'Making Judgements On Whether You Can Play Here Or Not:' Tulsa Oilers Open Training Camp With 21 New Players

The Tulsa Oilers opened their 73rd season of hockey Monday morning right here at the WeStreet Ice Center.

Lots of new faces on the roster this year and they are looking to replace a lot of goal-scoring. But the goal remains the same, to win an ECHL title.

"You try all summer and then you go away, and you come back here and you get to see your new family, and all new faces and friends," says forward Michael Farren. "It's a great time to be here."

Farren is one of just 11 returning players on the Oilers training camp roster. That means there are 21 new faces at camp, and head coach Rob Murray is giving those guys a crash course in professional hockey.

"I have to concentrate on the new guys, I have to have eyes on the new guys. We watched tape on them, did our due diligence that way. Yet I've never seen half these guys in person," says Murray. "Every day you're getting assessed and you're trying to pass that along to the players and make them realize that every day, every time you step on the ice, we are making judgments on whether you can play here or not."

One thing you will notice about the Oilers this season...they're bigger. There are about a dozen players that are six-foot-two or taller, and the average player is 10 pounds heavier than last season...

"We're not looking to become a goon squad. Like that's not our intention," says Murray. "But the game of hockey is a physical game, and you need big, strong guys. Hopefully that can translate into just winning battles. Little things in a game. Just having size can make such an advantage for your team."

The opening night roster will be trimmed to 23 players, and they'll be playing in one of the best home environments in the league.

The Oilers finished fourth in the league in attendance last season, and now hold six of the top ten largest crowds in league history.

"These guys will see when they come in on opening day and we've got 15,000 people sitting in the stands, screaming, yelling," says Farren. "It's an unbelievable experience. Not only just for the fans but for us too. It gives you shivers when you go out on the ice when you hear everyone screaming and yelling."

This will be a short training camp for the Oilers. They host a preseason game on October 12th right here at the WeStreet Ice Center. And then turn around and open the season on October 19th, as they host Rapid City at the BOK Center.