The day begins early for the Lloydminster U17 AAA Lancers, even earlier for those elite hockey players living out of town and not billeting in Lloyd.
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Long before the school bell rings, the Lancers practise from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. three times a week at Servus Sports Centre, which this weekend (Dec. 19-21) hosts an Alberta Elite Hockey League showcase for all 20 of its U17 AAA teams.
“Long days, but lots of fun,” said Lloydminster captain Jack Teasdale, a 16-year-old left-winger from Paradise Valley.
“It’s about a 25-minute drive into Lloyd, so we’re usually up at 5:45 to 6 a.m., then head to the rink for 7:15. It’s an adjustment, for sure.
“But yeah, we get used to it. About three times a week, the day starts early. It’s good to get into it early in the morning, with fresh minds. It’s a good way to start off your day.”
Teasdale’s family also billets one of his teammates, Cobin Garnett, a promising 15-year-old defenceman from Mannville.
Paradise Valley is also the hometown of two other U17 AAA Lancers in defenceman Zachary Schneider and forward Taythan Willis, both 16.
Willis and Hunter Prybysh each scored a goal and set up two others, and Brayden Gramlich stopped 38 shots, as the Lancers posted a 6-4 road victory over the St. Albert Raiders on Sunday night.
‘A GOOD ROUTINE’
“I usually get up at about six o’clock every morning,” Schneider, an assistant captain, said about those practice days. “Sometimes it can be a struggle, but it’s always good to get up and get moving around. It’s better for the rest of the day, I find.
“On the non-hockey days, I try to get a bit more sleep, but I’m still finding that I get up earlier than I used to. Over the summer, you’d sleep in a bit more, if you’re not going to work or whatnot. But this is a good routine.”
Along with morning skates each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Lancers’ routine includes gym workouts each Tuesday and Thursday, an extra-long day because it ends with film review in the early evening.
“It’s a lot of work over the course of the week, but it’s nice that you feel a sense of accomplishment after that,” said Schneider, also one of Teasdale’s Grade 11 classmates at E.H. Walter School in Paradise Valley.
Of course, the Lancers’ weekends are filled with games, either long trips across Alberta or home dates usually at Lloydminster’s new rink, the Cenovus Energy Hub.
But all of the showcase action this Friday through Sunday is being played at the two Servus rinks — Rusway Construction Arena and Robert B. Holmes Arena.
Each team plays two games as part of the Lloyd showcase. The Lancers face the Southeast Tigers at 4:45 p.m. Saturday at Holmes and the Lethbridge Hurricanes at 2 p.m. Sunday at Rusway.
SCOUTS IN TOWN
“Lots of these teams have played here before,” Teasdale said during a video session last Thursday evening at the Servus. “It’s a good rink. We usually end up playing well on it.
“Sleeping in your own bed, instead of going on the road, it’s good. It’s the start of the Christmas break, too, so school is off our minds, and we can focus on hockey.
“It’ll be fun. It’ll be a good showcase for all of the teams from Alberta. It’ll be a good time. A lot of scouts and a lot of opportunities for kids to get noticed.”
With a busy schedule befitting high-level hockey, the Lancers are finding their stride in the provincial league. They’ve iced an east-central regional team made up of players from nine Alberta communities — Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Coronation, Kitscoty, Lloydminster, Mannville, Marwayne, Onion Lake and Paradise Valley.
About half of the Lancers reside with billet families in or near Lloydminster. One of those players is Matthieu Menard, a 16-year-old centre from Bonnyville. Menard’s billets in Lloyd also house junior A Bobcats forward Raphael Messier.
“No, they’re not French, but somehow they ended up with two French kids,” Menard said with a smile.
“It was a transition (moving to Lloyd), for sure. I’m really lucky to have a great set of billets, and they treat me good, so I really appreciate that.
“Really, it’s been fun. It’s a good group of guys on the team. The culture is coming along, and it’s been nothing but fun. I have no regrets.”
Menard previously played AA with Lakeland Panthers teams, and he said multiple players from that successful U16 group decided to test the waters elsewhere this year.
He made an early impression in his new surroundings, earning a letter as part of a Lancers captaincy group that includes Teasdale, Schneider and Shaun Going, the forward from Lloydminster leading the team in scoring.
The wintertime wake-ups that come with the Lancers’ practices aren’t necessarily out of the ordinary for Menard, an apprentice carpenter who has worked long hours in construction with his father.
“He’s a really good mentor,” Menard said. “He kind of showed me the ropes. I want to try other trades in the future.
“In the summer, it’s just as early starts to the day, if not earlier. But I find (hockey practices in) the mornings are a change, for sure. Six in the morning is when you get up and you kind of have to get going right away. And especially these cold mornings, you’re forced to be up and ready to go.”
