Hadland grows up with Wheat Kings

Caleb Hadland came to the Brandon Wheat Kings as a mature youngster, and will leave a man.

The 20-year-old captain, who was drafted by the team and spent four years with the Wheat Kings, is heading to college next season instead of playing an overage year. He’ll leave with an acute sense of what he gained in the Wheat City.

“At 15, I was just a young kid moving away from home,” Hadland said. “I hadn’t really experienced a lot of independence yet. Definitely when you get here, there’s a lot of stuff on your schedule. You have to show up to things and kind of grow up.

“There is a lot of stuff we have in the community, so it’s learning how to talk to people and set yourself up with connections and communication in this world, which is huge during your teenage years. Through junior hockey, you really work on those skills and you meet some great people along the way and have some real good conversations.”

He grew up in Fort St. John, B.C., until he was nine, and then the family moved to Sylvan Lake, Alta. A couple years ago, his parents Tim and Theresa and brother Luke relocated to nearby Red Deer.

Brandon grabbed Hadland with the 22nd pick of the 2021 draft after they took defenceman Charlie Elick third overall and forward Roger McQueen with the fourth pick. He came with a reputation for being an unusually mature young man with terrific leadership potential.

“It was crazy at the time,” Hadland said. “It was everything you were looking for forward to. You’re doing all these interviews with different WHL teams and you have a chance to maybe play in the league one day.

“When you get your name called, it was feeling a team was really interested in you and they want you to be a part of their organization is special. To think how long ago that is now is pretty crazy.”

FINDING HIS WAY

Hadland made the club at 16 and played 12 games with the Wheat Kings before heading off to Hockey Canada’s World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Langley and Delta, B.C. from Nov. 3 to 12, 2022.

Hadland suited up on Canada Red, and in the team’s opening game against Canada Black in Langley on Nov. 3, disaster struck. He was tripped and broke his fibula near the ankle on his second shift, derailing his rookie season.

Hadland laced up the blades for the first time in early January 2023, and returned to the lineup for good on Jan. 20. He ended up skating in 38 games with three goals and four assists, while quickly earning the trust of the coaching staff.

In 2023-24, Hadland was the sole Wheat King to suit up in all 68 regular season games and four playoff matchups. He posted 12 goals, 27 assists and 61 penalty minutes, and added another goal against the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2024 playoffs.

Last season, the alternate captain suited up in 65 games, setting career highs with 25 goals and 42 points.

“I grew up a little bit and got a little bigger,” Hadland said with a chuckle when asked what’s changed in his game. “I learned a lot about puck control and playing with guys who are four years older than me when I first came into the league. You work through that.

“A lot has changed since I was 14 years old and drafted.”

The one constant was his leadership, something the team acknowledged when they named him captain in September. He said it was nice to be recognized.

“Being captain is something every little boy dreams of, being a hockey player,” Hadland said. “For me to have that opportunity, especially with a historic organization like the Wheat Kings, it is pretty special and something I’ll cherish the rest of my life.

“I was really grateful for it. There was a lot of learning to be done this year for me as a leader and a person but I’m very grateful I got to be put in that situation and meet some great people along the way.”

The five-foot-10, 190-pound forward had a pretty good sense he was leaving after the season, which meant he was essentially on his WHL farewell tour this season. While he was certainly aware of what appeared to be the final time he would be playing in different buildings, he chose not to dwell on it.

“You keep it in your mind,” Hadland said. “You try not to focus on it because you don’t really know what could happen in the future. A lot of the year was cherishing the moment and living in the now and making sure we’re not passing up opportunities and memories with different guys. There were some tough moments during the year but I had a lot of fun along the way.”

In 56 games this season, Hadland had 15 goals, 29 assists and 55 penalty minutes with a plus-minus of 12.

He missed time due to a shoulder injury suffered on Feb. 6 against the Calgary Hitmen.

“I was happy with it,” Hadland said of his season. “The points didn’t go up as much throughout the years but it was a fun year. I thought I played well and played with a lot of different guys. It was not the outcome we wanted as a team obviously but I thought for myself it was a good year.”

MOVING ON

Hadland first spoke to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in November, and after verbally committing in February, finally put pen to paper near the end of the season to make it official.

He’ll have a pair of familiar faces there in Brandon teammates Grayson Burzynski and Jordan Gavin, who are also joining the Engineers program.

