U18 AAA BOYS PREVIEW: Chiefs will work together to make some noise

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This article was published 29/09/2023 (800 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Yellowhead Chiefs will be bringing their lunch pails to the rink every day as a blue-collar brigade.

“We’re going to be a team that has to work really, really hard,” said head coach Chad Taylor said, who has assistants Craig Geekie and Aidan Woodley on the bench with him. “I know that sounds cliche, but we’re a very hard-working team. We have seven come up with me — Craig and I were the U15 coaches last year — so seven are coming with us that bring a real good work ethic and culture with them.

“That’s going to be the identity of the team for sure. We’re not going to score 10 goals in a game. The motto I live by is ‘All gas and no brakes.’ We’re going to give it all we’ve got.”

The Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League kicks off this evening, with Yellowhead heading to Dauphin’s Credit Union Place to play the Parkland Rangers tonight, and then hosting the Brandon Wheat Kings at the Shoal Lake Communiplex on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Yellowhead had 48 players come to camp this year, although that included the high-scoring duo of Bryce Bryant and Rylan Gage, who have moved on to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

The returning veterans up front are third-leading scorer Rory Poole of McAuley (44gp, 16g, 19a), fourth-leading scorer Bo Tibbatts of Foxwarren (44gp, 15g, 18a), fifth-leading scorer Max Collyer of Onanole (44gp, 11g, 17a), Addison McIntosh of Neepawa (44gp, 11g, 12a) and Rowin Richmond of Forrest (39gp, 0g, 7a).

They are joined by rookies Cole Hunter of Oakburn, Alec Strachan of Hamiota, Oliver Nickel of Solsgirth, Riley Swereda of Shoal Lake, Isaac McArthur of Birtle, Nolan Kozak of Neepawa and Quinn Schutte of Brandon.

“Our forward group is young and hungry,” Taylor said. “We actually added a player on Sunday from Brandon who is just coming in fresh as well. I don’t there are going to be a lot of 10-goal games for us but that’s OK. That’s where Craig and myself and the other coach will come in and have the proper systems in place. “It’s going to be a young, hungry, motivated front end. And there’s some skill too. Returning players like Max Collyer and Bo Tibbatts will be relied on for goal scoring.”

There is also one of the rookies who could be impactful early on. Hunter led the U15 Chiefs in scoring with 51 points in 34 games and was selected in the seventh round of the Western Hockey League draft by the Spokane Chiefs.

“It won’t take him too long to figure it out,” Taylor said with a chuckle.

Taylor said the Chiefs, who finished sixth with a record of 22-16-6 last season and have 10 veterans and 10 rookies this season, will benefit from the fact so many players have been coached by he and Geekie in the past.

“It’s huge,” Taylor said. “They bring a good work ethic and culture with them from last year’s team that had some success. There is still a little bit of a jump from U15 to U18 obviously, so give them a couple of games to pick up the speed of it and I think they’ll fit right in.

“Knowing the systems we’re teaching is a big help as well for sure.”

On the blue-line, veterans Chase Cochrane of Alexander, Dylan Miko of Onanole, Hudson Davidson of Virden and DJ Meloney of Gladstone are joined by rookies Adam Chipelski of Ste. Lazare and Ethan Bray of Neepawa.

“We’re going to rely on them a lot,” Taylor said. “They’re very good skating defencemen so they have a little bit of that green light to go for it, and we’re using their leadership heavily as well.”

Unfortunately for Yellowhead, Spokane Chiefs first-round pick Kaden Allan elected to head to the Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg.

The biggest change comes in net. Connor Dawson and Jase Wareham both graduated, so Brandon’s Kieran Madill and Connor Rapley of Kenton have stepped in.

“I think we’ll be the first U18 team to have two right-handed catching goaltenders,” Taylor said. “That’s something different I’ve never had before.

“Kieran is a (2006-born player in his 17-year-old season) and a rookie in the league, but in U17 he was the MVP goalie of the league and is a very athletic kid who had a fabulous exhibition and tryout with us.

“Connor played U17 as well so I don’t think it will take them long to adapt to the U18 game since they were in U17 and they’re both strong goalies and athletic. There are going to be games we rely on them.”

Overall, Taylor likes the way his group has embraced their work-based identity and thinks that can take them a long way.

“I think we’re a playoff team and we can make some noise,” Taylor said. “I think we’re going to surprise some people with our work ethic. We have experienced coaches, not to pat myself on the back but obviously having Craig Geekie on the bench with you is a massive help. I think we’ll surprise some people with our relentless work ethic and always going.”

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