PATS
’Canes will keep close tabs on Sam Steel
GREG HARDER
Despite his unassuming nature, Sam Steel is accustomed to being the centre of attention.
It comes with the territory when you’re a first-round NHL draft pick who recently won the WHL scoring title and was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Year.
Steel’s eye-catching resume also means he is certain to garner some unwanted attention when the Regina Pats commence a third-round playoff series Friday (7 p.m., Brandt Centre) against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
“You can’t worry about that,” offered Steel, who had 50 goals and 131 points in 66 regular season games. “(Teams) are going to do what they’re going to do. It’s my job to go out there and try to do what I do best. You definitely can’t get frustrated because that’s just energy being wasted.”
Steel battled through some VIP treatment in Regina’s previous series against the Swift Current Broncos, finishing with three goals, nine points and a plus-six rating in seven games.
Regina’s No. 1 line — comprising Steel, Nick Henry and Dawson Leedahl — emerged victorious after a tough head-to-head matchup with Swift Current’s top unit, centred by NHL prospect Glenn Gawdin.
“I thought they got outplayed in Game 6 by Gawdin’s line but, past that, I think Sam’s line won that battle,” Pats head coach and GM John Paddock said. “I never challenged him but I did throw something out there just in general about how guys had picked each other up in Game 6. I talked about Wyatt (Sloboshan) and (Austin Wagner) and Filip (Ahl) picking it up because ‘Gawdin outplayed you guys.’ That wasn’t a direct challenge to him but then you see him score the first goal right away (in Game 7).
“I don’t think Gawdin was going to outplay him in that game.”
With a mixture of skill and determination, Steel has a history of rising to the challenge. His efforts are needed more than ever in the absence of captain Adam Brooks, who won the WHL scoring title in 2016 and was the runner-up to Steel in 2017.
The 20-year-old centre suffered a knee injury in Game 2 against Swift Current and isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the Lethbridge series.
When he’s in the lineup, Brooks warrants so much attention that teams can’t focus solely on Regina’s top line.
It’s a classic case of “pick your poison.”
Without Brooks, Steel becomes an obvious focal point — for the Pats and their opposition. The 18-year-old centre takes that challenge to heart — but he’s not the only player required to pick up the slack.
“I wouldn’t say once Adam is gone all the pressure is on me because that’s definitely not true,” noted Steel, who’s among the league leaders with seven goals and 19 points in 11 playoff games. “As you saw in the last series, we’re a really deep team. We have guys like (Wagner) and Filip and (Sloboshan) stepping up. We’re a deep team and we believe in all the guys.”
Sloboshan has filled in admirably for Brooks on Regina’s second line between Wagner and Ahl. The trio was instrumental in a comeback victory over Swift Current in Game 6, followed by another strong showing in Game 7.
They also took some pressure off Steel, who admits defenders are more likely to get away with bending the rules in playoffs.
“Definitely — not that it’s a bad thing,” he said. “The refs are letting us play for the most part. There’s no complaining. Playoffs is an intense time. Some things you’re going to get let off but there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Steel is expecting a tough matchup in the Eastern Conference final — likely against Hurricanes No. 1 centre Giorgio Estephan. Estephan’s right-hand man is captain Tyler Wong, a tenacious checker and gifted scorer who tied for the league lead with 51 goals.
Wong, Estephan and left-winger Egor Babenko are all among the top-five in WHL playoff scoring. Steel’s underrated defensive acumen will be equally important to his contributions on offence.
“They’re good players,” Steel said. “They’re going to be a tough team to beat. We definitely have to try to do our best to keep their production limited.”
You definitely can’t get frustrated because that’s just energy being wasted.