Brennan makes the most of opportunities

Opinion

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This article was published 09/12/2022 (1016 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Before the 2022-23 season, Lucas Brennan would not have been a popular choice to be the MJHL’s leading goalscorer.

And frankly, there wasn’t anything on the 18-year-old right-winger’s resume to suggest he was a sniper in the making.

He scored five goals as a 13-year-old playing AAA U14 hockey, two goals in 19 games with Churchill High School as a 14-year-old and, a year later, nine goals in 36 games with the Winnipeg AAA U17 Bruins.

So, how do you explain Brennan’s 21 goals in 24 games with the Selkirk Steelers?

Head coach Hudson Friesen has witnessed the evolution of an offensive star first hand.

“He never played on the big AAA teams in the city — he had to go to Interlake to play his AAA — and he was somebody that flew under the radar a little bit,” said Friesen earlier this week. “Last year as a rookie for us we saw him improving all year long, we could see the potential in his game and the growth that he was having.

“It was really in the second half last year where he started to really take off and find his game and really exploded on the scene for us.”

In 2021-22, Brennan was off to a quiet start as an MJHL rookie, registering four points in 28 games before the holiday break. But a roster overhaul — three average forwards were traded away at mid-season — paved the way for a move from the fourth to third line and eventually the No. 1 unit.

By season’s end, he had scored 24 points in his final 25 games; his season totals included 13 goals and 28 points in 53 games.

“I got a lot more opportunity in the second half and I just made the most of what I got,” said Brennan, whose ice time went from eight to 12 minutes as a fourth-liner to 24-plus minutes on the top trio. “We had some early success on the third line and then I sort of worked my way up from there.”

Although only 5-9, 170 pounds and never drafted by a WHL or MJHL team, Brennan sparked interest from NCAA recruiters toward the end of 2021-22, and last month he accepted an offer to play at Bemidji (Minn.) State.

“His skating is definitely on another level,” said Friesen, explaining the sudden NCAA interest. “His straightaway speed, his lateral movement, his explosiveness — that’s definitely something that catches your eye.

“But the other thing that caught my attention and made me confident in the fact that he would make our team as a rookie last year was his battle level. Lucas is a kid that’s so hard on pucks, he’s in the battle. For a smaller guy, he’s not afraid of the dirty areas.”

Those are the qualities Selkirk director of player personnel Tim Schick had already seen, prompting the Steelers to insist Brennan be included in the trade package from Steinbach when centre Blake Burr was dealt to the Pistons in 2020.

“I wouldn’t say I was a skilled player back then,” said Brennan, whose 38 points place him second in the league scoring derby, seven back of Steinbach Pistons forward Davis Fry entering Friday’s action. “I was more of just a hard worker, a grinding type player.”

Brennan credits off-season workouts with Riley and Brett Dudar at Evolution Hockey for playing a major role in his transformation.

“Some kids have a dream in their mind and they push themselves to be the best they can be,” said Schick. “Some kids (are) just happy to be where they’re at, and Lucas is that type of kid that we knew right away that he was pumped up to be the best he could be.”

COMING AND GOING: Winnipegger Andrew Ness, a rookie goaltender with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons, had an adventurous week at a tryout camp for the Canada West team for the World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall, Ont.

Ness’s equipment and luggage were lost in transit by the airline and he missed the first day of on-ice activities. His equipment was returned Wednesday, just in time to make a good impression on evaluators.

‘The 18-year-old, who has a .926 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against average in 14 games with the Oil Barons, recently committed to Bemidji State for 2024-25. He was one of two Manitobans to earn a spot on the West roster, joining Winnipegger Sam Court, a defenceman with the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. The West squad will be guided by Winkler Flyers head coach Justin Falk.

Steinbach Pistons forward Ty Paisley did not survive the West roster cutdown.

Meanwhile, Morden product Trent Crane will be participating in the World Junior A Challenge as a member of the East squad. The 19-year-old centre has 37 points in 20 games for the Maritime Hockey League’s Summerside Western Capitals. He will be joined on the East team by Winnipeg’s Sam Court, a defenceman with the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL.

HOT START: Elm Creek’s Corinne Schroeder, a goaltender with the Premier Hockey Federation’s Boston Pride, was named the league’s player of the month in November.

The former Quinnipiac and Boston University ace won her first five starts including a record three consecutive shutout victories to launch her pro career.

The 23-year-old has started all six of Boston’s games to open 2022-23. The Pride is currently in first place in the league standings and Schroeder leads every statistical category for goaltenders including wins (five), shutouts (three), goals-against-average (2.56), and save percentage (.926).

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14