Warnick’s rise key to Steelers return to contention

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This article was published 08/11/2024 (318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Selkirk Steelers have missed the MJHL playoffs in three of the past four seasons and haven’t won a post-season series in 12 years, but they’re on track for a breakout year in 2024-25.

Sparked by MJHL scoring leader Owen Warnick, the Steelers went on a 10-game winning streak to start the campaign and are currently tied with the league heavyweight Steinbach Pistons for top spot in the East Division heading into Sunday’s game against the West Division-leading Kings in Dauphin.

A young and improving lineup, combined with an influx of American talent, appears to be at the heart of the Steeltown turnaround.

The Steelers are 12-5-0-1 and losers of their last three games.

“We knew having a younger group that it might take us a couple games or a few weeks to kind of get in stride and to play the way that we want to play, especially without the puck,” explained Selkirk head coach and director of player personnel Hudson Friesen on Friday.

“But night in and night out we were finding different ways to win — whether we were filling the net and loading up the scoreboard or if we were leaning on our defensive structure and our goaltending and back end to get us wins. And then the next thing you know we had 10 wins in a row.”

The Steelers are one of the least experienced teams in the league, with only four 20-year-olds — the league limit is eight — and four 19-year-olds in the lineup.

“We have the skill to do what we need to do this year and have success, but we might need an older presence to be able to compete at the end of the year against teams that have eight 20-year-olds and maybe eight or nine 19-year-olds,” said Friesen, who obtained towering 19-year-old defenceman Ty Easton from the Swan Valley Stampeders for a player development fee on Thursday.

Warnick, who has 10 goals and 25 points in 18 games to share the league scoring lead with Cameron Bullinger of the Portage Terriers entering Friday’s action, has been pivotal in Selkirk’s offensive attack.

Acquired from Swan Valley for a second-round draft pick and a player development fee in mid-December, the 6-1, 165-pounder got off to a slow start when he broke his left wrist shortly after arriving in Selkirk. He returned before the end of 2023-24, registering two goals and three points in 15 games.

He’s been lights out this fall with nine multi-point games and an invite to play for the MJHL all-stars at the recent Western All-star Showcase in Warman, Sask.

“I was extremely excited about the year, knowing that I was in a really good spot,” said Warnick, an 18-year-old centre from Winnipeg. “I had all the tools definitely to break out. It was just all about the mental side — ‘Can I do it?’ But I came into the season with a lot of confidence and it’s worked out pretty well so far.”

Warnick’s rapid rise resulted in an NCAA Division I scholarship offer in October and he subsequently made a verbal commitment to Northern Michigan University.

“I didn’t necessarily expect him to find to his scoring touch as quickly as he did, which just shows you the work he put in the summer,” said Friesen. “He was very committed to his training on and off the ice and putting the work in. He’s very focused and it’s been awesome to watch him develop and get confidence and just find ways to produce and help this team win.

“If we’re ever looking for a big play or big moment, he’s been the guy delivering that for us.”

Warnick was recently partnered with wingers Wyatt Witham of Roseville, Minn., and Owen Branson of Fargo, N.D.

“It looks like we’re going to be a pretty dangerous line so I’m really excited about it,” said Warnick.

Three other American forwards — Luke McCarthy of Cottage Grove, Minn., Landon Jamieson of Oslo, Minn., and Griffin Krone of St. Louis Park, Minn. — have been timely additions to the lineup while Friesen called incumbent No. 1 goaltender Noel Olsonawski, a 20-year-old from Moorhead, Minn., the MJHL’s best puckstopper.

McCarthy was fourth in league scoring entering Friday’s action with 23 points, including nine goals.

Meanwhile, Steelers forward Remy Hlady of Tyndall has committed to the University of Alaska-Anchorage and forward Rohan Guevarra, who hails from St. Andrews, is mulling several college offers.

“The thing that separates this group from groups in the past is the skill level,” said Friesen. “We have as much skill as you can acquire in this league and and the IQ of our players obviously pairs with that skill. We have a very smart group. And I think the other aspect for us, too, is just the buy in and the determination from our guys. They’re so committed and they come to the rink every day ready to work.”

MJHL NOTES: Josh Tripp is taking over as head coach of the Swan Valley Stampeders after the exit of head coach and GM Barry Wolff. The 26-year-old Trip, who earned MJHL MVP honours in 2018-19, started the season as the head coach of the Parkland AAA U18 Rangers.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca