Aching bones hurt so good

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This article was published 15/03/2021 (1832 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jakin Smallwood loved every minute of his return to WHL game action Saturday in the WHL’s East Division hub in Regina. A day later, the 20-year-old right-winger had the bruises to remind him there was a price to pay for a long absence.

Playing for the first time since March 11, 2020, Smallwood’s Winnipeg Ice lost a 3-2 decision to the Brandon Wheat Kings at the Brandt Centre.

“It’s pretty tough — the last 10, 12 months it’s just been skill work and edge work and there hasn’t been a ton of competition or battling and stuff like that so coming into a game against Brandon, a heavy-hitting team, you’re using different muscle groups battling in the corner and in front of the net,” said Smallwood by phone Sunday. “It’s definitely a task on the body. Game shape is so much different than being in off-the-ice shape.”

Smallwood did not come completely unprepared for his third season in the WHL.

He played one game for his Leduc (Alta.) Riggers of the Capital Junior Hockey League, a junior B team in his hometown and did his best to be ready for the WHL grind with extensive off-ice workouts.

Playing on Winnipeg’s second line with rugged centre Jackson Leppard and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League waiver pickup Anderson MacDonald, he scored once against the Wheat Kings — converting a nice pass from blue-liner Ben Zloty with a nifty backhand chip from the slot — and finished the game with a team-high five shots on net.

MacDonald was also credited with two shots, both high-danger scoring chances that were denied by Brandon goaltender Ethan Kruger.

“I’ve gained a couple pounds over the last couple months here so I think coming into this season I just want to play kind of a heavier role and obviously being an older guy in the league now, you can just have that confidence and carry the puck more and hold onto pucks in the corners,” said Smallwood, whose club returns to action today against the Swift Current Broncos (9 p.m.).

“We’re starting to build some chemistry and we’re kind of the heavier line on the team. I think with Jackson’s heaviness and Anderson’s skill work, I think we definitely have a pretty good line combination going here.”

 

YOUTH MOVEMENT

Rebuilding Swift Current has six Manitobans on its roster, including rookies Reid Dyck, a goaltender, defenceman Owen Pickering of St. Adolphe, and forwards Braeden Lewis of Virden and Josh Filmon and Carter Halamandaris, both of Winnipeg.

The 17-year-old Dyck, who hails from Winkler, is already 6-4, 185 pounds.

“I think he can be really special,” said Broncos general manager and head coach Dean Brockman. “He’s got the frame and the mentality to start with. I also think he’s very athletic and he’s a student of the game. He really wants to be elite. You can want it but he acts on it and that’s really key for Reid.”

Halamandaris, 18, was acquired from the Everett Silvertips. His uncle is former Wheat Kings great Marty Murray.

“Carter is a player that we traded for — we certainly like his bloodlines very much,” said Brockman. “I think with Carter, (he needs) to get into a routine of being in the Western Hockey League. It’s gonna take some time for him to adjust.”

Meanwhile, the 17-year-old Pickering, a late round WHL draft pick, has made an early impression.

“He’s 6-3 already and there’s a guy that can make some money if things go right for him playing the game for sure,” said Brockman. “He thinks at a high level. When we talk about pace, his mind reacts to things fairly quickly. We’re getting a gangly giraffe right now but once he starts to fill out, he’s certainly got all the tools.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14