Oil Capitals vets reflect on junior hockey journey

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This article was published 15/03/2021 (1846 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Junior Hockey League players have all had a tough go in recent years, but especially graduating players born in the year 2000. 

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of their last two MJHL seasons. 

When the most recent campaign was paused in November because of the pandemic, teams assumed they’d be back on the ice to pick up where they left off, soon enough. 

In the end, that didn’t happen. 

The 2019-20 season was cancelled during the first round of playoffs last March. The 2020-21 season was canned in February after a province-wide pause on sports went into effect in November. 

At the time, teams had played no more than 10 games. To this day, local full-contact sports have yet to return to Manitoba.

Over the past month, the Brandon Sun spoke to the coaches and graduating seniors on all four Westman-based MJHL teams: the Virden Oil Capitals, Waywayseecappo Wolverines, Neepawa Natives and Dauphin Kings.

Each player reflected on their junior hockey career, what the game has meant to them, and what lies ahead in their future. 

Each coach reflected on the graduating class, the 2020-21 season and what lies ahead for their team. 

 

BRETT PADDOCK 

D.O.B.: May 31, 2000  Position: Forward  Height: 6’1” Weight: 190 lbs. Hometown: Brandon Seasons in the MJHL: Three

Brett Paddock is a playmaking forward who spent three seasons in the MJHL, all of them with the Virden Oil Capitals. He was also called up from the AAA U18 Brandon Wheat Kings for one game during his 17-year-old season. 

Paddock co-captained the 2020-21 Oil Capitals, alongside fellow senior Jack Einarson. Paddock contributed 77 points in his career with Virden, notching 22 goals and 55 assists in 106 regular-season games. 

The forward had a productive start in the team’s most recent campaign. Paddock netted three goals and four assists in the nine games he played before the shutdown.

Dealing with the pandemic: “It’s obviously had a really big impact on me, kind of flipped my world upside down for a little while there. I had high hopes for the season and obviously that ended pretty quickly. It didn’t really give me the closure I had wanted. At the same time, it’s what we’re dealing with right now. It’s a global pandemic and everybody is dealing with it … There’s a lot of very intelligent people pulling the strings (in the MJHL), they’ve gone through so much education … so it’s a hard call to close the MJ, but I was fine putting the decision in their hands.”

Favourite MJHL memory: “There’s been lots of memories along the way, but I think the biggest one was when I AP’ed (got called up) my first season. I hadn’t played the whole season, I played AAA that year as a 17-year-old. They AP’ed me in the playoffs when Virden went on their long run in the finals. That was a lot of fun to be a part of.” 

What’s next? Paddock is currently working construction for Horizon Builders. In the fall, he’s attending the University of Manitoba and taking a bachelor of science.

 

GARRETT SAMBROOK

D.O.B.:  Jan. 30, 2000 Position: Defence Height: 6’0 Weight: 180 lbs.  Hometown: Medora, MB Seasons in the MJHL: Three (partial)

Garrett Sambrook is a talented defenceman with experience in both the WHL and MJHL. He was selected by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the sixth round of the 2015 WHL bantam draft, making his debut in Dec. 2015 as a 15-year-old call-up. 

Sambrook made the Wheat Kings as a 16-year old, but had his 17-year-old season cut short while battling an epilepsy diagnosis. Sambrook joined the Oil Capitals for parts of his 17 and 18-year-old seasons, regaining confidence until a trade to the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos for a large portion of their 2018-19 campaign. 

His following season with the Broncos was season cut short, after breaking his leg during a tangle-up at the boards. Sambrook rejoined the Oil Capitals for three games this season, skating competitively for the first time since his injury.

The blue-liner netted two goals and 23 assists in 163 career WHL games. In the MJHL, he contributed 11 assists in 31 regular-season games.

Overall junior hockey experience: “The biggest challenge was that it’s more of a business when you get to junior hockey. For sure in the WHL, but in the MJ too. You gotta deal with setbacks and good buddies leaving the team, or even yourself leaving the team. 

“Junior hockey for me was more about learning what kind of person I am off the ice, more than anything. There’s lots of setbacks, for sure, but you can’t really sit and dwell on them. You got to get up from it and keep going because you’re not the only one who’s going through rough times … everybody says junior hockey goes by way too fast and when you’re 16 you’re sitting there thinking, ‘Yeah, OK,’ but now that it’s done it for sure goes by too quick.” 

