BONNYVILLE – The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs and over 100 members of the community swapped jerseys for golf shirts on Saturday, as the hockey club gets ready to welcome the start of the 2025-26 hockey season.
On Aug. 23, the Pontiacs held a two-person scramble at the Bonnyville Golf and Country Club. This would be the ninth year the team has been hosting the event, says Neil Langridge, the Bonnyville Pontiacs organization’s vice president of operations.
“It’s kind of a kickoff,” for the hockey season, he adds. “Some of our current and prospective players are [also] in town as we start our main camp,” this week, on Aug. 27.
The golfing event was also an opportunity for some of the team’s players to meet members of the community, fans, sponsors, and members of the organization for the first time, says Langridge.
“It’s important for us to have . . . that kick-off event.”
Goalie Cam Doucette says it was great to see all the support from the community. He has been playing for the Pontiacs for two years.
“Whether it’s the sponsors, billets, or a fan, we can’t play without them,” he says. “So, it’s awesome to see them all out.”
With the season just around the corner, Doucette says he is feeling excited.
“I’m stoked. I mean, you train all summer for this, and to finally get game action . . . it's super exciting to get back out there.”
The team also welcomed Chad Mercier as the new head coach this year.
Doucette says he is excited to be working with Mercier. “It’s pretty special [with Mercier] having his roots [on the] coaching team in the past,” he says.
“[I’m] super excited to have him, and he’s done a lot with the team,” says Doucette.
Langridge says Mercier previously served as a general manager for the organization, as well as a head coach about 13 years ago. “He’s back for his second stint and we’re super excited to have him back.”
“We feel he’s going to bring a wealth of knowledge and a wealth of experience to our lineup, which was a young team last year,” says Langridge.
Langridge also invites the community out to the annual Milton Romanchuk Cup on Aug. 30 at the RJ Lalonde Arena, where prospective players from the team’s training camp will compete on the ice.
