The 2014-15 season was a learning experience for Moose Jaw native Chantz Petruic as he adjusted to the jump from Bantam AA to Midget AAA with the Moose Jaw Generals.

Petruic finished with just four goals and 15 points in 41 games, but started to show signs of figuring out how to play at the higher level by the end of the season.

He took that experience and used it as fuel heading into the offseason this year.

“It was a lot harder, the game's a lot faster and you come from bantam where you have the puck on your stick and you learn the defensive game a lot quicker in (Midget) AAA and you learn it's a lot more structured and you have to use your teammates more than you would in your younger years,” said Petruic.

The speedy forward was on the ice last week out in Caronport for the Pacific 4 Summer Development, which featured players from bantam to major junior hitting the ice for four days of on-ice sessions as they prepare for the season ahead.

Petruic has been using his first year of Midget AAA and building off it during the summer as he knows where his game needs to be now.

“I've been trying to work out as much as I can, try to hit the gym a lot, eat right and hit the ice as much as possible at camps like these or scrimmaging with the boys once a week, so it's been good,” he said.

After going undrafted in 2014, Petruic was listed by the Medicine Hat Tigers and attended his first prospects camp with the team earlier this offseason. He said that was a great opportunity to see where he stands.

“It was good, they drafted very well this year and it was good to see how I compare to the guys that were drafted and if I fit in there,” said Petruic. “It's a great organization.”

He added that he's looking forward to heading to main camp in August to show them what he's capable of.

“Use my speed to my advantage and show that I can play with the older players at a younger age,” said Petruic.

The Generals will be looking for a bounce back season this year after just scrapping into the playoffs last year. With a player like Cole Fonstad, who was taken fifth overall by Prince Albert in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft, coming in, the team is raising their expectations.

Petruic said that he's also putting more pressure on himself to perform this year.

“I know what to expect now being an older guy and I know that right from the start we're trying to make a push this year because we're going to have a stronger team after being so young last year,” he said. “Hopefully that brings some more wins for us and we can go further in the playoffs than last year.”

The Generals will hold their training camp August 14-16 at Mosaic Place.