A happy homecoming for Dureau
Forward from White River gets assist as family and friends watch from stands
Rookie Jaydon Dureau travelled a long way to experience his first home game as a WHL player.
The White City product made a triumphant return on Wednesday when he helped the Portland Winterhawks beat the Regina Pats 5-2 at the Brandt Centre — much to the delight of his own personal cheering section.
It was a special reunion for the 17-year-old forward, who’s adjusting to a long-distance relationship with family and friends. The Winterhawks visit Saskatchewan just once every two seasons.
“It was for sure marked on the calendar; there was a big circle on it,” Dureau said with a smile after Wednesday’s game. “I was ready to get home and see family and friends. I think my parents helped out by getting some people to come and make sure we had some fans cheering.”
Dureau’s supporters jumped out of their seats with 2:15 left in the third period when he fired a shot that sailed into the empty net, putting an exclamation mark on Portland’s victory.
Dureau was announced as the goal scorer but it was later credited to Mason Mannek on a deflection, with Dureau picking up the assist.
“It’s kind of what you dream of as a little kid — to play in your hometown WHL barn and score in front of your family and hear them cheering,” he said. “I was really happy to be back here.”
Dureau was a standout last season with the Regina Pat Canadians, finishing second in the Saskatchewan midget AAA ranks with 32 goals and 74 points in 38 games en route to being named league MVP.
Given his history with the Pat C’s, it was a little strange to face a team on Wednesday that wears the same logo and colours.
“For sure it brought back some memories of last year,” said the five-foot-11, 165-pounder. “Every time I’d see a number I’d be like, ‘Oh yeah, I remember when an old teammate wore that number.’ I was kind of smiling to myself during the game.”
The Winterhawks are smiling, too.
Dureau — one of several promising young players on the team — is in the midst of a solid rookie campaign with nine goals and 20 points in 40 games.
Not bad for an eighth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft.
“He’s really improved in the second half,” said Portland head coach and GM Mike Johnston. “He just keeps getting better and better. I really like where he’s trending. He’s really smart and really skilled. He’s learning how to play a twoway gritty game as well, which you have to play to be successful.”
The Winterhawks could have easily rushed Dureau to the WHL as a 16-year-old last season, but they decided to give him another year of seasoning in midget AAA.
That decision is now paying dividends.
“I was glad he went back last year,” Johnston said.
“I go back to Taylor Leier several years ago. He went and played his 16-year-old year in the Saskatchewan midget league, came back to us and became our captain two years later.
Dureau put up the same points as Taylor Leier did (in his final midget AAA season).”
The Winterhawks are among the WHL’S top teams this season and they’re expected to remain competitive because of talented young players like Dureau.
That group also includes rookie defenceman Kade Nolan, who’s from Rouleau, and Moose Jaw product Reece Newkirk, who’s among the team’s leading scorers in his second WHL campaign.
All three players were selected by Portland in the 2016 WHL bantam draft after they helped the Notre Dame Hounds win a South Sask midget championship in 2015-16.
Recognizing that Wednesday was a special night for the trio, Johnston put all three in Portland’s starting lineup at the Brandt Centre.
“It feels nice to start the game on home ice,” added Dureau, whose team concludes its East Division road swing on Saturday night against the Saskatoon Blades.
“Me and Kade have been best friends since we were little kids, so it’s really nice to be with him. Me and Newkirk, we just bonded. We play together (on the same line). He a good playmaker, good scorer — a really good guy to play with,” he added.
It’s kind of what you dream of as a little kid — to play in your hometown WHL barn and score in front of your family and hear them cheering.