Calgary Hockey Magazine Spring 2019

SPRING 2019

PEYTON krebs Okotoks’ Peyton Krebs slated to go high in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

| Calgary’s BRETT LEASON leading the Prince Albert Raiders to an amazing season |

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Message From

The Publisher Welcome to our Final Edition of the Calgary Hockey Magazine for the 2018-2019 Season.

CREDITS President and Publisher: Rob Suggitt Art Director: Christine Kucher

In this issue, we have a feature interview with Calgary native Brett Leason, who currently plays for the Prince Albert Raiders, the top team in the WHL. Leason was overlooked at the 2018 National Hockey League entry draft, but is projected to be a late first round draft pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft, which takes place in Vancouver in June.

We are also pleased to feature another top draft prospect, Peyton Krebs from Okotoks. Krebs currently plays for the Kootenay ICE in the WHL, and is projected to a top 10 pick, and likely the top Canadian prospect taken at the 2019 NHL entry draft.

We also have an article on former Calgary Flames radio play-byplay man Peter Maher, who just wrote a book “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Calgary Flames Ice, Locker Room and Press Box.” Maher shares some great stories in his book, from his early broadcasting career to his 34 years as the radio voice for the Calgary Flames.

Graphic Designers: Cailey Welk, Katelyn Suggitt Contributing Writers & Illustrator Jeremy Freeborn, Ian Gustafson, Rob Suggitt, Jay DeMarco Copy Editing: Shari Narine Photography Credits: Rob Wallator/CHL Images Matthew Murnaghan/Hockey Canada Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Multimedia Candice Ward, Calgary Hitmen Trevor Crawely Calgary Flames Sales Associates: Lynn Schuster, Jeremy Freeborn Administration: Amber Grmek 10177 - 105 Street, Edmonton AB T5J 1E2 Ph: 780.423.5834 Fax: 780.413.6185

Rounding out this edition, we have a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to be a hockey scout. Rich Dusevic is a scout with the Calgary Hitmen, and he shares his background and experience in doing the work of a hockey scout, which he balances with his other career, teaching junior high.

That’s all for this issue. With the hockey season winding down, we would like to wish all the participants a great off-season, and look forward to seeing everyone back on the ice in a few short months!

Sincerely,

Rob Suggitt Publisher of the

Calgary Hockey Magazine

All Rights Reserved. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed within do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, ie. electronic, mechanical, photocopied or otherwise recorded without the prior written permission of the publisher - www.suggitt.com

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Calgary Hockey Magazine | 3

Lucas Chudleigh

Apollo Multimedia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5 8

10

BRETT LEASON

on the brink of greatness

PETER MAHER

his new book “If These Walls Could Talk“

ARENA LOCATOR MAP

4 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

12

14 16

RICH DUSEVIC calgary hitmen scout

PX3: AMP

accelerated multisport pathway

PEYTON KREBS big year for Krebs

Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Multimedia

Brett leason ON THE BRINK OF GREATNESS

By Jeremy Freeborn

Calgary CalgaryHockey HockeyMagazine Magazine || 55

Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Multimedia

In order for the Raiders to bring the first Memorial Cup title to Saskatchewan since the 1989 Swift Current Broncos, they will need continued offensive excellence from Leason. At 6’5”, 205 pounds, Leason shows great skill in getting open in the zone. Once he creates space for himself, he is able to deliver his excellent shot or create a marvelous pass.

On Feb. 8, Leason had the opportunity to play with the Raiders in a unique atmosphere. He was part of a Raiders squad that beat the Calgary Hitmen 8-2 at the Stampede Corral. The Hitmen were wearing Calgary Wranglers jerseys, as they were paying tribute to the rich tradition of junior hockey in Calgary.

After the game, Hockey Magazine Calgary caught up with Leason for an exclusive interview.

At the 2018 National Hockey League Entry Draft, there were expectations that Calgary native Brett Leason’s name would be called in the later rounds.

However, it was not meant to be. Instead of giving up on his hockey future, Leason has come back in 2018-19 with an outstanding season with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. As a result, Leason is projected to be a late first round draft pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft in Vancouver.

At press time, Leason is seventh in the WHL with 78 points (33 goals and 45 assists). The 19-year-old centre is also second in the WHL in points among undrafted players.

Leason is seven points back of Tristan Langan of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who is second in the WHL with 85 points.

It is not just Leason’s offensive skills that will be impressing scouts this time. He is third in the WHL with a +50 and leads all WHL forwards in the plus/minus category. Leason only trails his Raiders teammates, defensemen Brayden Pachal (+69) and Zackary Hayes (+63). It should be noted that Hayes is also from Calgary.

There is a third Calgarian that has put up impressive numbers for the Raiders in 2018-19. Goaltender Ian Scott, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2017 NHL entry draft, has an amazing record of 31-62, four shutouts, a goals against average of 1.91 and a save percentage of .932. Scott was profiled in the winter 2017 issue of Hockey Magazine Calgary.

