The Saskatoon Contacts, of the U-18 AAA hockey league, has moved into SaskTel Centre.
They have joined the female U-18 AAA team out of Saskatoon, the Stars, and the U of S Huskies Men’s and Women’s hockey team in the biggest arena in the province.
They, along with the other teams, had to vacate Merlis Belsher Place as it has been turned into a field hospital in case of a COVID-19 outbreak. That all being said, the biggest change from this year’s operation and last year’s is their new first-year head coach.
“I’ve got a very talent-laden line-up, a good mix of young players and veteran players, so I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” says Contacts head coach Dale Lambert.
However Lambert decides to form his forward lines, he has a lot to work with, as this roster includes the second, third and sixth overall selections from this year’s WHL draft.
“It was an unforgettable experience,” says Riley Heidt, the second selection from this year’s WHL draft. “It was awesome getting drafted with Brayden (Yager), who I played with for a long time, and I played with Kalan (Lind) too, and it’s great to see those guys go too. It’s a great accomplishment for all of us.”
“Them two and a couple other guys that we played with, we kind of shot some texts back and forth, we congratulated each other. It was something special,” added Brayden Yager, the third selection from this year’s WHL draft.
“Getting to be there with my family we hadn’t been together for more than two weeks in about six years, so it was nice. And then seeing those guys’ names go before me, it was pretty cool. I was feeling it for them and knowing how happy they were when I got drafted. All those other guys, they are really good players, and they deserve to be there,” said Lind, the sixth selection in this year’s WHL draft.
“We have the offensive players but we’ve also got some gritty guys as well. And you need all kinds to have a competitive team”, Lambert said.
While the Contacts have the horses in the stable, the question that most are asking now is: when will those horses be allowed to get out and run in a regular-season game?
“We will do the best that we can to make this situation as competitive as we possibly can. So when we do get onto the ice we are ready to go, and there is no doubt in my mind that these kids are eager so the sooner the better, but we’ll take it as it comes,” Lambert said.
The Contacts are hoping and preparing for their season to start in the second half of November.
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