With a pair of games left on their preseason schedule, Head Coach Paul Dyck says the roster is taking shape, an identity is already forming, and the regular season cannot get here soon enough.

Last games to make a case

Tonight in Niverville and tomorrow in Steinbach are the last two preseason games, and Dyck says there is a bit of a change in mentality when you get to these last opportunities prior to regular season play. "We're getting down to the nitty gritty. I don't know if it really changes things other than it's starting to get more real. We do realize there are deadlines in terms of getting down to numbers, with the 25 max and we're at 31 here at the end of the week. We still have a little work to do in terms of making some decisions, and they're all going to be very difficult right now."

Using the final contests

A part the coaches will be looking at over the next two games is where certain guys fit, not only on the roster, but in the lineup. "We focus on that to some degree, but some of that is done in practice, as well. Even some of the scrimmages we've had leading up to the weekend, we've given guys opportunity to play with one another, and see where we think there might be a fit or might have some chemistry. Some of those decisions or thoughts are being developed prior to the actual exhibition games. Once you get into this last weekend here, it can be the last opportunity for a player to showcase themselves, and you might want to give them a chance to play with a veteran player, or guys they've been practicing with because there is familiarity. It's very fluid, someone might have a really good practice and catch our eye, and that may move them into a different spot in the lineup over the weekend. The conversations are continuous, and the conversations with players are on going, too. There are guys that sometimes going to be in a depth role, so we have the conversation about if they're willing to accept that. Not everybody wants to be the guy that may be in and out of the lineup right from opening day. We try and gather as much information prior to making those decisions, so everyone is aware of their situation going into opening weekend."

Leaders taking over

As a veteran coach, Dyck knows there are times the staff has to back up a bit, and let the leaders take hold of things, and the bench boss is very encouraged with what he's already seen in that regard. "No doubt about it, we named Sam Noad as our captain fairly early, and we knew that Sam would set the tone at camp, both on and off the ice. Just the way he does things, the way he lives his life, and you can already tell that it's influenced some of the newer players. Everything from being punctual to meetings, to the competitiveness that he brings to every on-ice session. There are a few other guys that have really stepped up, and we believed that they would be natural leaders. Leadership is so important all stages of the year, but especially early on, setting an example for how we do things, setting the pace, setting the tone heading into the regular season."

What coach wants to see

Dyck says that over the next six periods of hockey, there are a few things he'd like to see standout. "We have touched on some of our structure, and our on ice expectations, so we'd like to see the implementation of as much of that as possible. I know it's a steep learning curve for players that are new to an organization, so you have to temper your expectations. I think that be one thing. The results are really irrelevant in many ways, but they can be a by-product of how we're playing and if guys have stepped up. The reality is, there are players fighting for positions, and we'd love to see those guys seize the opportunity, and rise to the challenge. Sometimes that's an indication of guys that thrive under pressure situations. You're cheering for them, but ultimately, someone is going to fall short.

Saturday night roster

The Southeast Event Centre will see Niverville vs Steinbach on Saturday night, and Dyck says that the lineup will be close to the opening night. "Closer to game one," Dyck says with a grin. "Hard to tell right now. I think Friday morning, we'll have the roster for Friday night, and then we'll have to give it some thought. I don't think we'll post (Saturday) roster right after the game. Hopefully, there's a few guys that put us in a tough position, where we want to see them again. We'll have a few more veterans in, maybe some that haven't played yet, but that game could be a very important one when it comes to us selecting our final roster."

Friday night at the CRRC, the Pistons visit the Niverville Nighthawks with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop, then on Saturday, the two teams meet in Steinbach at 7:00 p.m.