There will be no shortage of players looking to earn a spot with the Estevan Bruins at the team's training camp this weekend.
Head coach and general manager Keith Cassidy expects about 75 players to show up and they will be divided into four teams for scrimmages.
The main reason for the large group is so Cassidy can get a first-hand look at as many list players as possible in his first camp behind the bench.
Many of those players also attended the team's conditioning camp last week, including one day when 30 players showed up. No goalies made it to any of the sessions though.
One of the biggest names at camp will be goaltender Derek Tendler, who was released by the Western Hockey League's Swift Current Broncos last week.
The 1992-born netminder played 38 games for the Bruins in 2009-10. He has since spent time with the Broncos, Vancouver Giants and the Winnipeg Saints of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
It's believed the Broncos let Tendler go mainly because of his conditioning, but Cassidy said he will be given every chance to battle for the starter's job alongside 20-year-old Shea Cooper.
"We'll see what he looks like when he gets here. That's a bit of a pet peeve of mine, if guys don't show up in shape, but we'll see. He apparently spent the whole summer in Swift Current, so I can't see him being too terribly out of shape."
A whopping 10 goaltenders will be in camp.
The most difficult decisions will likely be up front, where a strong group of '93 forwards will battle a returning contingent of eight players for roster spots.
"I'm expecting them to make it tough on me to make decisions. I'm looking for a very competitive camp. Obviously there are spots to fill and whoever decides to step up is going to be able to earn that spot," Cassidy said.
"To a certain extent you have to evaluate your roster based on age, but I'm waiting to see what everybody brings on the ice."
There are four spots up for grabs on the blueline alongside returnees Dominic Perrault and Eric Baldwin as well as trade acquisition Dallas Jorgensen.
Cassidy said he's open to bringing in some help via trade but is "fairly comfortable" with the defencemen who will be fighting for spots in camp.
Training camp begins with two intra-squad games on Friday night and four more on Saturday, followed by cuts. Players will then be reorganized into black and gold squads.
Camp will wrap up with the annual Black and Gold Game on Sunday at 5 p.m. Cassidy plans to pare the roster down to fewer than 30 players at that point.
"It's a fairly tight timeline to evaluate these guys," Cassidy said.
The Bruins then play three exhibition games in as many nights: Monday at Notre Dame, Tuesday at home against Weyburn and Wednesday at Weyburn.
