Western Canada Cup Profile: Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
The Brooks Bandits are no stranger to the Western Canada Cup having finished as the runner-up or second RBC Cup qualifer in both 2013 (Nanaimo) and last year in Estevan, Saskatchewan.
Under GM & Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou, the Bandits finished first overall in the Alberta Junior Hockey League's (AJHL) regular season with a 51-5-4 record, 15 points better than the second place Fort McMurray Oil Barons. They scored the most goals (294) in the AJHL and allowed the fewest goals against too (107). They became just the 4th team in AJHL history to reach 51 wins and their five regulation losses were the fourth fewest in league history. They also finished first in the final edition of the CJHL Top 20 national rankings.
Spotlighting the Bandits' offensive arsenal is draft eligible defenceman Cale Makar, a top 15 projected draft pick, who was named the AJHL's Top Defenceman and MVP after compiling 24 goals and 75 points in 54 games. He led all AJHL defencemen in scoring and finished sixth overall in the AJHL scoring race.
Penticton Vees & Western Canada Cup broadcaster Fraser Rodgers recently spoke with Papaioannou about Brooks' dominant season and how they may have some unfinished business to take care of this post-season.
