The Waywayseecappo Wolverines are just over a week away from opening their 2026 training camp, and head coach and general manager Landon Cochrane likes what he sees heading into his third season with the club.
Cochrane says the Wolverines had a productive off-season, staying in close contact with their returning players while adding depth and experience to the lineup.
“Yeah, I think we had a very successful off-season,” Cochrane said, “We had a lot of good communication with the returning guys. We’re excited for a lot of the guys I’ve brought in heading into my third year.”
The Wolverines added veteran experience up front, including Manitoba product Ian Buors and Ryder Duchon.
Boers, who has two years of junior experience, is expected to step into a top-six role.
“We expect to place him right there in the top six and let him do his thing,” Cochrane said. “Hopefully, he can produce.”
Duchon will bring speed and skill to the forward group, while the Wolverines also added a pair of 20-year-old defencemen in Nate Lazarus and Tavon McCorrister.
“We’re very happy about that,” Cochrane said of the additions on the back end. “We’ll rely on those two guys early on to play some big minutes for us.”
Waywayseecappo will also be looking for its returning players to take on larger roles following the graduation of key offensive contributors such as Sebastian Hicks, Ben Roulette and Kurt Rooks.
Cochrane believes the returning group is ready for the challenge.
“I love the guys coming back,” he said. “From the spring to the summer, they’ve been talking about coming back and continuing on from last year, so their mindset’s in the right spot.”
Players such as Max Collyer, Dylan Duzan, Rhett Perrin and newly named captain Treycen Wuttunee are expected to take on bigger roles, while Mikey Thomas, Blake Farthing and Noah Oughton are also in line for increased responsibility.
The Wolverines are also keeping an eye on a pair of younger prospects who could join the team later in the season.
Six-foot-two winger Grady McNish will begin the season in Lethbridge after putting up strong numbers at the U18 AAA level, while defenceman Max Dawson will start with the Swift Current Broncos.
The Wolverines reached the second round of the playoffs last season, earning their first playoff series win, and Cochran says the group wants to build on that success.
“We got a really good nucleus that has been building something for two years here,” he said. “We’re definitely playoff-oriented every year, but just to continue on and have that playoff success.”
That process begins with training camp on August 28.
Approximately 50 players will compete for roster spots, with the group split into three teams for a series of games during the opening days of camp.
The roster will then be trimmed to 40 players for the Top 40 Joe Brandon Game before camp concludes with a rookie game against the Swan Valley Stampeders on August 31.
“It’s going to be a quick three, four-day camp here, but we’re going to get right into it,” Cochrane said. “Our guys returning are going to push the pace and come back ready, so we’re very excited.”
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