LAC LA BICHE - The 2023-2024 season was a tough one for the Portage College Voyageurs men’s hockey team. Over the Feb. 23 weekend, the Voyageurs lost their final games of the season to the Augustana Vikings, both in Camrose and at home.
The Voyageurs finished in last place in their seven-team Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) division and were the only team not to secure a spot in the playoffs.
While the past six months might not have been an easy time for the Voyageurs, according to associate bench boss Kevin McClelland, there were still many positives that came out of year. McClelland said the Voyageurs were competitive most nights with a very young team playing on the ice. He said the last weeks of the regular season saw the team earn wins, based on a team effort from rookie and veteran players.
“Our veterans all had strong seasons and finished off in style in their final season,” he told Lakeland This Week, emphasizing the top priority of a college-level sports team. “Everyone did well in school, which is the key thing.
While the end of the season had some victories noted in the standings, the first part of the season was especially challenging for the Voyageurs, winning only two games between Sept. 29 and Nov. 25 just prior to a long Christmas break. Coming back to the ice in 2024, McClelland, an ex NHLer and four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers, said the young college team showed resiliency. Despite losing five games in January — most of them by narrow margins — the Voyageurs enjoyed three wins in February. Winning those games after Christmas, the coach said, will help the team moving forward.
Coming up
Regarding the upcoming season, McClelland said there should be close to 16 returners coming back to the Voyageur bench, bringing back some of that veteran foundation a team needs. The returning players will offer a “big boost” to the team, helping new players.
When it comes to on-ice changes, going into next year, the coach said the Voyageur players will need to be a little more disciplined and read situations a little better, working more as a team than an individual.
A new hockey addition in the community starting in October could also help to bolster the Portage team. McClelland said a new franchise in the National Junior Hockey League (NJHL) that will be starting a first-time team in Lac La Biche for the 2024-2025 season will allow Voyageurs’ staff to scout new players on home ice and see if any can make the jump to college hockey.
“The more hockey and players you watch is a big plus for your team,” he stated.
With new recruits on the horizon, even with six months to go before the start of the next Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference, McClelland says hockey is a year-round job. He plans to spend a portion of the off-ice season recruiting, watching summer showcases, making calls, and setting up exhibition games.
But the Portage coach is also making plans to spend time with family ... and watch some hockey action involving another team he is very familiar with.
“I’m going to an Oilers game with my three sons who will be flying in from Halifax, and I can hardly wait,” he said.
Exhibition games for the Voyageurs begin in September. The ACAC league gets rolling with regular season games in October.
Playoff changes
Representatives from the ACAC have said there are plans to examine other options to the six-team playoff cut-off when there are less than 10 teams in the league. More details on any changes are expected to come in the following months.
As the Voyageurs finish their season, the ACAC playoffs are midway through the first round. Playoffs are scheduled to run until March 24.