The Raiders meanwhile are having a dream season and are strong contenders to win the Memorial Cup, only their second in franchise history. Their first came in 1985, when the Raiders won 58 regular season games and then went 12-1 in the playoffs before beating the Shawinigan Cataractes handily 6-1 in the Memorial Cup final in Drummondville, Quebec.

The 2018-19 Prince Albert Raiders have shown similar dominance to the Raiders squad from 34 years ago. After their first 54 WHL regular season games, they have a record of 45 wins, seven regulation losses and two shootout losses for 92 points. They have 14 more points than the team with the second best record in the WHL, the Everett Silvertips.

6 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

Leason played with the Crowfoot Minor Hockey Association in northwest Calgary up until bantam. In 2012-13 and 201314, he played for the Calgary Flames Bantam AAA team. In his second bantam season, Leason had 23 goals and 50 assists for 73 points in only 33 games. Also that season, Leason won the Alberta Cup in Strathmore with Calgary North (with Scott and Hayes as his teammates) and was named the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League Most Sportsmanlike Player.

Leason would once again put up strong offensive numbers in 2014-15 with the Northwest Calgary Athletic Association Minor Midget Stampeders. He had 43 goals and 40 assists for 83 points in only 30 games. Leason was named the AMMHL best forward, the AMMHL most valuable player, and helped Team Alberta win a silver medal in boys hockey at the 1995 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, British Columbia. In six games at the Canada Winter Games, Leason had two goals and two assists for four points. In the quarterfinal, Leason had two assists in a 6-1 Alberta win over New Brunswick.

In 2015-16, Leason shone for the Calgary Midget AAA Flames.

He had 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points in 32 games and won the prestigious Mac’s Midget AAA Tournament in Calgary.

“That was a special moment,” said Leason. “It was really great. A good feeling.”

In 2016-17, Leason played 68 games for the Tri-City Americans in the Western Hockey League. The Americans selected Leason in the third round, 50th overall, in the 2014 WHL bantam draft. However, Leason did not have the same success initially in junior hockey as he did in bantam or midget hockey in Calgary. In his first WHL season, he only had eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 68 games.

After only one goal in the first 12 games with the Americans in 2017-18, Leason was traded to the Raiders on Oct. 26, 2017, for a third round draft pick in the 2018 WHL bantam draft.

“It meant a lot,” said Leason. “I was struggling in Tri-City.

They traded me over here and I got a fresh start. I was able to show what I could do in this league. They were here for me when I needed it. We have a great team right now and we are rolling.”

In 2017-18 with the Raiders, Leason saw his WHL statistics significantly improve. He had 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points in 54 games. It was clear that he had gotten his confidence back and the steady production led to his excellent 2018-19 WHL season.

“He has good size, and a good hockey sense,” said Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt as to why the team acquired Leason, which was a deal that clearly worked for Prince Albert.

Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Multimedia

Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid, who has a Calgary connection as he played for the Calgary Flames during the 1991-92 NHL regular season, also has high praise for Leason.

“He is a goal scorer and a great two-way player. He’s an older guy who provides a lot of offense for us.”

Leason has also thoroughly enjoyed playing for Habscheid, who had excellent offensive statistics in the WHL himself.

Habscheid had 64 goals and 87 assists for 151 points with the Saskatoon Blades in the 1981-82 WHL season.

“He’s a great coach,” said Leason. “He has been there for me since day one and lets me do my thing.”

It is clear that Leason is really enjoying his time with the Raiders. When asked what it is like to be a Memorial Cup contender, he offered the following response.

“It is awesome. Everyone enjoys being at the rink every single day. We could do some big things here.”

Around Prince Albert, Leason has also heard about the 1985 Warriors squad.

“They had a lot of big names who were really hard to play against,” he said. Some of those names include Dan Hodgson, Pat Elynuik, Dave Manson and Ken Baumgartner, who would all go on to play in the NHL. The fact that Leason made the 2019 Canadian national junior team was significant.

He was one of only two undrafted players on the roster. The other was Alexis Lafrenière of the Rimouski Oceanic. In five games in Vancouver, Leason had three goals and two assists for five points. Four of those points came in one game as he had two goals and two assists for four points in a 14-0 Canada win over Denmark on Boxing Day. Three nights later, Leason scored the game-winning goal in a 5-1 Canada victory over the Czech Republic.

Even though Canada lost in the quarterfinals to Finland by a score of 2-1 in overtime, Leason learned just how competitive and close the elite teams are internationally.

“Every shift you have to give it your all,” he said. “It can be a game of inches for sure.”

There is no doubt that things have not always come easy for Leason. There have been times he has had to prove himself when he has been overlooked by scouts or has struggled to be an excellent offensive player like he is today. For minor hockey league players that are trying to achieve success, Leason offers the following response.

