Approximately 85 players will be vying for about two dozen roster spots during the Estevan Bruins fall training camp, which runs from September 3 to 5.

Twenty-three players with Junior A experience will be at camp this year, said head coach/GM Karry Biette. They’ll be joined by several top recruits, and dozens of young players looking to gain experience in a camp setting.

“That's a good number to work with,” said Biette. “We'll have enough guys, and it'll mean some pretty good competition for the guys coming back.”

Nineteen players are back from last year's team. Joining them will be veteran Junior A forwards Ward Szucki, Troy Hunter and Ben Findlay, and goaltender Joel Danyluk. Danyluk is expected to be the Bruins’ No. 1 goaltender this year.

Three players eligible to return from last year's club – Matthew Beer, Erik Wentzel and Sam Olson – won't be back. Beer was traded to a team in Ontario. Olson will play junior B in B.C., and Wentzel will try to find a place to play in the U.S.

Forward Devin Mitzner, who was reacquired from Manitoba's Dauphin Kings in the off-season, has been dealt to the Alberta league’s Brooks Bandits in exchange for forward Richard Hubscher.

Hubscher, 19, had six goals and 11 assists in 49 games for Brooks last year.

Biette said that Mitzner and the Bruins organization felt it was in Mitzner’s best interests to play closer to Mitzner’s hometown of Strathmore, Alberta. Biette wanted to have Mitzner’s situation resolved before the start of training camp.

Forwards Cole Olson, Ryan Ostertag and Josh Jelinski; and defencemen Eric Baldwin, Nicholas Langley-Rogers and Taylor Bramwell top this year’s recruit list, Biette said. Olson and Baldwin played in southwest Manitoba last year. Ostertag, Jelinski and Langley-Rogers skated in Saskatchewan Midget AAA.

Bramwell, who is a 1991-born player, spent last year with Junior B Carrot River.

Redvers’ Koltyn Miller – a defenceman acquired from the Battlefords North Stars in January – probably won’t play for the Bruins this year, Biette said, but Biette hasn’t ruled out Miller playing with the club.

A couple of 1991-born goaltenders will battle with Alex Sirard for the back-up goaltender spot, Biette said.

Players will be divided into four teams and they will participate in scrimmages at four-on-four on September 3 and five-on-five on September 4. The number of players at camp will then be reduced, and the Black and Gold intersquad game will be on September 5.