Blueliner’s job is to carry a load, not a team

Mark French isn’t interested in a whiz- bang, one- stop stopping, one- man band. He isn’t expecting Travis Sanheim to be Orson Welles on Citizen Kane — writer, director, producer, star. An all- inclusive, as it were. “It’s important,’’ the Calgary Hitmen coach emphasized as the team bus idled out in Lot D of the Scotiabank Saddledome, soon to push off on the four- hour ride to Cranbook and puck- drop to another WHL season Friday night, “that he doesn’t look at this situation in that way. “That he has to do it all himself. “It can happen. But I think when does do that, he comes by it honestly. He wants to push things because he truly feels it’s helping the team.

“That’s why I think it’s important our coaching staff shows him when he is helping and when he is hurting.

“Getting him to better understand that, so he can better manage his own game. That way he gets better and we do, too.’’

Since being eliminated by the Brandon Wheat Kings from the 2015 post- season May 1, the Hitmen have lost a whole passel of goals — from Adam Tambellini, Kenton Helgeson, Connor Rankin and quite likely Jake Virtanen, who could make the Vancouver Canucks.

That shaves the margin for error in games this season considerably while often increasing the tendency to overdo in an honest effort to compensate.

Back from his second NHL training camp experience with the Philadelphia Flyers, buoyed by 16 additional pounds, Sanheim vows not to fall into the toomuch trap.

“Coming back from a pro camp, sometimes you think you have to do more, try too hard, and find yourself out of position,’’ he acknowledged.

“You come back from an experience like that full of confidence and can think it’s going to be easier; forget what they liked about you in the first place.

“At camp ( in Philadelphia), I kept it simple, made smart plays, especially in the exhibition game I played in” — against the N. Y. Rangers at Wells Fargo Center — “and I think it worked out well.”

“There’s no reason for me to change that now. There’ll be more opportunities for me to jump into the play here, but the main focus is to be assertive, smart defensively, and pick my spots to join the rush.”

Sanheim’s importance to the overall good is beyond dispute. A 17th overall selection in the 2014 NHL draft, 65 points ( a 34- point jump) and a plus- 27 during the ensuing Hitmen campaign and 18 more points over 17 playoff appearances. Everything — minutes, responsibility, mentoring — will be elevated beginning Friday against the Kootenay Ice.

That is simply the natural progression of things.

“For him to succeed in both goals this season — for us to win hockey games and for him to make the World Junior team and someday be an NHL player,” French said, “his game management’s got to be better. He’s got to be stronger defensively, manage the puck and manage his risk a little better than he did last year.

“We don’t need him to increase risk. We want him to generate off ence in the way we want our defence to play: In a way that’s aggressive but not reckless.”

Another familiar pitfall for returning juniors is dealing with the letdown of seeing that lifelong dream of pro hockey dropped down on the calendar. With four of their first five on the road, there’s little time for what- if?- ing or pining for the biggest, brightest stage.

“Obviously, coming back I was a little disappointed,” Sanheim admitted. “That’s only natural, I think. I wanted to stay there as long as possible. Playing the one game last year, I was hoping to get in a couple more this year. I set higher expectations for myself. When you don’t reach those goals, you have to come back and not get too far ahead of yourself.

“These first couple of games, I’ve got to guard against trying to do something I’m not capable of .”

The work put in this summer not just to add weight, but the right kind of weight, has paid off .

“I defi nitely noticed a big diff erence in my game, strength- wise.… Last year, against the bigger, older guys when I went to the pro camp, I had trouble moving them because the strength just wasn’t there.

“This year, I felt I could better compete on their level in that area. I understand it’s something I have to continue working on, my strength, but I felt much more comfortable.’’

Travis Sanheim is being asked to carry a load. Not a team. “He’s one of these players,” French said, “who wants to rise to the occasion when games are on the line. He doesn’t try to hide from those moments. And some guys do. That gives me confi - dence, and I’m sure it gives his teammates confi dence, too. He wants to be the guy with the puck on his stick when it matters most. You just have to be smart about it.

“Playing the role he wants to play, he’s going to have to be comfortable with that. That means some nights he might be the goat.

“He’s got to have the mental toughness knowing that his skills and his determination will also make him the star on other nights, on more nights. Those qualities are what give him such a bright future.’’