Dennis tries to impress Wheat Kings brass

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This article was published 23/06/2022 (1345 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jacob Dennis came to prospects camp with the Brandon Wheat Kings last month determined to make a good impression. He left with the thought that it was mission accomplished.

“I’m trying to make a statement everywhere I go,” Dennis said. “I thought it went really well. I’m happy with how camp went.”

The six-foot, 188-pound defenceman from Calgary was listed by the Western Hockey League club after its training camp last fall.

The 17-year-old, left-handed shot certainly has some impressive hockey roots.

His grandfather is Wayne Fleming, who served as an assistant coach with five different National Hockey League clubs before succumbing to cancer in 2013. He also served as head coach of the Canadian men’s national team in the early 1990s, and the University of Manitoba’s arena was named after their longtime bench boss.

His grandfather had an analytical mind for hockey, and it appears the apple doesn’t fall from the tree. Dennis knows what he does best and how to play to those attributes.

“I would say my strengths are being a reliable D-man on the back end and being able to get the puck out right away, and being able to join up with the rush and being that offensive threat as well,” Dennis said.

On the ice, he breaks down the game even more.

“During the game, my to-do list is to start simple and focus on that first pass, and once that first pass happens, I try to get into position in the offensive zone,” Dennis said. “When it’s in the D-zone, the to-do list then is just to be in position and try to get that puck out to the forwards.”

He started skating at age three or four, and began playing right away. Dennis, whose family includes parents Tony and Allison, older sister Ava and younger brother Joshua, was always a defenceman.

And hockey was always his game of choice.

“I got a little bit into baseball but as hockey picked up that was the end of that,” Dennis said.

He played last season with the Edge School U18 Prep as a teammate of highly touted Brandon prospect Charlie Elick.

Dennis impressed Wheat Kings director of player personnel Chris Moulton.

“I thought Jacob was outstanding at our prospects camp for a young man who missed over half a season with an injury,” Moulton said. “The fact that he finally looks like he’s starting to come into his own … I thought he did outstanding. He is a committed athlete who is a real competitor. I think he has an opportunity to play on our hockey team at some point. He just has to prove himself at fall camp.”

He played just four regular season games and the five playoff contests, earning an assist and 10 penalty minutes.

Dennis said he just goes with the flow, and wasn’t too upset when he wasn’t selected in 2020. He has identified areas of his game that he thinks he needs to shore up.

“Definitely my skating,” Dennis said. “I’m trying to get a faster stride as well as that shot so that it can get through and create more opportunities in front of the net.”

Last week, he signed with the Blackfalds Bulldogs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, but that would be superseded if he earns a spot in Brandon.

Dennis had his first chance to get a sense of the Wheat Kings and their facilities at main camp last September. By the time he left, he said it was starting to feel like home.

Now his biggest goal is to play for Brandon.

“It’s high, really high,” Dennis said.

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