DEADLINE DAY! - All seats which have not been claimed or renewed as of this date are now open for sale to the general public! The Ticket Centre will be open from 11 AM to 6 PM from Tuesday to Friday and from 12 Noon till 4 PM on Saturdays. Don’t miss your opportunity to snag the best seats available for the 2008/2009 season!

A reminder to all playoff package holders who have not yet purchased their 2008/2009 season tickets; your non refundable $100 deposit on each of your seats will only be valid until the end of the day - Tuesday, September 2nd towards new season ticket packages.

Just a few of the advantages of being a Hurricanes Season Ticket holder:
• WHL Playoffs - First option to purchase WHL Playoff Home Game Packages
• ENMAX Centre Events - First access to purchase tickets for all other ENMAX Centre events
• Never Waste a Ticket! - 3 separate unused Season Ticket exchange nights
• V.I.P. Card - Receive exclusive offers from Hurricane Partners

For pricing details or further information please contact the Hurricanes Office at 328-1986, the Ticket Centre at 329-SEAT or log on to www.lethbridgehurricanes.com

Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club is proud to announce the kick off to the 2008-2009 WHL Season with the opening of Hurricanes Training Camp. Camp is set to officially open on Thursday afternoon (August 28th, 2008) at the ENMAX Centre, with registration, followed by a casual evening on-ice session.

Among the 60 players invited to this year’s camp, 18 are returning from last year’s roster, including five returning 88-born over-age players who will compete for a spot on this year’s team; this group is made up of WHL veterans Adam Chorneyko, Mitch Versteeg and Michael Maniago, along with the Hurricanes 07-08 scoring leader Mitch Fadden and Hurricanes 07-08 Captain Ben Wright. 

The most elite group of 1989-born players in the WHL will be returning for another season with the Canes. Up front, 2008 1st round draft pick Zach Boychuk (14th overall - Carolina) is expected to lead a skilled and deadly Canes arsenal. 2007 NHL Draft picks Dwight King (L.A.) and Colton Sceviour (Dallas) will look to improve on their 30+ goals from last season while the two time winner of the annual 107.7 The River Hardest Working Hurricane award; Carter Bancks will also make his return.

Led by recent Team Canada old medalist Carter Ashton, the Canes young class of ’90 and ’91-born forwards – Cam Braes, Dan Iwanski, Craig Orfino and Austin Fyten will all look to avoid the sophomore jinx this season. Ashton tallied the game winner for Team Canada in the gold medal game of the U-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament this summer.

2008 NHL 1st round draft pick Luca Sbisa (19th overall – Philadelphia) will join Wright and Versteeg as key players on the backend while 89-born Lucas Alexiuk and Cam Stevens will look to battle for a spot among a very solid group of ‘91 and ’92-born defensemen led by 2007 1st round WHL Bantam Draft pick Alex Theriau and sophomore WHL defenseman Brennan Yadlowski.

The Canes once again enter camp with several potential starters in net, Maniago, who tied a Hurricanes club record with five shutouts in the 2007-2008 regular season and 2007 CHL import draft pick Juha Metsola of Finland. Metsola shined during the 2008 WHL Playoffs en route to being named MVP of the 2008 WHL Eastern Conference Championship series. Metsola also set a Hurricanes regular season club record; posting a 1.98 GAA. Adding to this competition will be 90-born Peter Sombyk of Sherwood Park, 91-born Michael Tadjdeh of Calgary and 92-born Brandon Anderson of Langley, BC.

NOTABLES:
• This year’s camp once again will be held for invited players only, aged 15 to 20. This will be the first camp for 93-born, 2008 WHL Bantam Draft 1st round selection; Philip Tot and all of the Canes 2008 WHL Bantam Draft selections.
• Lethbridge will also play host to a number of talented American born players; 2007 Bantam Draft pick Brandon Brossoit of Los Alamitos, CA will look to challenge for a spot while Cody Castro (Peoria, AZ) will both look to make an impression in his first WHL camp.
• Austin Fyten, Mark Reners, Derek Ryckman, Ryon Moser and Max Ross will also be under serious consideration for roster positions after strong seasons for their various clubs.
• The Hurricanes will see some familiar names on the ice, with Neil Tarnasky (the younger brother of former Hurricane Nick Tarnasky) and Austin Yadlowski (the younger brother of current Hurricane Brennan Yadlowski) both attending camp
• Camp will wrap on Sunday, August 31st with the Annual Blue and White game 11:00 AM at the ENMAX Centre. All fans are invited to come out and get their first peek at the Hurricanes of the future.

After a one-year absence, the Ice Breaker Tournament returns to Credit Union Centre in September.

The exhibition event debuted in 2002 with four Western Hockey League teams, but organizers have expanded the roster to six squads. The host Saskatoon Blades are joined by three Saskatchewan rivals -- the Prince Albert Raiders, Swift Current Broncos and Moose Jaw Warriors -- as well as the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers.

"The tournament has been drawing about 10,000 people over three days and we're hoping it will build this year with six teams," says CUC events manager Scott Ford.

The Blades play Lethbridge in a showcase game Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. Tournament play begins Sept. 6 at 1 p.m., and each team will play two games. An Ice Breaker champion will be determined by overall records and goal differential.

Saskatoon battles the Tigers Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m., and closes out the tournament Sept. 7 against the Raiders (7:30 p.m.).

Tickets go on sale Saturday through Ticketmaster (938-7800 or ticketmaster.ca).