It's the start of a new junior hockey season, and the Surrey Eagles have been busy preparing for another stellar year after winning the Fred Page Cup championship – as well as six of nine British Columbia Hockey League trophies, including the Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy – in a banner 2023-2024 season.
Hungry junior players started competing for their chance at available roster spots at Eagles training camp earlier this week, which was held in North Surrey instead of 'The Nest,' or South Surrey Arena, as the City of Surrey was installing two Jumbotron screens in the arena.
"(The City is) installing them into the arena – the idea being that the entire community can actually use them," explained Ron Brar, who took over ownership of the team with his brother, TJ Brar, about two years ago.
"It’s fantastic! They put in the lights last year, and then this year they’re putting in the jumbo screens, and the beauty of it is, the Eagles will be able to use those as well as the community. It’ll definitely create a whole different atmosphere and game experience for our fans and our players."
The screens will make their debut in this weekend's exhibition games vs. Langley Rivermen and Prince George Spruce Kings on Friday (Sept. 6) and Saturday (Sept. 7), two pre-season matches that unofficially signal the start of the 2024-2025 season.
With about half of last season's players returning and former head coach Cam Keith moving to the Island and the Cowichan Valley Capitals, new head coach and general manager Scott Gomez and assistant coach Mike Mottau, both ex-NHL players – along with the rest of the coaching staff – have their work cut out for them.
And they're ready for it.
Gomez, who started his junior hockey career as a Surrey Eagle in 1996-97, first met East Coast defenceman Mottau when they were World U20 teammates at 16 and 17, respectively. They were later teammates with the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers, and together with Eagles assistant coach and associate general manager Thomas Koshman, skills and development coach Mitch Fyffe, and goalie coach Harry Fredeman, they're preparing to work with a new-look roster with plenty of new faces and talent.
While Gomez worked as an assistant coach in New York, junior hockey is a wholly different animal, and after enjoying his time as assistant coach alongside Keith last season, he decided he wanted to continue to be involved with junior hockey.
"I owe Cam a lot for giving me the opportunity to run the power play. ... There was just something special about the team," he said. "I really, really enjoyed it. ... This is my calling. This is what I do know best, and I wanted to give back."
He remembers sitting in the same spot nearly three decades ago.
"This was my NHL. This is where it started for me. ... We all start somewhere."
Although last season's Goaltender of the Year winner Ajeet Gundarah graduated out of the program and is attending Sacred Heart University in Connecticut on a scholarship, the team has two returning goalies in Jaiden Sharma and Colton Jugnauth, Gomez noted.
He and Mottau were looking forward to training camp prior to its Sept. 1 start, and to the new talent on display this year.
So is Brar, who thinks they'll have a tough time finalizing the roster.
"(We're) looking for some of those diamonds in the rough that we found last year, and from all indication from the coaching staff, it’s going to be a very, very difficult process for them because of the level of talent that is going to be on display. There's some outstanding talent – from across North America, Europe and even Asia – I can’t imagine what the final 40 players are going to look like coming into the new season."
Mottau and Gomez both said the best thing for players to do in training camp is to simply be themselves.
"You don’t have to stand out by trying to do something that you’re not comfortable with – play to your skill sets and pay attention to the details of the game that matter, and we’ll be watching," Mottau said. "We watch very closely. It’s exciting, because there’s going to be some difficult decisions to be made, because that means there’s very good players here. We’re just looking for everyone to put their best effort in."
Gomez agreed.
"It’s a puzzle. We’ll figure it out," he said. "We’ll be disciplined. We’ll be competitive."
While both coaches spoke of discipline on the ice and puck possession, they also noted that each player is different, with different skill sets and needs. They both emphasized a player's behaviour is just as important off the ice.
"We will start by creating a culture – it’s easy when you’ve good good people doing it – just being a gentleman off the ice, being respectful for the room, respectful for your teammates ... it translates to that connectivity amongst the group and puling the rope in the right directions," Mottau said. "These skills that they’ll be learning and applying, they can take with them the rest of their lives. ... You’re going to see some success on ice as people, but you can use those life skills forever. That's something that I experienced, and when you apply it to whatever you want to do, it’s second nature."
A player conducting himself the right way could make the difference when it counts, Gomez said.
"When coaches or recruiters come to see you, that might be the difference between you and another guy. Off the ice is just as important – that’s part of the gig," he said.
While the goal is of course, to play well and compete hard, they also want the players to experience as much personal success as possible.
"We want to move these kids along as quickly as possible, and we want them to be prepared to be impact players at the next level," Mottau said.
Gomez added they'd love to see each and every player get a college scholarship.
"This is their time. My time is gone," he said.
"The main thing is, you've got to have fun. The older you get, it becomes more of a business. The junior experience should be a blast. You’ve got to put the work in at practice, play as a team. ... If you play, it’s got to be fun."
Puck drops at 6 p.m. for the Friday game, and 7 p.m. for the Saturday game.
For tickets or more information, visit surreyeagles.net
