Kade Fendelet’s final year as a Lloydminster Bobcat changed gears even before the junior A hockey team skated into its flashy new rink last week.
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For the first time in his hockey career, the fourth-year forward is living with a billet family in the Border City. His own family moved back to Saskatoon in the spring. They had lived in Lloyd since Fendelet was born 20 years ago this October.
Now, just like most of his teammates from across Canada, Fendelet has settled into a billet home. He’s living with Fendelet family friends Bart and Tracy King, renowned baseball builders in Lloydminster.
“It’s definitely a bit of adjusting, with it being my last year here and my first time billeting,” Fendelet said after the Bobcats defeated the Battlefords North Stars 7-1 in pre-season play Sept. 12 in the historic first game at the Cenovus Energy Hub.
“But no, it’s been really good. They’re super supportive and they make me feel at home.”
The Kings, after all, aren’t exactly strangers to billeting. They hosted their nephew, goaltender Freddie Halyk, a few years ago when he played with the Bobcats.
Fendelet remained in Lloydminster this summer after his family relocated to Saskatoon. He said the Kings welcomed him like a family member.
“I was, like, ‘Hey, is it cool if I move in with you guys?’ Yeah, they didn’t hesitate at all, so it’s been awesome there.”
On the ice, it’s shaping up to be a season like no other for Fendelet and his fellow Bobcats.
They christened the Hub in style last Friday night, and he played a leading role with two goals and an assist in front of almost 1,000 fans.
The Lloydminster Bobcats celebrate the teams first goal in Hub history on Sept 12 John MacNeil Meridian Source
The crowd included Fendelet’s mother and father, sister Ayden and younger brother Koen, the former U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers’ forward now stepping into junior B hockey with the Saskatoon Quakers.
“They all made the trip,” Fendelet said. “It was awesome to see them in the crowd tonight. It’s always nice to see them and be able to catch up with them.”
Koen graduated from Lloydminster’s Holy Rosary High School in the spring, clearing the way for the Fendelet family to follow through on their longtime intentions to return to Saskatoon, where many of their family members reside.
“I’ve got lots of family there,” Kade said. “They’re super happy up there.”
NATURAL LEADER
Kade, recognized for his academic achievements during his years with the Bobcats, worked with a finance company this summer in Lloyd. Not exactly a typical job for a junior hockey player.
Now, the money man is a safe bet to become the next captain of the Bobcats, if not at least part of the leadership group.
Along with his on-ice presence,Fendelet endeared himself to management this summer as he played a leading role in community involvement.
“He’s a fourth-year guy for us and he’s a local product,” said Bobcats general manager Nigel Dube. “It’s those players (you rely on). When some other players go in different directions, you want others to step up, and he’s one of those that have done it. He was heavily involved all summer in our community, through our kids’ camp, and he’s done great things.
“I think if you ask anybody, Kade definitely wants to win at the end of the day, including at the end of the year.”
With a new year about to start, Fendelet downplayed any of the talk that he might become captain.
“It would be pretty cool, but I’m trying not to really focus on that,” he said. “I’m just kind of happy to be here. I’m happy with what I am so far.
“Depending on what they do decide, I think they’ll make the right decision regardless.”
Fendelet scored 21 goals and 42 points in 53 games last season. He added two goals in four playoff games, including the final official Bobcat goal in Civic Centre history as the Grande Prairie Storm swept Lloyd in the first round.
Including a 5-3 loss to Battlefords on Sunday (Sept. 14) at Thunderchild First Nation, the Bobcats finished this year’s pre-season with a 2-3 record.
WEEKEND AT HOME
It all begins for real this weekend as Lloydminster hosts the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on Friday and Saturday nights (Sept. 19 and 20) in the first AJHL regular-season action at the 2,500-seat Hub.
“With it being my last year here, I want to have as much success as I can as a team,” Fendelet said. “The goal is you want to play as long as you can. You don’t want to let anyone take that away from you. Sort of take it all in, I guess, and really focus on the friendships and the memories and everything that comes along with it.
“The guys who are returning from last year, it’s a great group of guys, and then just talking to all the new guys, they’re happy to be here. They’ve been awesome, just getting to know them a little bit more the last little bit.”
One of Fendelet’s friends from Lloydminster, Aiden Foster, became an NHL draft choice this spring. The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Foster, a forward with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, in the fourth round, 127th overall.
On the afternoon of the late June draft, Fendelet and another buddy, Cayden Wildeman, showed up at Foster’s house wearing Tampa hats, soon after the Lightning chose the Lloyd boy.
This past week, while Fendelet and the Bobcats set up shop in the state-of-the-art Hub, more Lloydminster hockey history was written as Foster reported to Tampa’s camp and his first NHL prospects tournament.
“For him to be rewarded, and to see his name called in the NHL draft, that’s super exciting for him,” Fendelet said. “He’s a kid that deserves it. He does all the right things.”
Foster is 18, two years younger than Fendelet, but they’ve become close friends the past few years while training together in the off-season.
“Summer was good,” Fendelet said. “It was nice to unwind and get away from the game a little bit, just spend some time with friends and family.
“But that being said, it gets to the point where you get bored. You want to get back out on the ice, back in the gym. It’s good to find a balance.”
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