After trading jerseys three times last season a Longview Junior hockey player has finally found a home.
Levi Bews is enjoying the fruits of his Western Hockey League labour with a breakthrough season as the second leading goal scorer with the Swift Current Broncos.
Bews, a 10-goal and 17-point performer along with a team best plus/minus of +4, attributed his breakthrough season to earning more ice-time under head coach Mark Lamb and taking full advantage of the opportunity.
“ It's just getting the opportunities and Mark has given me time on the powerplay and having the experience in the league now has helped quite a bit,” Bews said in an interview Sunday at the Saddledome. “ I don't know if I was fully into it last year and this year I have the coaching staff that believes in me and that's huge, you need that.”
Through just 27 games this season Bews has already matched his career high in goals with 10 putting him back at the prolific level of scoring he exemplified during a promising minor hockey career with the Bantam AAA Okotoks Oilers and UFA Midget AAA Bisons.
“ I've always had a decent shot and I think it's just being able to use it,” Bews said of his incremental improvements in Major Junior. “ It's having that little bit more time and space to pick corners.”
Bews, who graduated from Oilfields High School in July, has also risen to the forefront of the Broncos in the leadership department in his second year with the Saskatchewan club.
“ This year it's more of a leadership role,” Bews said. “ In your 18-year-old season you can't sit back and watch the older guys take care of it. You've got to contribute to it as well.”
The six-foot, 181-pound forward is well aware of the importance of the 18-year-old season for Western Hockey League talent in regards to perhaps moving towards a professional career.
“ It's kind of like the rocking point and if you don't take that step forward and contribute with the team then you sort of step back,” Bews said. “ That's something you can't do in this league.”
Bews was drafted 42nd overall by the Saskatoon Blades in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft and played 61 games over parts of three seasons with the club from 2009-11.
The Longview native was then shipped as part of a four-player deal to the Vancouver Giants.
Playing time was hard to come by under Giants head coach Don Hay and after just 34 games on the west coast, where Bews scored three goals and added five assists, he was moved to Swift Current in January.
Following on the trials, tribulations and constant address changes a year ago, Bews said he feels like he's right where he should be in Speedy Creek.
“ I really enjoy playing in Swift Current,” he said. “ It's just a really good fit for myself.”
The Broncos are looking to find a home in the playoff picture in the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference. Swift Current has been out of the post-season picture since the 2009-10 season.
In the gridlock of the WHL's East Division the Broncos (9-11-5) sit third with 22 points with just two points separating second from sixth.
“ We have missed out the last two years so we're making a push for that as much as possible,” Bews said. “ We have to play with a little more consistency and stick to our systems. We're beating ourselves more so than are other teams.”
To keep up with Levi Bews and the Swift Current Broncos go to www.scbroncos.com.
