“Man of Steel” will make admirable Pats captain

Soft-spoken centre leads Regina in Memorial Cup season

Sam Steel was named the Pats captain for the 2017-18 season.

    Sam Steel’s actions always speak louder than his words.

    When you watch the Regina Pats superstar centre on the ice, his special talents for the game of hockey are obvious. If you try to get him to talk about himself during a scrum or an interview session, his modesty is a great as his actions on the ice.

    Steel plays with a great passion on the ice, and he is a great supporter of his teammates. When it comes to talking, Steel is very soft spoken, because that is just who he is.

    His interview skills have improved as his WHL career has gone on, but it is truthful to say most of the other members of the Pats are likely better in the talking department. While Steel is quiet, he exudes a vibe of being a great guy and a very well-mannered person, and that is noticed among media members in Regina and elsewhere on the WHL circuit.

    It is safe to say media members enjoy reporting on Steel’s exploits, and you want to see him succeed. You find a way to work with the fact he is soft-spoken.

    It is almost common to blurt out after a Pats win with both excitement and dread something along the lines, “Sam Steel scored four tonight!”

    The excitement come from seeing a great guy do something special. The dread comes from the fact you are trying your best to phrase questions to encourage him to talk.

Sam Steel controls the puck in the offensive zone.

    You also don’t want to give the impression to Steel that he might be a bad interview subject for fear of hurting his feelings, because he is a nice guy. You realize that is who he is.

    During a press conference in Regina on Wednesday, the Pats named the 19-year-old Steel as captain for the 2017-18 campaign, where the franchise will celebrate its 100^th anniversary and host the 100^th Memorial Cup running from May 18 to 27, 2018. Steel had been an assistant captain the previous two seasons.

    For Steel to succeed as a captain, he just has to be who he is and try not to be someone he is not.

    At times, it seems there is a public perception that the captain of the team has to be the fiery guy that always raises the roof in the dressing room.
    Barret Jackman, who was the Pats captain when the franchise hosted the Memorial Cup in 2001, was the heart on the sleeve fiery guy that could put up points, penalty minutes and was always game to say something in the dressing room. That also isn’t the only way to lead.

    Steel is one of the ultimate examples of the lead-by-example type player. He is the Pats most talented player, and he is the team’s hardest worker. Over three seasons, he has built a reputation of being able to lift the club with an outstanding play at a critical time.

    Just being who he is, Steel inspires others to be better.

    When the Medicine Hat Tigers won the WHL title in 2007 and ultimately lost the Memorial Cup title game to the host Vancouver Giants 3-1, Kris Russell led the Tigers as a lead-by-example captain. He made the game look easy as an offensive defenceman, who was also sound defensively.

Sam Steel looks to set up one of his teammates in the offensive zone.

    As a 19-year-old in the Tigers 2007 WHL championship campaign, Russell piled up 32 goals, 37 assists and was a plus-14 in the plus-minus department in 59 regular season games, and he was named that season’s WHL player of the year, the WHL’s Defenceman of the Year and the CHL’s Defenceman of the Year award winner.
    Russell was never a vocal shouter, but he calmly said things when they needed to be said and talked more one-on-one with teammates. He took a genuine interest in the personal lives of his teammates and was very positive and encouraging with them.

    If the Tigers were running away with a blowout win on the scoreboard, Russell turned away chances to boost his statistics and often told coaches to give more ice time to younger guys, who always seemed to be working hard in practice.

    When younger guys at the WHL level see an older player do these types of things, they become motivated to go to the rink every day, and they try that much harder because someone is investing in them.

    Now that Steel is the captain of the Pats, it would be a safe educated guess to predict his leadership style with the Pats will mirror what Russell did with the Tigers. 

    Last season, Steel was named the WHL’s most valuable player and he led the entire Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 50 goals and 81 assists in 66 regular season games. He has been inspiring his teammates with his actions for some time now including last season’s run to the WHL Championship series.

Pats centre Sam Steel circles around the net in the offensive zone.

    Steel will have great help in the leadership department as well. The Pats named 18-year-old centre Jake Leschyshyn, 19-year-old defenceman Josh Mahura and overage centre Matthew Bradley as assistant captains. All three are quality persons.

    Both Steel and Mahura have signed NHL entry-level contracts with the Anaheim Ducks and will be attending Ducks training camp. The fact the Pats named Steel captain and Mahura an assistant captain likely mean both will play in the WHL this season.

