Five questions Brandon faces this season

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/09/2022 (1255 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Just like in life, change is a constant in the Western Hockey League.

Young guys enter the league, often struggle at first, eventually find their way and graduate as completely different players at 19 or 20. That cycle means established veterans have to be replaced after they leave the program every year and other younger players have to step into their roles.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have been hit hard by graduation after the 2021-22 season, but at the same time, have a promising rookie class stepping onto the roster.

The Sun asked general manager Marty Murray, head coach Don MacGillivray and a handful of veterans about what they expect regarding the five most prominent questions facing this season’s Wheat Kings team.

1. Will the young goaltending staff come through?

The pressure will certainly be on 17-year-old sophomore Carson Bjarnason and 18-year-old rookie Nick Jones this season.

With the graduation of last season’s overage starter, Ethan Kruger, and the reassignment of 16-year-old rookie Ethan Eskit, the job is falling into the hands of Bjarnason, who has 23 WHL appearances, and Jones, who has two.

They have a combined 1,219 minutes of WHL experience, third fewest in the league.

The only similar situation came during the 2018 training camp, but that was after the team liked what they saw in 19-year-old rookie Jiri Patera and traded veteran Dylan Myskiw.

Before that, the team went with 17-year-old rookies Liam Liston and Corbin Boes for the 2010-11 season.

After winning the backup job at camp a year ago, Bjarnason was thrust into the starting role when Kruger was injured and had some tough outings backstopping an injury-riddled team. He improved steadily, and actually worked his way onto the under-18 Canadian team that won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup during the summer.

Meanwhile, Jones was terrific after being sent back to Calgary to his U18 team last season and has enjoyed an outstanding camp and pre-season.

• NATE DANIELSON: “We have a pretty inexperienced goaltending crew this year. Both of them are young guys and don’t have much experience in the league but I think we have a lot of trust back there. We know that they’re both really good goalies and they both learned from Krugs last year, who was a great mentor for them. I think we have a lot of trust in them. Obviously it will be new and they’ll have to figure out their own things too but I think we have a lot of trust back there with them.”

• MASON WARD: “We have a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old there in the pipes but from what I can see, you can’t tell they’re 17 and 18. They look comfortable and that’s good for the defencemen. We feel confident in them so we’re happy to have those guys between the pipes backing us up.”

• NOLAN RITCHIE: “Both of them are really good so I’m not worried about it one bit. It’s not much experience in the league but they’re both really good players and good people too. Barney was here last year so he knows what it takes. It should be good.”

• MARTY MURRAY: “These guys are both going to get an opportunity. Barney is the veteran and played at a pretty high level this summer, and Nick has come in and had a really good camp. Talking with our staff, the guys were really impressed how far he’s come in the last year. They’re both guys who are going to push each other.”

• BRETT HYLAND: “The room is pretty relaxed right now (about the goaltending). In practice they’ve been looking really solid and in camp obviously. Barney has been showing a lot of maturity and you can see that. There’s a general consensus of calmness.”

• QUINN MANTEI: “We’re set for goalies. They’re really young obviously but Barney got some good experience last year when Krugs got hurt a couple of times and he got into some big games. Then he had a big summer. They both look really good so I think that should be a strong point for us, even though they’re young.

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “Barney got some really good experience last year and he has some Hockey Canada experience. Jones probably came in as the lead candidate last year and had a setback but went back and did exactly what he is supposed to do and has come in and looked extremely good. I feel confident in both guys. They work well together, they push each other. I haven’t seen anything that would give me any cause for concern … I’m not worried about the age. There’s enough maturity there that we’ll be just fine.”

2. Will the class of 2004 step up in a big way?

It’s hard to overstate how important Brandon’s 18-year-old class will be to any team success they enjoy this season.

Brandon has an incredible nine players in that age group, including rookie goalie Nick Jones, defencemen Owen Harris, Zach Turner and Andrei Malyavin, and forwards Nate Danielson, Tyson Zimmer, Rylen Roersma, Ben Thornton and WHL rookie Matt Henry.

Conversely, they have to settle on three 2002-born 20-year-olds — they currently have four and will have to cut down by Oct. 10 — four 2003-born 19-year-olds, six 2005-born 17-year-olds and three 2006-born 16-year-olds.