Biggest influences in career: “Growing up, I had Troy Leslie. He coached me in Virden, he’s been in my life on the ice since I was six years old. I was able to go to him if I had any issues with the game. I also have two uncles, Uncle Wade and Uncle Travis. They both went through the league way back when and they were both great people to go to with any issues I had, so all those guys for sure.” 

What’s next? Sambrook is going to the University of Saskatchewan in the fall to study agronomy and plans to play U Sports men’s hockey for the Huskies.

 

JACK EINARSON 

D.O.B.:  Feb. 27, 2000 Position: Forward Height: 6’0 Weight: 160 lbs. Hometown: Gimli, MB Seasons in the MJHL: Four

Jack Einarson is a skilled forward and a long-standing member of the Virden Oil Capitals. He’s one of three players from the 2000-born graduating class who joined the team as a 17-year-old and stayed with Virden through the end of his senior year.  

Einarson co-captained the 2020-21 Oil Capitals, alongside Paddock. Einarson notched 47 goals and 71 assists in his career with Virden, totalling 118 points in 176 regular-season games.

The forward collected 11 points in the nine games he played this season, putting him in the top-10 point scorers across the league.

Dealing with the shutdown: “It was tough at the beginning, just because of everything we worked for and all the possibilities with this year, because it was a really good group… Now that it’s fully come to a conclusion, it’s starting to sink in more every day. It’s tough, but it was probably the right decision to do for the safety of everyone.” 

Favourite MJHL memory: “Going to the finals in my first year was probably a highlight in my career. I think it was pretty fun having the whole rink packed and competing for the trophy, but we just came up a little short.” 

What’s next? Einarson is currently working in his hometown, at Gimli Ford car dealership. He’s exploring his future in hockey and plans to attend the University of Winnipeg or the University of Manitoba in the fall.

 

JOSH BELCHER

D.O.B.: March 14, 2000 Position: Forward  Height: 6’2” Weight: 195 lbs. Hometown: Rapid City, MB Seasons in the MJHL: Four

Josh Belcher is a power forward who isn’t afraid to go into the corners and battle it out in front of the net. He joined the Oil Capitals as a 17-year-old, spending four seasons with the team. 

Belcher was named an alternate captain, for the second year in a row, in the 2020-21 campaign. He’s played more games for the Virden than any other Oil Capitals player currently on the roster. Belcher contributed 41 goals and 62 assists, totalling 103 points in his 174 regular-season games with the team.

He was also named the MJHL’s interior division of star of the week for Oct. 12-18 in 2020, after a powerful performance in a pair of games against the Portage Terriers. Belcher netted two goals and two assists to earn the honour.

Overall junior hockey experience:  “I went to Virden as a 17-year-old and didn’t really know much about the town of Virden or anything, but they were very welcoming. The fans were great, my billets (Greg and Kathy Tough) were great and the whole town of Virden was awesome the whole time I was there. It was just a great organization to play for and spend my four years with.”

Dealing with the shutdown: “I think you tried to stay positive as much as you could, but towards the end there I started to lose hope a bit. Unfortunately, they had to cancel the season.”

What’s next? Belcher is going to the University of Manitoba to pursue his agriculture degree. He grew up on a farm just outside of Rapid City, fostering a love for the agriculture business. 

 

HUNTER CLOUTIER 

D.O.B.: Dec. 26, 2000 Position: Forward Height: 5’9” Weight: 175 lbs.  Hometown: Winnipeg, MB Seasons in the MJHL: Four

Hunter Cloutier is a forward who creates chances offensively and doesn’t mind taking risks. He, alongside Josh Belcher and Jack Einarson, is one of the three graduating players with four seasons of experience with Virden. 

Cloutier has matured as both a person and a player in his 164 regular-season games with the Oil Caps. He netted 65 goals and 65 assists, totalling 130 points in that time. 

The forward was off to a hot start in the 2020-21 campaign, scoring six goals and 11 assists in nine games. Cloutier led the league in points scored, 17, when the MJHL shut down on Nov. 11.

