Steel is used to playing hockey in the great outdoors
The Regina Pats will soon have an outdoor game in their backyard. Sam Steel can relate.
In Steel’s case, however, “backyard rink” can be interpreted literally.
His father, Larry, has annually built and maintained an outdoor hockey rink near the family’s home in Sherwood Park, Alta. That will give Larry’s 19-year-old son a head-start on a Feb. 18 WHL outdoor game between the Pats and the Moose Jaw Warriors, who are to meet at Mosaic Stadium — not far away from the Brandt Centre.
“I think everybody has a story or two about an outdoor rink,” Steel said. “It’s going to be a little different in front of that many people and on that stage, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The Steels’ rink is built to NHL specifications, except that it is 10 feet short of the regulation length.
“Six or seven years ago, we thought we had some space to build one,” Steel said. “We always had a pond out front, so me and my dad and my brother and the rest of my family and friends helped out and built the outdoor rink in the back. We’ve had a lot of fun out there.
“Whether you’re just going out there and goofing around with your friends or spending time working on your skills, it was always a lot of fun out there during the colder months.”
Steel has been able to share in the fun with current and future teammates. The Pats practised at the rink before he became a fulltime member of the team, and have since worked out on the Steels’ ice on two occasions.
“It wasn’t anything crazy for me, because I’m used to it, but I’d always get excited because I’m really proud of what we’ve built there,” Steel said. “It’s always good to see how excited the guys get.”
The Moose Jaw Warriors’ Tim Hunter will be the head coach of Team WHL during the upcoming CIBC Canada Russia Series.
Hunter will be assisted by the Pats’ John Paddock and the Swift Current Broncos’ Manny Viveiros.
The WHL team is to play Russia on Nov. 6 in Moose Jaw and Nov. 7 in Swift Current.
The WHL squad’s support staff will consist of Pats athletic therapist Greg Mayer, Broncos head athletic trainer Jamie LeBlanc and Warriors equipment manager Tanner Arnold.
During the tour, Russia will also play twice against teams from the OHL and the QMJHL.
Notes: The Pats traded Jeff de Wit, 19, to the Kootenay Ice on Tuesday for fellow forward Tanner Sidaway, 18, and a seventh-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft ... The Pats played host to the Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday. Game coverage appears on leaderpost.com.