Defenceman picked for U-17 squad
Pats defender selected for Under-17 squad
Dawson Barteaux’s checklist is getting smaller by the day.
The 16-year-old defenceman achieved his No. 1 goal this fall by winning a job with the Regina Pats, who selected him in the first round (14th overall) of the 2015 WHL bantam draft.
That accomplishment also helped him earn a spot on one of the three Canadian teams at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, which begins Thursday in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
“It’s a huge opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf,” said Barteaux, who departed Monday. “I’m excited. It’s a huge honour to have my name in the mix of all the 66 names (from across the country).”
The under-17 tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, which also includes the under-18 and under-20 (world junior) teams.
Barteaux hopes the under-17 tournament will be a stepping stone to other opportunities down the road.
“Getting into U17 is a huge honour,” he said. “I was always thinking about U17 and then hopefully U18 and hopefully world junior. I’ve made my first step and hopefully I keep on going.”
Barteaux is going through a similar process with the Pats, who are taking it slow with the promising youngster. He has seen limited icetime so far this season while dressing for nine of the team’s first 12 games.
Getting into U17 is a huge honour. I’ve made my first step and hopefully I keep on going.
“I definitely started off shaky,” Barteaux admitted. “You have to adjust a bit just because of the speed and the pace and (finding out) where you fit in for a role on the team. I’m starting to get my nerves out now and starting to play my game. I think I’ll just keep getting better every game.”
The smooth-skating defender is not expected to contribute much in terms of offence this season. That’ll come in time. However, it was still a relief when he picked up his first WHL point on Tuesday in Regina’s 6-1 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He notched another assist on Saturday, helping the Pats beat the Medicine Hat Tigers 8-5.
“It has been on my mind for a while,” he admitted. “To get it out of the way is a huge relief. Hopefully some more keep coming.”
The World Under-17 Challenge is a key developmental opportunity for Barteaux, who will get a chance to thrive with and against elite players his own age. It’s a far cry from the WHL level, where the competition is bigger, stronger, faster and more experienced.
“He’s going to get some really good coaching and some good experience playing with some really good players across Canada,” said Pats assistant coach/assistant GM Dave Struch, who’s serving as an under-17 assistant with Canada Black. “He’s going to get to play a lot more than he has been here. That helps his development when you’re playing high-level hockey against other countries. Hopefully it keeps him in the loop for the future. When he comes back (to Regina) with that experience it provides some really good leadership for the program.”
Although Barteaux has experienced some growing pains this season, that’s to be expected for a young player who’s still developing physically and mentally. He’s taking it one step at a time. “My main goal this year was to stick around,” added the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder. “I’m definitely still auditioning.
“It’s (about) getting used to the pace, the speed, how we play our systems, stuff like that.
“(I need to keep) going back hard for pucks, not being afraid, having some courage that I can play in this league and I can handle these guys. Once I get that, I’ll be just fine.”