WHL NOTEBOOK: Slobodian values people who helped him

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/12/2024 (261 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cole Slobodian certainly understands who put him in the position to succeed.

The six-foot-two, 189-pound defenceman, who is in his rookie Western Hockey League season with the Portland Winterhawks at age 18, took to the blades not long after he began to walk, heading to public skates at the Sportsplex. He was a forward until he was nine, and moved to the blue-line when he made the Junior Jets rep team as a defenceman.

Slobodian’s parents, father Dennis and mother Leanne, certainly supported his hockey dreams, and became the very definition of hockey parents because Luke also has two brothers, 20-year-old Kaden and 14-year-old Cohen.

“Just like any hockey kid growing up, they were always putting us in extra programs and camps during the summers and taking time out of their weekend to travel to Winnipeg or whatever. The biggest thing is, especially with three boys, they were always juggling the three of us around the rink.

“They put a lot of time into us.”

Slobodian came up through the Wheat Kings AAA system, skating with the U15 and U18 programs that have become a hothouse of success for young players. He said they also played a key role in his development.

“Everyone involved in the organization, all the coaches are really good and like making every kid reach their potential, and it was the opportunities they gave me,” Slobodian said. “It was nice to stay at home too. I could stay in school and close to all my friends and family.”

Kaden also came up through the AAA system in Brandon, played three seasons in the Vancouver Island and Kootenay International junior hockey leagues, and is in his rookie season at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. Kohen, meanwhile, is playing with the U15 AA Wheat Kings in Brandon.

Cole, who is a Vincent Massey graduate, went unselected in the 2021 WHL draft but was quickly listed by Portland. He was picked ninth overall in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s 16-year-old draft by the Virden Oil Capitals in 2022.

Slobodian made the jump to Virden last season at age 17, scoring four goals and adding 16 assists in 53 games as a veteran Virden club fell in the MJHL semifinals to the eventual league champion Winkler Flyers.

He said it wasn’t a difficult decision to pick the MJHL over a third U18 season.

“I just felt like it was time for the next step,” Slobodian said. “I was with Portland at the time and they had a really good team. They went to the finals last year and had five 19-year-old defencemen, so there wasn’t really room for me on the team that year. I wouldn’t have played very much. I think going back to Virden was just the right next step for me.”

He was playing well in Virden when he took another next big step in November 2023 by signing with the Winterhawks. That was a year before the recent changes allowing major junior players to accept college commitments, so it took some thought.

SIGNING ON

“It was a really tough decision because you were picking between the college and going the Dub route,” Slobodian said. “Ultimately it was the coaches and staff in Portland. It felt like they really wanted me and valued me, which was really nice. It’s really worked out now that I can go to college if professional hockey doesn’t work out.”

Winterhawks’ assistant to the general manager and director of scouting Mike Coflin said at the time that Slobodian had earned the contract.

“He has shown a strong and steady development path from Brandon U18 into the MJHL with Virden this season, and has emerged as a two-way defenceman for a very strong team,” Coflin said in a team release announcing the signing. “He plays an intelligent, poised style of play, and is quietly effective at both ends of the rink.”

“An excellent student, he has the personal drive to succeed which will serve him well in our environment. Cole will provide a solid presence on the blue-line for the Winterhawks in the coming years.”

After Virden was ousted in the fourth overtime of Game 6 by Winkler on April 15, Portland added him to the team’s active roster prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference championship against the Prince George Cougars on April 26.

While the Winterhawks were ultimately swept by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the league final, Slobodian dressed in five games and gained some invaluable experience.

As a result, when he returned to camp in August for his 18-year-old season, he didn’t feel a desperate need to impress.

“Coming up at the end of last year and playing those couple of games definitely made it easier coming in this year,” Slobodian said. “I knew a lot of the guys and I knew the coaches better. There wasn’t very much pressure. It was just playing hockey and taking it day by day.”

BIG TRANSITION

In 34 games this season, Slobodian has two assists, 20 penalty minutes and a plus-minus of -10.

He said there are some very definite adjustments to make in major junior over playing Junior A.

“It’s a combination of the smarts and the skill,” Slobodian said. “I think in the MJ, you’re still playing against 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds, big guys, fast, strong, so the jump from there wasn’t as big of a deal. It’s just how people use their size and their speed. They’re so good with their sticks and reading and reacting so much faster.”

The Portland blue-line is anchored by a pair of overagers, Ryder Thompson of Russell and Tyson Jugnauth, with 19-year-old Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Sotheran, 17-year-old rookie Kayd Ruedig and 16-year-old rookie Griffin Darby also on the six-man unit.

“It’s been good,” Slobodian said. “I’ve been playing lots, big minutes. It’s a little different in that I’ve been playing a little more of a defensive role but that’s fine to me. As long as I’m playing. The coaches keep gaining trust in me, and that’s all I can ask for.”

He started the year as a defensive partner to Ruedig, played with Jugnauth for a while and has most recently paired with Darby.

Slobodian didn’t know Thompson prior to arriving in Oregon, saying he and the two other veterans have been extremely helpful to the three rookies.

Portland is a city of more than 600,000 people, so there’s also been an adjustment of the ice.

“It’s been a lot different for sure,” Slobodian said. “The biggest thing is the traffic. It takes 45 minutes to get to the rink in the morning and 45 minutes home, which kind of sucks. It’s just a lot different. You don’t know as many people when you’re just walking around the stores. It’s been weird but I like it.”