“RPI seemed like a great fit for me,” Hadland said. “Obviously you can go there and get an absolutely fantastic education out of it while I’m still playing got game I love. It’s a bigger and older league than the Western, and I think I can learn lots in that regard. The coach, Eric Lang, seemed like a really good fit with all the boys.

“Obviously Grayson and Jordan are coming with me too to RPI and we’re all just really excited about it. We’re going to move on to the next chapter in our life. It felt like the right fit from the beginning. It felt like there was a lot of care from them and we’re excited for it.”

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, N.Y., just north of the state capital Albany, and about 250 kilometres north of New York City. RPI was founded in 1824, and is the oldest technological university in the United States.

The Engineers hockey team is one of 12 Division I programs that play in ECAC Hockey, including the six Ivy league schools. That means the Wheat Kings trio will be playing next season against defenceman Max Lavoie, who is headed to Princeton University next season.

RPI, which was ninth last season with a conference record of 8-13-1, hasn’t won a title since 1984-85 in a league dominated by six-time champion Quinnipiac.

Hadland spoke to about 10 or 12 schools. The fact his two close friends are also going just made it the perfect fit.

“It’s going to make it a lot easier,” Hadland said. “I just met these guys in the last couple years — Grayson this year — but going in with the team it will make it a lot easier because there is someone or a couple people you can rely on and hang out with as you’re down there.

“I’m excited to meet some new people and new teammates down there. That’s just a part of junior hockey is meeting new people and building those connections along the way.”

SAYING GOODBYE

While he has a terrific new opportunity ahead of him, he’ll be leaving behind what’s become his second home.

Hadland said he became awfully fond of Brandon during his four years with the Wheat Kings.

“I’m going to miss it all,” Hadland said. “I grew up in a small town in northern B.C., and even when I moved to Red Deer, it’s not that big of a city. It really resembled home. We’re a four-minute drive from the rink and to everyone’s houses. We get together a lot.

“It’s just a fantastic city. It’s a great place for people to live and the fans here were absolutely fantastic throughout the years with the support they showed. I couldn’t be more grateful.”

He lived all four years with Jill and Derrick Stewart and their children Hudson, Harper and Holden, their two dogs and his teammate Joby Baumuller.

“It was a chaotic household at times,” Hadland said with a chuckle. “My house wasn’t that crazy when I left but I cherish every moment with them. Right from the beginning they were awesome. They brought me in and really made it feel like home. It was a family I really feel connected to now.

“I basically watched the kids grow up of the majority of their lives and got to be that big brother figure. It really meant a lot. I’ll love them forever and always have a great connection with them and Brandon.”

Holden has ataxia–telangiectasia syndrome — also known as Louis–Bar syndrome — and a golf tournament is held every June to raise funds for AT research. It’s become something dear to Hadland’s heart.

“It’s fantastic,” Hadland said. “Holden has a thing called AT but we’re actively looking for a cure and something to help him with that. Jill and Derrick do a great job, and everybody in town is really supportive of him. We put on a golf tournament in the summer — it’s June 18 and 19 — and it’s just a lot of fun.

“There is a banquet dinner and lots of prizes and all the proceeds go to the foundation. It’s a great time. A bunch of former Wheat Kings come back for it.”

The tournament — details can be found at hope4holden.com — raised $90,000 last year. At the rink, Hadland is appreciative of everyone who was part of his WHL journey.

“I have to say thank you to everyone, from the coaching staff to upper management,” Hadland said. “I had everybody for the whole four years and there weren’t many changes along the way. Zach (Hartwick) our trainer, helping his with injuries and whatever we needed on a daily basis and the equipment guys, Scooter (Scott Hlady) was fantastic for the first three years I had him and Jake McKercher was an absolute phenomenal guy who we brought in this year.

“I’m really grateful to share this experience with everybody. It was pretty sweet for sure.”

Hadland said the veterans told him early on that his time in the league would fly by. Initially he was skeptical, but he’s come to see their wisdom in what he calls an unreal experience.

Long term, he thinks the time he spent with his teammates will be the memories that last.

“I’m going to remember the boys, honestly, and just the moments we had together,” Hadland said. “We spend almost every hour of every day together for the past couple of years. It’s the get-togethers playing poker or playing cards or bus trips, we spent a tremendous amount of time on the bus but probably made some of the best memories on there.

“Hanging out with the boys has really been awesome.”

pbergson@brandonsun.com