“Never give up,” he said. “You never know when your time will come. Just keep battling.”

The quality of persistence is something Leason clearly has and could lead to the path towards greatness in the immediate future.

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“

It is awesome. Everyone enjoys being at the rink every single day. We could do some big things here.”

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 7

All photos courtesy of the Calgary Flames

Catching Up

with former flames play-by-play announcer

Peter Maher

By Jeremy Freeborn When he retired from broadcasting in 2014, former Calgary Flames radio play-by-play man Peter Maher never thought he would write a book. However, veteran Calgary sports writer George Johnson convinced Maher and agreed to help him, and in 2018 Maher’s biography, “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Calgary Flames Ice, Locker Room and Press Box,” was published.

In January, we sat down with Maher to talk about his 299page story which includes his memoirs of starting out as a broadcaster in New Brunswick and Ontario, his thoughts of numerous Calgary Flames personnel and moments over the last 30 years, his acquaintances with some of hockey’s alltime greats, his global experiences covering the Flames (the 1989 Friendship Tour in Eastern Europe and 1999 regular season games against the San Jose Sharks in Japan), and the personal thrill he had of covering the Flames in three Stanley Cup finals.

Maher began his broadcasting career at 14 years of age doing public address announcing for the local softball league in his hometown of Campbellton, New Brunswick. One of the players in the league worked at the radio station and asked Maher to do post-game reports for the games. This experience would lead Maher to an expanded sports role at CKNB. He would work at the radio station for two hours each day before and after school. Maher did not receive formal educational training like most broadcasters today, but believes the on-the-job training he got as a teenager was extremely valuable. Maher would go on to broadcast senior and junior hockey in New Brunswick. From 1970-1977, he was the play-by-play voice for the Campbellton Tigers and Dalhousie Rangers of the North Shore Senior Hockey League.

In 1977, Maher got a job with CKO FM in Toronto to be the play-by-play man for the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

8 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

CKFH (owned by Foster Hewitt) lost the rights after Hewitt had feuded with legendary Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard.

At age 28, Maher would have one of the most coveted jobs in the Canadian sports broadcasting industry.

For the next three seasons, Maher would be the voice of the Maple Leafs. In 1980, the Maple Leafs games returned to CKFH with Foster Hewitt’s son Bill doing play-by-play. That same summer the Atlanta Flames were moving to Calgary, and the Flames were looking for a new radio voice after Jiggs McDonald took a job broadcasting the New York Islanders.

Maher would be the radio voice of the Flames for the next 34 years.

Maher recollects his most favourite moment writing his book. “I think recalling the Stanley Cup run in 1989 was the most fulfilling,” he said. “It was the highlight of my career. Reflecting back on a lot of the players, coaches and management was probably the highlight. The Stanley Cup run seems like it was yesterday even though it was 30 years ago.”

Maher was pleased to have Jarome Iginla write the forward for his book. Even though Iginla admits he never heard Maher broadcast the Flames games himself (because he was usually on the ice playing the games), his broadcasts were important to him on a personal level. Jarome’s grandmother in Edmonton would listen to all of the Flames games on the radio because she had lost her sight.

One of Maher’s idols growing up was Danny Gallivan, the English voice for the Montreal Canadiens on CBC. Gallivan came to Campbellton in the summer of 1977 to speak at the minor hockey banquet.

To Maher’s surprise, Gallivan recognized Maher during his speech and believed he had a great broadcasting future. It would not be long before Maher was the voice of the Maple Leafs.

Maher has memories of broadcasting legend Don Cherry.

One evening he remembers when Cherry got himself into trouble with the Flames when he “questioned the intestinal fortitude” of former Flames defenseman Pekka Rautakallio.

On another night, Maher remembers when he had Cherry on the radio as an intermission guest. At the time, Cherry received a hair dryer as a party gift. He would never forget it and would always bring up the hair dryer in future conversations over the next three decades.

Two other broadcasters Maher has high praise for were his Flames colour commentators, Doug Barkley and Mike Rogers.

“Barkley picked out things on the ice that nobody else could notice,” said Maher. “I would always marvel at Doug with how much he could see with one eye (suffered a serious eye injury playing for the Detroit Red Wings in 1966). When Doug retired, Mike fit in fabulously. He knew many people well in the game, including Gordie Howe. Listening to their conversations, you would learn a whole lot of neat stuff.”

Working a full NHL schedule for 34 years with the Flames meant Maher missed out on many notable moments of his children, something he regrets. Peter’s son Jeff would go on to play for the Calgary Buffaloes in midget and the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League before becoming an assistant coach for the Calgary Hitmen from 1997-2002.

Another family member that Peter frequently referenced in his book is his brother Noonan. On many occasions, Noonan would make the trip to watch Peter’s broadcasts.

