Bobcats get ready for the '08-'09 season
September 4, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Bismarck Bobcats News Release
For everyone waiting for Bobcat Hockey's '08-'09 season to kick off, come and get your preseason tickets, we're all ready for you. They are available at our office, or at Will Call on game day. There will be a slight change in start times, with Friday games starting at 7:30 and Thursday/Saturday games beginning at 7:00. Join us for pregame starting 15 minutes before game time.
Bobcat Hockey players vying for a position on the 2008-09 roster have been in town and working hard to get in shape for the last two weeks. The team has been training at the Bobcats official training center, Healthways, under the guidance of Mike Salwei. Off ice work has included outdoor workouts and specialized weight training. The VFW Sports Arena will be ready for on ice practices starting September 2nd.
Head Coach Byron Pool likes the chemistry he is seeing in camp and the dedication that both veteran and new players have shown over the summer. One of the challenges the Bobcats team faced last year was lacking the physical strength needed to compete over a rigorous season. The veterans took Coach Pool's challenge to get stronger over the summer seriously and are now showing some of those results at early workouts.
Nine returning players from the '07-'08 season will be joining this season's team including three defenseman, five forwards and goalie Matt Grogan. In addition there are several NAHL veteran players who were acquired in the off season including Jordan Singer, a 30 point getter for Southern Minnesota last year, Greg Thocker, who played for the FM-Jets in 2006-07 before playing with the Tri-City Storm (USHL), and Josh Nelson, a defenseman who played for the Marquette Rangers last season.
The veterans are complemented by some promising young players who have come to town ready to go including tenders and draft picks as well as those who have made the final camp during the open tryout process. "We should be improved in nearly all aspects of our game for the upcoming season" according to coach Pool. "We will play an aggressive style. We will be a hard working team that should be enjoyable to watch." The Bobcats included four goalies at camp to compete for the starting goalie spot vacated by Jake Kremer, who signed with the Minnesota Gophers in May. "It is up for grabs and we will see who has the skill and makeup to take the position" says Pool.
The Bobcats will start their season at the VFW Arena by playing pre-season games against the Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League on September 5th and 6th. A week later the Bobcats will play their dreaded rivals, the Alexandria Blizzard September 12th and 13th. The Bobcats will be working hard during the preseason to narrow down the roster to the 25 players needed to kick off the home opener September 26th and 27th.
(Final Camp roster below.)
Joel Lundstrom
Josh Nelson
Alex Olson
Jordan Singer
Casey Kleisinger
Jason Fabian
Nick Jensen
Ryan Dunne
John Avino
Tom Lescovich
John Clark
John McLean Jr.
Cody Keefer
Devin Schmitt
Stefan Shively
Will Aide
Derek Kohles
Matt Grogan
Tim Serratore
David Onofrey
Anthony Brown
Andrew Seeberg
Bryan Kozlowski
Tony Turgeon
Greg Thocker
Jeffery Harris
Kevin Harris
Josh Moles
Dean Beaton
Myles Harvey
North American Hockey League Stories from September 4, 2008
- Phantoms Return With Lofty Goals for 08-09 - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Bobcats get ready for the '08-'09 season - Bismarck Bobcats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
