Mariners open camp Thursday

By Michael Gorman

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

Laurie Barron has a good feeling about this year.

Barron, the new head coach for the Yarmouth Mariners, inherits a team that had its best season in franchise history last year. The team won the MJAHL president's trophy, the league title and went to the Fred Page Cup.

But many of the key players from last year's team have since moved on as did last year's head coach, Steve Kasper. None of that matters, said Barron. He said he's looking at this year as one for retooling, not rebuilding, and believes local fans can expect a strong club.

"If you had talked to me at the end of last year or when I got the (head coaching) job, I would have said that we hope to be in the mix. But I think we're going to be a good hockey club. I'm not a big believer that younger is not always good . . . We've got a lot of kids that want to play and not just play but get to the next level."

Last year's squad was characterized by its closeness, much of which had to do with the leadership of players such as Jamie Klie and Danny Anger. While both of those players have moved on, Barron said he's confident other players will step up to fill the leadership roles.

"Learning how to win is about the toughest thing in hockey," he said. "Having kids like that, who have a taste of winning, it's so important.

"I really think that Jordan Scott (will lead)," he said. "Matt Duff is a leader, Lyndon Procter is a leader, along with Cody LeFrancois and Steve Pearson. In order to have a good program the (leadership) torch has to be passed and I think those guys are ready for a lead role."

Scott said he's ready to accept that role.

"Hopefully I can set a good example right from the start," he said.

Scott said he decided to come back to the club to bolster his stock when it comes to finding a place at a university program. That goal should make it easy for him to enter camp fired up and ready to start the season.

"I feel I can better my stance," he said. "I'm just making sure I'm ready; making sure my game's at the best that it can be."

Much was made last year about the relationship between Kasper and the players. Scott said the returning players are excited to have Barron back and are ready to follow his lead.

"He's definitely a player's coach," he said. "He's got all the players' respect, for sure."

With 62 players in camp Barron will have a lot of new faces to evaluate. That there are so many players coming to camp is a credit to the team's scouting staff, said Barron. After a season filled with player moves last year the team was left with very little in terms of draft picks. It was left to the scouts to fill in the holes.

"Basically, our list was tattered and torn," he said. "We were depleted."

Of the new players coming to town Barron said he's especially excited by the potential of Graham Ferguson, a defenceman from Saskatchewan. Other new highlights coming to camp include Julien Payne, Weymouth native Morgan Mullen, Patrick Sharkey and valley native Carl Hayes, a player Barron said "(is) going to tear it up."

Although some of the new acquisitions have talked about potentially looking at other options, it's Barron's hope that most, if not all of the new invites will choose to stay in Yarmouth if they are selected to the team.

With so many players competing for just 22 spots — the first series of cuts will be made following training camp, the rest after the team's four exhibition games — Barron is expecting a competitive atmosphere in camp.

"We're going to have three teams at camp and it's going to be an unbelievable camp as far as vying for positions," he said. "Hockey players are very good at adding and subtracting."

As Barron gets set for his second round as the team's head coach, he said he comes into the role with a better sense of what needs to happen for the team to be a success. Last year's team was by far the most disciplined both on and off the ice. Barron will look to set that tone once again very early in camp.

"I think last time I worried about winning right away and put a lot of pressure on, not only myself but also the hockey club to win and peaking a little bit early," he said. "Now I'll put the horse before the cart and look to get better every day."

The final component of the equation for success, said Barron, is local support. Now that the owners of the club are right here in Yarmouth the Mariners are a home team in just about every sense of the term. That means for it to work, the support of the community must be there.

"The lifeline of our team is with our season tickets and with our sponsorship and also with out billets," he said. "That ensures the success of our hockey club and makes sure it stays a strong team for a long time to come."



With 62 players coming to training camp this week for the Yarmouth Mariners there will be lots of new faces. But, for fans from last year there will also be some familiar ones. The following are the players returning to camp from last year's roster:

Jordan Scott; Dallas Ungurian; Steve Pearson; Cody LeFrancois; Lynden Proctor; Tyler Williams; Matt Duff; Mike deCoste; Reggie Deveau; and Ryan Nickerson.



The Yarmouth Mariners open training camp this Thursday and most of it is open to the public. The following is the schedule for the portions of practice open to the public:

Friday, Aug. 29

10 a.m. — fit test

5-6 p.m. — Team 1 on ice

6-7 p.m. — Team 2 on ice

7-8 p.m. — Team 3 on ice

Saturday, Aug. 30

9:30-11 a.m. — Team 1 and Team 2 on ice

12:30-1:30 p.m. — Team 3 on ice

7 p.m. — Team 1 vs. Team 2 intersquad

Sunday, Aug. 31

10:30 a.m. - noon — Team 1 on ice

2 p.m. — Team 2 vs. Team 3 intersquad

Monday, Sept. 1

12:30-1:30 p.m. — Team 2 on ice

1:30 p.m. — Team 1 vs. Team 3 intersquad