kayden Rawji and Nathan MacPherson-Ridgewell; defencemen Emanuel Hudson, Nolan Kazeil and Jaren Brinson. In addition, d-man Christian Luke has chosen not to return as he pursues academic opportunities at St. Francis Xavier University (Antigonish, N.S.). … Canmore Minor Hockey was well represented at camp with Easton Milne joined by invitees – defencemen Lucas Jacobson and Chase Kjemhus along with forward Isaac Reip. … The Eagles’ regular season begins on the road with a visit to the Drumheller Dragons on Friday, Sept. 19. … The first home game is Saturday, Sept. 27 versus the Bonnyville Pontiacs.
