Roughly 70 Flyer hopefuls and veterans took to the ice Wednesday as Winkler Flyers main camp kicked off with a string of practices. 

"It's exciting for sure. I've been working hard all summer. The last couple of weeks I've had the itch to get going. Talking with some of the other guys, they've been ready to go for a while now," shared last season's captain Connor Hamonic. "Getting started again and looking at the upcoming season it's exciting. We are hoping to build off last season."

The training camps were filled with returning players, draft picks, and recently signed players vying for a spot with the orange and black for the 2016-17 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season.

There is only one goaltender returning from last season, Connor Slipp.

While, there are eight returning forwards, Scott Gall, Coltyn Bates, Nico Labossiere, Jeff Michiels, Dionne Demke, Nolan McGuire, Jason Cohan, and Braden Billaney. 

"I want to be a role model and set an example for what needs to be done to make the team. Everyone looks like hard workers so, it's going to be a tough try-out this year," said returning forward Scott Gall, who tallied 34 goals and 61 points in 56 games last season.

One of the harder positions to make this season will be defence, as a good chunk of last season's blue line is back again this year, as Hamonic, Lawson McDonald, Tyler Jubenvill, Mitch Dyck are at camp again this fall. 

As mentioned there is a number of years worth of draft picks participating at camp. One of which is 2016 second rounder Alex Cattani.  He is said to be a skilled centreman with a scoring touch. Has a solid two way game with the capability to play on the Flyers top line against the other teams top line (as per a Winkler Flyers news release).

"It was a good skate. It was good to get out with all of the guys last year, and see how all of the guys have progressed, and to see what I'm up against," shared Cattani.

 

Here is the schedule for Day two of Flyers camp;

10 a.m. Team Orange vs Team White 

12 p.m. Team Black vs Team Grey 

4 p.m. Team White vs Team Black 

6 p.m. Team Orange vs Team Grey