Free agency, contract disputes, and player retirement may not be an issue for a defending champion high school team trying to maintain its winning ways, but graduation certainly is. And the Newtown High School hockey team, because of last year’s high number of graduates — ten to be exact — is in rebuilding mode as the puck drops on the 2014-15 campaign.

The Nighthawks, coming off their Division III state championship and runner-up in the South-West Conference/ Southern Connecticut Conference D-III finish a year ago, have an eye on the future with hopes of repeating success in the short term.

“We’re rebuilding this year,” said Newtown Coach Paul Esposito, adding that the same old goals — qualifying for the SWC and state tournaments — are in place.

Win, lose, or draw, with revamping the lineup comes the door (think Zamboni-sized door) opening wide for up-and-coming skaters.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for some of the juniors and sophomores, and even the freshmen, to fill out roles,” Esposito said.

Given the makeup of this team, as a matter of fact, the captains consist of two juniors — goaltender Nick Chaloux and defenseman Matt Pelison — and sophomore defenseman Sean Ferris.

Other team members whom Esposito will look to for contributions include junior forward Stephen Pansa; sophomore forwards Scott McLean, Dominic Cartelli, Scott Bauer, and Lucas O’Brien, along with sophomore defenseman Camden Fowler; and  freshmen Ben Harrison, Ethan Cox, Devin Marsh, and Jack Hanley.

Tough teams in the SWC/SCC include the New Fairfield-Immaculate of Danbury team which defeated Newtown in last season’s title game, along with Joel Barlow of Redding, Masuk of Monroe, and Shepaug-Litchfield-Wamogo.

“It’s going to be a tough challenge for us this year,” Esposito said of qualifying for the four-team conference playoffs and successfully defending the state crown. “We want to win as many games as possible this year.”

Nonconference foe EO Smith-Tolland is another tough team on the slate. Last year, the Hawks went 12-4-3. The top 16 teams, with a winning percentage of .400 or greater, qualify for each state playoff division.

In addition to practicing at their home facility, Danbury Ice Arena, the Nighthawks will participate in skill-building floor ball sessions at NYA Sports & Fitness. Floor ball, formally organized as an international sport in Sweden in the early 1970s, is a variation of floor hockey — with short sticks and a ball similar to a Wiffle Ball.

Newtown’s season was set to begin on December 17, with New Milford visiting. Sheehan comes to Danbury Ice Arena for a 4:10 pm faceoff on Saturday, December 20, and Stamford visits for a 4:30 start on Tuesday, December 23.