Fouquette makes most of WHL opportunity

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This article was published 19/09/2023 (790 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tre Fouquette believes in second chances. He just wasn’t sure his would ever arrive.

A right-handed shot from Warman, Sask., Fouquette spent four seasons in the Prince Albert Raiders organization before he was released by the Western Hockey League team. The Brandon Wheat Kings invited the stocky five-foot-11, 204-pound defenceman to training camp during the summer as a free agent, and he earned a spot.

“It was kind of 50-50,” Fouquette said when asked if he thought the chance would ever come. “There was a point where I was kind of over the Dub and just wanted to go to school and play university hockey. That was in my head but when Brandon called and I got the opportunity again, I knew if I said no I would regret it down the road.

“I 100 per cent was going to do this for sure.”

He’s certainly travelled an unusual path en route to the Wheat Kings.

Fouquette, 19, played under-15 hockey with his hometown Warman Wildcats, scoring 15 goals and adding six assists in 27 games during his 2018-19 draft year.

The Raiders grabbed him in the fourth round with the 74th overall pick in 2019, and he was also taken in the third round, 25th overall by the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s La Ronge Ice Wolves.

Since Saskatchewan is open territory at the U18 level — that means players don’t have to play in their region and can try out for any team in the province — Fouquette headed north to join the Prince Albert Mintos. After one full season there, he had three games with the Mintos in 2020-21 before the pandemic ended the season.

But that didn’t turn out to be the end of his hockey that year.

Fouquette, who signed with the Raiders on Sept. 24, 2019, made his WHL debut in the Regina hub on April 15, 2021 after he was added due to injuries on the Prince Albert blue-line.

“I got my opportunity there when I was 16,” said Fouquette, who skated in six games. “I played some games. It was a good opportunity, and an eye opener for sure. It was neat to experience the bubble.”

He admitted it was an odd situation to enter the hub after the other players had already been there for a while, but he was close to his former Mintos teammate Dallyn Peekeekoot, who was then with the Raiders.

Fouquette started the next season with the Raiders, but after four games was reassigned to La Ronge on Oct. 15, 2021. He played 12 games there and then was on the move again on Jan. 6, 2022, when the Wolves traded him to the Nipawin Hawks.

“It was a really good fit,” Fouquette said. “I got a lot of ice time, the billets were awesome, the coaches were awesome. I really liked it there.”

He also had the chance to play with Team Saskatchewan at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Nova Scotia that May. Saskatchewan fell 3-2 to Ontario in the gold medal game, but Fouquette was named top defenceman.

The Metis teenager, who is a cousin of former Wheat King Matt Henry, said it was a great experience.

“It was amazing,” Fouquette said. “It was good to show my culture and as well play hockey in front of a lot of people in Nova Scotia. It was pretty amazing to go all the way out there and a good opportunity to show more skill again.”

Last season, he played three games with Prince Albert but spent the majority of the year with Nipawin, where he had three goals, 18 assists and 52 penalty minutes in 47 games.

“It was just before Christmas I decided to go to Nipawin and play there and see how it went,” Fouquette said. “I had a really good year and got picked up by Seattle (Thunderbirds) for a bit and that didn’t work. Brandon gave me an awesome opportunity so now I’m here.”

He said his new teammates and the coaching staff have been very welcoming since he arrived.

Brandon overage defenceman Kayden Sadhra-Kang said Fouquette is a nice addition to their group.

“He’s just been a solid player,” Sadhra-Kang said. “Especially in camp, he just plays his game really well. He can move pretty well and he throws the body around, which is something teams need and is important in this league. If he plays his game and just stays consistent, he can be a really good player.”

Fouquette said on his best nights, he has a lot to offer.

“I think I’m a very hard hitter,” Fouquette said. “I’m solid in D zone and always pin guys in the corner and get the puck out. I can kill penalties, I can be offensive if the coaches need. I have a good shot, good skating ability, can get the puck out and make a great first pass.”

Still, there is a big difference between the SJHL and major junior. Fouquette noted that extends a long way past the skill of the top players.

“The fourth line in Dub is still good,” Fouquette said. “The fourth line in SJ is guys who just want to rip your head off, they’re not as skilled. The Dub is way faster and there are obviously NHL guys. It’s just more skill all around.”

ICINGS: The 2023 WHL Cup will be held from Oct. 18 to 22 in Red Deer, Alta., and will once again include teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. The top 2008-born prospects will be involved.

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