    Due to being drafted out of the major junior ranks, Steel, who was a first round selection, and Mahura have to play in the WHL, if they don’t make the NHL club as 19-year-olds. They could still stick in the NHL, but with them being named to the Pats leadership, the odds are way greater they will be playing in the major junior ranks.

    The Pats made a good choice in naming Steel captain. If the past is any indication, he will continue deliver with passion in big moments and continue to speak softly while doing it.

de Wit hat trick powers Pats past Blades

Jeff de Wit in action last season for the Pats.

    Jeff de Wit’s hat trick helped push the Regina Pats past the Saskatoon Blades 5-3 in an exhibition tilt on Thursday night at the Brandt Centre in Regina.

    The 19-year-old centre’s third marker at the 9:37 mark of the third period gave the Pats a 4-2 lead and ultimately held up as the game winner. Rookie 17-year-old Russian import Igor Zamula and 16-year-old centre Tristen Robins potted singles for Regina.

    Overage centre Cameron Hebig, 18-year-old defenceman Jackson Caller and centre Gage Ramsay, who turns 19 in October, replied with singles for the Blades.

    Nolan Maier, who is a 16-year-old from Yorkton, went the distance in goal for Saskatoon making 36 saves.

    Max Paddock, who is a 17-year-old from Brandon, Man., started in goal for the Pats turning away 22-of-23 shots fired his way. Kurtis Chapman, who is a 19-year-old from Airdrie, Alta., entered the contest at the 9:46 mark of the second period and stopped 12-of-14 shots sent in his direction. Paddock is the nephew of Pats head coach and general manager John Paddock.

    Thursday’s game was the first pre-season contest for both the Pats and Blades. The Pats return to action on Saturday, when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors at 7 p.m. at the Brandt Centre. The Blades will stay in Regina and face the Swift Current Broncos on Friday at 3 p.m. at the Brandt Centre.

“Willo” nears 100-point plateau for Huskies

Kaitlin Willoughby, front centre, might celebrate some milestones.

    With university classes set to begin next week, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies hockey teams have started skating at the Rutherford Rink, and women’s team star forward Kaitlin Willoughby begins the campaign nearing a few career milestones.

    The 22-year-old Prince Albert product has piled up 41 goals and 51 assists in 106 regular season games, and her total of 92 points ranks fifth all-time on the Huskies career list one behind the 93 compiled by Julie Paetsch, who played from 2009 to 2012. Besides being on the verge of passing Paetsch, Willoughby is set to become the fourth player in the history of the Huskies women’s team to record 100 career points.

    Cara (Wooster) Muench, who played from 2010-13, sits third on the Huskies all-time career scoring list with 100 points, Danny Stone, who played from 2008 to 2013, is second with 106 points and Breanne George, who played from 2007-12, tops the list with 149 points.

    Willoughby is third on the career goals list with 41 sitting behind Stone’s 57 goals and George’s 86 goals. On the career assists list, Willoughby sits fifth behind Paetsch’s 60, George’s 63, Muench’s 64 and the 66 helpers complied by Julia Flinton, who played from 2011-16.

    The Huskies women’s team opens their regular season on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink against the University of Regina Cougars. The two squads meet again on Oct. 7 in Regina at 7 p.m. at the Co-operators Centre.

    The Huskies men’s team opens their regular season on Oct. 6 traveling to Regina to face the U of Regina Cougars at 7 p.m. at the Co-operators Centre. The two squads meet again on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink.

Tuer memorial service set for Tuesday

    The memorial service for long time hockey builder Graham Tuer is set for Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Queensbury Convention Centre in Regina.

    Tuer died at the age of 87 in a Regina hospital on Aug. 29. He entered hospital after suffering two heart attacks.

    Tuer was born in North Battleford on May 23, 1930 and spent more than 50 years in and around arenas in Western Canada in various roles with various teams, leagues and organizations. He had been with the Pats as a scout and their liaison with Hockey Regina since 2015, and served with the team earlier in his hockey travels.

    Besides the Pats, Tuer had roles in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League, the Moose Jaw Warriors, the Kelowna Rockets and NHL Central Scouting. He had a huge positive impact on many people in the sport.

    He will be missed by countless numbers of people, and a lot of fond memories will likely be shared at his memorial service.

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