With the opening game of the BCHL regular season looming, the Okotoks Oilers have announced three more players who have made the cut for the team.
Returning players defenceman Ryder De Nys and forward Hunter Sawka have been placed on the roster for this season, and Niklas Gudmundson will play in his first season with the Green and Gold.
De Nys has spent two seasons with the Oilers as an offensive-minded defenceman. Last season he posted three points in 18 games during the AJHL portion of the season, then got hot with 11 points in 19 games after the move to the BCHL. De Nys added another three points in nine games during last year's post-season. In his first stint with the team during the 2022-2023 season, De Nys suited up for 13 games and accumulated five points.
Sawka is the other returning player named to the roster and has played parts of three seasons with the Green and Gold. He was a force for the Oilers before going down with an injury shortly into the move to the BCHL. Last season he added 57 points in 47 games. It was an explosion of points for Sawka as the year previous he had 15 points in 35 games. The Oilers will look to Sawka for offense as he was over a point-per-game player last season. He is also committed to Western Michigan Univeristy, the same place as fan favourite Sam Huck after his junior career is done.
Gudmundson will be making his Oilers debut this season, but isn't a stranger to either the AJHL or BCHL. Last season he split time in the BCHL with the Cowichan Calley Capitals and in the NAHL with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. Gudmendson posted two points in 10 games with the Capitals and 12 points in 31 games with the Ice Dogs. In the two seasons previous to last year, he played with the Olds Grizzlys of the AJHL. He would put up 42 points in 95 games during those two seasons. Gudmundson hails from Carnation, Washington, U.S.A.
Familiar face. New place.
— Okotoks Oilers (@OkotoksOilers) September 11, 2024
Niklas Gudmundson and the Oilers will take on the Cranbrook Bucks in a preseason tilt in Okotoks this Saturday at 7:05 p.m.!
It'll be your first chance to see one of our new B.C. rivals live in person. Get your tickets at https://t.co/Z6fpXkRm7s! #BCHL pic.twitter.com/RVXBkkHmwV
The Oilers are still in pre-season with a win and a loss so far. They head to Brooks Friday to take on the Bandits in their third pre-season game. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.