Former Bisons producing in Okotoks

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

The CFR Chemicals Bisons might be gone, but their former players are still producing at a high level at their new home rink.
Fourteen players were either affiliated with the Bisons last year, were a mainstay in the Chrysler division championship lineup, or are local Wheatland products and have found their way onto the expansion Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers roster this season.
After Okotoks filed paperwork to establish a new draw zone under Hockey Alberta in the Alberta Midget Hockey League, Airdrie elected to bring the Bisons back, despite never hosting a Bisons game, just to own the carded rights to the franchise.
The split in the draw zones saw players from Wheatland County move to Okotoks, while some of last year’s Bisons from other areas headed northwest to play for the Airdrie CFR Chemicals Bisons.
Trading in the red, white and black for the green, black and white was an easy transition for 13 of the 14 former players affiliated with the Strathmore franchise, seeing as they have either spent time in Okotoks playing for the Rocky Mountain Raiders of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League, the Okotoks Oilers AA franchise or were originally from the Okotoks area.
Still, it’s a big change for the kids who grew up in Strathmore, or were billeted and attending schools in Strathmore.
The new-look Oilers (4-3-3) got off to a great start this season when captain and Strathmore product Joel Krahenbil netted a hat trick during the Oilers inaugural game Sept. 30 in a 4-1 win over the Lethbridge Midget AAA Hurricanes at the Pason Centennial Arena.
“I was pretty excited to be named captain. It was something I was hoping for, so I could share my experiences with the team. I’m glad I was chosen. I’m looking forward to help point this team in the right direction and it’s a nice feeling knowing that the guys think that highly of you,” said Krahenbil.
After 10 games into the season, Krahenbil sits tied for third on the team with eight points.
“Joel was one of the guys in the locker room the other guys looked up to. He had played with some of them previously, and when you talk to him, he is mature and a perfect fit to wear our C,” said Oilers Head Coach Kevin Willison, who spent the past five seasons coaching the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the B.C. Hockey League. “He leads the way on and off the ice, and is one of our hardest workers.”
Still living in Strathmore, Krahenbil makes the 40-minute drive into Okotoks each morning with the other local products, taking turns with driving duties throughout the week.
Alongside Krahenbil, Kootenay ICE prospect Tyler Strath and Saskatoon Blades’ netminding prospect Hunter Young are the two regulars from last season’s lineup who have made the move to Okotoks.
“Having played with some of the guys and knowing a bunch of them helped make the transition to Okotoks easier. Coming into camp, we had a pretty good idea who everyone was, so we didn’t have to start new with a whole new locker room. It really helped out when building early chemistry,” said Krahenbil.
Strath was one of the last players reassigned from ICE training camp and has produced two assists in 10 games thus far.
Young finished with the AMHL’s best save percentage last year at .929, to go with his 1.87 goals against average, 10-3-1 record and one shutout. This season, his record sits at 2-1-1 with a .900 save percentage and 3.57 goals against average, in what is a backup role early on.
“If we wanted early success, we needed strong play from our goaltending, and both of those guys have stepped up and played a huge role. Ty might have grabbed the No. 1 spot right now, but Hunter is experienced and very talented. They complement each other very well in net,” said Willison.
Logging two more starts than Young is the goaltender who backed the Wheatland Athletic Association midget Chiefs to the organization’s first provincial championship last year, Ty Tarvyd.
Last year Tarvyd was spectacular for the Chiefs, posting a 1.40 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in 18 games in the South Central Alberta Hockey League.
So far through six starts, Tarvyd is 2-2-2, with a .950 save percentage and 1.93 goals against average. In his latest outing, he recorded 56 saves against the Hurricanes, preserving a 3-3 tie Oct. 29 in Lethbridge.
Provincial champion winning teammates Isaac Benoit, Kale Clouston and Kelton Travis have joined the puck stopper in Okotoks.
After being an early release by the Bisons last winter, Calgary product Isaac Benoit went on to tear the SCAHL apart, scoring 38 goals and 64 points in 35 games. This year in 10 games, he has one goal and four points as a 17-year-old. He has also been called up to the Calgary Mustangs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for a pair of games, but has not found his way onto the score sheet.
Locally, the Siksika Nation product and another ICE prospect, Anson McMaster, has four assists in 10 games with the Oilers. The 6-foot-3 blue liner has been playing in Okotoks with the Raiders organization since the 2015-2016 campaign.
Rounding out the remainder of the Oilers roster are six players who were affiliated with the Bisons last year, who only appeared in a handful of games.
The next chance to see any of the former Bisons in action with the Oilers at a nearby arena is Nov. 18 at the Pason Centennial Arena, when the Oilers host the St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders (5-5-0). The Oilers will take on the Airdrie Bisons Feb. 4 at the Ron Ebbesen Arena and host the Bisons (3-7-0) Feb. 17 to close out the season.