The names may have changed, but the goal is the same for the Fort Erie Meteors this season.
The Meteors have a revamped roster from last season when they finished in third place with a solid 32-13-5 record, but general manager/head coach Nik Passero feels he has put together another talented group capable of competing with any team in the league.
“I think inside our locker room we’re expecting to be right at the top and compete for the league championship,” Passero said.
The Meteors lost a good deal of their roster to graduation from last season and start this season with a much younger group.
“I think we’re going to be fast. We’re young and inexperienced but I think we have enough returning guys and a couple of additions that will keep us going in the right direction,” Passero said. “I still think we should be fighting for top spots in the league and if you look at the past couple of years, the young teams have done pretty well. I think we have a couple of 19 and 20-year-olds who are ready to step up. I like our mix.”
Unlike last season when the Meteors lived and died with their explosive offence, this years’s team is built from the net on out.
Niagara IceDogs draft choice Charlie Burns and John Lloyd, a 19-year-old native of North York who split last season between the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and United States Premier Hockey League, will share the goaltending duties.
“I think they are both capable. Both have played junior hockey before so I think they are capable of stepping in and being No. 1 guys,” Passero said.
Newly minted captain Rylan Masterson, RJ Schmidt and Cam Thorpe are back on the blueline, augmented with newcomers Cam Robillard, who spent last season with the Niagara Falls Canucks, and Owen Cressmen, who split last year between the Canucks and Hamilton Kilty B’s.
The Meteors also added Kitchener Rangers draft pick Andrew MacNiel, who Passero has high hopes for, as well as St. Catharines native Tye Gaudreau.
“I think our back end will definitely be our strength for sure,” Passero said.
Up front, the team recently signed Fort Erie native and former Meteor Blake Hall, who spent the last two seasons with the Navan Grads of the Central Canada Hockey League.
“He’s a big addition for us,” Passero said.
Assistant captain Kyle Adamo returns and is expected to be a big producer while Liam Beamish, a Beamsville native who was an eighth-round selection of the Sarnia Sting, and Cam Golovin, and 18-year-old Cheetowaga, N.Y. native, have stood out.
“Beamish is a 200-foot centre who I think will surprise a lot of people and Golovin is a small guy but he already has six in pre-season so he’ll be there to put the puck in the net,” Passero said.
The Meteors begin the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season Friday in Port Colborne before hosting the St. Catharines Falcons Saturday in their home opener.
Passero is eager to get the season started.
“Pre-season is long. This year it’s extra long because we’re starting a week later. Guys have put the work in and we’re ready to go,” he said.
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