The Cochrane Generals are expecting their biggest training camp in recent memory as they prepare to build on a breakthrough season.
About 60 players are expected at the Generals’ camp, which opens Thursday night at SLS Centre with a goalie evaluation before going wide open Friday.
“We’ve got 60 guys coming out to camp this year, so we’re really excited to see everybody put their best foot forward — and just give it everything they got,” says head coach Derek Bell, now in his third season with the club.
That’s up from about 40 players at camp last year, a sign of growing interest in the Generals and the culture surrounding the team.
Bell believes the “Gens culture” remains one of the biggest draws for players.
“When you’ve got a winning record, for sure, it definitely does help. But I mean, culture is probably the first.”
Many veterans from last season will be in the hunt for roster spots, joined by a strong group of young prospects and some 20-year-olds coming over from other leagues.
“Anybody that can come back to play is definitely coming back,” Bell says. “We’re going to have a very strong veteran leadership group with a lot of new young talent coming out as well.
Bell says the camp is also an important introduction for younger players who hope to become Generals down the road.
“It’s great for the young guys to come out and experience what it means to be a General,” he says. “It gives them kind of a line of where they know they need to get to to become a General later down when they get a little bit older.”
This year’s camp will be trimmed down along the way, with Bell saying cuts will be made with consideration for players who need time to attend other camps.
Goalies are on the ice Thursday night, with full practices Friday before exhibition games Saturday. The camp wraps up Sunday with the Red and Blue Game at 2:30 p.m., featuring the top 40 players.
Three preseason games
The Generals have three preseason games scheduled. They open a home-and-home series against the Airdrie Thunder on the road Sept. 11, before hosting the Thunder on Sept. 12. The exhibition schedule wraps up Sept. 18 with a home game against the High River Flyers.
Bell says the exhibition games are valuable because they give players a chance to show what they can do in a competitive environment against another team.
The regular season kicks off Sept. 25 in Sylvan Lake, with the home opener set for Oct. 2 against the Thunder.
Building on playoff success
The Generals are coming off their best playoff run since 2022, when they advanced to the HJHL final as North Division champions. They lost to the Okotoks Bisons in the final, but earned a little redemption at provincials, winning silver while the Bisons settled for bronze.
Watch for Gens in parade
The Generals will also be making an appearance in Monday’s Labour Day Parade.
Bell says being visible in the community is important for more than sponsorships — it also helps with player recruitment and gives local hockey fans a chance to see what the Generals are all about.
“We need to teach these young athletes in our community that General is an excellent place to play and continue to play in front of your home crowd.”
These days, the Generals are a familiar sight at Cochrane’s major events, while also contributing to a number of quieter community initiatives throughout the year.
One of the biggest is the Cochrane Kiwanis Annual Kids Toy Project, where players travel through Walmart with local youth to help them select Christmas gifts.
The Generals have also faced off against Calgary-area sledge hockey players in an annual fundraiser at SLS Centre and held a Pink in the Rink game last season in support of cancer research.
