Alex Eisen/MDN Minot Minotauros forward Kyler Kleven skates up the ice during an NAHL game played last season at Maysa Arena in Minot.

New faces, but same dress code tradition.

The Minot Minotauros held its annual Media Day on Monday with players wearing dress coats, neckties and shorts. The ideal attire for being comfortable yet professional to take some headshot photos and handle interviews with the media.

Dress slacks might have been optional, but the Minotauros remain all business with the new season less than a month away.

Building chemistry is the primary priority. The turnover rate at the junior hockey level is always high. This year is no different.

“We have seven guys coming back and 24 new guys coming in,” Minotauros head coach Marty Murray said. “We will have to get down in numbers after training camp, but so far so good through the first two practices we have had.”

Retaining six to a dozen players from one season to the next is considered normal, according to Murray. So, the turnover this season is seen as typical.

“We do have some other players that have experience in other junior leagues too,” Murray said. “I almost count them as veterans as well. You could see that in the first practices that they have some experience under their belts.”

Returning are forwards Joseph Harguindeguy, Cole O’Connell, Kevin Ness and Kyler Kleven, defenders Sam Skinner and Brennan Couet, plus goaltender Ben Garrity.

Skinner is currently representing Team NAHL in the Sirius Junior World Cup in Russia. He will be protecting Garrity, who played in 28 games last season, allowing 2.52 goals against per game and bolstered a 91.7 save percentage.

Garrity split time with Nicholas Grabko during the regular season last year. But, Grabko took over in the NAHL playoffs because he had the hot hand.

“I see myself in that way,” Garrity said about taking over the starting role. “But, at the same time, I have to earn it.”

Despite losing all the top goal scorers from last year — David Raisanen, Keenan Lund, Wilmer Skoog, Taylor Lentz, Andrew Kangas, Didrik Henbrant, etc. — the Minotauros are hoping the offense can be a team strength at the start of the season.

“We are going to be solid offensively,” O’Connell said. “Hopefully, we can be good defensively as well.”

A couple of the newcomers highlighted by Murray include 2019 NAHL Draft first-round pick Jay Buchholz, from Fargo, and UMass-Lowell (NCAA Division I) commit Andranik Armstrong.

“I think there are a lot more than that, though, we have a really strong group this year,” Murray said.

The Minotauros have made the playoffs seven years a row. They are coming off a 3-1 series loss last year in the Central Division Finals to the Aberdeen Wings.

The Wings went on to win their first Robertson Cup in franchise history.

Murray wasn’t surprised.

“They were skilled, but they also worked very hard,” he said. “I think as coaches, that’s what we try to get out of our players. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t work and compete, it’s hard to get anywhere. That’s something we are going to drive into our guys, right from the get-go here at training camp.”

The Minotauros will hold an intrasquad scrimmage at 7 p.m. Thursday at Maysa Arena. They will play three tune-up games in September before the season-opening NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota, held Sept. 18-21.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.