Plans for Vegreville Vipers Hockey Club’s Inaugural Season Kicks into High Gear

Plans for Vegreville Vipers Hockey Club’s Inaugural Season Kicks into High Gear

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Excitement is building and plans for the upcoming Vegreville Vipers inaugural hockey season continue to gain momentum each and every day.

Vipers General Manager Bryan Brown shared some of the details during an information session at the Wally Fedun Arena the evening of August 24.

Brown, alongside team owner Lori- Ann Cohoe, explained what has happened to date with the club, and what will be happening in the coming weeks as they gear up for tryout camps.

A total of 16 players have been signed to date, including Defenseman Conor Henriksen of Tofield.

Brown said they are thrilled to have Conor Henriksen signed. Following the official announcement on July 18, Brown stated, “We feel Conor will fit in nicely with our team. We look forward to welcoming Conor to the town of Vegreville and the organization.

The Jr. A hockey club is allowed to sign 27 players according to the rules of the Western States Hockey League, (WSHL) and three of those players have to be goalies.

Tryout camps are going to begin on Sept. 3. Brown said Sept. 3-5 has been set aside for players from Alberta, and Sept. 17-19 for out of province and international players.

Bryan Brown gets ready to unveil the Vipers dressing room.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

One of the local players who plans to tryout is Drayden Lizotte, a 15-year-old right winger from Vegreville. His younger brother Dawson will be the team’s official stick and water boy, and is very excited about his new role with the team.

Brown gave a rundown on the WSHL. He said the club will have 20 home and 20 away games during the 2021-’22 season. The home opener will be on October28, and it will have a Halloween theme for fans to enjoy.

The WSHL is divided into two divisions, and the Vipers will be playing in the Provincial Division alongside the Cold Lake Aeros, Hinton Timberwolves, Barrhead Bombers, and Edmonton Eagles.

Teams in the Northwest Division include: Vernal Oilers, Seattle Totems, Bellingham Blazers, Vancouver Devils, Rogue Valley Royals, and Utah Altitude.

Brown, who currently serves as the WSHL’s Director of Canadian Operations, said his goal is to not only grow the Vipers, but the entire sport of hockey.

The arena’s seating capacity is 800 in the stands, and another 200 seats upstairs where the “Viper Pit” will be located.

Fans will also be able to watch all of the games for a fee as they are going to be livestreamed by the WSHL’s official provider Black Dog. Brown said they will have the best announcer in the business, Jamieson Brown, calling all of the home games for the Vipers.

Cohoe is particularly excited about WSHL Las Vegas Showcase which is slated for December. There players will have the chance to face-off against one another, and more importantly, be given the opportunity to earn scholarships.

Assistant Coach Tom McIntyre is fromEdmonton and is looking forward to the season ahead with great anticipation. Vegreville resident Blake Cadman is the Assistant General Manager and Game Day Co-ordinator and he is enthusiastic about his new role in the organization. The team’s trainer will be Vegreville resident Mike van der Torre. Jocelyn McLaughlin, who recently moved to Vegreville, will be the club’s official photographer, and Kyle Outridge is the team’s Social Media Coordinator.

The club is in urgent need of billet families, and anyone interested can contact Brown directly. McIntyre told attendees that based on his own experiences the relationships the players develop with their billet families will last a lifetime.

Brown said the players will be involved in volunteering, and will be developing their own relationships with residents that will “grow the community” on so many different levels.

The team’s motto is, ‘Fear the Bite.’ Even though the puck won’t drop until October 28 in Vegreville, the team has already made great strides and club officials hope residents will soon be bitten by Viper fever.