Harris and Turner debuted a year ago, as did Malyavin, who played with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting last season and was taken by Brandon in the import draft.

Four of the forwards, Danielson, Zimmer, Roersma, and Thornton, were in the top 16 picks of the 2019 draft, and will be expected to be bigger contributors in their third WHL seasons. While every player has to get better every season, the step from 17 to 18 and the added responsibility and expectation makes it a massive year.

Henry, meanwhile, was an absolute gift for the Wheat Kings, who scouted the rugged winger in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and quickly listed him. He has shown ability around the puck, terrific speed, relentless forechecking and a high level of intimidation every time he steps on the ice.

• NATE DANIELSON: “Us 18-year-olds have all been here since we were 16 or 17 and I think now is sort of our time for all of us to take bigger steps again as we’re becoming older guys and leaders in the room. I think it’s a big year for all of us.”

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “Our guys have been in the league for a couple of years now so we need them to take a step and complement the group we have. We have some younger guys who look like they’re going to be really good players and they’re going to fit into our roster and learn as they go, not unlike the ’04s did two years ago. Really our success will be determined by how big a step those guys take and push some of our older guys.”

• NOLAN RITCHIE: “It’s a huge step. It was a little different for me being in the bubble but I feel like it’s one of the biggest steps for sure. You feel more confident going into that year. For those guys, having a lot of them, it should help us a lot. They should all take big steps this year and hopefully contribute to the team.”

• BRETT HYLAND: “For me, it definitely was a bit of a change. You have more pressure put on you, and with more pressure, there is obviously more responsibility and stuff like that. It tests you to see if you’re up to the task. It will be up to these guys to challenge themselves mentally and just be prepared.”

• MASON WARD: “They’re now at the age when you expect those guys to step up. They’re 18-year-olds. I think we have a really good group and if they step up, it will be a great season for them and for our team.”

• MARTY MURRAY: “It’s time. Some of these guys have been in the league a little bit and know what the Western Hockey League is all about. Your 18-year-old year is a big year. At 16 especially and 17 you’re kind of getting your feet wet and finding your way, but now at 18 you have to take it to another level, and it often determines the success of your hockey team.”

3. Who will replace the departed top defensive pairing of Vincent Iorio and Chad Nychuk?

Brandon is relatively inexperienced on the back end, and they desperately need their veterans to step up and grow into front-line roles.

Overager Mason Ward is a likely candidate, while 19-year-old Logen Hammett, 17-year-old Quinn Mantei and the 18-year-old Malyavin will also be counted on. While it would potentially be a bit unfair to him, 16-year-old rookie Charlie Elick could quickly play himself into the discussion as well.

The team will also be hoping for bigger contributions from Owen Harris and Zach Turner, a pair of Westman products who will for more in their second seasons. The eighth defenceman is rookie Eastyn Mannix, who at 17, is making his full-time debut with the club.

• QUINN MANTEI: “I think collectively as a group we need to pick up a bit of their work load. They (Iorio and Nychuk) were kind of our two horses back there last year and they did a lot for our group. As a group, we all just need to take a step forward and keep improving and try to make up for their losses.”

• BRETT HYLAND: “Our D corps first of all is looking really solid. We have some young guys and we have the older guys who are pushing themselves, Ward, Logen and Malyevin coming in. He’s a solid guy. I think the expectation is to let in less goals in each game and just have a general sense of comfort when guys are going back for pucks and stuff like that.”

• MARTY MURRAY: “Our forward group is pretty deep so the biggest message we’ve tried to express to our D is to defend well. Your job is to keep the puck out of the net and get the pucks moving north to our forwards and the strength of our team. I think we have a solid group but that was a question mark coming into camp. These guys are going to be put to the test early and we’re anxious to see how they handle it.”

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “We really need some of the guys who were with us last year to take steps, the Hammetts, the Manteis of the world have to take a big step to give us big minutes. We had two guys last year who played big minutes in Nychuk and Iorio and the year before that (Braden) Schneider. It’s kind of a transition on the blue-line but Mason Ward is a big veteran presence back there and Andrei Malyavin has come in and really looked good and Charlie Elick is an up and comer. We also have the other guys who are fighting for ice time and getting better.”

