The Regina Pats hit the ice today in their training camp, with rookies hitting the ice twice.

Some of these players have not yet played a game in front of Pats’ General Manager John Paddock, who is looking forward to the first training camp in two years.

Paddock says his team is a young group that will show a lot of compete every night.

“We compete hard all the time, we work hard, I like our size, I like our skating ability for the most part,” Paddock said during an appearance on 62o CKRM’s “Sportscage”. “It’s experience needed and I think we’ll get that, and I think — not the the biggest thing, but — we’ve been able to do some additions throughout the summer here that are important.”

The team is looking forward to seeing some new faces in the organization, including Czech Republic defenceman Stanislav Svozil and Lethbridge forward Zack Stringer, who the Pats acquired via trade with the Hurricanes.

Paddock says every team is on a different path, and while Lethbridge is in a rebuild, he says the Pats are on the way up.

“We’re looking for ’03 players,” Paddock said. “Our ’03 age group has the least depth of our ’02’s, ’03’s, ’04’s, ’05’s, and this (Stringer trade) was a chance we couldn’t pass up, and people have asked or talked about Connor (Bedard) and how much can you do to enhance the team or whatever, this was the right move at this time.”

The team also announced Wednesday that five players will be attending NHL training camps.  They are defenceman Ryker Evans (Seattle),  Svozil (Columbus), forward Drew Englot (Edmonton), forward Logan Nijhoff (Anaheim) and Stringer (Minnesota).

The Pats open their 2021-22 regular season in Prince Albert on Oct. 1, and will welcome the Raiders the next night for a home and home.