On Monday, February 27, the Drumheller Dragons hung up their skates for the final time of the 2011/2012 season after being swept out of the AJHL playoffs by the Okotoks Oilers.
Looking back on the season, it was a roller coaster ride of a year.
The Dragons finished with a 17-37-0-6 record, for 40 points, which was down from the 50 points earned in the previous season. Goals for were greater in 2011/2012, but goals against increased as well.
The season began slow. By the end of October, the Dragons record was a less than roaring five wins out of 21 games.
The Dragons difficulties precipitated a massive shake up in the club. Dan Price, who had been head coach for two and a half years, was released along with the entire coaching staff.
A new head coach, Barry Wolff, took the reins alongside a new coaching staff. There were also quite a few roster changes throughout the season.
“It’s tough when that happens at any level. When somebody new comes in, it’s a hard situation, no question. Coming out of the gate after I took over, I thought we played well and the players adapted quickly to the change,” said Wolff.
Keenan Martens, who had one season with the Dragons, James D’Andrea, Trevor Tracy, Drumheller native Dylan Schellenberg, Graham Zagrodney, Keith Czismadia, and Mitch Owsley all left the Dragons den.
There were several new Dragons that joined the team this year. Brodie Jamieson, who rocked the Dragons with a five point game in December, Bryton Mills, and Darian Henry helped make a more cohesive team.
“There were some guys here that needed a change and some that just didn’t belong at this level. It was hard, but after we settled in as a team the guys got comfortable with their linemates,” said Wolff. “It felt like a revolving door for awhile, but we found all the pieces we needed.”
By December it seemed that the Dragons fortunes were beginning to turn around. The Dragons won four of their nine games prior to the winter break. After, the Dragons had a sluggish new year.
“Before Christmas, we were making some serious strides forward,” said Wolff. “After though, we got off on the wrong foot and fell back into some old habits, like not paying attention to the details and playing by themselves instead of as a team.”
One of the most tense parts of the entire season was watching the Dragons fight to get into the AJHL playoffs. The Dragons were jockeying for position against the Canmore Eagles after the break. By February 14, the Dragons were narrowly ahead in points and were set to face the Eagles and ground them for the rest of the season.
The Dragons lost and then lost their last game of the season against the Okotoks Oilers. The fate of the Dragons was in the talons of the Eagles.
In the Eagles last game, all they needed was one point, an overtime loss would have been enough, to send the Dragons to the off season.
The Eagles lost and the Dragons were headed to the post season against the Okotoks Oilers.
“Our goal was to make the playoffs and we did. We probably could have done more for ourselves. Taking a look back at some of the games we lost or lost in overtime, those points earlier would have made a huge difference,” said Wolff.
The playoffs, unfortunately, were short lived for the Dragons. The Oilers swept the series in three games. But, the Dragons put up a fight and kept each game close.
“We felt that the guys gave it their all in each game and Okotoks knew they were in a battle for each game,” said Wolff. “We were proud of their effort in the playoffs.”
Now, the Dragons have headed to their respective homes. This is the last year for some as they are no longer eligible to play due to age restrictions, but many will be returning for another exciting season of junior hockey in Drumheller.
