Warriors forward Brayden Point during last year's playoffs.

The long summer of waiting ends on Friday night for the Moose Jaw Warriors as they host the Swift Current Broncos to open the WHL regular season at Mosaic Place.

The tribe is coming off a record setting season in 2011-12 that saw them win a franchise record 45 games and make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final before bowing out to the eventual WHL Champion, Edmonton Oil Kings.

This year's team will have a much different look to it than the bruising squad that made that run last season.  Gone are Quinton Howden, Dylan McIlrath, Cody Beach, James Henry and Cam Braes, but in comes a new crop of skilled, young players led by exciting rookie Brayden Point.

"We're looking good, we're faster, so we're going to be good," said Point.

The 16-year-old forward burst onto the scene last season during the playoffs and posted seven goals and ten points in 14 playoff games with the tribe.  His late game heroic are really what have Warrior fans excited after he scored two overtime winners, including one in double overtime against the Regina Pats.

Point says getting into games last year during the playoffs really helped him to get ready for his first full taste of the WHL coming up this year, "It gave me some confidence that I might not have had if I didn't play in the playoffs, so I'd say confidence is the biggest part."

As for the hype in the city that's surrounding him coming into the season, "I just try to not think about it," said  Point, sounding like a true veteran.  "It's about winning games and I'm just going to try to work hard.  If we win games that's all that matters."

Point continued to impress during the Warriors' preseason games as well, picking up three goals and seven points in four games to lead the tribe in scoring.  He says he felt he played well, especially with linemate, 20-year-old Justin Kirsch, "I thought I did pretty good, played my game, but more importantly, we had a winning record and that's what's important for the team.

"There's chemistry all around the team and it's building more everyday, that's awesome for the team and it's going to keep growing going forward."

Point and the Warriors hit the ice against the Swift Current Broncos on Friday night at Mosaic Place.  There are plenty of pre-game festivities for the home opener, including player introductions, the raising of the East Division Championship banner, and Quinton Howden on hand for the ceremony puck drop.  Fans are asked to be seated by 6:40pm to take in the show.  Puck drops at 7:00pm

All the action is on the air on Country 100 (100.7 FM) with Voice of the Warriors, James Gallo, Derek Kletzel and Marc Smith.  It gets started with the pre-game show at 6:40pm.