There will be a little less elbowroom on the Voyageurs’ bench thanks to the addition of three new players to the team acquired over the break.
There will be a little less elbowroom on the Voyageurs’ bench thanks to the addition of three new players to the team acquired over the break.
Portage College’ s hockey team picked up Dan Chudobiak, Tanner Hildebrandt and Miles Nolan over the Christmas break to fill some of its recent vacancies. All three are looking forward to hitting the ice for their first game Friday and hope they can help turn things around in the second half of the season.
“We’ re definitely looking to come in, help the team and fill the voids that they lost,” said Chudobiak. “They went on a couple game-losing streak and that’ s tough. But it’ s a new year and time to turn it around and get into the playoffs.”
Specifically, the team lost the previous eight games of the season and is currently tied for fifth place with a win-loss record of 4-9. The team plays the University of Alberta Augusta Vikings on three consecutive days this weekend: at home this Friday and in Camrose Saturday and Sunday. While the Vikings sit one spot above them in the standings, Hildebrandt thinks the three games straight can be advantageous.
“It’ s a big weekend playing the same team three times in a row,” said Hildebrandt. “They’ re a couple games ahead of us in the standings, so it’ d be a good thing to make up some ground on them. So they’ re pretty important games to get right into.”
While all three players have plenty of hockey experience, Chudobiak is the only one who has played in the ACAC. A member of the Keyano College Huskies for the past two years before the team ceased operations, he said Lac La Biche is a different scene but he is enjoying it.
“I’ m definitely getting excited to get back on the ice,” said Chudobiak. “This league’ s no joke, it’ s a tough, hard league so it’ s going to be fun to get back out there.”
Meanwhile, Hildebrandt and Nolan bring experience from back in Ontario. Nolan played for three years with the Fort Frances Lakers in the Superior International Junior Hockey League. Hildebrandt just finished playing junior hockey back in his home region of Niagara, Ont.
“I’ m just excited to get playing,” said Hildebrandt. “I’ m new to the league, I haven’ t played hockey in a couple of years but I decided to get back into it and I’ m looking forward to a good weekend.”
Nolan said while he has not played competitive hockey for a year and a half, he is looking forward to getting back out onto the ice and hopes to win all three games. Similarly to Chudobiak and Hildebrandt, Nolan thinks his years of playing will benefit the Voyageurs.
“Hopefully, I can just bring some depth and some grind work in the corners,” said Nolan. “And penalty killing experience to help us win.”
While only having seen the newcomers during practices, Voyageurs’ Head Coach Arnie Caplan agrees that they will be able to help out the team.
“They’ ve looked good on the ice,” said Caplan. “I think they can bring something to the team.”
The Voyageurs face off against the UAA Vikings this Friday at 7 p.m. at the Bold Center. Admission is free.