Most of the players live on the southern side of the city in an area called Beaverton, while Slobodian is in nearby Tigard, which is about 17 kilometres from Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Winterhawks players are required to take classes, whether they are in still in high school or not, so the older players have to be at the rink at 9 a.m., for a 90-minute class with a professor.

Slobodian is able to stay close with everyone back in Brandon with full family chats a couple times a week, and other random calls with his parents.

He won’t have to call home next week because Portland is making its biennial visit to Westoba Place on Friday, Jan. 10 to kick off its trip through the East Division. “It feels kind of crazy,” Slobodian said. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. It will probably sink in more when I’m at the rink skating in the morning and stuff. It will be pretty cool to come home. I think I have lots of family and friends coming.”

It will also give him a chance to play against his former Brandon teammates Jaxon Jacobson and Brady Turko, along with Easton Odut if his upper-body injury has healed. He’s already played against Everett Silvertips Nolan Chastko and Kaesen Fisher, and will also face Colton Worthington and Ethan McCallum of the Saskatoon Blades and Josh McGregor of the Swift Current Broncos during the trip.

“It’s awesome seeing all the guys you’ve grown up playing with all make it to this level and continue to grow and become better players,” Slobodian said. “It’s awesome playing against them.”

His goal for the rest of the season is simple. He’s paving the path for a bigger role in the future.

“I think it’s just gaining the trust of my coaches and my teammates and just continuing to get better every day so I can continue to make even more of an impact in coming years,” Slobodian said.

THIS AND THAT

• QUIZ — Has Brandon had more athletic therapists or broadcasters since the 2015-16 season when they won the WHL championship?

• WEEKLY AWARDS — The player of the week is 15-year-old Everett Silvertips defenceman Landon DuPont of Calgary, who three goals and two assists in two games. DuPont, the second player granted exceptional status after Connor Bedard, was taken first overall pick in the 2024 draft.

The goaltender of the week is 18-year-old Prince George Cougars netminder Joshua Ravensbergen of North Vancouver, B.C., who posted a 0.96 goals-against average and .970 save percentage in a pair of road wins.

The rookie of the week is 16-year-old Edmonton Oil Kings forward Joe Iginla of Lake Country, B.C., who had three goals and an assist in two games, including his first WHL hat trick. He became the youngest Oil King in franchise history to post a hat trick and just the third 16-year-old.

• SIN BIN — Red Deer Rebels defenceman Hunter Mayo earned a one-game suspension after taking a charging major and game misconduct against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday.

• TRADE FRONT — On Friday, Brandon acquired 19-year-old goalie Alex Garrett of Saskatoon from the Everett Silvertips on Friday for a fifth-round pick in 2026

Also Friday, the Lethbridge Hurricanes acquired overage forward Jordan Gustafson of Ardrossan, Alta., from the Seattle Thunderbirds for overage forward Hayden Pakkala of Okotoks, Alta., plus third-round picks in 2026 and 2028 and a fifth-round pick in 2025 … The Saskatoon Blades sent 19-year-old forward Lukas Hansen of Winnipeg to the Calgary Hitmen on Friday for 15-year-old forward prospect Adam Halat of Chestermere, Alta.

On Saturday, Kamloops dealt 19-year-old forward Niko Tsakumis of Vancouver to Edmonton for 17-year-old defenceman Jager Gugyelka of Coaldale, Alta., and a fourth-round pick in 2026.

• ALUMNI GLANCE — Connor Gutenberg is somehow now 25 years old and in his fifth season with the Calgary Dinos, where he has two goals and nine assists in 16 games. The Brandonite was a heart-and-soul member of the Wheat Kings after they grabbed him in the fifth round in 2014, winning a WHL championship in his 2025-16 rookie season and graduating from the program as captain after the 2019-20 season ended early due to the pandemic. In 347 regular season and playoff games with Brandon, Gutenberg had 73 goals, 121 assists and 194 penalty minutes.

• BIRTHDAY BOYS — Rihards Bukarts is the only member of the Wheat Kings born on Dec. 31. He was hatched in 1995. A few others with birthdays this week are Jayce Hawryluk (Jan. 1, 1996), Neithan Salame (Jan. 1, 2001), Travis Young (Jan. 1, 1983), Adam Magarrell (Jan. 2, 1976), Teegan Moore (Jan. 3, 1986), Cale Jefferies (Jan. 5, 1989), Brett Kitt (Jan. 6, 1996), Tyrel Seaman (Jan. 6, 1994) and Ryan Craig (Jan. 6, 1982).

• THE WEEK AHEAD — There is no rest for the wicked around the league after the Christmas break. After three games in four days, Brandon hosts Swift Current on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, and then visits Saskatoon on Friday and Prince Albert on Saturday.

• ANSWER — The athletic therapists win a narrow 5-4 victory.

Josh Guenther was with the team when they won in 2015-16, but it was Chris Trivieri on the bench for the next two seasons. He was followed by Roman (RJ) Kaszczij (2018-19), William Sadonick-Carriere (2019-2021) and current athletic therapist Zach Hartwick, who joined the team in August 2021.

The four broadcasters are the legendary Bruce Luebke (1993 to 2016), Branden Crowe (2016-2022), Chase Johnston (2022-23) and Rob Mahon (2023 to present).