"Our team is leaner this year with (fewer) bodies but we've got the fifth-year players who were my first group of recruits when I started the job," [Jon Rempel] said. He noted the University of Winnipeg senior women's hockey team had folded right about the time he was hired as Bisons women's head coach and he was able to recruit players from that group.

"It's not easy to play five years from a player's perspective, it's a long time to play in one program under one coach. As a coach, I think I've grown along with this group."

"I didn't think we'd be as deep up front as we seem to be so that's a real positive for us and defence is always a focus of mine but we've got a good group of returning players there," said Rempel, whose team finished last season with a record of 18-4-0-2, which included a team record in wins (18) and points (38).