Scouts in hockey heaven with inaugural U18 AAA showcase

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This article was published 01/12/2023 (703 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hockey scouts won’t want to miss the two-day best-on-best Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League showcase.

That’s the assessment from league vice-president Dan Bonar, who says the top 68 players from the league will compete in this inaugural four-game tournament format at the Hockey For All Centre starting Saturday with games at 5 and 8 p.m. Sunday’s games go at noon and 3 p.m.

“This is an excellent talent pool for the scouts to watch,” he said. “They should be here … this is your best players going up against each other, so scouts can assess talent by seeing those who have been drafted in the Western Hockey League or the Manitoba Junior Hockey League go up against each other. Plus, they get to see some of those 15-year-olds who have not been drafted yet.”

Among the Brandon players selected for this tournament in Winnipeg are 12 just from the dominant first-place Brandon Wheat Kings (17-0-1-0): forward and league scoring race leader Brady Turko, with 14 goals and 33 points in 18 games, plus Brandon Wheat Kings draft pick Jaxon Jacobson, who is tied for second in league scoring with 12 goals and 30 points — playing eight fewer games than Turko — with Winnipeg Thrashers forward Brandon Corda, who has 14 goals and 16 assists in 16 games.

They are joined by Wheat Kings forwards Colten Worthington, Easton Odut, Ethan Stewart and Loughlan McMullan; defencemen Owen Wallace, Dustin Bell, Kaeson Fisher and Josh McGregor; and netminders Matthew Michta and Burke Hood.

“This is a great idea as we’re wanting to make this an even better league,” said Bonar. “It’s a great showcase for the players, and for players who will one day play in the league.

“This is a league where a lot of players have gone on to play in the NHL, like seeing Mark Stone raise the Stanley Cup. Or the Geekie brothers (Morgan, Noah and Conor) have played in this U18 AAA league at one time, then moved on to bigger things.

“Personally, there was no league like this when I played.”

Bonar, who skated with the Brandon Wheat Kings from 1974 to 1977, is looking forward to seeing the likes of Turko and Jacobson play with other players in the U18 AAA league, observing how they adapt to playing alongside talent from other teams.

“It’s good to see how players who have been drafted in both the WHL and MJHL play when they are not on their respective U18 AAA teams,” he said. “One day in the future, a lot of these guys will be playing against each other on others teams as they (graduate) from this league.”

Bonar said the games will be competitive, and won’t be played like an all-star contest where there tends to be little physical play.

“These players will be out to show off their skills, and their play will be recognized with player of the game honours,” he said. “It will be four competitive games, with players out to prove themselves facing some of the best in their league.”

League commissioner Levi Taylor let the teams know that where possible showcase organizers would keep teammates together, but because of numbers would split up players on Brandon, Winnipeg Wild and Winnipeg Thrashers.

Coaches would also keep linemates and defence-pairings together, and coaches involved would coach on teams where they do not have players on.

Taylor also had the scheduler ensure the Wheat Kings, Wild and Thrashers players will not play against their teammates.

Two more Brandon residents on other teams in the league — forward Quinn Schutte skates with the Yellowhead Chiefs, while Ethan McMullan is a D-man with the Parkland Rangers — were also chosen to play.

The Westman area is also represented: Souris boasts three players involved: forward Regan Anderson; defencemen Jackson Kohut and Jack Swaenpoel. Goalie Micky Gross from Cornwallis joins Killarney’s defenceman Ryder Heaphy, Boissevain forward Sebastian Stone, Russell forward Hayden Seib and Virden blueliner Hudson Davidson among the 68 talented players selected to play.

“There are only eight goalies chosen, so there are a lot of goalies who did not make the cut who are disappointed not being involved,” said Bodnar. “But those who were chosen had good starts to their season when it came to choosing who will play on the four teams.”

Besides the scouts expected out for games, Bonar said fans of U18 AAA hockey will not want to miss the on-ice action, possibly seeing future NHLers demonstrating their hockey prowess against the best-on-best league talent. Admission to all four games is free.

Meanwhile, the Hockey For All Centre’s four ice sheets will be a hive of activity for three days starting on Friday, with Hockey Manitoba also hosting their own showcases for U18 AAA and U15 AAA girls teams called Girls’ Hockey United. There are 21 games scheduled for both age groups. Players will be exposed to college and university scouts.

There’s also a component for hockey officials, with select individuals taking part in development sessions besides working the scheduled games.

jxavier@brandonsun.com

X: @julesxavier59