WEST CARLETON – After a pretty successful inaugural season, the West Carleton Rivermen are now focused on getting ready for the 2020-2021 Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League (EOSHL).

Following a final game loss in the EOSHL championship series, a regular season first place finish and a boatload of off-season awards, it’s time for the Rivermen to turn their attention to year two.

With the EOSHL set to expand by two teams next season, the first task on the Rivermen’s to do list is to file its protected list with the EOSHL.

League rules dictate each EOSHL team (of the four) can protect 25 players on its 30-man roster. According to EOSHL officials, a 25-man protected list is the standard for senior A leagues.

Each team had to submit their list by April 9.

Teams have 30-man rosters because not every player is available to play in every game. These players don’t get paid to participate in the EOSHL and prior commitments such as work can sometime get in the way of game time.

The West Carleton Rivermen’s protected list includes (with some details on each player when possible):

• Steve Parker – 14 games, seven goals, 10 assists
• Carp’s Nick Duhn, F – eight games, six goals, seven assists
• Zack Rheaume, D – named EOSHL 2020-21 Top Defenceman, 21 games, 10 goals, 21 assists
• JP Augustine, F – 12 games, eight goals, eight assists
• Blake Forslund, F – eight games, six goals, nine assists
• Josh Snider, F – 14 games, four goals, eight assists
• David Nelson, D – 12 games, one goal, nine assists
• Galetta’s Adrian Moyes (team owner), F – 18 games, 14 goals, 27 assists
• Alex Hulford, F – 2020-21 Rivermen MVP, 25 games, 29 goals, 27 assists
• Ryan Duhaime, D – 2020-2021 Rivermen Top Defenceman, 25 games, one goal, seven assists
• Kurt Gowdy, D – 14 games, two goals, five assists
• Sam McLaughlin, F – 10 games, seven goals, nine assists
• Basem Awwad, F – 14 games, seven goals, nine assists
• Ryley Egan, F – Rivermen Top Forward, 24 games, 24 goals, 27 assists
• Ryan Lough, F – Six games, 13 goals, six assists
• Ben Harris, F – Six games, six assists
• Matthew Denis, F – 12 games, one goal four assists
• Riley Hennigar, F – 11 games, six goals, 16 assists
• Glenden Bakker
• Stevie Adams, F – 12 games, nine goals, 10 assists
• Mark Craig, F – Six games
• Brett Gustevsen, F – Former Ottawa 67, Rivermen 2021 Playoff MVP
• Ian Boots, F – One game
• Ben Beasley, F – two games, one goal, one assist
• Dave Stathos, G – 12 games, seven wins, three losses, 4.61 goals against average, 0.872 save percentage

The Rivermen left Brandon Billie, Erik Miksik, Greg Harding, Ty Power and Matt Wilson unprotected.

“The unprotected players will go into the expansion draft in the near future for the new teams joining the league,” the EOSHL released in a statement.