Robson looks to local NHLer for inspiration

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This article was published 14/01/2021 (1727 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Luke Robson has just one goal in mind: make it as far as he can in his hockey career.

In the short term, that means Robson wants to be part of the Western Hockey League.

“In my eyes and what I’ve told my family is Moose Jaw is the goal of where to be,” he said. 

The Carberry product was sitting in math class when he got the news from a friend that he’d been selected in the ninth round, 178th overall, by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2019 WHL bantam draft.

“Then I got a call from the head coach, Tim Hunter at the time, and I’m pretty sure I had a smile on my face from ear to ear,” Robson said. “I knew there was a chance I could go (in the draft) but I tried not to focus on it too much, because all in all, if you’re drafted or not, the hard work all begins after that day.”

For Robson, that hard work means constantly developing his skills, even in the middle of a pandemic.

The 16-year-old was playing for the Manitoba AAA U18 Hockey League’s Southwest Cougars when the league shut down in November because of an uptick in COVID-19 cases across the province.

Robson produced 10 points in the eight games he played before the pause. The five-foot-nine forward said it was partly because his confidence increased tenfold from what it was in his rookie season, when he contributed 22 points in 44 games.

These days, he tries to look on the upside of things in spite of the shutdown.

“It’s been a dream of mine to have a backyard rink, so it’s kind of cool to actually say, ‘Hey, let’s build a rink,’ and my family agreed with me,” Robson said.

With organized hockey out of the question and local outdoor rinks riddled — rightfully so — with COVID-19 restrictions, this year seemed better than any for Robson and his family to create a space to skate together at home.

It’s the first time his family got up to the task. While it took a lot of work, Robson said it’s completely worth it.

“We don’t have the most level of backyards, so we had to take into the fact that we needed a little bit more wood than probably other families would,” Robson said. “… With the weather being so nice (in late November) we were worried it wouldn’t freeze, but thankfully it was cold over the night and it froze over time, so it was kind of nice.”

Robson and his dad did all the framework, then the rest of his family helped lay the tarp and took turns filling the rink — a multi-day task — to make sure it was frozen properly.

At 30-by-20 feet, the rink has been good enough for Robson to shoot around some pucks and dial in on growing his skills.

When it comes to developing his game, the teen said he doesn’t have one specific area in mind.

“A lot of it is just playing quicker, but I like to think of myself as a player that’s not satisfied with being at where I am,” Robson said. “I like to try and get better at all areas, even if I’m strong in one spot, because I want to be the best I can be and try and be better than everyone else.”

While Robson’s dad has helped him along his hockey journey — Ryan played 303 regular season and playoff games with the Brandon Wheat Kings over five WHL seasons in the 1990s —the teen’s biggest inspiration comes in the form of former Wheat Kings forward Matt Calvert.

The Brandonite played for the Wheat Kings for three seasons in the late 2000s. During that time, he amassed an eye-popping 99 goals and 131 assists in the WHL.

“I grew up watching him play and he’s been my favourite ever since. What he’s accomplished as an athlete and a person in general has really inspired me to be a lot like him,” Robson said. 

The winger, a 2008 fifth-round draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, joined the National Hockey League in the team’s 2010-11 campaign.

Since 2018, Calvert has been part of the Colorado Avalanche organization, where he’s stayed on as a steady and reliable forward for the team.

During the NHL offseason, Calvert often returns home to Brandon. It’s been during those times Robson has occasionally been able to meet and work out alongside him, as they both train at Outperforme Athletics.

“Even when you’re working out it just gives you a great drive and a sense of, ‘Holy, I’m right beside an NHLer.’ Being a little kid you always dream of being next to those guys and working out next to them is quite nice, actually,” Robson said.

“It’s nice to talk to them, learn from them in some ways and just hear their stories.”

» dshewchuk@brandonsun.com

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