What you see is darned near what you'll get when the Kimberley Dynamiters take to the ice tonight.

They're hosting the arch-rival Fernie Ghostriders at 7 p.m. (a half hour earlier than usual), and while the Riders might ice a young lineup, the Nitros will counter with about the same one they will start the season with.

That's because Kimberley has only two KIJHL exhibition games to figure things out.

“For me to ice a bunch of rookies who aren't going to play on the team — and I only have two games to figure out who is — just doesn't seem the right thing to do,” said head coach and general manager Garry Jacklin.

“I'd love for all the Cranbrook kids to play and have a game, and I will try to get them in games throughout the year if they're interested in staying AP'ed with me.”

With 30 players still on the roster, Jacklin and his assistants have some paring to do.

“I cut it down to 26 and now I've got 30 again. I've also got promises from some Alberta coaches that I'm going to get some kids, so I've got to make sure that I'm going to build the best team here. Kimberley needs to have a winner.”

Jacklin said a few of the players donning Dynamiters' jerseys tonight are battling for a spots, but most have already solidified that.

“I'm expecting that if we're playing a bunch of rookies, we should dominate the game. Being that we've lost eight in a row to Fernie, I would like to have one win before we start the season. I know (Riders' coach Will Verner) is going to field his strong team on Saturday (in Fernie).”

Returning goalie Tory Caldwell will have the night off, giving Calgary's Justin Spring and Mission's Wes McLeod a chance to show their stuff

Locals might remember McLeod for having backstopped Mission to the championship final of the 2010 AA midget provincials in Cranbrook.

He was a recent cut from Castlegar Rebels camp, and was a teammate of Nitros camp attendee Dylan Lynum back in Mission.

A couple more players are set to arrive since camp wrapped up with an intrasquad game Monday night.

Calgarians Alex Demchuk (F) and Oakley Werenka (D) are set to try out for the club.

Werenka's father Brad — who played 320 games in the NHL — was a teammate of former Nitros' coach Scott Beattie at Northern Michigan University in the early 90s.

Knowing that junior A clubs will still be sending some players to Kimberley, Jacklin had to cut two Iqaluit-based defencemen who were close to making the team. Manasie Kendall and Philip Verreault were on Team Nunavut at last spring's Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie.

“It was really tough to let the kids from up north there go, because Philip Verreault looked pretty good,” said Jacklin. “He was in the mix, but because we still have people filtering in it wouldn't be fair to keep a kid that's thousands of miles away from home (if) you don't know what you can give him.”

Jacklin directed the pair to Bob Shedden and the Columbia Valley Rockies.

“I know they're going to have a better team this year, but I just don't think everybody knows how strong we're going to be,” said Jacklin.

“I had a couple of comments: either of the (training camp) all-star teams could have beaten (the Dynamiters) from last year. That's what a lot of people were saying. That means we're that much better.

“That's just a couple of peoples' opinions, but I also think the same thing. When I go through the depth of what I've got, I'm very happy.”

He figures he has a real gem in Kristian Petit, and expects similar things from Lynum, who is also a forward.

“They're going to be dynamic players in this league,” said Jacklin. “I don't know how long I will have them, but I'm just excited that they're here and they want to play for me. They're happy to be here, which is something that's good for the city and good for the team.”

With a slew of skilled 18-year-olds, Jacklin is looking to his overagers for character.

Cranbrook's Soren Hills played in Grand Forks as a 17-year-old, collecting 10 points in 30 games.

“He hasn't played for a couple of years; he just heard I was coaching and wanted to come out and have a try again and he looks very good,” said Jacklin.

Alex Hall is known locally for his boxing skills, and Jacklin likes what he brings to the table; a lack of junior experience won't be a problem.

“Out there (Monday night) he scored two goals and he was playing against guys that have been at junior A camps and played for us.”