Okotoks Drillers

Okotoks Drillers
City Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
League Chinook Hockey League
Founded 2013
Operated 2013–present
Home arena Scott Seaman Sports Rink
Colours Blue, orange, white
              
General manager Jason Pytlarz
Head coach Jeff Peters
Website Drillershockey.com

The Okotoks Drillers are a AAA senior men's ice hockey team based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada, that competes in the Chinook Hockey League. The club was founded in 2013 as an AA affilate of the Chinook Hockey League and gained AAA affiliate status in 2014 after winning the 2014 Investors Group Hockey Alberta Provincials Senior AA tournament. The Drillers play their home games at the Scott Seaman Sports Rink.

History

The Drillers were formed in 2013 and joined the Chinook Hockey League (ChHL) as an expansion team for the 2013–14 season as an AA affiliate.[1][2][3] The team competed in two games of the Chinook Hockey League's pre-season showcase tournament winning their opening game against the Innisfail Eagles and losing the second game to the Bentley Generals.[4] The Drillers finished the regular season in fourth place, advancing to the 2014 Investors Group Hockey Alberta Provincials Senior AA/A tournament.[3][5] The Drillers defeated the Morinville Kings in the quarterfinals of the tournament and advanced to the AA bracket semifinal against the Bonneville Pontiacs.[3] After defeating the Pontiacs 10-2 the Drillers advanced to the AA bracket final where they defeated the Daysland Northstars to win the AA tournament and gain AAA affiliate status for the 2014–15 season.[3] The AAA status allows the team to compete in the Chinook Hockey League's AAA playoffs and attempt to qualify for the Allan Cup tournament.[3]

The Drillers started the 2014–15 season with two games in the Chinook Hockey League's pre-season classic tournament with games against the Innisfail Eagles and Stony Plain Eagles.[4] The team improved on last years placement in the regular season finishing second in the standings behind the Bentley Generals.[6] The Drillers were drawn against the Innisfail Eagles in their opening round of the playoffs where they lost the series, winning only one of the five games.[7]

Season by season results

Season GP W L OTL PTS GF GA Finish Playoffs
2013–14 24 7 16 1 15 76 128 4th Won 2014 Alberta Provincials Senior AA final, 4–1 (Daysland Northstars)
2014–15 24 13 10 1 27 117 122 2nd Lost in ChCL AAA Playoffs semifinal series, 1–4 (Innisfail Eagles)

Roster

Updated 19 April 2015[8]

# Nat Name Pos Age Acquired Birthplace
26 Canada Curtis Beech D 27 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
61 Canada Curtis Billsten (C) F 28 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
57 Canada Aaron Boyer F 31 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
8 Canada Travis Bradshaw F 27 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
82 Canada Jeremy Chadsey F 32 2014–15 Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
31 Canada Dann Dun G 26 2014–15 Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
17 Canada Campbell Elynuik F 22 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
18 Canada Derek Endicott F 31 2013–14 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
29 Canada Gerry Festa G 31 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
34 Canada Todd Ford G 31 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
9 Canada Foster, AdrianAdrian Foster F 33 2014–15 Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
48 Canada Branden Gay F 28 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
14 Canada House, TannerTanner House F 29 2014–15 Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
4 Canada Clay Howe D 23 2014–15 Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
12 Canada Mike Kneeland F 31 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
55 Canada Paul Kurceba D 28 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
15 Canada Keaton Lackten D 23 2013–14 High River, Alberta, Canada
1 Canada Todd-Daniel Lafontaine G 38 2014–15
11 Canada Justis Lowry F 19 2014–15 Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
25 Canada Curtis Martin D 2014–15 Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
2 Canada Mitch McColm D 25 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
7 Canada Clinton Pettapiece F 28 2014–15 Christina Lake, British Columbia, Canada
96 Canada Alexander Pronchuk F 22 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
10 Canada Kyle Reed F 28 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5 Canada Justin Schmit D 29 2014–15 Strathmore, Alberta, Canada
79 Canada Jesse Todd F 28 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
20 Canada Jessie Tresierra D 26 2014–15 Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada
6 Canada Joe Vetere D 27 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Okotoks Drillers". Chinook Hockey League. 2013-09-16. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  2. ↑ Gilbertson, Wes (2015-01-22). "Okotoks Drillers no minor-league product". Calgary Sun. Archived from the original on 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Greer, Remy (2014-04-02). "Drillers in a league of their own at provincials". Okotoks Western Wheel. Archived from the original on 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Schedule". Chinook Hockey League. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  5. ↑ "Chinook HL Team Standings 2013-2014". Elite Prospects. Archived from the original on 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  6. ↑ "Chinook HL Team Standings 2014-2015". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  7. ↑ "Chinook Hockey League 2015 AAA Playoffs Bracket". Chinook Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  8. ↑ "Okotoks Drillers". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2015-04-19.
  9. ↑ http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8469481
  10. ↑ http://www.westernwheel.com/article/20141126/WHE1101/311269988/-1/whe/drillers-downed-by-league-champs