Tryouts for the midget AAA St. Albert Raiders are underway at Akinsdale Arena.
Sunday’s intersquad games start at 2:30 and 5 p.m.
The tryout list that was updated Wednesday featured 169 midget-age players – 28 goalies, 52 defencemen and 89 forwards – divided into eight teams. Every team is guaranteed three ice sessions leading up to the intersquad games.
There are also 11 players at junior camps.
A list of players continuing on with the midget AAA tryouts will be posted Sunday night on the Raiders Hockey Club website at www.raidershockey.ca.
The first of seven exhibition games for the Raiders is Sept. 8 against the Canadian Athletic Club at 6:15 p.m. at Bill Hunter Arena.
The preseason schedule includes three consecutive home games: Sept. 17 against the Sherwood Park Kings at 7:45 p.m., Sept. 20 against the Southside Athletic Club at 6:15 p.m. and Sept. 21 against the Leduc Oil Kings at 5 p.m. before league play begins.
The new head coach of the Raiders is Craig Goebel. The former Spruce Grove bantam AAA bench boss scouted for the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats last season and is a longtime fixture with the Stony Plain Eagles in the Chinook Hockey League.
Last season the Raiders lost the north final after placing fifth in the division at 18-11-6.
The second round of player releases for the bantam AAA St. Albert Sabres will be determined after Sunday’s intersquad game.
Puck drop is 3:15 p.m. at Troy Murray Arena.
The Sabres plan to cut down to approximately 23 to 27 players and the roster should be finalized after the John Ferguson Memorial Tournament at the Terwillegar Arenas 4 Plex.
The Sabres play Sept. 9 against the SSAC Southgate Lions at 6 p.m., Sept. 11 against the KC Squires at 6 p.m., Sept. 13 against the Lloydminster Heat at 10:30 a.m. and Sept. 14 against the Sherwood Park Flyers at 10:30 a.m.
League play starts Sept. 21 against the Grande Prairie Storm at 2:30 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.
Returning for a second season as head coach is T.J. Woodward. Last season the Sabres finished 17-12-4 as the fourth and final playoff team in the nitro north standings and in the best-of-three opening playoff round they were swept by SSAC.
Today’s exhibition game between the St. Albert Slash and Spruce Grove PAC Saints in the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League starts at noon at the Glenn Hall Centennial Arena.
The Slash make their season debut Sept. 13 against the Lloydminster Steelers at 4:45 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.
The AMMFHL is now a 10-team circuit with one division instead of the north/south format.
Girls Hockey Calgary is also going with one team, Calgary Fire, instead of two teams.
Phil Webb is back as the Slash head coach for the third straight season. The Slash are coming off a fifth-place 6-21-5 showing in the north and in the best-of-five north semifinal they were swept by the Edmonton Thunder, the six-time reigning AMMFHL champions and 2014 Esso Cup national silver medallists.
