Bendera relies on grit, hard work

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This article was published 08/06/2023 (1049 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If the player Knox Bendera compares himself to is accurate, he likely doesn’t make many friends among his opponents.

The 14-year-old forward from Sherwood Park, Alta., who the Brandon Wheat Kings selected in the fifth round of the Western Hockey League draft with the 95th overall pick, compared himself to the much despised but undeniably effective Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand on the team’s pre-draft questionnaire.

“That’s what I go for,” Bendera said. “I’m a gritty player who goes to the gritty areas even though I’m not the biggest guy. I hit as much as I can. I’m a pass-first kind of guy but can still score goals and I’m a 200-foot player. I like playing both sides of the ice.”

Brandon director of player personnel Chris Moulton said after the draft that Bendera’s comparison to Marchand is a good one, which is why the team drafted him.

“That’s about where he fits,” Moulton said. “He is a pest. He plays so hard, he is the ultimate teammate, he makes life tough for the opposition because he pursues the puck so hard and is so competitive. On top of that, he has the ability to create offence and help out that way.”

The five-foot-six, 139-pound forward started skating around age four at a rink in Sherwood Park, and began playing soon after. He was always a forward, except for one notable exception.

“I tried one game as a goalie,” Bendera said. “I let in about 24 goals so it wasn’t where I wanted to be.”

Bendera wasn’t a player who had a lot handed to him. At the youngest age groups, he was cut from competitive teams, which certainly put fuel on the fire as he developed.

“That’s what motivated me the best,” Bendera said. “I think maybe in peewee second year I started to become the player that I am now.”

He played lacrosse when he was younger, and not surprisingly based on his game, is now active in mixed martial arts training.

He spent his minor bantam season with the Sherwood Park Flyers U15 AAA — he had 25 points and 36 penalty minutes in 34 games — and then made a big jump to the highly touted Northern Alberta Xtreme under-15 prep team last season.

Like all players in their major bantam season, he was well aware his WHL draft year had arrived.

“I was a little bit worried about it but I tried to keep the stress away from me,” Bendera said. “I knew if I kept stressing about it, it would affect the way I was playing so I tried not to think about it at all.”

Bendera finished fifth in team scoring with the Northern Alberta Xtreme in the regular season, scoring 14 goals and adding 27 assists and 20 penalty minutes in 26 games. He also had two points in three games with the U17 club.

“I was really happy with how I played,” Bendera said. “I kept consistent and I did my role. I did what I needed to do to help my team win the games. I think I played really well.”

It didn’t hurt that the team had lots of success.

NAX went an incredible 28-1-0-1 in the regular season and were unbeaten in the playoffs as they won the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s U15 prep title.

“Our team was awesome this year,” Bendera said. “It’s the funniest year I’ve ever played. We were a winning team, and it’s always more fun to be on a winning team. It was just awesome, especially that we won the championship. That made it even better.”

The Benderas are a family of hockey players. His older brother Hudson is set to play at the Junior B level next season with the Strathcona Bruins of the Capital Junior Hockey League.

Three decades ago, Bendera’s father Terry skated in the WHL with the Regina Pats, Victoria Cougars and Prince Albert Raiders during four seasons between 1988 and 1992, recording 35 goals, 54 assists and 301 penalty minutes in his 209-game career. While Terry didn’t go through the WHL draft — it didn’t start until 1990 — he has been a source of hockey wisdom for his son.

“He gives me a lot of advice,” Bendera said. “He tells me that if I keep playing the way I’m playing, stuff will go my way, and don’t listen to people who are bringing you down. Just keep motivated and keep working hard.”

The elder Bendera finished his WHL career in 1991-92 as Pats captain.

On draft day, he was at home with his family, which also includes mother Krista.

“My dad was watching TV, and he said ‘Knox, you’re going to the Wheat Kings,’” Bendera said. “I was real excited because I’ve only heard great things about the Wheat Kings. My family was so proud of me and very excited for me.

“We’re ready to start the journey.”

Bendera had spoken to Brandon’s staff before and wasn’t shocked by the news, but added he wasn’t sure where he would end up.

“I was pretty stressed going in and now, knowing that I’m in a great organization and everybody is respected there, I feel like I’m really excited to be on the team,” Bendera said.

If history is any indication, Bendera’s method for earning a spot on the Wheat Kings will lie in hard work.

He said his formula for success on his best nights at the rink is fairly consistent.

“I’m first on pucks, I’m getting shots on net, I’m passing the puck, I’m line matched against the hardest guys and I shut them,” Bendera said. “Also discipline and I keep working hard. It’s win at all costs.”

He is targeting his skating, shot and strength this summer as facets of his game he wants to improve.

The youngster got his first inside look at the Brandon organization at prospects camp, which was hosted mainly at J&G Homes Arena from May 26 to 28 since the ice was out of Westman Place for the PBR event.

While Bendera had to leave the Wheat Kings prospect camp on Saturday night — he missed Sunday’s morning’s intrasquad game — to get home for his brother’s graduation, he came away impressed with what he saw.

“They treated everyone really well,” Bendera said. “They’re an organization that treats everyone good, which is really good. The facilities were awesome. Everywhere you go you’re treated well, good facilities, and the practice rink was awesome.”

Now that he knows where his potential WHL path lies, he’s starting another journey. Not surprisingly, he’s got a familiar formula worked out to get him there.

“It’s my dream to play hockey so it’s going to be really exciting,” Bendera said. “It’s going to be really hard to make it but I’m going keep pushing, keep myself motivated and keep working hard, and hopefully I can make it.”

ICINGS: The Seattle Thunderbirds traded 16-year-old forward Tij Iginla to the Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday for 17-year-old forward Grady Lenton, a first-round pick in the 2024 WHL draft and Seattle’s second-round pick in 2027. Iginla, who is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Jarome, was the ninth overall pick in the 2021 draft and had 18 points in 48 games for the WHL champion Thunderbirds this season.

» Profiles of Brandon’s most recent draft picks and listed players will continue in upcoming editions of The Brandon Sun.

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