After going 5-1 in the preseason, the Home Hardware Midget AAA Legionnaires open their 2017-18 season today when the Saskatoon Blazers travel to Swift Current.

The team is coming off of a 2016-17 regular season where they finished 11th in the league with a record of 14-30.

However, the team was among the youngest in the league, carrying just one 17-year-old, as the organization looked to enact a long-term growth plan of sorts to carry sustained development in the squad.

"I think we started with our team last year - we took a very young team," said Legionnaires head coach Darren Evjen. "We played our guys and we just developed them hoping that, as we move forward, it's going to help in the coming future. There were a lot of positives in the (preseason) games we played and we feel we're heading in the right direction."

A notable positive of the team returning a large core of its players is the continuity and intuition between players in regards to the team's style of play, as well as experience in the physical Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League.

"You have experience as a player with the structure and the pace of the game - you're just a little bit more patient," he said. "The (level of play in the) league doesn't change - you learn how to play at that speed and make better decisions."

A part of the development process that was driven home by the head coach last season was a work ethic both on and off the ice - a process which the players have bought into.

"Our veteran players understood the commitment you have to make in the gym and on the ice to play on this team - there's no negotiating," Evjen said. "They've been in the gym and they love playing our style hockey - they've bought into everything and we work hard so that we're prepared game-in, game-out for all 60 minutes."

The energy is evident among the team for the year ahead, and the head coach says showcasing the growth the team has had is an important goal to achieve this season.

"I just think it's an exciting time for the Legionnaire organization. It has had a lot of heartaches the last while, including last year," he said. "We have a lot to prove and we just feel that this year is such an important year for us to have success and put our team back on the map."

The Legionnaires' season opener against the Saskatoon Blazers is today at 3 p.m. at Fairview West arena in Swift Current.