Biggest influences in career: “My billets Karen and Jack Forster had a really big impact on my junior experience. I don’t think it would’ve been anywhere close to the same, with everything they’ve done for me over the years. Just the impact they’ve made on my life, I’m definitely gonna have a lifelong connection I made with them and that’s a huge part of my junior experience … I spent my full four years there so they took me in when I was 16 years old and they saw me grow up and helped me mature as a person.

“… Also, both my parents have really pushed me to be the best I can be. They’ve sacrificed a lot for me, like driving me to the rink when I was younger, getting up early in the mornings and paying for my workouts plus my offseason training. So, they’ve definitely been two of the biggest influences in my hockey career.” 

Favourite MJHL memory:  “Going to the finals my first year, it was a cool experience. The whole town, when we were leaving to go play our first game in Steinbach, the whole town had a little bit of a going-away parade for us. Just to see everyone in the streets was really something else and it just showed me how much the town really cares about the team and what it means to them.”

What’s next? Cloutier plans to play hockey and go to school at the same time, although he isn’t quite decided where that will be. He’s leaning towards taking sports management but is keeping his options open.

 

OWEN BLOCKER 

D.O.B.: March 30, 2000 Position: Forward  Height: 6’1” Weight: 200 lbs. Hometown: Cooks Creek Seasons in the MJHL: Two

Owen Blocker is a hard-nosed forward who had three years of Western Hockey League experience before transitioning to the MJHL in his 19-year-old campaign. 

Blocker was taken 32nd overall by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2015 WHL bantam draft. He played for both the Broncos and the Lethbridge Hurricanes as a grinder, contributing seven goals and 10 assists in 115 WHL games.

The 20-year-old, who was named an alternate captain for Virden this year, has been more of a two-way forward for the team. 

Blocker netted 19 goals and 16 assists in his 54 regular-season games with the Oil Capitals.

Biggest reflection on career: “When I moved from the WHL to the MJHL, I was able to come to the conclusion that hockey was fun. It was the right move. The minute that I did everything just changed, it became so much more fun, in every aspect.”  

Favourite junior hockey memory:  “Our playoff run in Lethbridge (with the WHL’s Hurricanes), it was the best. It was so much fun coming to every home game and just having an absolutely packed crowd who are ready to cheer their butts off, it was pretty cool.” 

What’s next? Blocker is “packing’er in” when it comes to high-level hockey. He plans to play junior C with some buddies from home and is going into the faculty of education at the University of Winnipeg in the fall. 

 

COACH REFLECTION:

Virden Oil Capitals head coach and general manager Tyson Ramsey always appreciates what graduating seniors contribute to their respective hockey teams, but this year he’s extra grateful for what this particular group did for him. 

Ramsey joined the Capitals organization as an assistant coach three seasons ago, shifting into the role of head coach after one campaign with the team. 

Getting to know players and fostering a strong team culture isn’t always easy, but the majority of this year’s seniors have been with the team long-term. They helped Ramsey wade through the initial stages of being a coach in the MJHL, helping him develop along the way.

“It’s a pretty special group, and when you lose six guys that are as impactful as those guys were, there’s certainly some big shoes to fill. We’re going to miss them, but also looking forward to see which young guys can step up in the future,” he said. 

One of Ramsey’s favourite parts of coaching is seeing the transformation in players who come into the program as 16 or 17-year-old kids and leave as young men. 

“They mature right before your eyes and you hope your program has had a positive impact on them,” Ramsey said. “You hope it’s something they can draw on when they get into whatever hockey they’re going to play next, or whatever career or school they go on to, you just hope that your program has had a positive influence.” 

The Oil Capitals had a stunning start to their 2020-21 season, sitting atop the 12-team league when the season was paused in mid-November. They went undefeated in regulation with an 8-0-1-0 record, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Portage Terriers in early October. 

This season’s roster was made up of all Manitobans, minus two, which Ramsey says goes to show just how many talented hockey players there are in the province. 

Ramsey is thankful for all the talent this year’s graduating class brought to the ice. Looking ahead, he’s hopeful for the team’s future. 

“We did everything we possibly could to play this season and at the end of the day it was out of our hands,” he said. “At this point, we’re just trying to look forward and hoping that we have some kind of normal start to next season.” 

 

» dshewchuk@brandonsun.com 

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