The Kootenay ICE are in Red Deer tonight in the season opener for both clubs.
The ICE are defending WHL Champions and the Rebels are defending Central Division winners.
As happens in junior hockey, both teams have lost key players from the previous season.
Rebels lost their #1 goalie Darcy Kuemper and have 2 rookie netminders this year.
ICE have 1 rookie goalie, 3 new defensemen and 6 new forwards and most will be playing tonight.
ICE had 2 changes to their roster yesterday as they reassigned goalie Brett Teskey.
The new goalie on the team is Mackenzie Skapski.
20-year-old James Martin has signed a contract with the Calgary Flames and will play for their farm club in Abbotsford.
Max Reinhart is with the Flames for the weekend and Drew Czerwonka is out with a shoulder injury.
Rebels are without Ryan Nugent Hopkins.
The ICE will start the season on the road for the 1st time since 2007. Over the years the clubs have played each other over 100 times in the regular season.
Last year the Rebels won 6 of the 8 head-to-head meetings, with one of the wins in a shootout.
It’ll be a different looking ICE team tonight with only 12 returning players in the lineup.
On the broadcast Head Coach Kris Knoblauch and Assisntant Coach will tell us more on the 10 rookies still with the club.
Also comments from James Martin on tonight's broadcast.
Listen for the Pre-Game Show at 7 on The Drive.