Midget AAA Slash
The Esso Cup champion St. Albert Slash have two exhibitions scheduled for Go Auto Arena.
The Slash hosts the Red Deer Chiefs on Sept. 2 at 6:45 p.m. and the Edmonton Pandas on Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.
Dan Auchenberg is back behind the bench for the first team to win three-straight midget AAA female national championships in the 11-year history of the Esso Cup.
The Slash, winners of three consecutive Final Frozen Four provincials in the Alberta Female Hockey League, finished 35-5-2 overall after beating the host Sudbury Wolves 4-2 in the gold-medal game.
Midget AAA Raiders
The main camp for the midget AAA St. Albert Nektar Raiders starts Aug. 30 at Jarome Iginla Arena.
Today’s scrimmages marks the second session of the rookie camp for 2004 players as the coaching staff identifies 15-year-olds for the main camp.
The second annual Larry Mitchell Cup, which is the top-40 game between Team Blue and Team White, is Sept. 1 at 2:30 p.m.
Geoff Giacobbo is coaching the Raiders this season with Jack Redlick, the 2018 recipient of the Glen Sather Trophy as the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League’s coach of the year, recovering from life-threatening injuries from a motorcycle crash.
The 2019 Mac’s Cup tournament champions finished 19-11-4 as north division pennant winners in the AMHL regular season and 6-5 in the playoffs as provincial finalists. Five playoff games were decided in overtime, including a pair against the Calgary Buffaloes to start off the best-of-five final, while going 1-4 overall in sudden death.
Junior B Merchants
The selection process for the St. Albert Merchants begins Sept. 2 with the first of five main camp sessions at Jarome Iginla Arena.
Four exhibitions are also scheduled for the following dates: Sept. 6 at home against the Stony Plain Flyers, Sept. 8 against the Edmonton Royals at Coronation Arena, Sept.13 against the Flyers at Glenn Hall Centennial Arena and Sept. 15 at home against the Sherwood Park Knights. Game times are 8 p.m.
The Capital Junior B Hockey League home opener is Sept. 20 against the Edmonton Mustangs 8 p.m.
Zach Rodda is back as head coach of the Merchants, fourth-place finishers at 14-19-5 in the west division and 2-3 in two playoff series.
Bantam AAA Sabres
The St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres are gearing up for the upcoming season with five exhibitions on tap next month.
The Sabres skate into action Sept. 7 against the Maple Leafs at 3:30 p.m. at Go Auto Arena, followed by four games at the John Ferguson preseason tournament at Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre: Sept. 9 versus SSAC Southgate Lions at 7 p.m., Sept. 12 versus Fort Saskatchewan Rangers at 5:30 p.m., Sept. 14 versus Lloydminster Bobcats at 12:30 p.m. and Sept. 15 versus Sherwood Park Flyers at 3:30 p.m.
The Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League opener is Sept. 20 against the KC Squires at 8:15 p.m. at Callingwood Twin Arenas and the first home game is Sept. 21 against SSAC at 2:15 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.
The new head coach of the Sabres is Steven Ewaskiw, who guided the midget 15 St. Albert Flyers to the 2019 provincial championship in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League.
Last season the Sabres (13-15-5) tied for third in the nitro division of the north conference and in the playoffs finished 3-2 as division finalists.
