Veterans powering Wolverines success

NEEPAWA — The Waywayseecappo Wolverines defeated the Neepawa Titans 6-1 on Tuesday night to take the top spot in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League away from their divisional rival the Virden Oil Capitals.

“We’ve been playing very well, and just simplifying our game helped us early,” said head coach Landyn Cochrane about the game. “We scored a lot of goals working off the forecheck, getting into the slot.”

With the win over Neepawa (2-6-1-1), the Wolverines (7-2-0-1) are winners of their last two games in no small part because several local veterans are taking big steps forward this season.

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM

Adam Chipelski grew up in Foxwarren just half an hour southwest of the arena he now plays in. The 2008-born defenceman was a hockey family that immersed Chipelski in the sport from an early age.

“My dad played hockey, and I grew up watching him play and fell in love with it,” said Chipelski. “I started when I was three or four years old on the local team.”

At 15, he played for the Yellowhead Chiefs U18 program and at 16 transitioned to the MJHL, something very few players do at such a young age.

During his rookie year with Waywayseecappo, Chipelski scored two goals and added six assists for eight points in 45 games. The following year, he scored a single goal but increased his points to 12 in 42 games.

This year, he’s already set a new personal high in goals with three while putting up seven points in 10 games. He’s on pace to score 17 goals and amass 40 points in 54 games.

“Confidence is the main thing,” said Chipelski about his offensive output. “I’ve struggled my whole career with confidence and not having enough of it, but with it being my third year, coaches having more belief and trust in me and things working out, it all builds and snowballs.

“When you have confidence, it’s a lot easier.”

He’s currently second in points amongst defencemen on the team, trailing only Cale Livingston, who has 10 points in the first 10 games of the year.

“(Chipelski’s) one of our most dedicated players,” said Cochrane. “He’s a kid with a ton of skill, so I think his skating is allowing him to join up in the rush, which has created a few more goals for him.”

As a third-year player, he’s now the one teaching younger guys on the team how to find success in the league. On the ice, Chipelski is a two-way defender that Cochrane describes as a steady rock on the back end for the Wolverines. The increased offensive production is just a bonus.

“The pace feels slower with more experience,” said Chipelski. “Playing more games, it helps a lot.”

THE LAST DANCE

Another veteran local player making noise for Waywayseecappo is 20-year-old forward Max Collyer, who hails from Onanole.

“He’s a heart and soul guy,” said Cochrane with a smile. “He’s a quiet guy, very popular guy in the room, and every day, whether it’s a workout or practice, he leads by example.

“He goes to the dirty areas and he’s leading our team in goals and rightfully so with a release like that.”

Like Chipelski, Collyer played his youth hockey with the Chiefs before joining the Flin Flon Bombers in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for the 2024-25 season. He only played a handful of games there before moving to the Northern Manitoba Blizzard for the rest of the year, winning a championship in the process.

Championship-winning players are critical for teams that want to succeed, and for the last two years he’s brought that pedigree with him to Waywayseecappo.

“It’s my last season. I’m just trying to soak it all in,” said Collyer. “We have a pretty good group here, so we’re trying to go for it.”

As a leader, Collyer is focused on keeping things simple for the younger players on the team.

“They just have to find their role and work hard,” said Collyer. “That’s all they need to have to prove to our coach they can be in the lineup every night.”

In 10 games, Collyer has six goals and six assists, putting him on pace to finish the year with career highs in goals (34), assists (34) and points (68). These totals would far surpass his previous highs of 12 goals, 12 assists and 24 points in a single season.

“He’s found a really great connection with his roommate Blake Farthing and Carter Haney,” said Cochrane. “I think that line continues to go on, and they see the points accumulate.”

In the coming weeks, the Wolverines play a few high-stakes games that will test the team. On Friday, they play the Selkirk Steelers at home for their only match of the week. Then, on Oct. 24, they face the defending champion Niverville Nighthawks.

“We just have to keep working for every win,” said Cochrane. “We’re going to start playing some of the heavier teams in the east, so that’s when our guys are going to have to dig in and see what they’re made of.”

The team is excited for the challenge, believing they have a strong chance to fight for a championship with the group they have.

“We can win this league and go on and have a great shot at the Centennial Cup,” said Chipelski. “We have a great group here, great chemistry, and on top of that, we’ve got work ethic and guys who will be there to stick up for each other day in and day out.”

» rmccarthy@brandonsun.com