“Noonan and my buddies from New Brunswick (known as Peter’s Posse) would always come to Montreal when we had games there,” said Maher. “We would get together and have a little fun. It was always great seeing those guys. Doug Barkley would always shudder when he saw Noonan and the boys coming around because he wondered if I would make it to the game the next day. I was fortunate to always be able to make it.”

Maher holds Kent Nilsson, who played with the franchise from 1979-1985, as the most skilled Flames player.

“To me Kent Nilsson had more skill than anybody who played on the Flames. He may have had more skill than anybody who ever played in the NHL. In fact, Wayne Gretzky made that comment at one time. When he was on his game, Kent was an awesome player to watch. The things he could do with his hands were incredible.”

The most positive and superstitious person Maher ever met associated with the Flames was former head coach Bob Johnson. In 1985-86, Johnson was always upbeat even though the Flames had an 11 game losing streak. He also liked doing interviews with Maher in the penalty box when the Flames were playing well. One time in Vancouver, Maher and Johnson climbed over the glass and into the penalty box when the door was locked.

In 2003-04, the Calgary Flames had a memorable run when they went to the Stanley Cup finals as an underdog. The team was not expected to win, but had an unexpected result that captivated the entire city. A major turning point that season came on Nov. 16, 2003, when the Flames acquired goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff from the San Jose Sharks.

“The night before the trade the Flames lost to the Edmonton Oilers,” said Maher. “When we arrived back in Calgary, Darryl Sutter said, ‘Be around tomorrow. I think I am going to be making a trade.’ At 10, I got word that Miikka Kiprusoff was coming to Calgary. That dramatically changed the fortunes of the team. It was incredible. He was brilliant down the stretch and into the playoffs. It is amazing what a goaltender can do to change a team. It gives the players more confidence, and when the players have more confidence, they take more risks.”

Another Flames goaltender that Maher gives high praise to is Mike Vernon. What impressed Maher the most about the Flames legend was his confidence and commitment to be better.

Maher also remembers Joel Otto very well.

“He did not have a lot of finesse, but had a willingness to work and a willingness to listen. He made himself a really good player. Otto arguably scored the most important goal in Flames history (overtime winner in game seven of the 1989 Smythe Division semifinal against the Vancouver Canucks).”

The person who has fascinated Maher the most is Scotty Bowman. What impressed Maher the most about Bowman was his memory. He could remember lines from the Calgary Centennials of the Western Canada Hockey League in the 1970s. For three seasons in the mid-1980s, Maher did some Toronto Maple Leafs television broadcasts on Wednesdays when the Flames were not playing. Maher’s colour commentator was Bowman. When Bowman would go on to have great success coaching the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings, he would continue that great relationship with Maher and give him one-on-one interviews on a regular basis. According to Maher, Bowman was always well prepared as a broadcaster and would ask great questions.

Maher says there were some points he would have liked to discuss further in the book. Among those include getting out of a verbal agreement in 1977 (had agreed to do play-by-play for the Moncton Hawks of the American Hockey League, but got the job with the Maple Leafs instead), more stories about the monthly Molson Cup Three Star Flames luncheons, and to further explain the duties he and his broadcast team had on game days.

Maher’s advice to up-and-coming hockey broadcasters today is to practice. He encourages people to take their smart phone in the corner of arenas and practice doing games.

“The more broadcasts you do, the better you are going to become at it,” he said and his book includes great tips for play-by-play broadcasters in chapter one. “You cannot possibly broadcast everything, and with experience, you learn how to edit a game.”

Currently, Maher is active with the hockey scene in Calgary.

He works with Hockey Canada and can be heard three times a week at 8 am on XL 103 with a Flames report. He is also active with the Flames alumni.

After his retirement, the Flames named their radio broadcast booth after Peter Maher. On the panel next to his name, you can read Maher’s signature phrase when the Flames would score a significant or historic goal. It would simply be two words, “Yeah Baby!”

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 9

ARENA LOCATOR MAP

10 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

ARENA ADDRESSES 1.

Acadia Rec. Centre 240 - 90th Avenue SE

9.

17.

SAIT Arena 1301 - 16th Avenue NW

2.

Bowness Sportsplex 7904 - 43rd Avenue NW

10.

Frank McCool Arena 1900 Lake Bonavista Drive SE

18.

Sarcee Seven Chiefs Sportsplex 3700 Anderson Road SW

3.

Brentwood Sportsplex 1520 Northmount Drive NW

11.

Jack Setters Arena 2020 - 69th Avenue SE

19.

Shouldice Arena 1515 Home Road NW

4.

Cardel Recreation Centre South 333 Shawville Blvd SE #100

12.

Max Bell Centre 1001 Barlow Trail SE

20.

Stew Hendry/Henry Viney Arena 814 - 13 Avenue NE

5.

Don Hartman North East Sportsplex 5206 - 68th Street NE

13.

Mount Pleasant Sportsplex 610 - 23rd Avenue NW

21.

Stu Peppard Arena 5300 - 19th Street SW

6.

