Haynes pleased with second chance
GOLDEN HAWKS’ DEFENCEMAN GETS A CRACK AT SHOWCASE TOURNMENT
Technically, Carson Haynes was at the John Reid Memorial Hockey Tournament last year. It’s just that while his Lethbridge Val Matteotti bantam AAA Golden Hawks teammates played in the high-profile tournament in St. Albert showcasing the top bantam talent from both sides of the border, the now second-year defenceman had to watch from the sidelines, shelved with a broken collarbone.
As the Golden Hawks boarded the bus to St. Albert Wednesday morning after a practice session at Nicholas Sheran Arena, it’s a whole different scenario for the team’s veteran and leader.
With the Golden Hawks skating into opening day today with a pair of games on the slate, Haynes has a clean bill of health.
“I’m way more excited than I would have been last year,” said Haynes, whose team will play the Delta Wild Prep Green at 8 a.m. today and OHA Edmonton at 4:15 p.m.
“I went up there and experienced as much as I could,” said Haynes. “It was my first time looking at the academy teams and it’s a difference based on speed and skill. It’s just crazy, honestly, to see kids who will have an opportunity at the NHL (level) and get to watch them play and play against them.”
The Golden Hawks head into the tournament having won five games in a row, including an 8-1 win over the Medicine Hat SEAC Tigers on Sunday. That improves them to 16-7-4, good for third place in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League South Division, one point behind the 17-7-3 Red Deer Rebels and seven points behind the 19-3-5 Airdrie Xtreme.
“About three weeks ago we had a little drought, but the week right before the Christmas break we got two wins and we haven’t lost since,” said Haynes, who has six goals and 20 points in 27 games this season. “It’s been full steam ahead. It’s a great way to go into the tournament.”
The Golden Hawks’ last loss was Dec. 10, a 3-0 setback to the Calgary Royals in Calgary.
“Everybody is contributing and going in the right direction,” said Golden Hawks head coach Doug Paisley. “As cliché as it sounds, the boys are all on the same page, collectively, and trying to win some hockey games. We’re fairly process-focused and the outcomes have been good based on the work ethic, communication and the execution. They’re putting it to good use in games and it’s showing the results on the scoreboard.”
With Haynes on the blueline, the Golden Hawks head to St. Albert in good health.
“We’re good,” said Paisley. “We’re relatively healthy, which is obviously the most important thing. We’re pretty focused. We’re playing the right way going into it. The guys are pretty excited about the opportunity to showcase and get an opportunity to play against the other topquality teams in Western Canada and the northwestern states.”
That starts this morning against Delta Wild Prep Green.
“Honestly, all I know is stats and how they’re doing in the league,” said Haynes of advance scouting of this weekend’s opponents. “But other than that, I know a couple of the players, but I haven’t seen them play. So it’ll be fun.”