The Cranston-Scituate boys hockey co-op will be dropping the puck on its new season this Saturday night and is looking to make progress as it rebuilds its roster this winter.

The team’s key returner will be junior Justin Drohen, who is remembered for scoring the team’s game-winning goal in the state championship as a freshman. This season, the co-op will be made up of primarily underclassmen behind him, and he is the only starter with significant minutes played at the varsity level.

“It’s a rebuilding year. We’re not making any excuses, we have a young group. It’s a group of freshmen and young kids that are eager to learn. It’s a breath of fresh air to have kids in here that are sponges,” said coach Matt Brannon.

Brannon will be relying on Drohen to set the tone each day and get the kids up to speed as fast as possible.

“We’re going to lean on him for all the things that he’s seen over the years. Power play, penalty kill. Being a captain as a junior, it doesn’t happen often. He’s a great leader and the kids respect him on and off the ice,” said Brannon.

For the team to succeed this winter, it will need to play with speed and be able to hold up against the bigger, stronger teams in Division II, according to Brannon. Ten of the 12 teams in Division II will qualify for the playoffs, so that is where the bar has been set.

“Our expectations are to make the playoffs. There are going to be growing pains, highs and lows. It’s a huge adjustment for them with the speed and physicality being 14 and 15-year-old kids playing against 17 and 18-year-old kids. It’s an adjustment that they’re going to go through,” Brannon said.

The team’s opening night will be a road matchup against Exeter-West Greenwich. Although a deep playoff run may not be in the cards this winter, Brannon and company are looking to improve and play competitive hockey by season’s end.

“We’re going to hold our own, the kids are going to get better. Each month we’re going to get better as the year goes on. As long as we can grow and gain experience each weekend, the better off we’ll be for it by the end of the season,” said Brannon.