Mintos forward Chase Bertholet is back for another season after returning from the Winnipeg ICE. Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff

By Jeff D'Andrea

Chatting about the preseason

Mintos close out pre-season, fall to Blazers in defensive affair

Sep 18, 2019 | 10:17 PM

The Prince Albert Mintos have just about solidified their roster for the upcoming 2019-20 season, but it took most of the exhibition to get assembled.

The pre-season ended for the Mintos on Wednesday with a 2-0 defeat to the Saskatoon Blazers with a 2-4 record. But the Mintos didn’t learn that they were getting a big portion of their team back this year until late in the pre-season.

Chase Bertholet, Dawson Springer and Marek Schneider weren’t available through the preseason until the two games this week, as all three were out camping with WHL clubs. Bertholet was with the Winnipeg ICE after a trade from the Red Deer Rebels last season, Springer was with the Swift Current Broncos and Schneider was with the Saskatoon Blades.

“I think the big progression is we’re slowly getting players back. Things are pretty volatile in terms of what the lineup’s looking like,” Mintos head coach Danton Danielson said. “We’re slowly getting things put together and we’re having some opportunity to play together as a unit that will be moving into the season here.

“We haven’t had much practice as a group that we’ll be icing here this year, so it’s always a challenge in that respect, but I think things are progressing in that way.”

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Springer and Bertholet were huge offensive pieces to the Mintos last year. Springer had 28 goals and 46 points in 44 games, good for second in team scoring while Bertholet was right behind him with 44 points and 13 goals in 43 games.

Schneider was more defensive minded on the blueline, as he pitched in with nine assists.

“Anytime you’re getting players back in the preseason, that’s a pretty good indication that they had a pretty good performance at the camps that they were at, which are at the next level,” Danielson said. “Those teams wanted to get a good long look at some of our guys because they think they’re close to being ready to make the jump, so anytime you get players of that quality back, that’s going to be a big boost.

For Danielson, he’s getting ready for his first full regular season with the Mintos after cutting his teeth in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League with the Saskatoon Outlaws.

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s been a little bit of a learning experience here for me and we’ve had a great support system here. Like I’ve said all along, this is a high level organization in terms of the support so we have the right mix of new approaches and continuity from last year.

“We have a good supporting system to help me through that learning curve. I feel like I’m settling in now, it is the next level for me, but the game is the same. It’s still hockey, the rules are the same and the way you approach things doesn’t change a whole lot,” Danielson said. “If anything, I’m looking forward to working with this talented group of smart hockey players. In that respect, somethings might come a little bit easier.”

The Mintos will be expecting to field a roster in the regular season much like the ones they had on Tuesday and Wednesday. Mintos forward and Raiders draft choice Dallyn Peekeekoot will continue to be out indefinitely with a collarbone injury and won’t be available for the opening weekend.

Blazers 2 Mintos 0

Mintos goaltender Spencer Welke made 36 saves on 38 shots but didn’t get any offensive help against the Blazers. Carter Stebbings scored at the end of a goal-mouth scramble early in the third period. Tyson Wouters scored on a rebound with just over five minutes left for the insurance marker for the Blazers.

First Period

No scoring.

Second Period

No scoring.

Third Period

1-0, Blazers, Carter Stebbings from Parker Lalonde, 18:58

2-0, Blazers, Tyson Wouters from Nolan Flamand, 5:17

Playing for keeps

The Prince Albert Mintos regular season begins on Saturday, 1:30 p.m. when they will host the Battlefords Stars. They’ll also play at the Hauser on Sunday, playing the Swift Current Legionnaires.

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Jeff.dandrea@jbpg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW