With nine returning players after icing a “very young team last year,” manager Dwayne Scott expects to see the Unity Midget AA Lazers “definitely improve” from last year.

The final cuts were made after an exhibition game played against Meadow Lake, in Unity, Sept. 29. The nine veterans on the team will be joined by five first-year midgets. Players come from the communities of Unity, Wilkie, Luseland, Kindersley, Macklin, Neilburg and Kerrobert.

Scott said traditionally the teams in the eastern part of the province are very strong although, until he sees this year’s teams, he can’t say for sure what will happen this year. Nevertheless he expects the Midget AA Lazers to be “in the middle of the pack or higher” this year.

The midgets will play in the Centre Four Hockey League again. They open the regular season with back-to-back home games against Prince Albert, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 13 at 2:15 p.m.

In the exhibition game, the Lazers beat Meadow Lake 8-3.

Local players

Assistant captains Devan Bertoia and Blake Robertson are both Unity boys and are joined on the team by Brandt Bertoia. Players from Wilkie and Luseland are Kirklan Glassford and Tyson Logan Munt. Ryan Donald of Rockhaven and Zach Herle of Neilburg are both attending school in Unity as well as playing with the Lazars. Cut Knife’s Dax and Declan Desmarais are also on the team.