ROANOKE, Va. – From the “hunters” to the “hunted.” There is no question that winning a championship changes how other teams approach you. It is just one of the great problems to have when you take home a title.
The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs are hard at work in training camp led by eleven players who have returned from the title team. There is always the possibility of more, as some of last year’s talent is currently in ECHL training camps. Former Dawgs Travis Armstrong and Nick Devito have been added as assistant coaches as well. The Dawgs are coming off the franchise’s first SPHL President’s Cup championship. Coach Dan Bremner and the Roanoke franchise have clearly created a winning hockey culture, and have a system that the players believe in, but as great as their record-setting championship playoff run was they all understand — it’s time to turn the page.
”I think you earn the right to walk a little bit taller and absolutely that’s an accolade that they shall be proud of. We should all be proud of it, but it doesn’t mean anything to any other team coming in here, day one, shift one, so we gotta focus on one step at a time,” Dawgs Head Coach Dan Bremner said.
“Just hard work right? You gotta have that mentality of, you know what it took to get there and now it’s a start over, a clean slate for everyone. Every team in the league this year is saying they’re gonna win the championship right? Like right now in their season, so just take it day-by-day, put in the work and you know the results will show,” team captain Mac Jansen said.
“Not being complacent. Can’t be complacent, from game one all the way on. We know what it takes, obviously — so we have to be ready to go every game,” veteran center Nick Ford said.
The Dawgs season opens next Friday night with the championship banner being raised to the rafters. Then Roanoke will host the Fayetteville Marksmen to begin the new SPHL season.