NORTHEAST — With calendars flipping to August, the hockey season is nearly upon us once again.
For kids born in 2004, this coming season, being their second year of bantam hockey, brings added importance, as those kids are entering into their junior draft year.
Four local players got an early start on their seasons as they traveled to Regina July 16 to 20 for the Western Prospects Bantam Showcase.
The showcase features some of the top 120 2004-born players from across Western Canada.
“It was really cool. Really good hockey, lots of ice time there and overall just really a good experience,” said Nicholas Andrusiak.
Andrusiak was one of four locals taking in the week long camp, as he was joined by Connor Hvidston, Landen Stromme and Zackery Somers.
The camp saw athletes got through the gamut both on and off the ice.
The off-ice component included testing, guest speaker presentations and seminars.
On the ice, the players were given five on ice sessions, with the top 40 being selected for the top 40 game.
The off-ice sessions were an interesting part of the week, said both players, with each noting it was cool to learn more about the different pathways they could take in their careers.
“They taught us a lot about the different paths you can take in hockey and what it takes to be a good hockey player and succeed,” Andrusiak said. “There were so many you could take from all the schooling you could take, from going to play pro hockey in Europe, it was pretty cool.”
Hvidston said the camp was helpful in teaching him what he needs to do both on and off ice over the next couple of seasons to make the jump to junior.
Both Andrusiak and Hvidston were among the 40 players selected to play in the top 40 game, with Hvidston saying it was a big honour to make the top 40 game.
“I was really excited, especially because it’s out of 120 kids. To be picked top 40, I was really excited.”
Both players also received feedback from the evaluators at the camp, which included approximately 60 head coaches, general managers, and scouts from junior A programs in Western Canada.
“They said I played pretty physical, I was a strong kid, very defensive,” said Andrusiak. “But I also have to work on keeping my head on a swivel and my explosiveness.”
Hvidston said he was told that he had a good work ethic, and good off ice training, but needs to continue his training, get faster, and improve his shooting.
“Shoot at a spot, don’t shoot right at the goalie.”
While the draft process and the year leading up can be stressful for some players, Hvidston has an advantage over most, with his brother Drayton going through the same process last year. Connor said he will lean heavily on his brother as he goes through it himself.
“He’s been to a camp and he’s been to junior camps and AAA camps so I think he knows and he can teach me stuff like what he needs to do I can do too.”
Hvidston, Andrusiak, Stromme, and Somers will now turn their attention to the regular season, and further impressing junior scouts in the lead up to next May’s WHL draft and next June’s SJHL draft.
