The Petrolia Squires return to the ice on Saturday night as the WOAA Senior Hockey season kicks off.
The Squires will host the Creemore Coyotes at 7 p.m. at the Greenwood Rec. Centre.
GM Tim Martin expects to be competitive this season.
The club finished last season 10th place in the 12 team league.
"COVID kind of hurt us," said Martin. "We did lose seven games total last year that we weren't able to play. That did play a bit of a factor, but this year I expect a big time turnaround with the players that we have."
Martin said the league schedule will look a bit different this season.
"This will be the first time we've ever played Creemore," said Martin. "They are new to the league. Normally, with the travel distance, we don't play some of those teams. We have implemented into the league this year that we are going to play everybody at least once. Some of the closer teams (Seaforth, Ripley, Durham, Lucknow) we are playing a home and home with. With us being considered one of the four further teams away, we have to go to Shallow Lake and Shelburne and then on the other spectrum Creemore and Saugeen Shores are coming to us."
The Squires will be boosted by a number of veterans who are returning after brief absences.
They include Kraig Wright (F), Adam Arseneault (F), Ryan Trottier (F), and goaltender Brandon Campbell.
Leading the team will be the return of the team’s entire leadership core, including, captain Jesse Ferguson (F), and alternate captains Kyler Keating (D) and Ryan Fraser (D).
New to this year’s roster are Connor McCormack (F), former junior player Cole Harris (D), hockey veteran Brandon Merritt (F), and former OHL and CIS star Brandon Biggers (F).
You can go to www.petroliasquires.com for more info.