Overage Wheat King players looking for long playoff run

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This article was published 24/03/2018 (2782 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Wheat Kings’ three overagers are hoping their last dance in the Western Hockey League is a long one.

Goaltender Logan Thompson, defenceman James Shearer and forward Evan Weinger will all age out of the Western Hockey League after the playoffs end.

“It’s my last year so I want to make a good run for it,” said Weinger, who was acquired from the Portland Winterhawks on Oct. 10. “It means everything to me. I’ve had a fun WHL career so I want to finish it off with a pretty long playoff run.”

Weinger’s words are echoed by Shearer, the Brandon born-and-raised team captain who left the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Steinbach Pistons in October 2015 to fulfil a lifelong dream to play with his hometown Wheat Kings.

“It’s your last chance and your last chance for anything you want to make it special and you want to make it memorable,” Shearer said. “I think we’re just going to stick to our game and we’re going to work hard every night and were going to see what happens.”

That potential playoff run began last night in Medicine Hat against the Tigers, the team that swept the Wheat Kings out the playoffs a year ago.

Thompson, who was named Brandon’s most valuable player for the regular season, said there are many differences this March.

“Last year was a different year,” the Calgary product said. “You look at us on paper and I thought we were very skilled and it didn’t end how we wanted. This year a lot of teams didn’t expect us to do what we did and we made the playoffs. I think it’s very exciting. I look at our team and how things went and especially how we ended off the year and I’m really excited to get going. The team is playing well and I think we’re ready for a good playoff run.”

Weinger, who scored 37 goals in 187 games in Portland and has 31 goals in 64 games this season in Brandon, is looking to rewrite his post-season recollections in Brandon. His favourite playoff memory didn’t end well but it sure started with a bang in his very first WHL playoff game.

Then a 17-year-old rookie, the product of El Segundo, Calif., skated on a line with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Nic Petan, two of the top snipers in the league, as they faced the Seattle Thunderbirds on March 28, 2015.

“I ended up scoring in that game but it kind of sucked because I dislocated my shoulder halfway through,” he said. “But it was still a fun game. That’s probably my favourite moment.”

Seattle won 4-3 but Weinger was named first star after returning to finish the game.

If you’ve followed the Wheat Kings for long, it’s pretty easy to guess what the favourite post-season moment is for Shearer and Thompson.

On May 13, 2016, Shearer was playing on Brandon’s third pairing with Wawanesa’s Jordan Thomson and Thompson was backing up Jordan Papirny as the Wheat Kings beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 8-4 in Game 5 of the league final to win the team’s first WHL title in 20 years.

The other members of that team who are still active are Ty Lewis, Stelio Mattheos, Linden McCorrister and Connor Gutenberg. A 15-year-old Caiden Daley also tagged along but never saw game action.

“I felt privileged just to be there,” said Thompson, who was selected by Brandon in the sixth round of the 2012 bantam draft. “Looking at the team we had and all of those special players and special names — and playing behind Jordan Papirny, who is going to be a legend around here — it was just nice to be there. It was great to get the experience and I think that’s going to be the best memory of my life, being able to see my name on the Ed Chynoweth Cup and being part of the Brandon Wheat Kings championship team.”

Shearer agreed, but added the Wheat Kings approached this year’s post-season from a very different angle.

“Obviously winning the league a couple of years ago, it’s pretty special you know,” Shearer said. “This year is a little different story going in as a little bit of an underdog, but we’ve been playing really well lately and I think maybe we could surprise some teams here and I think maybe we could pull it off.”

Entering the post-season, Shearer had 25 games of playoff experience, Weinger had 30 and Thompson played in five and backed up Papirny for 20.

All three say that the playoffs are definitely a different beast.

“It’s just a whole game, it’s just everything matters a little more,” Shearer said. “Those little mistakes they don’t seem to mean too much in the regular season are just amplified in the playoffs and everyone just kind of almost brings it to a whole new level because you know you got nothing to save it for after that. It’s a time everyone wants to play.”

Weinger, who played all of his previous playoff games in the Western Conference, said he also notices the pace.

“Everything is a little quicker,” Weinger said. “It’s more physical. Everyone wants to win so it’s a lot more competitive out there. Small mistakes will cost you a game so if you try to limit those mistakes, you’ll be more successful.”

The three say that Brandon will have to be aware of Medicine Hat’s run-and-gun, quick-strike offence, and also its relentless work ethic.

The key may lie in simply outworking their opponent, a feat easier said than done.

Regardless, the hometown boy, the Cowtown tender and the California kid will undoubtedly play a big role.

Head coach David Anning said the trio will certainly be a key part of any playoff success.

“We have a lot of respect for our 20-year-olds players,” Anning said. “They’ve all contributed this year and been a big part of our season and who we are as a team.

“They’ve been good leaders, all in different ways. They’re all high-end players in three different positions and they all play important roles. We want them to enjoy the experience and make sure they’re ready to play each and every night.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

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