East Calgary Twin Arena Society 299 Erin Woods Drive SE

14.

Father David Bauer Olympic Arena 2424 University Drive NW

22.

Trico Centre 11150 Bonaventure Drive SE

7.

Ed Whalen/Joseph Kryczka Arenas 2000 Southland Drive SW

15.

Optimist/George Blundun Arena 5020 - 26th Avenue SW

23.

Village Square Leisure Centre 2623 - 56th Street NE

8.

Ernie Starr Arena 4808 - 14th Avenue SE

16.

Rose Kohn/Jimmie Condon Arena 502 Heritage Drive SW

24.

Westside Regional Rec. Centre 2000 - 69th Street SW

Flames Community Arenas 2390 - 47th Avenue SW

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Calgary Hockey Magazine | 11

Let’s say 25 years ago you could go to a small town and find somebody no one else has seen. Nowadays parents send their kids to school or to A Junior A team or wherever that may be.

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All photos courtesy of Candice Ward, Calgary Hitmen

RICH DUSEVIC

CALGARY HITMEN SCOUT

By Ian Gustafson For Calgary Hitmen scout Rich Dusevic, it doesn’t get any better than working in hockey.

Eagles and the Revelstoke Rangers, both in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.

Dusevic splits his time between teaching junior high with the Calgary Catholic School District where he’s been for 21 years and scouting.

While playing junior hockey he attended the University of British Columbia. In his last two years of university, he decided to play for UBC. He graduated with a degree in physical education and history.

“I enjoy it. For me it’s a good mix. I get to teach during the day and at nights and weekends I get to evaluate hockey. I’ve always been in the game so it’s just a continuation for me,” he said.

Dusevic started playing hockey when he was five years old in Hanna, Alta., where he grew up.

“Living in a small town in Alberta everyone else was doing it so I started watching it and playing it,” he said.

He left home at 16 to play Midget AAA in Medicine Hat. After graduating high school he played Junior A for the Langley

12 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

After graduating, he moved to Calgary to accept a job offer from a friend in sales at a trophy and awards business. While working there he started coaching. He spent two years with the Midget AAA Northstars as an assistant coach and two years as head coach. He also coached Junior B hockey with the Royals for one year.

Later he returned to university earning his bachelor degree in education. It was then that he started teaching with the Calgary Catholic School District and began his scouting career with the Calgary Hitmen.

“A friend of mine, Carey Bracko, was the general manager at the time and he asked me if I would like to get involved and watch hockey. So I said sure,” said Dusevic.

“It was my first crack at it and I think I know the game quite well and it helps once you get more experience.”

Dusevic is now the second longest serving scout in the area.

Dusevic credits scouts such as Paul Charles, now with Minnesota Wild, and Brad Whelen, now Tampa Bay Lightning, for teaching him when they were with the Hitmen.

“Both great guys I worked for,” he said.

Scouting has changed over the years in terms of where good players are found and what kind of players are making the cut, says Dusevic.

“The way scouting works now is everybody sees good players. There are no diamonds in the rough like there used to be. Let’s say 25 years ago you could go to a small town and find somebody no one else has seen. Nowadays parents send their kids to school or to Junior A team or wherever that may be,” he said.

“The games changed over the last 20 years and back then you were looking for the bigger bodied guy. I always looked for a smart player that makes good plays, but nowadays a guy has to skate. If you can’t skate it’s hard to play at any level. So skating and hockey smarts are big ones for me.”

Goalie Jack McNaughton, who is currently with the Hitmen, was scouted by Dusevic. “I saw him last year in triple A midget and he was doing well in the playoffs and I thought we

needed more depth in that position and he has been good for us.”

A typical week for Dusevic is watching three or four games and then an occasional tournament that occupies his full weekend. While he rarely travels outside of Calgary, he does attend tournaments in Airdrie, Cochrane, or Okotoks.

Rink Net is a computer system used by the Hitmen, which allows the scouts to be at certain games to watch certain players. Afterwards Dusevic says he fills out a report on players he has an interest in and then Rink Net creates a ranking system for all the players entered.

Next, the head scout looks at the players that the scouting staff recommends and adds his own evaluation. The head scout and general manager make the final selections based on which players fit their team’s needs. Dusevic says one of the best parts of his job is watching players from a young age continue to grow. “One hundred per cent, especially a player that you liked. A player who develops the way you wanted them to develop and becomes a good Hitmen or becomes a good player for somebody else.”

For anyone who aspires to be a scout, Dusevic’s advice is simple: look for ways to get involved in the game at midget, bantam, or any level.

“I’ve had guys tell me that they want to get involved in the league and how do they do it. I always say you have to have some kind of background in hockey. You can’t apply for a head scout position without any experience,” said Dusevic.

“It’s also about who you know not what you know.”

