Where did the summer go?

The junior hockey season is back and the Hamilton Red Wings are set to begin the 2008-2009 campaign against St. Michael's Sept 8, 7:30 p.m. at the Dave Andreychuk-Mountain Arena.

This season the Red Wings will be facing off against clubs they have seldom seen before in the new Central Division of the revamped Provincial Junior A loop.

"The competition's going to be very tight," said Red Wings' head coach Mike Galati, of the new division which along with Hamilton and St. Mike's, features Cobourg, Markham, Newmarket, Stouffville, Wellington and the Toronto Junior Canadians. "Every game is going to be a battle."

This is also Galati's first season as a coach in junior hockey, having worked the past two seasons in the Toronto Red Wings minor hockey organization.

The Red Wings', who opened training camp Aug. 18 and had been working out informally at the Mohawk 4 Pad Arena for several weeks prior to that, will feature a mix of familiar and new faces.

Goaltending

A successful season will depend largely on the play of the person between the pipes and after last season's six-goalie merry-go-round, the Red Wings are looking for stability in net.

20-year-old Carson Hau, who joined the team part-way through last season, will shoulder most of the load in net.

"I don't think he got the chance last year," said Galati of the Markham resident.

The team's number two goaltending job will fall to either Robert Behling from Pittsburgh or Adam Wingate from Philadelphia. Both are 19.

Galati said one of the Americans will likely end up with the Stoney Creek Warriors, the Red Wings' junior B affiliate.

Defence

The Red Wings will be big, strong and experienced for the most part on the blueline. Back are Jeremy Goodwin, now reported to be about six-foot six, 225 pounds and still growing and Brendan Schwartz at six-foot one 205 pounds. Andrew Randazzo, who has been trying out with Drummondville of the Quebec major junior league may also return.

New faces on defence include: 20-year-old Michael Ball, a six-foot two-inch, 220 pounder from Toronto who was captain of the Huntsville Otters junior A club last season and will wear the C for Hamilton this season.

"He's good in all situations," Galati said.

At five-foot 10 and 190 pounds, 19-year-old Tyler Campbell is a fleet footed skater and good puck-handler with an accurate shot from the blueline.

"He's our powerplay guy right now," said Galati of the Mississauga resident, who played junior A hockey in Thunder Bay last season.

Cody Wilson, 19, returns to his hometown after a season with Moncton in the Quebec major junior league.

The five-foot 10, 175 pound Wilson has excellent puck handling skills and is expected to jump into the offensive rush.

Perhaps the best skater among the defence corps is 17-year-old Justin Steevens. The five-foot 11, 200 pound blueliner comes to Hamilton from Brantford where he played junior B hockey last season.

Forwards

The Red Wings should have a fast-skating balanced attack this season.

Returnees include Luke Watson, Nathan Pageau, Anthony Ruberto, Josh Vella, Johnny Szasz and Joel Steeves. They will be joined by:

Josh McQuaide, a 19-year-old Grimsby resident who played junior A hockey in Newmarket last season. Galati is hoping for a 30-plus goal season from the five-foot 10, 200 pound McQuaide, who was impressive in preseason action.

Another new player the Red Wings are counting on goal production from is 19-year-old Joey Diamond. The five-foot seven, 170 pound Brooklyn, New York resident had a big season with United States Hockey League champion Omaha Lancers last season and is expected to attend the University of Maine on a hockey scholarship.

"I'm looking for a great season from him," Galati said.

Brantford resident Matt Reis, 19, joins the Red Wings after playing junior B hockey in Cambridge last season. At six-feet and 195 pounds, Reis is expected to add toughness to the Hamilton line-up. "He's one of the toughest kids in this league," Galati said. "He's a coaches dream because he does anything the coach wants him to do."

The two 16-year-olds the Red Wings will carry this season are from Toronto.

Noah Schwartz, who toiled with the GTHL Toronto Junior Canadians last season, is a defensive forward and strong forechecker.

"He's a great penalty killer," said Galati of the five-foot nine, 175 pound Schwartz, who is also not afraid to dig in the corners.

The other 16-year-old is six-foot one, 180 pound Zach Hyman, who comes to the Red Wings after racking up dozens of points with the GTHL Toronto Red Wings.

Hyman is also the son of Red Wings president Stu Hyman, which has lead some critics to wonder if his father had a role in his roster spot with Hamilton.

"I wouldn't say that," said Galati, who was Hyman's minor hockey coach the past two seasons. "I know him probably better then any other coach, so I know he can play and he belongs here."

Galati said Hyman has a great knack around the net and will add some offensive punch to the line-up. Hyman has a verbal agreement to play hockey at Princeton University in a couple of years.

Galati said as many as three more players currently attending OHL camps could be added to the line-up before the end of the month.

While his troops are ready to begin the regular season, Galati is not making any predictions. His goal is to finish among the top five. He figures it will take 35-40 wins (on a 53 game schedule) to finish first in the new Central Division.

For the three other divisions, the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League has eliminated geographical references and replaced them with the MacKinnon, Ruddock and Phillips Division in honour of long-time league volunteers and OHA executive members.