Mannix battling for playing time

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/10/2022 (1309 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Eastyn Mannix knew things were going to be different in his rookie season with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

After starring with every team he played on earlier in his career, his firm understanding that his role would be changing this season has helped the 17-year-old defenceman from Wainwright, Alta., with the fact he won’t play every game this year.

“My midget coach was really good for preparing us as junior players,” Mannix said. “He told us you have to nail down your simple game before you can start doing anything. He told us don’t try to be somebody you’re not. I’ve known that I really have to find my game and perfect my game before I can start doing anything extra.

“As far as sitting goes, it’s a part of the game now. I don’t have 15 guys on a roster like I might have in peewee. When you have 24 guys on the roster, you know somebody is going to sit out and a lot of time it is the rookies.

“It’s not my favourite — trust me, I would love to be on the ice — but I get it. Sitting is going to be part of this season so I just have to embrace my position and do the best I can with the ice time I’ve given.”

Brandon selected the left-shooting defenceman in the fourth round of the 2020 Western Hockey League draft with the 79th overall selection. He made his WHL debut on March 2 when he was called up for a game against the Regina Pats and another against the Moose Jaw Warriors three nights later.

The six-foot-three, 191-pound defender said the experience helped when he came back to camp this fall.

“I’m still pretty fresh into it but I enjoyed last year and getting to learn a little bit of how the team works and the on-ice aspect was nice too,” Mannix said. “You’ve already seen that level so you’re not surprised when you step on the ice. Definitely through camp and stuff, just the one week I had last year helped me to feel comfortable and familiar with everything. It definitely helped me feel better through the adjustment period.”

In 32 games last season with the Northern Alberta Xtreme under-18 prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, Mannix had five goals, 16 assists and 16 penalty minutes.

He’s dressed in just two of Brandon’s nine games so far as he finds his footing at the WHL level.

“Every day it gets a little easier,” Mannix said. “You kind of learn the parts of the league just making sure you’re always competing and a little more attentive when you’re on the ice than in midget hockey. You have to make sure you’re always ready to go. In midget hockey, sometimes you can take a shift off and it doesn’t really matter.

“But when you’re in the Western League, there are no shifts off, and even for a half second if you’re not paying attention, you might be on your backside because somebody is pushing you over. I think the biggest thing is just the attentiveness and the aggressiveness and the speed and strength of the game.”

Brandon head coach Don MacGillivray agrees that Mannix is making progress, and his hopeful his day will come.

“He’s pretty green,” MacGillivray said. “He’s got a long ways to go in terms of being a regular player every night. You can see he has ability, and he has a big frame but the game is a little bit fast right now but he’s learning every day and getting better.

“He has a good skillset and I think we just have to show some patience when he does get his opportunities. I think he’s a work in progress who will hopefully take a step as he moves along.”

The Wheat Kings, who were 4-2-0-0 during their eight-game road trip ahead of a matchup with the Kelowna Rockets that ended after press time last night, finish up the journey with Central Division matchups against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday and Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday.

Mannix said a big part of becoming a WHL regular is simplifying his game. While he has the ability to carry the puck and make plays, he’s instead focusing on his own end for now.

“I really just want to make sure I’m holding down the fort for the team,” Mannix said. “I really don’t expect to make any spectacular plays or anything, but I want to make clean exits, bring a little physicality to the ice and get a shot on net every once in a while too because as much as I love playing defence, chipping in on the offensive side every now and then is pretty fun.”

Off the ice, the Grade 12 student is settling in. Like many of his school-aged teammates, much of his course load is online.

“It’s been pretty good so far,” Mannix said. “I’m ahead in my schoolwork as of right now so I’m hoping to keep that pace through the road trip. I’ve heard you don’t always get the most schoolwork done on the road but so far the school has been good, and I’m used to online schooling because of COVID.

“I’m taking my schooling still through Alberta, and it’s been hard but not too out of the ordinary because of COVID.”

The gregarious teenager is also settling into his new home. While he hasn’t had much of a chance to explore the city, it’s certainly on his to-do list.

“I really haven’t experienced much of the city, and I’m hoping over the course of the year and throughout my career here that I get to learn everything about the city,” Mannix said. “It seems like the city loves us so I want to give us as much back to the city as I can and become part of the community.

“Everything has been great with my billet house and going into the restaurant with guys, every experience I’ve had off the ice has been great.”

A rite of passage every season on every WHL team is that rookies are assigned the menial jobs. They do them for one year, and then get to be supervisors for the rest of their careers.

“We’ve got a little grief from the vets so far,” Mannix said with a chuckle. “Apparently we haven’t been the most up-to-standard rookie group so we have to take out the garbages and make sure the kitchen is clean, the dish washer and packing the bus for on the road. It’s the little jobs that nobody wants to do but they have to get done so they kind of fall on us.”

He noted some of the older guys chip in, adding the veterans are also not afraid to point out what still needs to be done.

Mannix is certain Brandon can improve its play, noting some of its early season struggles were also on display with their opposition.

“There are a lot of new faces in the locker room so everybody is just trying to get comfortable playing on different lines and stuff,” Mannix said. “All the teams we’ve played against have had their scrambly moments so I think it’s just the early season stutters. We’re finding our way, I definitely see it through the first four games. I see scrambly moments but a lot of times we’ll collect ourselves towards the back half of the game and put together some nice plays.

“I think we have a lot of potential this season to go far and do well.”

On a personal level as a WHL rookie, Mannix’s goals are simple. He just wants to earn his way onto the ice and show he belongs.

“Obviously I want to play as much as I can and establish myself as an every-day player,” Mannix said. “I want to make sure I’m getting into the lineup as much as possible. Really, I really care too much on the statistical side of the game so I don’t have really have any set goals on that side.

“I think I just want to make sure I’m bringing it every day, every practice, every game and just try to become an every-day guy.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @PerryBergson