Coaching changes won’t stop Inland Steel Bobcats

Inland Steel Bobcats forward Cayden Wildeman takes the puck to the net on Sunday afternoon at the Centennial Civic Centre as the ‘Cats hosted the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers. The ‘Cats beat the Rangers 6-0. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source

 

It was a wild weekend for the U18 AAA Inland Steel Bobcats as the boys picked up back-to-back wins and put away 11 goals … all while having a brand new face on the bench subbing in as head coach.

A few weeks ago, then-assistant coach Taylor Holt took over as head coach and manned the bench until he received a four-game suspension due to an incident with an official.

With assistant coach Ryne Atkinson the only one left to lead the team, Mike Applegate was brought in at the last minute to coach for four games.

“I’m a scab coach,” said Applegate with a laugh. “I crossed the picket line.

“Atkinson was the only coach left, and Ryne being a young guy, they wanted to make sure they had some help. Both Taylor and Ryne played hockey for me years ago, and Taylor got his coaching start with me as an assistant, so they reached out and asked if I’d be interested in giving them a hand for four games, and I said ‘for those two guys, absolutely.’”

 

Inland Steel Bobcats defender Oakley Mcilwain blocks a shot for goaltender Haden Heide last Sunday against the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers at the Civic Centre. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source

 

With only four regular-season games remaining, Applegate knew his job wasn’t to come in and try and change things, and it didn’t take long for him to discover there wasn’t much to change. 

“I can say they played as a unit, as a team. They played with passion and heart, and they were willing to go the extra mile for each other,” he said. 

“They really grasped the team concepts and tried to achieve the goals we set out for them before each of those games. Those goals were lowering penalty minutes, more Grade-A chances for, and fewer Grade-A chances against.

“Throughout six periods of hockey, they were successful in doing that. That’s all on the players and has nothing to do with anybody behind the bench, you have to give all credit to the players for buying in and trying to achieve those three goals.”

With a 17-16-0-1 record, the Bobcats are currently sitting fourth in the Alberta Elite Hockey League north division, and if things continue the way they’re going, Applegate thinks the sky is the limit for the post-season.

“Out of the years I’ve spent coaching elite hockey, I can say this is a very good hockey club,” he said. 

“They’ve got four lines that can play, they’ve got six defencemen that can play, and all the players can play in every situation they’re given.

“I feel this team could make some noise in the playoffs; they just have to believe in themselves and believe in each other; the sky is really the limit if they want to take it there.”

Mid-season coaching changes are never easy on a team, but Applegate also pointed out that since Holt has taken over as head coach, including last weekend’s two wins, the team holds a 4-2 record.

“They want to keep building off of that,” he said. “After spending a week with the guys I can confidently say they want to keep going in this positive direction.

“The only thing I tried to do was create positive energy on the bench. I don’t know these guys too well personally, but I think they fed off that positive energy.”

The Inland Steel Bobcats are back at the Civic Centre this Saturday when they host the Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange at 3:45 p.m. The boys have two road games before returning to the Civic on Feb. 19 as they host the Sherwood Park Ennis Kings for their final home game of the regular season.

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Taylor Weaver
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