Steen’s game growing at U18 level
Riley Steen continues to work on his stride to get to the next step in the WHL.
The Medicine Hat Tigers’ defence prospect was with the club for a week in January, taking part in practices and in the stands to observe the next level. He’s spent all season with the Okanagan Hockey Academy’s U18 team, putting up a goal and 11 points in 26 games.
Since he was in Medicine Hat for training camp, Steen says he’s asked fellow Okanaganbased Tigers prospects Markus and Liam Ruck about their WHL experiences while working on his own game.
“Going up to U18 and coming here, the pace gets higher,” Steen said. “You think you’re good at skating with the pace and you might be good at skating, but just the quickness needs to go up at that pace. That’s like the overall quickness of pace.”
The 15-year-old considers skating to be his one of the strongest parts of his game but is looking to improve on that as well as making his game quicker when it comes to processing plays or moving the puck.
“He’s gotten quicker,” Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer said. “He’s grown over six feet, he’s put some weight on. I don’t know what they’re doing there at OHA but all three guys are bigger and stronger. So it’s exciting to see the future guys.”
The Ruck twins were also in Medicine Hat at the same time as Steen, coming off OHA’s loss in the B Finals at the Circle K Classic. The trio also represented B.C. at the WHL cup, an experience Steen says he’ll never forget.
“That was really cool, to be a part of representing the province of B.C.,” Steen said. “It was not the outcome we wanted but I think it was just overall a really good experience.”
They were all in the stands for the weekend in early January when the Tigers outscored their opponents 25-10 in three games, picking up two wins. He says even being in the rink is something he enjoys and is looking forward to the idea of being at Co-op Place full time next season.
“Coming to the rink in the morning is the best,” Steen said. “You get to come in and get your workout in, just be in the gym stretching out and then you get to go on the ice and be part of meetings. You get to go upstairs and watch, it’s just pretty cool.”
As he looks forward to the rest of the year, Steen’s next appearance in Medicine Hat is likely at the end of his U18 season as a black ace for what the Tigers hope is a lengthy playoff run. Until then, Steen says he’s looking to improve his game and will be back ready to take notes from his older teammates at the highest pressure time.
“Especially as a younger defenceman on the team, just always be quick like some of our older guys there,” Steen said. “They can mess up because they create passes quick enough. So coming here and watching the 20-year-olds and older guys here move pucks really fast, quick feet and always supporting, that’s just one of the things I’ll take back.”
Here are the November, December and January performances from Tigers prospects.
(Players put in order of statistics and level played. Only those signed to player agreements are included. Stats entering play Feb. 15).
F, Liam Ruck
9th, 2023 WHL draft
CSSHL, U18 Okanagan Hockey Academy
– 13 GP, 12 G, 13 A, 25 P Season: 18 GP, 22 G, 20 A, 42 P Circle K Classic, U18 Okanagan Hockey Academy
– 6 GP, 6 G, 5 A, 11 P
WHL, Medicine Hat Tigers – 2 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 P
Youth Olympics, Canada
– 2 GP, 3 G, 3 P
F, Markus Ruck
21st, 2023 WHL draft CSSHL, U18 Okanagan Hockey Academy
– 17 GP, 9 G, 24 A, 33 P Season: 21 GP, 13 G, 36 A, 49 P Circle K Classic, U18 Okanagan Hockey Academy
– 6 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 P
WHL, Medicine Hat Tigers – 1 GP
Youth Olympics, Canada
– 4 GP, 3 A, 3 P
F, Avery Watson
159th, 2023 WHL draft AEHL, U18 Edm. Jr. Oilers – 26 GP, 4 G, 11 A, 17 P Season: 34 GP, 7 G, 11 A, 25 P Circle K Classic, U18 Edmonton Jr. Oilers
– 5 GP, 4 G, 1 A, 5 P
D, Riley Steen
127th, 2023 WHL draft CSSHL, U18 Okanagan Hockey Academy
– 12 GP, 5 A, 5 P
Season: 26 GP, 1 G, 10 A, 11 P Circle K Classic, U18 Okanagan Hockey Academy
– 6 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 P
D, Koray Bozkaya
53rd, 2023 WHL draft BCEHL, U18 Fraser Valley Thunderbirds
– 22 GP, 2 G, 10 A, 12 P Season: 29 GP, 2 G, 10 A, 12 P
G, Jordan Switzer
111th, 2022 WHL draft CSSHL, U18 Northern Alberta Extreme
– 13 GP, 3.41 GAA, .903 SV, 9-1-0 Season: 15 GP, 2.99 GAA, .904 SV, 13-1-0, 1 SO
Circle K Classic, U18 Northern Alberta Extreme
– 3 GP, 1.92 GAA, .923 SV, 2-0-0