Bentley Generals Senior AAA Hockey Club - Powered By esportsdesk.com

It only took one weekend and all eyes are focused back to where they were last April: On the Bentley Generals.

There was some unwarranted off season scrutiny as a few veteran troops elected to take their talents to the Southbirds and those decisions were wishfully interpreted into another dramatic "mass exodus".

The truth of the matter was the Bentley Generals knew, before last season was even completed, they would be strong again this year. However, unlike some other teams, the Gens' had no reason to think about "next year" and every reason to focus 100% on those critical last few games which paid off with a 2nd National Championship.

Joe Vandermeer headlined a small but long serving group of players who announced new allegiance to Innisfail. Tyler Haarstad, Travis Brigley and Travis Dunstall follwowed suit. Also departing from last years' Allan Cup championship roster were Jeremy Colliton (SEL), Dan Bakala (EIHL), Geordie Wudrink (CIS) and Dustiin Moore (BRHL).

In with the new...Conner Shields...a Calgary native with extensive ECHL experience, Shawn Germain, Lucan Scevior, Greg Hennessy and Dennis Basset all freshly recruited.

After 2 CHL games, Shields has shown to be the biggest impact player among not just addied players...but...he's also leading the league in points scoriing once in a 4-3 S/O win in Fort Sask last Saturday and adding 2 goals + an assist in Bentley's big 7-0 home opening win over Innisfail last Sunday afternoon.

The Gens' pounded over 50 SOG's on the opposing net in each win and ended up the only undefeated team in the league.

The team is already generating attention & excitement for, potentially, another Allan Cup run. It will be difficult but if new Head Coach, Ryan Tobler's hard skating practice methods are an indication, they will be ready for the challenge.

The Army has back to back home games coming up this weekend: Friday night versus Okotoks Drillers and Saturday Stony Plain rolls into town.

The Drillers are playing at the SR AA level for this season and have already openly declared their intent to make the jump for SR AAA next year. They're 1-1 on the current season. As for Stony Plain, they've brought in some new executive as of last week and the team has (finally) opened up to some younger legs. The Eagles dropped their only game of the season thus far, to Okotoks last weekend.