ACCELERATED MULTISPORT PATHWAY FOR YOUTH HOCKEY

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1. We believe that having the right coach at the right age is simply invaluable 2. We believe that skating, skills, confidence and creativity are far more important than teaching systems or positional play 3. We believe that multisport athletes are much stronger and healthier than single sport athletes 4. We believe that set schedules, times and locations build stronger, healthier families 5. We believe in one simple rule; LIVE ABOVE THE LINE!!

“This is one of the most exciting and fastest growing programs in Canada”

AMP 3on3 Cross Ice Hockey Program IS BUILDING A NEW CULTURE IN YOUTH HOCKEY

In January of 2017, a new youth hockey development program launched at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park. The program is called PX3 AMP (Accelerated Multisport Development Pathway), It is a non-for-profit program that offers an alternative cross-ice development program for boys, girls and sledge hockey players throughout the fall, winter and spring. .

Instead of using the full ice, or half ice, AMP uses foam dividers to create age-specific playing surfaces where 3 to 6 playing surfaces are used at once. This revolutionary new program is generating significant momentum in Calgary, now with 300 participants, ages 4 to 14 years old in just their second season.

The architect behind the PX3 AMP program is Brad Layzell, a former defenseman who was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Layzell played four seasons at the NCAA Division 1 level with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York from 1990-94, followed by playing on seven Pro teams in the American Hockey League, ECHL and International Hockey League from 1994-97. During the 1995-96 season, Layzell also played 53 games with the Canadian National Team.

While playing for Team Canada, Layzell was coached by Tom Renney, Mike Johnston, and Dr. Stephen Norris.

14 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

Layzell learned a lot from them on the ice, but the training, travel and tours off the ice were what made the team experience extremely special.

“Usually when you play professionally, you go from one hotel and rink to the next,” explains Layzell, in an interview in February from his Canada Olympic Park office. “You really never get to see or appreciate the cities you are in. The coaching staff at Team Canada always dedicated time on each trip to tour and explore the cities together.

That opened our eyes to a lot of different places and cultures, and really made you appreciate how special Canada is as a country. It was such a privilege to play with that group and an honour to represent our country.”

On the ice with Team Canada at age 23, Layzell experienced a lifechanging moment from a power skating coach that came in to work with the team.

“I learned there were five fundamental things I was doing completely wrong from a skating aspect,” remembers Layzell. “It just made me scratch my head that I could play at all of the highest levels and never learned to skate properly? A few years after I retired, I helped out with a youth AAA team and was absolutely horrified in what they were teaching the kids.”

“The reality is you get the best and highest paid professional coaches and trainers only once you get to the highest levels, when your development window is all but closed.... “ “Then at the youngest levels, you get the absolute least qualified and experienced coaches possible, this just didn’t sit well with me.”

With PX3 AMP, Layzell believes that kids under the age of 12 years old are in their highest and most critical development stages from a physical, neurological, and physiological standpoint and need the most highly-trained and experienced coaches rather than the least experienced.

Learning the right way the first time, and being in an environment that allows them the proper time to master their skills, be creative, and get more repetitions, significantly accelerates their learning and development.

Layzell has spent the last decade studying brain function and brain safety. He believes that proper sleep and recovery are two of the most important factors for growing healthy brains and bodies and does not support early morning training for young players. He also does not support playing one sport or being on the ice 12 months of the year.

After almost a decade of research on concussions, Layzell believes that fatigue levels directly impact injury rates and that as much as 75% of all injuries in sports are preventable.

“As much fun as we may seem to be having with the kids out there, there are advanced brain safety measures at play behind everything we do. For example, our training and recovery days are structured to maximize recovery and skill retention, shifts are 60 seconds during our cross ice games so the players are in a proper operating state. Once a player is out there too long, their heart rate starts to race, oxygen and hydration levels decrease, and the athlete goes into a state of hypervigilance where their brains start to systematically shut down, and things like vision, decision making, reaction time, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, hearing, depth perception, all get delayed or impaired. This is when athletes are at their most vulnerable state to get injured.”

“Not many people have this level of understanding, especially at the younger levels. For us there is nothing more important than the health and safety of our players.”

Layzell also stresses the importance of having dedicated family time together and building healthy, consistent routines for younger children. That is one of the reasons the program does not run on Sundays - those are dedicated to spending time as a family, doing other activities together or just getting ready for the week ahead.

There are some unique aspects to PX3 AMP. They include no volunteering or fundraising requirements, no parents on a board, and no referees or league. This gives the coaching and leadership team a lot more freedom and flexibility to do what is right for the kids first and foremost.

The AMP multisport concept, with professional coaches, set schedules, smaller rosters and playing surfaces are all major parts of the PX3 AMP ideology of building a stronger and safer future for the game here in Canada.

There are three weekly hockey sessions plus a multisport training session each week, all at Winsport. The smaller playing areas allow the players to touch the puck more, to make quicker decisions, pass quicker, shoot quicker, and it’s not uncommon for goaltenders to face over 300 shots in a single session.