• MASON WARD: “Losing Vinny and Chuck, two great defencemen, just means more opportunity for the rest of us. You just have to take that opportunity and make the most of it. It will be a good season if I can do that and the rest of us just have to make the most of it. It will mean more minutes for everyone.”

• NATE DANIELSON: “I think we have a bit of a younger D corps this year, same as our goalies, but I think we have some younger guys this year who will be able to take some big strides. We’ll have Ward and Hammett to sort of fill in those shoes for the older guys but the young guys will need to take steps for us to be successful.”

• MASON WARD: “There might be a little pressure but I’m just going to do the same and lead by example and just be the best I can be.”

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “It’s not unlike the goaltending. We expect guys to take a step but we’re confident that they can do that. If they do, we’ll be just fine.”

4. Will any of the eight members of Brandon’s significant rookie class make a big impression?

Brandon’s rookies include 16-year-olds Charlie Elick, Roger McQueen and Caleb Hadland, plus 17-year-olds Teydon Trembecky, Evan Groening and Eastyn Mannix and the two 18-year-olds Jones and Henry.

Malyavin is new to the Wheat Kings but has Canadian Hockey League experience.

McQueen — a lanky 16-year-old forward — scored four goals in the pre-season, and has quickly displayed why Brandon took him fourth overall in the 2021 draft. That was one pick behind Elick, who will almost certainly play major minutes on Brandon’s blue-line.

Jones is ready to step into the net, and Groening and Trembecky played Junior A last season and have a sense of what’s coming.

In fact, all but Hadland and Henry made their WHL debuts with the Wheat Kings last season.

Brandon has done a good job developing young players in recent seasons, something apparent to anyone who watched the careers of recent Wheat Kings such as Logan Thompson, Chad Nychuk and even Ridly Greig from beginning to end, but it’s a never-ending cycle.

Something to watch for with the rookies is the difference in their games before and after Christmas. Brandon’s last game is on Dec. 17 and they don’t play again until Dec. 28: For some reason, that break reliably marks a turning point for many youngsters.

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “We’re young but we have a good complement of older guys who can help bring those guys along and we can shelter them a little bit and try to put them in good situations where they can have success. Typically, if they have success early, they’re going to have a drop-off and then they’re going to struggle with confidence, and then hopefully they’ll come back and take another step. I like the talent level, I like the work habits of our young guys. They’ve been really good in camp and then pushed to be on the team. The guys that are here deserve to be here.”

• MARTY MURRAY: “It’s getting to understand what it takes to be successful at the junior hockey level is consistency. There are going to be trying times, no question. I think it’s a hard league to come in at 16 especially and produce but we have some guys here who have the opportunity to come in and do that. I think in pre-season we really liked what we saw. McQueen scored, Elick got his feet wet last year and that really helped him kick off the season the right way. Hadland is another kid who is a bit of a Swiss army knife who does everything. Those are three 16s who I think are a real special group. You don’t want to put too much pressure on guys too early, But I think they can make an impression and an impact in the lineup right away.”

• NOLAN RITCHIE: “They’re all really good players. Just watching them here in camp and the first exhibition games and practice too, they’re all really good. I’ll just be around them and try to help them grow as players and people. Hopefully it will be a good year with them.”

• BRETT HYLAND: “They’re bringing more skill to this team, and along with that, they’re getting pretty comfortable in the room. They’re opening up right now. Give some credit to the guys in the room, they’re creating an environment where people feel comfortable. I think ultimately that translates to confidence on the ice and I think they’re starting to get that.”

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “Roger McQueen is a special player. He has some talent and some God-given abilities that other players don’t have but he also has some things he has to learn and get better at. Work ethic, attention to details, those are things young players really have to grasp as you move into the season.”

• NATE DANIELSON: “It’s different. It’s a tough league and just with everything that goes with it, the travel and everything doesn’t make it any easier than the hockey already is. I think it will take some time for those guys to get into the swing of things but I think they can all have really big years for us and be key contributors for us. I think it’s staying patient with them and letting them get into their roles.”

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “(The expectation is) just to be able to play on a regular basis this season and get better. Once they do that, they’ll be able to help us in the back half of the season.

