Kraus perseveres after trying start

While Jayden Kraus didn’t quite make the early impression he was hoping to on Brandon Wheat Kings fans, he’s certainly making up for lost time now.

The six-foot-two, 210-pound Kraus, a 19-year-old netminder from Prince Albert, Sask., was caught up in the malaise that enveloped the club early in the Western Hockey League season. But like his teammates, he’s been a lot better since.

“The hardest part about sports is nobody wants to go in there and be like, ‘Ya, I don’t want to be good today,’” Kraus said with a chuckle. “That’s the hardest part. That wasn’t the start I was envisioning, I want to get to a new place I was super excited to be and wanted to jump in the door and have success, just like everybody would.

“Looking back on it, it wasn’t the easiest time, but for me, it was just another area of growth and another opportunity to learn and grow. It’s definitely not fun in the moment, but looking back on it, in four or five years it will be just another experience that makes me a better person on and off the ice.”

The Wheat Kings were in action against the Tri-City Americans last night in a game that ended well after deadline. They finish up the U.S. Division trip against the Spokane Chiefs tonight.

QUICK START

Kraus began to skate around age three and played as soon as he could, at age four as an underager at the initiation level.

He was actually the first member of the family to take up the sport.

Kraus played all the school sports when he was younger— basketball, badminton, volleyball — and also was active in baseball, but it was lacrosse that appealed to him when he wasn’t on the ice.

Even so, some level of specialization is almost inevitable for elite athletes now, and soon he was pouring all his energy and time into hockey.

But playing in net isn’t for everyone: In fact, like superheroes, every goalie has an origin story.

“It was really tough for me to make my decision,” Kraus said. “I loved playing out as a player, and I loved playing goalie. I honestly didn’t have a favourite. Once it got to atom, I had to make the decision, and ultimately, it just came down to me having more success at goaltending. That was the biggest thing, and the biggest thing was growing up watching the Raiders and there were tons of goalies I looked up to.

“Carey Price was a big role model of mine and Jonathan Quick when I was younger. It was a combination of lots of things.”

Still, goaltending isn’t for everyone. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with being the last line of defence, and as a result, not everyone who starts in the position stays there.

“There is also the flip side of it,” Kraus argued. “You can be the game saver, you can be the guy who makes the saves and win a hockey game single-handedly. There are lots of really fun parts of it. It’s just the thrill. I love the thrill of it.”

“… I accept it as a challenge. Over a lot of years, I’ve learned how to manage the stress and everything that comes along with the position. I love it.”

He said a big key is discovering how to compartmentalize life at the rink and life away from it.

Mother Courtney and grandparents Rachelle Kraus and Dale Rohovich raised the youngster and were supportive of his love for the sport. While hockey is a big enough job already, until recently, Prince Albert didn’t have ice in the summer, so players had to drive to Saskatoon.

Essentially, that’s like making the trip from Brandon to Portage la Prairie just to skate.

“All three of them gave me every opportunity to succeed,” Kraus said. “The cost of hockey these days is ridiculous and they made a lot of sacrifices for me they definitely did not have to do. Ultimately it helped me get where I am today. The other part of it for me is I’m so grateful they drove me all the places they did.

“I was always playing hockey on the weekends and even the weekdays, and in the summer I was in Saskatoon four or five days a week. I was always relying on them to get me back and forth, and they always came through. I’m so grateful for that.”

On top of that, the family had season tickets for the Prince Albert Raiders, and his aunt and uncle helped out at games. He was essentially raised around the Raiders organization, going to every game, and when he was 10 or 11, the family began billeting players.

They had goalie Carter Serhyenko for three years, goalie Cole Tisdale for a short time, plus goalie Max Hildebrand and his friend Cole Peardon, a forward.

“I learned tons from all the guys who stayed at our house,” Kraus said. “Three out of four were goalies, and one was my childhood buddy. It was great.”

When Hildebrand was in his first year with the Raiders at 17, Kraus was playing with the under-18 AAA Prince Albert Mintos. Along with living together, they attended Carlton Comprehensive High School, which is located across the parking lot from the Art Hauser Centre, where the Raiders and Mintos play.

MAKING THE JUMP

As a 2006-born player, Kraus was part of the infamous 2021 WHL draft that was moved to December from May to give scouts more time to look at players after the pandemic interrupted the 2020-21 season.

He was grabbed in the third round by the Victoria Royals with the 46th overall pick, the fifth goaltender to be selected.

He made a two-minute debut with the Royals in an 8-2 thumping by the Kamloops Blazers on Feb. 5, 2022 — he stopped all four shots he faced in relief of Campbell Arnold — but spent most of the season with the Mintos.

Kraus also played two games with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Nipawin Hawks, posting a gaudy .932 save percentage.

He made the jump to Victoria in his 17-year-old season in 2023-24, serving as backup to veteran Braden Holt. In 26 games, he had a .870 save percentage and a 4.29 goals-against average.

“If I give you the completely honest answer, it wasn’t easy,” Kraus said of his debut campaign. “I really expected it to be easy, and it wasn’t an easy jump for me. Every level I jumped before that, I was used to jumping in and having immediate success. Being a 17-year-old going into the Western Hockey League, why wouldn’t I just jump in and have success?

“Obviously I didn’t have the year I wanted to, but looking back at it, my 17-year-old year was the biggest year of growth for me in my career. It’s definitely a huge part of the reason why I’ve had success. It made a better goalie and a better person overall.”

Of course there’s the off-ice experience too, which includes long bus rides because they have to take the ferry for every road game. It was a big step for a Prairie kid, but he embraced it.

