LAC LA BICHE - The Lac La Biche Lakers’ inaugural season in the National Junior Hockey League (NJHL) has been a good one so far.
As of Feb. 4, the Lakers were on an eight-game winning streak and were sitting in third place in the NJHL North Division, only four points behind the High Prairie Red Wings who were in second place.
The teams will start playoffs in March.
According to the Lakers’ head coach and general manager, Gatlin Church, getting to this point has taken a considerable amount of work.
Church explained that much has improved since he joined the Lakers in late October. At the time, the Lakers were in last place in the eight-team NJHL.
Since then, the team has become significantly more organized, and the roster is stronger and more mature. Being fourth overall in the league is a “huge accomplishment.”
The NJHL is made up of a North Division that includes five teams, and a South Division that includes three teams.
“We have a team now that represents junior hockey,” said the coach.
The roster for the 2024-25 season includes many strong players, such as goaltender Jero Rossi, Captain Larry Flett, a resident of Prince Alberta, Sask., who formerly played in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), as well as forward Kaden Cardinal, who the Lakers recently acquired through a trade with High Prairie.
“Our defence has seen a total makeover as well,” added Church.
With the playoffs set to get underway on March 4, the Lakers are optimistic they will be able to bring a victory to Lac La Biche.
“Our team and our executive have been very optimistic that we can actually win a championship in our first year. There’s a lot of confidence in the dressing room.”
If the Lakers can make it through the league semi-finals and North Division finals, they should be able to advance to the finals.
For now, the Lakers’ executive is looking for members of the community to volunteer their time to help with certain tasks to ensure games continue to happen.
These jobs include working with a camera to livestream the games, acting as goal judges, as well as working the team’s merchandise table and selling 50/50 tickets.
When the Lakers first arrived in Lac La Biche last year, officials put out a call to residents willing to billet young hockey players for the season. With a couple of additional players set to join the team in time for the March playoffs, the Lakers are once again on the lookout for billet families.
“We have two new kids coming in from CJHL teams,” said Church.
Billet families do get compensated to offset the cost of groceries and other expenses.
During their inaugural season, the Lakers have aimed to have a visible presence in the Lac La Biche area and have volunteered their time with community initiatives.
Players have visited local schools to read to students, bagged groceries in stores, and skated with children and youth at the Bold Centre. According to Church, members of the team will be helping during the upcoming Lac La Biche Ice Festival of Speed, which takes place from Feb. 28 to March 2.
Getting players out into the community, he said, serves as good public relations for the team.
“Our team is made up of kids all the way from Nova Scotia to Alberta. These kids come here for the reason of hockey,” said Church.
The community has been supportive of the Lakers, with people turning out to watch and cheer on Lac La Biche’s newest sports franchise.
“We’re very thankful for the support that we’ve had so far.”
