Locals excited to play at home

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Okotoks Oilers U17AAA hockey team will be hosting a game in Strathmore for the first time in several years, squaring off against the Calgary Royals on Feb. 4.

Charla Flett, who coordinated to facilitate the regular season game, said it is an exciting opportunity for Strathmore’s local players to return home to play in the final weeks of their season.

There are currently four players hailing from Strathmore on the Oilers, including goaltender Connor White, alternate captain Nash Wassing, and forwards Phoenix Flett and Trip Jensen. Defenceman Adam Lee is from Langdon.

“The Okotoks Oilers U17AAA program is our zone team for AAA hockey in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL),” she explained. “Our players out of Strathmore, Chestermere, in the local Wheatland County area who want to play AAA hockey go to Okotoks to play on those teams. The Okotoks association has allowed Strathmore to host one of the regular season games, which will be played on Saturday, Feb. 4.”

The event will include participation from Strathmore Minor Hockey, the Wheatland Athletic Association, as well as the Wheatland Kings Junior B team. 

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a AAA U18 game was hosted in Strathmore, according to Flett, though to date a similar game has not happened through the AEHL for at least five years. 

“It is super exciting because for most of these players, they have not played a home game here since they were in peewee hockey,” she said. “They would have played their peewee AA here in Strathmore for the Wheatland Braves and then since they have been playing in Okotoks, this will be the first time for some of them in up to four years that they have actually been able to play a game here in Strathmore.”

Flett added it is an uncommon occurrence for as many as four players from Strathmore to be on the Okotoks Oilers team. 

“The Okotoks Oilers Athletic Association, which runs the AAA program, was really receptive to us hosting a game here because of the number of local players who are on the team,” she said. “It’s also a really excellent opportunity for the association and the team to showcase what AAA hockey in the zone looks like because ultimately, players from Strathmore will aspire to potentially play on that team one day.”

Puck drop will take place at 4:45 p.m. on Feb. 4, in the Strathmore Family Centre.