“Honestly, I was pretty foreign to it,” Kraus said. “I had no clue what it was like. I went to Victoria very raw, and it felt like a whole new world. I’m used to snow, flat land, everything was the complete opposite in Victoria. The roads, the whole shebang, everything together was just crazy, but it was so cool. It made me learn so much, and I’m so grateful for that experience because I never would have had that if I wasn’t in hockey.”

In his second season in Victoria, Kraus suited up in 46 games with a 2.86 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. But after it ended, he asked for a trade, and on July 29 his wish was granted when Brandon acquired him for Ethan Eskit and a seventh-round pick in 2029 in a swap of goalies entering their 19-year-old seasons.

To say Kraus was delighted to be back on the Prairies would be to dabble in understatement.

He was able to watch the East Division clubs a lot over the years against the Raiders, and those were the teams he dreamed of playing for. Plus, he learned about the Wheat City from his best friend, former Wheat Kings defenceman Rhett Ravndahl.

“Victoria was an amazing experience in terms of living there, and I’m so grateful for that, but to come and play in a climate that feels like home and a city that feels like home, it’s just so special,” Kraus said. “I truly am a Prairie boy at heart. I love everything about living on the flat land with cold weather and snow.

“Everybody says, ‘What are you talking about, Jayden?’ but I’m proud of it, and I love it.”

The last Prince Albert product to play in Brandon was former team captain Braden Schneider, who now patrols the blue-line for the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers. Ravndahl is from nearby Birth Hills.

FRESH START

When Kraus arrived in Brandon in August, he was clearly ready to go. Kraus had an outstanding training camp and then headed to rookie camp with the Colorado Avalanche. They reassigned him in time to start the WHL season, and everything seemed to be in place for an outstanding season.

Then the wheels fell off for Brandon, which started 0-4-1-0.

To paraphrase the title of an old Robert De Niro movie, the gang that couldn’t defend straight allowed 31 goals in those five games, and Kraus found himself with a record of 0-3-1-0 with an ugly 6.30 goals-against average and .846 save percentage.

“I thought he was exceptional in camp,” head coach and general manager Marty Murray said. “We played well in preseason and then for whatever reason, our first half a dozen games plus were sloppy defensively. Jayden would probably agree he wasn’t at the top of his game either, and combine that with being a little sloppy defensively, it leads to letting in four or five goals a night.”

For a team that hoped to be near the top of the WHL, it was an awful introduction to the season.

“If you look at my season, it was definitely a slow start, and then I began to find my way,” Kraus said. “Now, I’m really excited and I’m going to continue to trend upwards and be better all the time.”

He began the season with Hudson Perry as his backup, with towering Czech netminder Filip Ruzicka finally arriving in Brandon on Sept. 29 when transfer issues with his old club were sorted out. Perry was eventually reassigned to the Alberta Junior Hockey League on Oct. 22.

Despite the turmoil around him and in his game, Kraus never sulked or acted out.

“He’s a pro,” Murray said. “He takes care of himself and he’s well prepared. I’m sure it was getting to him, but he handled it well. He worked hard in practices, he worked hard in his goalie sessions. You’re happy to see him come out of it because he’s such a good kid and such a great teammate.

“I think if anything, our team hasn’t played well in front of him at times, and he’s been on the wrong side of that. Hopefully in the second half we can play well in front of him.”

Kraus said it was important for him to always be in control of his emotions.

“I’m a big believer that even if I’m not having success, that shouldn’t ever be taken out on my teammates,” Kraus said. “They’re there to support me and are nothing but supportive. Even when I’m struggling, they’re always there for me and I just never want to have that rub off on them. At the end of the day, if I’m not having success, I still want them to be excelling. I want the best for all my teammates.”

He said moody players can bring teams down, and that he was cheering for the 17-year-old Ruzicka to have success because that meant the club would be doing well. The rookie has appeared in 28 games, with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.

“I want nothing but the best for Filip,” Kraus said. “I want him to grow and excel, and ultimately I want him to get drafted this year. I take a lot of pride in trying to be that role model and experienced veteran for Filip. We’re a team and have a really good relationship. Ultimately, I take just as much pride in my own success and trying to be a leader in that room and helping Filip.”

COMING BACK

After five subpar appearances, Kraus shut out the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes on Oct. 25, and in 10 of his 16 starts since, he’s had a save percentage over .900 and has earned another shutout.

In 22 appearances overall, Kraus has an 8-10-1-0 record, with a 4.02 goals-against average and a save percentage of .888.

“I think I’m definitely starting to get my mojo back,” Kraus said. “For me, I’m just never satisfied. I’m not happy with how the first couple weeks of the year went, and I honestly just want to be better every single day. That’s what’s most important to me.

“I have special goals for this team. I want us to be a playoff team and go on a long run.”

That run of success included one game that meant a little extra to him.

Kraus dressed against his former club on Jan. 16 in Brandon, with the Wheat Kings earning a 6-1 victory over the Royals on his 28 saves and second-star performance.

“I honestly can’t describe it,” Kraus said. “It was one of the best feelings I’ve had in a while, hands down. Another part of it for me was it was such a cool experience after the game to reconnect with all the faces I’m used to seeing over the past couple of years, all the coaches, the trainers. I built relationships in Victoria that will last me a lifetime.

“I’m so grateful for much they helped me in my hockey career and where they got me to. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without the staff in Victoria and my teammates. The reality is, when I went to Victoria at 15 and was drafted, I was a way different young fellow than I am today. I’m so grateful for everything they did for me.”

“It was full of mixed emotions, nerves, excitement,” Kraus added. “It was definitely a night I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com