Gearing up to host the 2019 Telus Cup West Regionals, the Tisdale Trojans have signed nine recruits for next season.
With a young roster last winter, the Trojans posted a 26-13-1-4 record, finished fourth in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League regular season, gained valuable playoff experience, and played at the prestigious Mac’s Midget AAA World Invitational Hockey Tournament. With 11 players expected to come back, the Trojans have added athletes they feel can help the team be successful.
“We definitely like our skill set,” said Darrell Mann, Tisdale’s head coach, of the recently signed players. “We believe we have done a really good job of bringing in some top-end guys.”
As well as skill, Mann said the Trojans were looking to add size, grit and experience to complement its talented returning core. While Tisdale will definitely have a spot at the Telus Cup West Regionals, Mann said the team is looking to earn its way there with a successful season.
One of the players inked by the Trojans is hometown product Blake Samida. The defenceman played nine games for Tisdale as an affiliated player last season.
“Playing hockey at the AAA level has been my goal, but playing in my home town makes it even more exciting,” Samida said. “It will be nice to have my family, friends and neighbors coming out to support and watch me play”.
Samida joins the Carrot River forward duo of Mackenzie Carson and Jayden Wiens as players who were APs last season who have signed on for the next campaign. Mann said that all three have played significant games for the Trojans, competed at the Mac’s, have experienced midget AAA hockey and, to him, are not rookies.
“Being an AP helped me to accelerate as a player because I was able to spend more time on the ice playing with both the Trojans and [North East Midget AA],” Samida said. “I have already developed relationships with the coaches and players and am familiar with many of the plays and strategies so that will definitely be to my advantage.”
The 6-foot, 175-pound Samida had 13 points and 41 penalty minutes in 24 games for North East while scoring a goal in nine games with the Trojans. Carson, a 6-foot, 175-pounder, also played nine games with Tisdale and scored 15 goals and had 21 points in 22 games with the North East Midget AA team. Wiens racked up 36 points, including 17 goals, in 23 games for the North East Bantam AA team. An eighth round pick of the Saskatoon Blades in the 2018 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft, Wiens played four games as an AP for the Trojans.
In addition to three APs from last season, Mann is also bringing in four 17 year-olds. Among them is Dylan Esau, who has played two midget AAA season for Battlefords. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound forward from Meadow Lake had 22 points in 44 games last season while also playing three games as an AP for the junior A Battlefords North Stars.
Three other 17-year-olds join Tisdale after playing at the midget AA level last season. Mann said that he tells incoming 17-year-olds about Colby Brandt. The Regina product joined the team in 2015-16 as a 17-year-old rookie and led the Trojans in goals and was second in points. He now plays Junior A for the Notre Dame Hounds. Last season goalie Roddy Ross, from Meadow Lake, came in as a 17-year-old rookie and earned the team’s MVP award. He recently signed to play with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Camrose Kodiaks.
Yokton’s Colby Vranai played five seasons with his hometown AAA Rawtech Maulers last season. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound forward posted 43 points, with 17 goals, in 36 games for the Yorkton midget AAA squad. Goalie Bryson Garton had a 3.19 goals against average last season for the successful Estevan Bruins midget AA team. The Trojans are also bringing in fellow Bruin Dawson Schaff. The forward totaled an impressive 34 goals and 62 points in 36 games this past winter.
The Trojans have also added 2002-born defenceman Zac Robins of Weyburn. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound liner had five points in 21 games for the midget AA Moose Jaw Generals last season. He also played one game for his hometown junior A Red Wings and three for the Weyburn midget AA team.
Also among the new players is a highly regarded 15-year-old defenceman. The 6-foot-4, 170-pound Jeremy Hancock was picked by the Red Deer Rebels in the fourth round of the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft. Playing for the OHA Edmonton bantam prep team, the Melfort product had 11 points in 26 games.
Junior A Signings
Several Trojans save signed with Junior A squads. Forward Colton Schell has inked to join Ross on the Camrose Kodiaks. Recovering from a season-ending injury, defenceman Connor Hayward has signed with the Estevan Bruins. Fellow blue liner Jordan Dasko has committed to the Melfort Mustangs. Forward Brett Neumeier has signed with the Kindersley Klippers.
