RedHawks ready to soar at Gardens

CAMBRIDGE — There’s excitement in Scott Hunter’s voice.

“The city has been fantastic,” said the owner of the Cambridge RedHawks, one of the newest clubs on the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League circuit.

Hunter and his staff caught their first glimpse of this year’s squad Friday when the Hawks hosted the Waterloo Siskins in exhibition action at the Galt Arena Gardens.

It was the first Jr. B game at the historic barn in more than a year, since the Cambridge Winter Hawks left the league after the 2016-17 campaign.

In returning to Galt, the RedHawks — which get their name from the Winter Hawks and two other old shinny teams, the Galt Red Wings and Galt Black Hawks — have come full circle.

After all, the franchise was once known as the Cambridge Shamrocks before moving to Guelph for the past 36 years where it was most recently dubbed the Hurricanes.

Hunter, who has helmed the ’Canes for the past five seasons, jumped at the chance to re-explore the team’s roots.

“It was a great opportunity and we wanted to take it,” he said. “Galt Arena is an awesome venue for junior hockey and the fan base is strong.”

Tickets are selling, support surging and players are flocking to the team even though the club finished with a record of 12-30-1-7 while in Guelph last season.

“We have been well received and welcomed with open arms,” Hunter said.

Of course, the on-ice product will go far in extending the goodwill. And general manager Bill Wallace is optimistic early on.

The club has made a flurry of player signings in the past couple of weeks that includes several local lads. “We’re picking kids that are accustomed to winning in minor hockey,” said Wallace. “It’s a group of guys that don’t want to lose.”

From a hockey perspective, the shift south to Cambridge and into the 96-year-old Gardens, which is billed as the oldest continually operating arena in the world, has been a boon.

“The spinoff is unbelievable,” said Wallace. “Kids from all over want to try out because they’re going to school down this way and hear that we play in such a great arena.”

The RedHawks are back in action Saturday when they face St. Mary’s in an exhibition tilt at the Hespeler Arena at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 and kids 12 and under are free, with an adult.