Holmes heats up ahead of western games
Road trip includes four games in Alberta, where family will be out in full force
Robbie Holmes is formally known as Robert Holmes IV.
When it was pointed out to the Regina Pats left winger that his given name is very dignified, he joked that “it sounds like you’re part of the monarchy or something.”
Well, he does play major-junior hockey in the Queen City, for a team that is hoping to be crowned Memorial Cup champions on May 27.
Team-related goals aside, Holmes isn’t one for titles. And, Robbie will suffice.
This weekend, he will have an opportunity to visit with another Robert Holmes — his father — when the Pats begin a westward swing that includes four games in his home province of Alberta.
The 18-year-old Holmes, who hails from Sherwood Park, expects to have a cheering section that includes his father, mother (Karen), brother (Dylan) and sister (Kirsten).
“I saw my mom and dad (recently) for the family weekend, but I get to see my brother and sister too, so that will be nice,” Holmes said.
This past weekend, Holmes had a goal in both of the Pats’ games. He snapped a 15-game goalless drought on Friday, when Regina rallied from a 4-0 deficit and defeated the host Saskatoon Blades 7-5. He then scored Regina’s second goal Saturday in a 3-2 loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors at Mosaic Place.
“It feels good,” Holmes said of his contributions on offence. “I went a couple of games there without any goals or points, but that doesn’t really matter. As long as we win and I help the team out defensively or on the penalty kill, that’s kind of all that matters right now.”
The Pats, who are to play host to the Memorial Cup in May, carry a 33-25-5-1 record into a five-game road stretch. After meeting the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday, the Pats will oppose the Edmonton Oil Kings (Sunday), Medicine Hat Tigers (March 6), Kootenay Ice (March 9) and Lethbridge Hurricanes (March 10).
Holmes heads into the excursion with 15 goals and 12 assists in 60 games.
In terms of even-strength goals, Holmes and Jared Legien are tied for third on the team, with 15. Matt Bradley leads the way with 28, followed by Cameron Hebig (23).
Holmes actually has one more even-strength tally than Pats star Sam Steel, a returning 50-goal man who has scored 24 times in 47 games this season.
Steel is quick to laud Holmes’ contributions.
“He works hard and softens up the defencemen and things like that,” the Pats’ captain said. “He chips in offensively, too. He got a great goal against Saskatoon. He’s a really important player on our team, just like everybody else.”
Holmes has become a regular with the Pats despite being an 11thround selection (232nd overall) in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft.
On draft day, Holmes — then 14 — was five-foot-10 and 145 pounds. He is now a six-foot-three, 184-pound WHL sophomore.
“He’s a little bit of a late bloomer, based on his size when we drafted him to now,” Pats head coach and general manager John Paddock said. “He’s a solid player for us. He has entrenched himself in our top nine.”
Paddock expects continued development from Holmes, who had two goals and seven assists in 54 regular-season games for a 2016-17 Pats powerhouse that reached the WHL’s championship series.
“The last game we won in the playoffs last year, it was a great goal ( by Holmes) — on a pass from Bryan Lockner — so he has the ability to score goals — not 40, but he has the ability to score,” Paddock noted.
“He has an outside chance at 20 and I would expect next year that, despite some young players around him, he should get between 20 and 30.”
EXTRAS
Goaltender Ryan Kubic, 20, will join the Pats on the road trip. He has not played since Feb. 9 due to a concussion. Max Paddock, 17, handled most of the netminding while Kubic was sidelined ... Pats defenceman Libor Hajek and Moose Jaw Warriors captain Brett Howden were involved in an NHL trade-deadline deal on Monday. Their rights were sent to the New York Rangers as part of a trade in which the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired veterans Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller.