When the Terriers leave Friday for the Western Canada Cup in Nanaimo, it will be a case of going home to play for a few on the local junior 'A' team.
"I was released from there (Langley) and came out here and won a championship," said Terrier forward Patrick Martens.
"I tried out for teams there ever since I was 17," he said. "To go back and all the teams that cut me are out and not even playing in the tournament. It's a pretty good feeling."
Defenceman Dallas Rossiter agreed it will be special.
"It'll be nice. It's definitely going to be a different experience."
Rossiter said he tried out as a 17-year-old in the B.C. league, and didn't make it, finding a home in Yorkton.
"I kind of want to show them what they could have had," he admitted.
"It's a great feeling to win, especially as a 20-year-old," said Martens, adding he is looking forward to B.C. " There's no snow there right now. It might rain, but I miss the rain."
Asked about the Nanaimo arena, Martens said as he recalled it is similar to the Farrell Agencies Arena, and the fans will be there.
"They should have some really big crowds," he said.
As for the Nanaimo team, Rossiter said he was on the island last year and recalls the Clippers were "a more skilled team with a little grit to them."
Forward Joshua Ellis, who joined the Terriers at the trade deadline, said he expects Nanaimo will be solid.
"They had to put together a championship team," he said, adding they have always been a team which "played well as a team."
Ellis said the Clippers hit a rough spot losing in the first round of the playoffs, but added "They're not going to come easy," in the Western Cup.
Martens said with Penticton and Surrey in the British Columbia Hockey League, either will be good.
"They should both be strong teams, but I don't know much about them. I don't know how they are but they'll be skilled teams."
Ellis said Surrey made a move to add some top players and he too expects either would be tough.
And in Alberta Brooks has been the top-rated junior 'A' team in Canada all season.
So how do the three Terriers from out west view their team headed to the Western Cup?
Ellis said he is excited "to show what the team is like It's definitely a goal so show what the Saskatchewan league can do."
Ellis said the Terriers certainly have the work ethic.
"That's certainly one of the big things," he offered. " We have guys that will step up every night."
Rossiter agreed.
"We're hard working guys that have skill with it," he said. " We've just got to play our style of hockey We want to force them to make mistakes and then capitalize."
Martens too pointed to the way the Terriers play as a key.
"I think we'll surprise a lot of teams with our physical play," he said, adding they are tough to shoot down offensively too. "On any given night you have no idea who will score. I think that will be tough on a lot of teams' defences.
"They might have a top-six, we have a top-12."
Martens said playing in B.C. will allow his family to be in the stands. He said his parents, three-of-four siblings and his midget coach are already planning to attend Terrier games. He said his parents were in Yorkton in September to watch a series against Melville, but have not seen him play the rest of the season.
"And my brothers haven't watched me play junior hockey ever, or very seldom anyway," he said.
Ellis even has family in Nanaimo, and Rossiter said his family is only a ferry ride away, so both will see friendly faces in the crowd too.
As a 20-year-old Martens will move on next season. He has committed to Red Deer College, but is hoping other options might arise.
"I'm hoping this tournament we'll get a bit more exposure and maybe I'll get an offer at the next level," he said.
For Ellis and Rossiter another season in a Terrier uniform is on their radar.
"That will be number one for us," said Rossiter.