The Lancers believe they’re ready to go for the showcase, even if their record (5-8-3) might reflect some growing pains from the early part of this season.
Lloyd had a breakthrough of sorts two weekends ago in Grande Prairie, posting 7-0 and 4-2 victories over the Grande Peace Storm.
“It was a big weekend,” Schneider said “You don’t want to waste a long trip to GP.
“We’re coming together as a team, a lot. Overall, the group is really good. We’ve got a lot of depth here and a lot of potential. I think we’re going to go pretty far this season.”
Schneider credited the Lancers’ two goaltenders — Lloydminster’s Gramlich and Cold Lake’s Evan Fedor — for rotating effectively between the pipes.
“They’re both really good goaltenders,” he said.
GOING STRONG
Up front, a four-goal performance from Going in the Lancers’ shutout victory at Grande Prairie pushed him into the top 10 in league scoring. He now sits 12th overall, with 13 goals and 22 points after 16 games.
“Shaun had a good weekend up in Grande Prairie,” Teasdale said. “Four goals in one game. Very offensive. Great shot. Big body.”
Just a few days later, Going was in Edmonton last Thursday night, watching the NHL’s Oilers defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 at Rogers Place.
Going, 16, and the rookie blue-liner Garnett were called up to the U18 AAA Lancers on Saturday for their 7-4 victory over the visiting Sherwood Park Kings, and a 5-2 road loss Sunday afternoon against the Edmonton Junior Oilers Orange. The duo rejoined the U17 AAA Lancers that night and helped them win in St. Albert.
Going was a late cut of the older Lloyd team during the U18 AAA pre-season.
BILLET BUDDIES
Garnett already has a WHL camp under his belt with the major junior Red Deer Rebels. He has settled in well with the U17 AAA Lancers, and with his billet family.
Billeting has been a new experience for Teasdale and his family.
“It’s definitely a change, but I like it quite a bit,” he said. “It’s nice to talk with Cobin about the team.
“He’s a big kid, a very offensive defenceman, and he’s really impressive as a first year, which is good to see.”
Teasdale’s father, Adam, is the Lancers’ manager.
Along with dual head coaches Chase McAllister and Jason Ross, Scott Pratt adds more experience behind the Lloyd bench. Pratt was the head coach last season. He stepped aside in the summer but later decided to return as an assistant coach with a program close to his heart.
One of Garnett’s contemporaries is Peter Osman, also an up-and-coming defenceman in his rookie season with the U17 AAA Lancers. Osman, who turns 16 in January, has recovered from a broken wrist that had sidelined him for the early part of the regular season. He’s been back in action since late November.
The Lancers are missing a would-be key cog in Mannville’s Damian Anderson, a former OHA Edmonton U15 prep forward. Anderson, 15, played three regular-season games in October, but his recurring shoulder injury has necessitated surgery.
“We’ve lost him — injuries are tough,” said Schneider, noting he and Menard also missed time last month because of concussions.
In his first go-around as captain of any team, Teasdale said he tries to lead by example and that his assistants — Going, Menard and Schneider — also show the way through their actions.
“Great attitudes and they lead by example. It definitely shows on the ice.”
Menard and Schneider mentioned energy and physicality as elements they provide to the Lancers.
“We’ve got a good leadership group here,” said Schneider, six-foot-one and 175 pounds. “We bring a lot to the table, a lot of energy, a lot of good stuff to this team. All around, you’ve got to be reliable on the ice, try to make the least mistakes as you can.
“You just want to have a good representation for your team and the community. It’ll be a good showcase for all the teams from Alberta. It’ll be a fun time. A lot of scouts and a lot of opportunities for kids to get noticed.”
With some 400 young players participating in the three-day showcase, the event gives scouts from higher levels a rare chance to view an abundance of U17 talent in one setting.
“I’m excited for it,” said Menard, one of the many players hoping to graduate to U18 or junior hockey next season.
The Lloyd newcomer is taking one Grade 11 class at Kitscoty High School and doing online credits through his French school back in Bonnyville.
The rest of his week is packed with hockey practices, training and video sessions, all leading to the Lancers’ weekend games.
“Those are all important factors,” Menard said. “We’ve got to keep the energy, always. That’s where we build a good culture with the team.”
SETTING AN EXAMPLE
Ewan Gillis is a poster boy of sorts for the Alberta U17 AAA league and its place in the province’s hockey development food chain.
Gillis, now a 17-year-old defenceman with the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons, played most of last season with the U17 AAA Knights of Columbus Centennials, scoring 35 points in 33 games, while also appearing in seven U18 AAA contests with the Edmonton Junior Oilers Orange.
This year, before turning 17 in October, the Edmonton native earned a spot on the junior A Oil Barons’ roster. Three weeks ago, the undrafted Gillis was called up to the major junior Saskatoon Blades and played in two WHL games.
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