By Mia Ines
 
This year's recruiting class for the 2022-23 season has the Windsor Lancers men's hockey team eager to step back onto the ice. After a tough first round loss to the York Lions last year, the blue and gold are back on their feet preparing to bounce back into this season.
 
"We began early so to finally start playing meaningful games will be great," stated head coach Kevin Hamlin.
 
Since the hit of the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the first year where the squad will play a full regular season schedule. Unfortunately with the loss of an entire senior leadership group, with the exception of Mason Kohn, other Lancers will need to tie up their skates and step up to lead the rest of the group by example.
 
Windsor returns multiple players who will step into a leadership role including forward Sean Olson who recorded 10 goals and 3 assists in 13 games in the 2021-22 season and goaltender Nathan Torchia who finished the last season with .933 save percentage. The team's captain, Mason Kohn, will continue to make a notable impact for incoming players and the overall atmosphere, recording 20 points last year and later being awarded the Olympic Shield as the year's top male athlete.
 
With a huge influx of talent, coach Hamlin explains the excitement to see the players in "real" action and what their competitive edge will bring. The incoming recruiting class includes Steph Dobrich, Dan Rybarik, Keegan McMullen, Grant Spence, Nic Pavia, Jordan Chudley, and Ryan Polidori.
 
From Cambridge, Ontario, McMullen joins the blue and gold from the Sault Greyhounds of the OHL, while Dobrich, who plays as a big shot left defenseman, joins the Lancers from the Treton Golden Hawks and will be a great addition for a very sound defensive game.
 
"Our focus is defensive play," discusses Hamlin. "We understand that our defensive zone will give us our identity. We have to play smart and hard. We want to be stingy and hard to play against."
 
As the team looks towards winning a Queen's Cup and getting back to Nationals, the blue and gold are ready to undertake the challenge knowing it is a journey that every player will remember for a lifetime.
 
The Lancers are set to get their first home game underway this Friday, October 14th when they host the Lakehead Thunderwolves at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance at goLancers.ca/tickets.