The Melfort Mustangs will have one of its key players, if not their best so far this season, heading out East, for the chance to play for Team Canada at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge.
Locally grown and owned Zac Somers is set to have a shot at making the team, during the Canada West’s selection camp Dec. 5-7 in Cornwall, Ont.
“It kind of came out of left field, but still just such a great honour, honestly I was shocked, I haven’t really been noticed for something that big,” Somers told northeastNOW. “The opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf and potentially win a gold medal representing your country is something special.”
Not only has the 18-year-old been able to play for his hometown team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), but in just under two weeks’ time, he could be playing for his home country, on home soil, on the international stage.
If Somers were to make the team, he’d be the first Stangs player to represent at the tournament, since the 2008/09 season.
“For starters, playing in your hometown is pretty sweet, living at home with your family, and I always grew up watching the Mustangs and we’ve always had billets, so it’s been kind of cool watching them come and go throughout the years. Now, to be able to step up onto an even bigger stage and to potentially wear a maple leaf is something really special.”
Somers is only one of three other SJHL players to be named to the Canadian selection camp rosters, ahead of the 2022 World Junior A Challenge.
A total of 63 players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) earned invites, which included 32 for Team Canada East and 31 from Team Canada West.
“A couple of spring hockey tournaments, but other than that, I haven’t really been out there a whole bunch,” said Somers. “A couple of guys on the team I’ve played with or against are going as well, but overall, you’re going to meet a lot of new people, a lot of good people, and a lot of good hockey players, so something I look forward to it. It’s an awesome experience to meet new people, and obviously, try and go and make a dream come true wearing that maple leaf and winning a gold medal.”
Ethan Zielke will represent the Humboldt area, as a member of the Broncos, while Brayden Klimosko will wear two hats as an assistant coach (born in Humboldt, but currently coaches the Battlefords North Stars), and his player Holden Doell (Doell’s older brother Nolan played for Melfort last season) and Flin Flon Bombers’ forward Jérémi Tremblay will round out the SJHL selections.
Somers said the reality of being one of few representatives of the league, alongside such great company, has not been lost on him.
“That means everything, the opportunity is unreal and it’s once in a lifetime honestly. And, to be joined by those three other guys it’s some pretty good company and to be recognized alongside those truly means a lot to me.”
Somers has been playing some aspiring hockey of late, as his team just rallied off their best month of hockey, so far this year.
Should he make the team, with the camp running from Dec. 5-7 and the challenge set for Dec. 11-18, all out east in Cornwall, Ont., he would miss nearly a month of Melfort’s season.
Despite that fact, he explained the organization has been nothing but supportive and wishes him all the best in his endeavours.
“Obviously, if I make the team, I’d be missing the majority of the month, so that hurts in a way, but when you get this opportunity you just kind of got to take it and run with it. All the guys and coaching staff, everyone involved here have been super awesome. They’ve been kind of telling me, don’t worry about it, we’ll get things done back here, go out there and try and make that team. Everyone’s been encouraging and wishing me well.”
Somers, who leads his team in both points and goals (27 and 14 respectively), and is tied for second in assists (13), through 27 games played, will have his final taste of Mustang action, this weekend, before heading out to the nation’s largest province.
He added he won’t forget about his own province and will take a little bit of Melfort with him, during his time away from home, something that could help him succeed.
“Obviously, there’s a little bit of pressure being a small-town kid, but it kind of feels like the whole town, whole organization, and even further than that is all behind me. The pressure is there, obviously, but you just try and put it on the back burner and go there and get the job done,” he said.
“Just try and play my game and not try and do too much. It’s a really short camp, just three days, a couple of games, and a practice the first night, so not a lot of ice time to get noticed, so you just got to go there and get it done, play my game, play the way I play and just work hard and see what happens.”
There will be two intrasquad games between East and West before the final rosters are named on Dec. 7.
The invites for Team Canada East were selected from the CJHL’s five eastern leagues – the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Hockey League (MHL).
Meanwhile, the invites for Team Canada West were chosen from the four western leagues – the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).
Of the 14 gold medal games at the World Junior A Challenge, 11 have featured at least one Canadian team.
Team Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver six times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019) and bronze once (2008), while Team Canada West has won gold five times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze twice (2013, 2018).
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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com
On Twitter @BenTompkins_8