• NOLAN RITCHIE: “Roger and Charlie were up us last year so they got a little taste of it. Obviously Hadland is really good too. All those guys should be real good for us.”

• TRAE JOHNSON: “They’re super good players. It’s an exciting group coming in. It’s nice to see them developing and getting comfortable here. I had the same feelings last year so I try to help them as much as I can. They’re really good players. They’ll do well.”

• NATE DANIELSON: “Matt is a great guy and everyone loves to be around him. He brings life into the room, and he’s one of those guys that you know would do anything for every one of us. It’s nice to have someone like that on your team, who is going to go to war every night for you.”

• MASON WARD: “We have Elick, McQueen, Trembecky, Hadland, all those guys. They’re all great players and they all fit in. It’s hard to say that they’re 16- or 17-year-olds because they fit in so well. They’re going to be a big part of our team this year and it will be big for the older guys to lead by example for them and try to lead them in the right direction because they’re all great players.”

5. Where will the offensive spark come from with Ridly Greig’s departure?

While he missed nearly half the games last season, Greig was a threat every time he stepped on the ice.

He averaged 1.62 points per game in 39 outings last season, which was 0.47 points per game more than the next player, team scoring leader Ritchie.

Obviously he’ll be missed, but there are a few candidates to fill his shoes, and a couple of ways of approaching that job.

The overager Ritchie is in his fourth year in the league, and has an elite ability to read the play. He also has a quick shot — he led the team with 33 goals last season — and the ability to feed his teammates, illustrated by his 43 assists.

A pair of the team’s 19-year-old forwards Jake Chiasson and Hyland, are both candidates for massive jumps in production. Hyland had 29 points in 61 games last season, but flashed the considerable skill that made him a U18 AAA scoring champion in Alberta.

Chiasson, an Edmonton draft pick, was injured at Oilers camp and only played 20 WHL games last year, earning 18 points as he quickly rediscovered his touch after missing two-thirds of the season.

Both were very good in camp.

The 18-year-old Danielson piled up five points in two pre-season games, and if he has better luck with injuries this season, could lead the team in scoring and be selected in the first round of the 2023 draft.

Roersma was the team’s hottest goal scorer at times last season, and with more consistency, could see his 2021-22 total of 19 goals improve to 30 or more.

A dark-horse candidate for a break-out season is the 18-year-old Thornton, who has impressed at camp and in the pre-season.

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “Every year, every team loses good players. When we lost Braden Schneider last year, we didn’t know who was going to be the leader on the back end and then Nychuk really took a step and Iorio did as well. This year we’re losing Greig up front and we expect Nolan Ritchie, Nate Danielson, Zakhar Polshakov down the middle to take steps and give us that veteran presence and veteran leadership, the guys who want to be on the ice when the game is on the line. That’s what Ridly was.”

• NOLAN RITCHIE: “I think it’s the whole team. Everyone is skilled and can score goals. Everyone coming into the year wants to score goals and get points. I feel we have a good group and everyone can put the puck in the net. That’s a good thing to have.”

• MASON WARD: “Ridly is a one-of-a-kind player so he’s hard to replace but we have guys who play hard, and with the addition of Henry, you can compare him to Rids in some ways. Guys like that giving the team momentum and giving the team some energy will be huge for us this year.”

• BRETT HYLAND: “I don’t think there’s one single player who can completely take the role that Ridly played. He was physical, he was very offensive, very skilled. I think it’s going to rely upon a number of guys to step up and take that role.”

• DON MacGILLIVRAY: “He is a different player. He’s kind of a throwback, old school, 200-foot player but he was also a guy that when the game was on the line, he wants to be the guy who takes charge and makes a difference. I don’t know if we can replace that right away, but by committee, we’ll have different guys step up. He was hurt for a good portion of the year last year and we had different guys step up at different times. When he was in the lineup, we kind of relied on him a little bit and that was a bit concerning.”

• MARTY MURRAY: “We feel real good about our forward group. We think we have a really deep group and we’re not reliant on one or two guys. We feel real comfortable. You talk about junior hockey and guys coming in ready to take that next step, with Ritch and Danny leading the way, I think our forward group is pretty deep and those guys are going to be elite players, I believe, in the league this year.”