Icing the youngest blueline in the league is going to come with growing pains.
But five months into their maiden voyage in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, rookie defencemen Logan Magowan, Brody Maguire, Sam Moshurchak, Kade Turner, Nick Wolfenberg and Jamie Weller are showing what a difference 30-plus games can make for the Okotoks Oilers.
“It’s been great to see, for these young guys it’s a tough jump for them coming from (U18) especially last year with not many games played,” said Oilers captain Tucker McRae, a third-year blueliner on the team. “But I think these guys have done a tremendous job and with the help of the coaching staff and the other older guys on the team they’ve done a great job adjusting to the pace of play and they’re having an impact on the team.”
Okotoks’ defensive numbers have been on an upward trajectory with the team now sitting fourth in the South Division in goals against.
On special teams, the Oilers are holding their own with a sixth-ranked penalty kill and fifth-ranked powerplay in the 16-team provincial loop.
“It’s really cool having a young corps and every game we’re getting more used to it,” said Weller, a 2004-born blueliner. “We get more experience as the season has gone on and we’ve just got better and better coming from no experience to now.
“It’s a huge step and confidence boost.”
For Weller, just getting into the lineup and finding regular duty on the blueline from the jump was a big milestone.
“That was huge for me and then just rotating with the other younger guys was a confidence booster and that’s kept us rolling and made it easy to stay in the games mentally,” he added.
All six defencemen grew up in the Calgary minor hockey ranks with Magowan, Moshurchak, Weller and Turner coming up through the Buffaloes program.
“We all know each other from before, we played together for years growing up so it’s really cool to have a young corps and six of us is really neat too,” Weller said.
Moshurchak and Magowan were part of Okotoks 2020-21 squad and saw a combined five games of action and development time during the heavily condensed campaign.
“We’re a young d-corps and at the start felt like we were a little timid, but our coaches have pushed us, almost, to go and skate and be more confident with it,” said Moshurchak. “They’ve helped us a ton with that and we’re getting better every game.
“I came halfway through (2020-21) and that was good for me. I learned from guys like Eric Parker and (Seth) Bernard-Docker throughout practices and watching them with their game. The advice they gave me really helped me.”
Okotoks’ rookie defence have contributed a combined 65 points in 192 games played in 2021-22 with Turner leading the way with 20 points in 39 games.
“At the start of the season I wasn’t driving into the play as much to get offence,” Moshurchak said. “But the coaches have pushed me to keep snapping for your feet whenever you get the puck, join the rush and try to make plays.
“Hits and physicality are a big part of my game and I try and bring that energy and I think it helps energize our bench.”
With eight defencemen on the roster, including the six freshmen, McRae and fellow 2001-born veteran Riley Bodnarchuk, the Oilers have still seen significant rotations in the lineup due to injury and availability.
“We’ve faced a lot of adversity, tons of guys out, relying on five D sometimes with an AP called up and we’ve got a lot of ice time as rookies,” Moshurchak said. “But I feel like that helps us, it’s good experience on the ice and it helps us take that next step forward.”
Adjusting to the speed of junior hockey has been the most noticeable jump from the U18 ranks for Weller, who added the tempo of the game and making quicker decisions with the puck has been stressed throughout.
“It was tough off the start only playing six games last year (at U18),” Weller said. “So getting in these big games, with a way tighter schedule that’s more dense has been a big step, but I think we have a really good coaching staff to help us with that.
“(Tucker and Riley) are super helpful, they talk to us a lot and they keep us in the game, keep us positive. If you make a bad play or mistake, they’re the first guys to come up to you and give you a tap on the bench and help you stay focused for the next shift.”
From the veteran duo’s perspective, mentorship has been an equally rewarding experience.
“For us it’s been really exciting,” McRae said. “It’s an interesting job this year, it’s different than past years where we haven’t had a team this young.
“It’s an interesting challenge and a fun one and we (Riley and I) are both enjoying it, seeing the games we can bring out of these young guys.”
