Hard work and patience paying off

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This article was published 27/03/2024 (545 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Something Hudson Thornton has learned during his tenure with the Prince George Cougars is this: helping turn a mediocre team into an WHL powerhouse is probably going to be a slow, sometimes painful process.

The Cougars are just such a case.

A non-playoff team before he arrived, Prince George has capped a slow build by winning more games (49) and earning more points (102) this season than any other since the franchise relocated from Victoria, B.C., prior to the 1994-95 campaign.

Now, they’re an emerging juggernaut with aspirations for something bigger and a Western Conference regular-season title might only be a starting point.

“I’ve been here three years and it just kind of felt like it’s been a stepping stone to get to this point,” said the 20-year-old defenceman by phone Tuesday as the top-seeded Cougars prepared to host Game 1 of their conference quarterfinal against the Spokane Chiefs Friday night. “A lot of our core guys have been together now for three years and a lot of signs were kind of pointing toward this year being really successful for us.”

One of those early indicators might have been GM and head coach Mark Lamb’s choice for captain. He selected Thornton, a Winnipeg product picked in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2018 WHL Draft, who originally pursued an NCAA scholarship — playing for teams in the BCHL and USHL — before finally joining Prince George late in 2020-21.

“He’s always been that type of guy,” said Lamb. “He takes care of the guys. His work ethic is second to none. He really prepares and he really wants to be a hockey player. He’s really good in the community and he checks off a lot of boxes for leadership… He’s just been an excellent captain.”

For Thornton, who captained his peewee team for two seasons and his U14 AAA club in Winnipeg for another, the role was a natural fit and his leadership skills are further complemented by a superb offensive toolkit. In 68 games, he registered 18 goals and 74 points while quarterbacking the club’s power play, which has clicked at 30.1 per cent efficiency.

“I knew the direction and kind of message that we needed to send to the room and I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job this year,” said Thornton, named a B.C. Division first-team all-star earlier this week. “Honestly, (Lamb) lets me do my thing, which is nice. He lets me be the leader that I want to be.”

Thornton is one of three Manitobans on the Cougars roster. Sixteen-year-old left-winger Jett Lajoie of Winnipeg is coming off a solid rookie campaign, while Carson Carels, a 15-year-old blue-liner from Cypress River and the club’s first-round draft pick in 2023, hasn’t looked out of place during a late-season call-up.

Prior to the trade deadline, Lamb added hulking defenceman Chase Pauls and veteran forward Borya Valis in separate deals without mortgaging the club’s future. He retained his first- and second-round draft picks.

“I think he’s proven to everybody that he’s one of the best GMs and best coaches in the league,” said Thornton. “We knew that probably before the deadline he would add a bigger right-shot defenceman, which he did, and he would try to add a bit more depth in our forward scoring, which he did. I think he got probably the best candidates that he could have for our team. They’ve fit in so well.”

The team’s success has also ignited local fan interest. A crowd in excess of 6,000 is expected for Friday’s playoff opener at CN Centre.

“Last year you kind of noticed a little bit of buzz around the team and bigger crowds,” said Thornton. “I think this year we had like six or seven sellouts and I think we’re expecting to sell out every playoff game this year, too. It’s pretty special to to play in front of a crowd like that, in a town like this. One thing I’ve come to learn is Prince George is such a huge sports community and when you’re doing as well as we are, it’s pretty special.”

AROUND THE LEAGUE: The Calgary Hitmen are searching for a new coaching staff after missing the WHL playoffs and informing head coach Steve Hamilton and assistant coaches Don MacGillivray and Trent Cassan this week their contracts will not be renewed.

MacGillivray’s previous stop was in Brandon where he served as head coach the WHL’s Wheat Kings from 2020 to 2022. He was an assistant coach in Brandon for four seasons before that…

More all-star honours for Manitobans playing in the WHL: Swift Current Broncos defenceman Owen Pickering of St. Adolphe and centre Conor Geekie of Strathclair were named to the Central Division’s first team while Moose Jaw Warriors blue-liner Denton Mateychuk received first-team East Division honours.

Meanwhile, Swift Current goaltender Reid Dyck of Winkler was named to the Central Division’s second team, Spokane forward Conner Roulette of Winnipeg earned a spot on the U.S. Division’s second team and Wheat Kings goaltender Carson Bjarnason of Carberry and Prince Albert Raiders forward Sloan Stanick of Rapid City were both named to the East Division’s second team.

BACK ON THE JOB: Jon Rempel, who took a sick leave from his post last October, is back on job as head coach of the University of Manitoba’s women’s hockey team.

Jordy Zacharias, a U of M student recruitment officer who was elevated from her role as volunteer assistant coach to serve as interim coach in Rempel’s absence, guided the Bisons to a Canada West playoff appearance. Zacharias will continue with the program in some fashion.

“At the point we seconded her, we had her under contract for a year so we have time to see how that will work,” said Gene Muller, the U of M’s director of athletics and recreation.

MJHL POST-SEASON: With forward Kirk Mullen leading the way with three goals and five points in three games, the Steinbach Pistons are poised to close out their best-of-seven divisional semifinal with the Niverville Nighthawks with a win in Game 4 Thursday night. Game time in Niverville is 7:30 p.m.

Elsewhere, the Winkler Flyers and Portage Terriers were tied 1-1 in their series entering Wednesday’s Game 3, while Virden takes a 2-1 series lead in Thursday’s Game 4 against the Neepawa Titans. Josh Lehto of the Oil Caps leads all MJHL playoff scorers with seven points, including two goals, in three games.

Meanwhile, the Dauphin Kings hold a 2-1 series lead entering Thursday’s Game 4 against the visiting OCN Blizzard.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca