Training camp for the Nanaimo Buccaneers ushers in a new era under the guidance of new head coach and general manager Andy Hellweger. (Nanaimo Buccaneers)

By Dan Marshall

Bouncing back

Buccaneers look to right the ship in 2022-23 VIJHL season

Aug 19, 2022 | 1:45 PM

NANAIMO — After a one win season the Nanaimo Buccaneers are looking for a significant turnaround this upcoming VIJHL campaign.

The journey began on Monday, Aug. 15 with the start of main training camp.

New head coach and general manager Andy Hellweger said the club has made improvements through trades and recruiting but building up the program will take time.

“Consistency is very important. We have to work as professionally as we can and operate as much as we can like a Junior A team.”

When bringing in players, Hellweger looked at on ice performance but really focused on the off ice attributes.

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He spent a lot time talking to other coaches about the character of players coming to the Buccaneers for this season.

There are 35 skaters and four goalies at main camp with an expectation the first few cuts will come as early as Sunday, Aug. 21.

Hellweger said his first impressions of the group are positive.

“The compete level was very high and the boys were working really hard. I’m looking forward to the whole week, especially to our all rookie game on Sunday against the Generals.”

The goal is to get as many local hockey players on the Buccaneers as possible however there is a lot of competition when it comes to looking for talent.

“We want to return to our roots,” Hellweger said. “The ultimate goal is to be 100 per cent local but that’s going to take some time.”

Hellweger believes to be successful in the long term the Bucs need to hone in on young players with plenty of junior hockey eligibility in front of them.

“To be successful you have to look into the future which means being young with ’04, ’05 and ’06 players and even looking at 2007’s for the next season.”

Nanaimo is also expected to have ten or eleven players who are either 19 or 20.

With the home opener set for Sept. 8 against Lake Cowichan, the Buccaneers are still looking for some billet homes for the season.

More information on the billet program is available on the Nanaimo Buccaneers website.

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