Defenceman Tanner Faith is headed back to the Kootenay Ice.
Faith, a fifth-round pick (139th overall) of the Minnesota Wild at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, was assigned to major junior as the club reduced its training camp roster on Monday.
A native of Wilcox, Sask., Faith has battled shoulder injuries throughout his WHL career, limiting him to only 29 games over the past two seasons with the Kootenay Ice.
Faith represents one of seven overagers remaining with the Ice heading into the team’s regular season opener Friday night against the Calgary Hitmen.
It is expected the team will stretch out the bulk of decision making regarding its overage players until closer to the Oct. 16 deadline.
Teams are permitted to carry more than three overagers up until Oct. 16, but only three overage players are permitted to play on any given night.
Tough competition remains for the three overage slots with goaltender Wyatt Hoflin, defencemen Tyler King and Tanner Lishchynsky, centre Luke Philp, and right wingers Jaedon Descheneau and Jon Martin all still in the mix.
Philp remains with the Philadelphia Flyers on a tryout, while Descheneau, a fifth-round selection (124th overall) of the St. Louis Blues, remains with his NHL club.
King, who underwent off-season knee surgery, is out indefinitely.
The Kootenay Ice open the 2015-16 WHL regular season Friday (7 p.m.) at Western Financial Place when the Calgary Hitmen visit Cranbrook.