Anderson settles in, saves best for last

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This article was published 23/05/2025 (379 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Taren Anderson admitted he sometimes felt the added pressure in his major bantam season last winter as the scouts were watching.

At times, that scrutiny brought some weight for the five-foot-nine, 141-pound forward, who was born in Regina and lived there for a couple of years before moving to Pilot Butte, a bedroom community of 2,300 located 12 kilometres to the east.

“It definitely did at times,” Anderson said. “Near the beginning of the season it was ‘Oh, there’s guys watching, I can’t make a mistake.’ After a few games, I got more comfortable and was like ‘Don’t worry about them, focus on the game right now.’ Once I started doing that, I just kept playing better and better.”

The Brandon Wheat Kings certainly thought so. They grabbed him in the 12th round of the Western Hockey League draft with the 268th scheduled pick. Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said Anderson brings a lot of intangibles.

“He was one of the leaders on his hockey team and always led by example,” Moulton said. “Not the biggest guy, yet he plays big. He’s super competitive, has grit and jam, just doesn’t take many shifts off. He was exceptional at the end of the season for his team. I never shy away from guys who are leaders.”

That’s exactly what Anderson sees in his own game.

“I think I’m a two-way forward,” Anderson said. “When I’m on the forecheck I’m pretty much unstoppable and I can beat anyone else to a puck. I’m a physical player who will use my body to create space for myself and when I have the opportunity to score, I’ll use my skill to score.”

Anderson began to skate right around age two at the time of the move, in part because it was so convenient in their new community.

“There was an outdoor rink not far from my house,” Anderson said. “I would just go there every day with my dad (Steve) and brother (Asher).”

He began playing hockey at four or five, and also was active in baseball and school sports.

Anderson initially lined up all over the ice, and actually wanted to be a goalie for a time, an impulse that his father persuaded him to abandon.

Along with mother Nicole, it’s certainly a hockey family. Asher, who is two years younger, also plays and Taren said his parents are incredibly supportive.

“They’ve taken a lot of weekends away from their lives,” Anderson said. “They could be just chillin’ at home instead of taking us to hockey rinks just for practice and for tournaments. They figure out a bunch of rides and stuff. I remember this year and last year, they went on a vacation to Mexico and they’re still making plans for me to get to the rink and helping me out that way.”

He began to contemplate a WHL future a year ago after his minor bantam season with the under-15 AA Prairie Storm. His teammate and good friend Carson Park was picked by Brandon in 2024 — plus the Storm’s Kayson Anderson went to the Edmonton Oil Kings — and that was when the light bulb went on for him that it could be him this year.

“I was like ‘I want to do this,’” Anderson said. “I just kept working on it.”

In 26 regular season games, he had 29 goals, 21 assists and 66 penalty minutes, and in 11 playoff games had 10 goals, 11 assists and 12 penalty minutes.

“I was pretty happy,” Anderson said. “I do wish I could stay a little more consistent. There were a couple of games I wish I could get back but that’s whatever now, and I just have to focus on the next one.”

He was held without a point in just five games all season, and had a five-point outing against the Humboldt Broncos on Jan. 4.

In the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League U15 regular season, the Storm went 22-4-1-0 to finish atop the nine-team South Division, then in the playoffs they beat the Regina Monarchs, Regina Pat Blues, Sask East Oilers and Saskatoon Bandits to earn the championship.

In the best-of-three final series, the Bandits beat the Storm 6-3 in Game 1, only for Anderson to score twice and add three assists in a 6-5 overtime victory in Game 2 to tie the series.

In Game 3, Anderson had four goals — including the winner — and an assist in a 6-3 victory.

After the game, he received the Prairie Storm Hockey Minor Association’s Adam Herold merit award, which is presented annually to a player who demonstrates leadership, volunteerism and community spirit, compassion, accountability, work ethic, sportsmanship and gratitude to those around them.

His buddy Park won it in 2024.

“I was happy with our team,” Anderson said. “Obviously we won so you can’t be too mad about that.”

On draft day on May 8, he went to school and was in his period six science class. The bell had just rung and he was staring at his phone when he saw his name pop up.

“I’m with three of my friends in that class and they all jumped on me,” Anderson said. “I got a call from my agent and as soon as I’m done the call, everybody fills the room, my whole friend group and starts jumping on me. I’m on the ground and my teacher was clapping and giving me high fives. It was kind of sick.”

It certainly didn’t hurt that he was following his buddy to Carson to the Wheat Kings, and then the team made sure he felt comfortable too.

“It was really cool because as soon as I looked at my phone after when I’m processing it, I get texts from the (Brandon) coaches, Roger McQueen, and it was super cool,” Anderson said.“Then I looked at SnapChat and I saw that Carson texted me. It was really nice to hear ‘I love it,’ and I look at my phone again and (2024 draft pick) Hudson Postnikoff and (2023 draft pick) Cameron Allard they all said congrats. It was nice.”

Anderson’s father actually works with Postnikoff’s father and Taren talked to Allard after signing with the U18 AAA Estevan Bears for next season. He also knows Logan Dosenberger and Cruz Jim a little bit from this year’s draft class.

“I feel comfortable now,” Anderson said. “I don’t have to worry about trying to go make another team, which is also the one reason I picked Estevan to go play in. I still have to worry about making the team but I don’t have to pick a team and try out for it. I have to try to make Brandon, I don’t have to worry about any other team.”

He has played in Brandon before, at a U13 spring tournament a couple of years ago. But his next trip to the Wheat City is the one that has captured his imagination.

“I’m very excited,” Anderson said. “I want to meet everybody and I want to have a good camp and show everybody what I’ve got and show that I can play there in a couple of years. I’ll just use Estevan to get better and better.”

» The Brandon Sun is profiling every member of Brandon’s draft class of 2025. See Saturday’s Sun to read about Washington state forward Levi Ellingsen.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com