Youth movement

George Bernard Shaw once wrote that youth is wasted on the young.

Lakehead Thunderwolves coach Joel Scherban is about to find out.

Scherban enters Friday night’s season-opening non-conference contest against the University of Quebec at Trois Rivieres with a whopping 10 freshman dotting his lineup, the biggest overhaul the team has seen in 11 seasons of OUA hockey. Some might call it a rebuilding year.

The Wolves, normally a veteran-laden squad, boast just two fifth-year and two fourth-year seniors, though the third-year coach said it doesn’t mean there isn’t experience on a team just two years removed from earning a national championship appearance.

“We still feel we have quite a bit of experience on the team. We have 16 returning players, and we didn’t have very many last-year players last year, so there are a lot of third-year players who we expect to step up this year,” said Scherban on Tuesday, lacing up his skates for a late-night practice at Fort William Gardens.

Not that the Wolves don’t have a few gaping holes to fill.

Gone are the likes of captain Jordan Smith, blue-liners Andy Zulyniak and Pierre-Marc Guilbault, forwards Brock McPherson, Kris Hogg and Andy Hyvarinen and goalie Kyle Moir.

Even though he’ll have six or seven guys on the sidelines at any given time – Scherban is carrying a roster of 26 players – the rookies will be tested early and often, starting this weekend. They’ll have to adapt quickly.

“There’s definitely an adjustment they’ll have to make from their previous leagues. Mostly they’re playing against bigger, stronger, somewhat smarter guys (now),” he said. “It’s a strange league to predict how first-year players are going to do. Sometimes you bring in a major junior player you expect to step in and contribute right away and they don’t.

“If you look at the rosters (of other teams) and some of the players who have had immediate impacts the last few years have kind of come in under the radar. So these first four games are going to give us a pretty good indication of where we stand with our young players.”

New this year are five blue-liners: Luke Maw, Riley McIntosh, Mitch Fillman, Chris de la Lande and Danick Malouin; four forwards: Jason Grecica, Mike Hammond, Keith Grondin and Jake Carrick; and goalie Jeff Bosch, who will battle returnee Alex Dupuis for the No. 1 spot.

Andrew Wilkins, one of three associate captains named Tuesday, along with Kalvin Sagert and Adam Sergerie, says playing with so many youngsters presents its challenges, but he thinks they’re up to it.

“It keeps you on your toes and makes you as a player work hard, make sure you’re coming into camp in good shape. We’re just really excited. We have four solid lines, even five solid lines. We’ve got eight or nine solid D,” Wilkins said.

“It’s been really competitive and we’re just looking forward to getting it started.”

The Wolves and UQTR face-off Friday night and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Gardens.

Claw marks: Former Wolves goalie Chris Whitley sports a 2.42 goals against average with the Dundee Stars of Britain’s Elite Ice Hockey League. However, Whitley is 0-2-0 after two starts. Thunder Bay’s Colt King has two goals in five games for the Sheffield Steelers, while Jeff Heerema has a pair of goals in six outings. Scott Dobben has one goal in five games with the Cardiff Devils. Brock McPherson has yet to suit up for the Braehead Clan.