BLUE LINE PRESENCE MATTERS
North Star Fransoo’s return timely
It felt amazing to be able to play again and be able to win (the Canalta Cup) four straight. It was just the best feeling.
Kendall Fransoo made it back into the lineup just in time for the Canalta Cup, being first in line to hoist the cup as captain of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champion Battlefords North Stars.
His blueline presence is key for the North Stars this week at the Western Canada Cup in Penticton, B.C., where the Stars (0-1-1) return to action this afternoon against the Alberta Junior Hockey League champion Brooks Bandits (2-0-0) in search of their first tournament win after cruising through the SJHL playoffs with a perfect 12-0 record.
Fransoo — who was sidelined with a knee injury back in late February — missed nearly two months, including the North Stars’ first two playoff series. He returned to play all four games of the best-of-seven Canalta Cup final, which saw Battlefords sweep the Flin Flon Bombers in four straight.
“He did a great job staying positive in a negative situation,” North Stars head coach and GM Nate Bedford said of Fransoo. “And that’s kind of what we’ve done all year, be positive in negative situations. Having him back in the lineup gave us a big boost. Losing guys sometimes makes losing excusable. I’m proud of our guys for not making excuses.”
Fransoo had a goal and assist in the four Canalta Cup games.
“Obviously to see him go down just before playoffs, it rallied the guys around him to make sure he’d get another game in this league,” pointed out Stars assistant coach Braeden Johnson, a Saskatoon native and former Saskatoon Blade.
“To make it to the league final and have him back, and his first game back he scores a goal, the guys couldn’t be any happier for him. He’s a centrepiece to our success and to our organization and he’s just one of those guys you can’t win without him.
“(His return) is huge.” Fransoo finished the regular season with 10 goals and 23 assists for 33 points in 54 games before getting injured.
“It was pretty amazing to see all the guys battle and put their bodies on the line through the whole playoffs,” said Fransoo. “It felt amazing to be able to play again and be able to win (the Canalta Cup) four straight. It was just the best feeling.”
The Stars were able to redeem themselves, having also finished first overall during the regular season one year earlier only to come up short in the playoffs.
“One of the huge differences is you look at the depth of our team this year and we’ve got 18 of 20 guys who have (scored) goals in the playoffs — that’s big — and the amount that we’re going to sacrifice,” Fransoo said. “Other teams maybe have one line or a top five guys. I think everybody wants it so bad that we’re going to do it.”
So far, Fransoo has an assist in two Western Canada Cup games.
“He’s a leader in the dressing room off the ice and on the ice,” said Bedford. “He’s a great kid and great competitor. He kind of represents a lot of what we want to do and that is play tough defensively.”
SCHOOL-BOUND
As a graduating player, Fransoo will look to continue his hockey next season, preferably at a Canadian university or American college.
“Either-or,” he said. “I haven’t quite narrowed it down where I want to go. Definitely playing hockey and going to university is going to be the thing I’m looking for.”
His older brother, Jordan, plays defence and serves as alternate captain for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
Kendall Fransoo admits that joining his brother “would be pretty amazing.”
“I’ve never been able to be on the same team as him, so that would be pretty special.”