“When I lived in Chicago I saw the roll out of USA Hockey’s ADM or half ice model. It was certainly a lot better than full ice hockey as far as kids getting engaged in the game, but to me you still had one player with the puck and nine others chasing him around. Our three vs. three cross-ice format is a lot more advanced than the half-ice model introduced 20 years ago.”

Another key feature of AMP is the multisport training. Once a week athletes are taught fundamental skills in different sports other than hockey, then play small area games to further develop other skills and functional movements. The other sports they play include wrestling, basketball, rugby, handball, soccer, floorball and lacrosse.

The most important feature from Layzell’s standpoint is having all former professional players as coaches. The team coach Layzell has put together are extremely qualified. They have a cumulative 150 years of playing experience throughout the world. They include former NHL players Claude Vilgrain, Sean Selmser, Steve Nemeth, Russ Romaniuk, former Calgary Flame Brian McGrattan and former Flames goaltending coach David Marcoux, along with a dozen more coaches that played professionally in the AHL, IHL, ECHL, NCAA, WHL on the National Team or in Europe.

“The coaches in the AMP program are absolutely incredible,” says Layzell. “We are very fortunate to have such a huge contingency of alumni hockey players, along with current NHLers, Olympians and Paralympians that support the program and want to see us move forward.“ One strategy the PX3 AMP coaches use is teaching through demonstrating.

“Kids are such visual learners,” states Layzell, “that is why having former Pro players as coaches is so powerful - not only can they show them the right way to do things, but they see, correct and adjust the kids techniques on all the little things that most people have no idea about.”

An interesting PX3 AMP philosophy is that children will benefit significantly if they master the proper fundamentals of skating, passing and shooting before learning tactics and positional play.

The PX3 AMP games are also very fast-paced and no time is wasted After a goal is scored, the offensive team pulls back to the center line and the game keeps going as soon as the puck is retrieved from the back of the net. Players do not stop and lineup at the faceoff and wait for the puck to be dropped.

The PX3 AMP Mindset is another interesting dynamic. Those who participate in the program are asked to respect one simple rule; “Live Above the Line”. Players, coaches, and parents are expected to be team-driven, committed to learning, courageous, hard-working, grateful, appreciative, respectful, responsible and trustworthy.

In addition to stand up hockey, PX3 AMP includes para-ice hockey (also known as sledge hockey).

“The sledge program celebrates and focuses all the amazing things we can do with our lives, not the things we cannot,” says Layzell.

“Those athletes are incredibly inspiring, they refuse to quit - they are athletes, they are warriors, and are an inspiration to every one of us.

Our Director Chris Cederstrand is fearless, and the work he and coach Shawn Lucas have done with these athletes and new members like Ryan Straschnitzki is absolutely amazing.”

The PX3 AMP, along with Cardel Homes and Mr. Allan Markin, subsidize the entire sledge program so that children with physical disabilities can participate in the program at no cost. “Many of the adaptive athletes come in slowly using wheelchairs or walkers,” states Layzell. “Then they hit the ice and absolutely fly out there. We also have stand-up players play sledge hockey, and have had sledge players in the three on three games with the stand-up players. It gives an amazing perspective on what great athletes these kids are.

It is a platform for all kids to thrive in.”

Layzell sees the AMP program at Winsport as a future research and training platform for other former players and coaches around the country to learn and implement similar programs in their communities.

By creating an environment that allows players to be as active and safe as possible, there seems to be many clear benefits!

For more program information, please go to www.px3amp.org Calgary Hockey Magazine | 15

Rob Wallator/CHL Images

16 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

PEY TON

Saying this is a big year for Krebs is an understatement.

All season long he has been the heart and soul of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League.

K r e b s

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 17

In January, Peyton Krebs of Okotoks, Alberta, moved from 10th to seventh in Sportsnet’s National Hockey League pre-draft rankings.

By Jeremy Freeborn - Saying this is a big year for Krebs is an understatement. All season long he has been the heart and soul of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League.

Krebs has shown exemplary stickhandling skills, speed and ice awareness. There is no doubt it has been a very challenging year for the Ice as they are near the bottom of the WHL standings. However, that has not stopped scouts from following Krebs’s every move.

Trevor Crawely

Another strong quality that Krebs exemplifies is his leadership skills. At 17 years old to start the season, he is the youngest captain in the WHL. In a league where the majority of captains are in the 19- to 20-year-old age bracket, the fact that the Ice have given their outstanding left winger so much responsibility is significant.

It should also be noted that it has been a difficult season for the Ice from a business perspective. The future of the team is in question and there has been speculation that Kootenay might move next season from Cranbrook to Winnipeg. In addition to trying to lead a Kootenay squad in game action, Krebs has had to deal with the media in a time of organizational transition and a situation that is out of his control.

Matthew Murnaghan/Hockey Canada

In November, we caught up with Peyton Krebs at the Scotiabank Saddledome, following Kootenay’s game against the Calgary Hitmen.

