The season is still over two months away but with a new head coach in place with Tyler Deis and a strong core group of players coming back, the time to take a run at the Gas Drive Cup is definitely in the now for the Okotoks Oilers.

With the Oilers taking a rebuilding step this past season that saw them turn heads at times, the depth chart is deep at all positions including league all-stars Carson Beers, Reece Soukoroff along with South Division Goalie of the Year nominee Riley Morris.

Oilers President of Business & Hockey Operations Brad Robson says it's almost title or bust the next two season.

"We should be in the top two this year and next year, the time is now," he says. "With Tyler's experience and knowledge of our players I think it's important for our group to have someone walk into the dressing room that everything about them and also about Tyler."

The Oilers will look from within for scoring punch with their top two scorers Matt McNair and Colin O'Neill moving onto NCAA schools, players will need to step up.

"As a whole team we have to be a lot better," Robson says. "We'll tweak with some 98's that will come into our line-up and some 99's with some skill. I think even from our Top 40 Camp we saw there's a really good group of 2000 born players that we'd like to commit to down the road here this coming season and I think we need depth at every age group."

The Oilers will still have to find at least one new assistant coach to replace outgoing coaches Derek Stuart, Bobby Fox and Jason Hanna.

Robson says that search is underway.

"That will be done by Tyler and myself, in regards to the general manager's position I'll be helping mentor Tyler and the other assistant coach down the road. I'll look after most stuff I just want Tyler to concentrate on the head coaching position till Christmas time and then slowly get him involved with everything but we'll be talking all the time with what we need."

The Oilers will open fall camp in late August.

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