麻豆社区

Fort St. John's Midget hockey team is expected to have a strong Yukon flavour this season.

At least four local players 鈥� Bohdi Elias, Alex Hanson, Jarrett Malchow and Wyatt Gale 鈥� are expected to don the Trackers' jersey for the upcoming Northern Alberta Midget AA Hockey League season.

After spending last season with the Midget A Mustangs, Malchow and Hanson attended the Prince George Cariboo Cougars camp but were unable to land a spot on the team.

Malchow, 17, went on to attend Trackers camp in late August, and played his way onto the team with a strong final scrimmage.

"The coach called me into the room before that and said 鈥業'd like to make a decision on you this weekend, so show me what you've got,'鈥� Malchow recalled. "So I went out there, did what I could and ended up with a few goals and an assist.鈥�

That hat trick helped him land a spot on the northern B.C.-based club.

"I'm really looking forward to it,鈥� Malchow said. "It means quite a bit to make the team. I went down there hoping for the best. I knew I wasn't a for sure make, and it was going to be tough, but knowing that I was in the good books leaving camp really raised my confidence level.鈥�

Gale returns to Fort St. John after putting up nine goals and 18 assists in 31 games last season, enough to finish tied for second in team scoring.

Elias played for the Midget B Mustangs last year.

Hanson made it through the Cariboo Cougars' first round of cuts, before being let go after the second camp last weekend.

He said he's looking forward to a fresh start in Fort St. John.

"I was a little disappointed to get cut from Prince George, because that was obviously my main goal,鈥� Hanson said.

"The biggest thing for me right now is getting games at a good level, so wherever I can get that this year, it will be very important for my development.鈥�

Many Yukon players are competing at camps in Alberta and B.C. as the hockey season nears.

Malchow explained the reasoning behind midget hockey players looking to land on teams south of 60.

"Playing in the Yukon, you rarely get out to tournaments. You get out to maybe four tournaments a year,鈥� he said. "You don't get to play with any contact as you're playing against older rec players.

"Down in Fort St. John, you play a 32-game season and you travel out, playing two games a week,鈥� he explained. "I'd love to play junior, but I'd also like to have hockey help me go through school.鈥