For the Johnstown Tomahawks
The 2017-2018 Johnstown Tomahawks are set to be a younger team than they’ve had in the past. The reason for this is because so few players have returned to the Tomahawks from last season.
The top seven goal scorers on last year’s record setting team have either moved on to the college level or will be playing in the USHL this year.
With so many new faces in the lineup for Johnstown, leadership will be a critical point of interest for the team. Most of these new faces have never played hockey at the Tier II level.
Head coach, Mike Letizia, knows the best way to show the new recruits on how to play on the ice and how to carry themselves off the ice, is to, lead by example.
Letizia expects the handful of veterans to lead the way.
One of those players that Letizia will count on is, physical defenseman, Chris Trouba.
Trouba is entering his second season with the Tomahawks. Last year he appeared in 34 games for Johnstown, tallying 5 points and 88 penalty minutes.
“As being a returning guy– we don’t have many of them– so I feel like I need to do my part. Really be a leader on the team,” said Trouba.
The six-foot-three, two hundred pound, defenseman, is a presence on the ice, who’s always willing to stick-up for his teammates.
After the first pre-season practice, the Michigan native, likes the makeup of this year’s Tomahawks team. “It was good. I think the intensity was good. A good group of guys who, hopefully, will compare to last year,” said Trouba.
Training camp continues today with on-ice and off-ice training sessions.