2025-26 Season Preview: Casper Warbirds
The 2025-26 National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) season previews will provide an in-depth look at every team as they gear up for the year ahead. Leading up to opening night, a different team will be spotlighted each day. Each preview will include insights from the head coach, sharing expectations and outlooks for the upcoming season.
Casper Warbirds
Division: Mountain Division
Location: Casper, WY | Casper Ice Arena
2024–25 Regular Season Record: 12-39-2-0 | 31 points
The Casper Warbirds enter the 2025–26 season looking to take a significant step forward in their second campaign. Based out of the Casper Ice Arena in Casper, Wyoming, the Warbirds compete in the rugged Mountain Division, where size, depth, and resilience are crucial ingredients for success.
Last season, the Warbirds finished 6th in the Mountain Division with a 12–39–2 record, missing the playoffs in their inaugural year. But Head Coach and General Manager Eric Progen believes that the lessons learned in 2024–25 will serve as a springboard for a stronger and more competitive group this fall.
“Some strengths that we see in our group so far are depth and size,” Progen said. “We made a conscious decision to get bigger from last year’s team, we think that’ll help us play a heavier game in the Mountain Division. We feel that our depth going into training camp is pretty good. Our defensive core is very deep and a definite strength to our team — as well as depth with our forwards and goaltending.”
That balanced roster should allow Casper to handle the grind of a long NCDC season. Beyond physical size, Progen has emphasized speed and chemistry as key priorities in camp.
“We want to play fast this year, and part of that is the continuity we are building in camp,” he explained. “To play fast, players need to know where their teammates are and they need to play instinctually. These are things we are trying to build in training camp so when we get to games we can play with pace.”
For fans in Wyoming, the Warbirds are not just aiming to win games — they are working to establish a new identity. Progen and his staff are committed to creating a foundation built on hard work, daily commitment, and a gritty style that will make the team tough to play against every night.
“We’re excited to bring a new mentality of work ethic, a high compete level, and an earn-it attitude every day this season,” Progen said. “We’re establishing a new culture here in Casper and it all starts with those three things. We will be a highly competitive team because of that mentality and I think our fans are going to enjoy watching our team play that way.”
With a bigger roster, deeper lineup, and a culture centered around effort and competition, the Casper Warbirds are poised to take strides in Year Two. Fans can expect a team that plays hard, plays fast, and brings a fresh edge in 2025–26.