137 days.
That’s how long Prince George Cougars fans have been waiting to watch their team, and that wait is finally over.
The Cougars open their 2024-2025 regular season tonight (Friday at 7:00) against the Spokane Chiefs.
“The team itself, getting players back from NHL camps is always exciting because players learn so much and they get so much better going to an NHL camp for a few days, they get motivated, they get to see where they fit,” said Director of Business and Goaltending Coach Taylor Dakers.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of a team that’s sent this many players off to NHL camps at the beginning of the season.”
In total, ten players eligible to return to the team this year took part NHL camps this fall including:
- Riley Heidt, Minnesota Wild
- Koehn Ziemmer, Los Angeles Kings
- Terik Parascak, Washington Capitals
- Hunter Laing, Calgary Flames
- Ondrej Becher, Detroit Red Wings
- Borya Valis, Detroit Red Wings
- Bauer Dumanski, Detroit Red Wings
- Ty Young, Vancouver Canucks
“We haven’t really had our team together practicing yet, and as we get our guys back, our team becomes more formalized and our roster starts taking shape, that’s the exciting part,” Dakers said.
Tonight’s home opener will feature the raising of the team’s second BC Division Champions banner.
The team will also be giving mini banners to the first thousand fans through the door.
The excitement continues tomorrow (Saturday) with a guaranteed $65,000 50/50 jackpot.
“You have to be at the game to win that, and it’s going to go higher than that, that’s just what it’s going to start at,” Dakers said.
“It’s going to be a really good weekend, just all together a nice little celebration, hopefully we’ve got a couple of wins at the end of the weekend.”
Dakers added ticket sales are going well for the weekend with over 4,000 already sold for tonight.
“Home opener’s consistently grown over the last few years,” he explained.
“So I think people are on board for coming out and celebrating this banner raising and getting the season started with a bang.”
Dakers added season memberships have increased at least 30 per cent.
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