The focus will be on the future this weekend for the Estevan Bruins.
The team's annual spring camp is taking place at Spectra Place, with roughly 75 players expected to attend.
Team scout and former assistant coach Cole Zahn said the hope is that with fewer players, the level of competition will be higher.
"The biggest thing for us is the competitive edge. We want guys who want to come down here for the right reasons. If they're dogging it out there, they're going to be scratched off our list pretty quick," said Zahn.
"We want guys who are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. As long as they've got that heart and determination, that's a big bonus for us. We're looking for a lot of physical play, guys going out there and banging and crashing and doing what they do best."
While the 1995- and 1996-born players will be trying to prove they're good enough to make the team in the fall, Zahn is also excited about some players at the lower end of the age spectrum.
"We've got a couple of '99s coming in. We've identified those guys as top end '99s."
There are also a pair of players coming from Thunder Bay who are expected to impress, he said.
Among the group of players more well-known to the team, all eyes will be on 1995-born Saskatoon goaltender Brett Lewchuk.
"He's a very high-end goaltender. We had him up for a game and he stood out very well for us. We're expecting him to come in and have a great camp. He'll be battling for a spot," said Zahn.
Keegan Allison, a '95 forward from Saskatoon, is also among the crop of potential rookies next year.
"He's a very high-end prospect. He's a very good forward, a little bit smaller in size, but he plays gritty, skates very well and has a heck of a shot."
Zahn is also looking forward to watching a third Saskatoon product, '95 forward Chris Thorimbert.
"He showed a lot of promise throughout the season. I went and saw him a few times. The release he has on his wrist shot is unbelievable. A guy like him is going to come in and turn some heads right away."
Thorimbert was acquired from the Kindersley Klippers at the trade deadline for '96 forward Cohen Yano, the brother of Austin Yano, who was also dealt to the Klippers earlier in the season.
With the Bruins seeking a new head coach and general manager, Zahn cautioned that players who were on the team this past year need to continue to work hard to retain their spot under a new bench boss.
"Obviously with a new coach and general manager coming in, it's going to be wide open for everybody. Just because you were here last year doesn't necessarily mean you'll be here next year if a younger guy beats you out."
The team conducts 1-on-1 meetings with every player at the end of camp, and Zahn said that aspect of the weekend can be invaluable for the prospects.
"Those 1-on-1s are huge for the kids. It gives them a lot of feedback and lets them know what they need to work on to play junior hockey," he said. "It makes it a lot easier on the kids to work on the things they need to in the summer."
The camp gets underway Friday with intrasquad games at 5:15 and 6:45 p.m. There are more games on Saturday at 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 4 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
On Sunday, there are games at 9 and 11:15 a.m., along with exit meetings.
