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Coming off a strong regular season and playoff run, the Virden Oil Kings are looking to get over the hump in 2025/26, and coach/manager Ryan Mathieson believes they are primed for something special.
"It's that time of the year, and we're staring to get the itch," Mathieson says with a chuckle. "(I've) been talking about it with some guys, got some ice lined up, so it's coming."
Keeping connected
Throughout the summer, Mathieson says the team has stayed connected, even though hockey m6593847aybe wasn't top of mind.//9"We talk to some degree. Some guys will play slow pitch together or against each other, we'll see guys on the golf course, and what not. We did get together as a group and talk senior hockey, for a bit. It was good to get the ball rolling and get on the same page."
Taking another step
Last season had a lot of positives for the Oil Kings, and Mathieson believes they can continue to build on that. "I mean, we're looking to build off that success, for sure. It was the first time we'd been to the finals in a few years, a couple decades, actually. That was big for this group. Coming up a little short, I know there is some hunger there. We'll see how everything shakes out here, but we learned a lot, and you want to put that to good use."
Building the team
As far as roster creation goes, Mathieson says the core is returning, but it's not as simple as it once was. "Well, I think it's the same for a lot of senior teams, there's a lot up in the air at this point," he says with a laugh. "We're lucky, we do have a real strong core that is locked in, and going to be back. We know there's a few guys that are looking to hang them up, and move on from senior hockey. Some of those, we kind of saw coming, and some we didn't. Some we haven't given up on. I think the big thing is that the Elkhorn guys, they're looking at putting a team together, and you'd hate to lose those guys, they are huge pieces to our team, but we also don't want to step on the toes of Elkhorn, if it's going to prevent them from getting a team. If they don't, we'll have room for them, but if they do, we'll shift things around. We've talked to a few guys interested in coming out, and being part of the team. We're in good shape, but there's still a lot to be decided."
No matter the roster, the style of play and identity of the team is something Mathieson already has in mind. "I think we were able to win games in different ways. We had a ton of skill up top, and that led us to some wins. We also had a real deep team, some players were playing down in the lineup when everyone was there, that really pulled through. Strong goaltending also was huge, it takes you a long way, and we're looking for that again this year."
Playing for the community
Virden is a passionate hockey community, and Mathieson says it's special to represent the area and the fans. "The community support, it means a ton. That run we had last year, the attendance we drew at those games, that was special. We put that team together, and having the success we did, there was a buzz around town. It continued here into this year. People are invested in our senior hockey. It's great for the community, great for the team, we love the support from the business community, and we can't thank everyone enough. We hope to make our fans proud."