One could excuse Krebs for being focused on the NHL entry draft this June in Vancouver, but that is not where his attention was. Krebs’s commitment to the Ice organization was evident.

Peyton first got introduced to hockey by his father Greg, who also played hockey. Greg would also introduce hockey to his older son Dakota and younger son Dru. It would not take long at all for Peyton, Dakota and Dru to love the game.

Krebs played for the Okotoks Minor Hockey Association up until pee wee, the Rocky Mountain Raiders in bantam, and then the UFA Bisons in midget, before joining the Ice at the end of the 2016-17 WHL season.

Trevor Crawely

Krebs’ two bantam seasons with the Raiders were outstanding. The first year in 2014-15, he was the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League Rookie of the Year with 28 goals and 38 assists for 66 points in only 33 games. The Raiders also won their first AMBHL championship in franchise history, something Krebs has fond memories about.

“It was awesome,” he said. “Anytime you can win a championship, especially in your province, it’s pretty cool. It is an experience and a memory I will have for a long time.”

Then in 2015-16, he had an even better season statistically with the Raiders. In 27 games, he led the AMBHL in goals (46), assists (56) and points (102). His ability to average 3.8 points per game made him the obvious choice to be the AMBHL most valuable player.

Rob Wallator/CHL Images

18 | Calgary Hockey Magazine

Krebs comments about joining a list of notable AMBHL most valuable players, including NHL players Matt Dumba, Ty Rattie, Kyle Calder and Jared Aulin.

PEYTON KREBS

“It is pretty cool,” he said. “There are some pretty special players that have accomplished a lot. I am still a long ways from playing in the NHL. For sure I just want to keep on working hard and hopefully I will be there one day.”

At the end of the 2015-16 season, the Ice drafted Krebs first overall in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. He became the first player ever born and raised in southern Alberta to be selected first overall in the draft. Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn, who was selected first overall by the Portland Winter Hawks in 2000, was born in Calgary, but was raised in Shaunavon, Sask.

In 2016-17, Krebs also had great success in one season with the Bisons before joining the Ice. He was on the Alberta Midget Hockey League first all-star team and was the AMHL top forward. He had 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points in 29 games. He also captained Team Alberta to a gold medal at the 2016 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup in Calgary.

There is no doubt that the Krebs family is tight. Peyton says his mentors are his father and older brother, Dakota. A defenseman, Dakota is in his fourth season in the WHL and is the assistant captain for the Calgary Hitmen. On this night at the Saddledome, the Hitmen were the better team overall as they won 7-3. Peyton gives praise to Dakota.

“He is a hard worker for sure,” said Peyton. “He earns what he gets and I think everything he has got until now has been all him. He is an awesome person and a great person on the ice, too.”

Meanwhile Peyton’s younger brother Dru is a defenseman for the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He was selected in the second round of the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft by the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Peyton sees his own strengths “as good speed and hockey IQ. I like to push the pace.” But he is quick to say there are things he needs to improve on.

“You want to develop your game as a whole and there are a lot of different things defensively. My skating and shot can always improve.”

Krebs also receives high acclaim from his own head coach, James Patrick, who was a defenseman for the Calgary Flames from 1993 to 1998.

“

“

You want to develop your game as a whole and there are a lot of different things defensively.

My skating and shot can always improve.

“He is a fantastic kid who is as committed as any player I have coached,” said Patrick. “I think his work habits, his lifestyle and desire to be the best reminds me a lot of Jonathan Toews. He epitomizes coming to the rink every day to try and get better. He is so serious about his training, his preparation, his diet and his sleep. His off-ice character is outstanding.”

Patrick also likes Krebs’ stamina.

“On the ice, he has a great engine. He can play big minutes.

He has become a better all-around player, and really skilled one-on-one. Peyton is a player I can throw out every second shift. It has been a learning year for him. Every game on the road he has to play against the other team’s best lines and best defensemen. I cannot say enough about his character and work ethic to go along with his skill. I know he will get better.”

On the international scene, Krebs was part of the Canadian team that won the gold medal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton this past August. In five games, he had two goals and three assists.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “I learned a lot of things and met a lot of people.”

It should be noted that there is another Krebs from Okotoks who is a serious prospect. Peyton’s older sister Maddison is starting to generate fame in the country music industry.

Known for her songs “Real Real Thing” and “Live for Love,” Maddison won the “On the Spot” competition at the 2016 Canadian Country Music Awards in London, Ont., and currently lives in Nashville.

When asked if there was one thing that he would like NHL scouts to know about him, Krebs offers the following response.

“I am going to come out each and every night and work my hardest.”

Outside of hockey, Peyton Krebs loves mountain biking, surfing, and having fun. The potential for greatness is on the horizon for this outstanding left winger from Okotoks.

Calgary Hockey Magazine | 19

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