It鈥檚 not often two players from Yellowknife end up on the same junior team, but that鈥檚 the case in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL).
One is back for his second season. The other is hoping this will be a chance for him to show what he can do.
Ethan Anstey and Carter McLeod are lining up this season with the Flin Flon Bombers and it鈥檚 a reunion of sorts 鈥� both were teammates once before on Team NT鈥檚 2019 Canada Winter Games men鈥檚 hockey squad. But it will be the first time they鈥檝e played together on the same junior team and both were excited to get going.
The Bombers opened up the new SJHL season at home on Sept. 16 against the Melfort Mustangs and came out on top, 2-0. Anstey was in the line-up for opening night and hit the scoresheet, registering an assist on the game鈥檚 opening goal.
He said the team came out with confidence, but Melfort didn鈥檛 make life easy for them at all.
鈥淚t was close until the third period and we were able to seal it with an empty-netter,鈥� said Anstey. 鈥淚t鈥檚 looking like Melfort is going to be a real good team this year and we need to be able to beat those teams if we鈥檙e going to repeat last season.鈥�
This will be Anstey鈥檚 first full campaign with the Bombers; he joined the team midway through last season after being dealt by the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the B.C. Hockey League in January. It was a move that saw him end up getting to the Canalta Cup, the SJHL championship, before being beaten by the Estevan Bruins.
But that wasn鈥檛 the end of the line for the Bombers. Because the Bruins were the host team for the Centennial Cup, the Canadian Jr. A men鈥檚 hockey championship, they were already guaranteed a spot. That meant the Bombers would play in the tournament as well by virtue of getting to the final. They would advance to the playoffs, but would lose in the quarter-final to the Pickering Panthers of Ontario in overtime.
Anstey, who lines up at centre, said there鈥檚 no reason why the Bombers can鈥檛 reach that height again this season.
鈥淢ore than half of our guys from last season are back and we added some new faces in the off-season,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e just need to learn how to win in the regular season because we can鈥檛 just turn on the switch in the playoffs and expect to be successful.鈥�
Expectation of success
McLeod, a right-winger, didn鈥檛 play in the season-opener, but he did dress the following night when the Bombers hit the road to take on the Nipawin Hawks. The Bombers would lose, 5-2.
McLeod signed with the Bombers during the off-season and he said it all played out as well as it could.
鈥淚 started talking with them during the tail end of last season,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 talked with one of their scouts at the Mac鈥檚 Tournament (in Calgary) and I went down to their camp. I signed the letter of intent and here we are.鈥�
McLeod was drafted by the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League in 2019, but wasn鈥檛 able to crack the main roster before being released in 2021. He went back to play at the Edge School, where he had played since 2018, before making the jump to the Bombers.
He said being in the Manitoba town is a second chance for him to make a first impression.
鈥淚 worked a lot on what was holding me back and I think I鈥檓 a better player now,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 made the adjustments and I couldn鈥檛 wait to get back out on the ice. It was a long summer and I鈥檓 excited to get back out there and show everyone what I can do.鈥�
McLeod knows he鈥檚 walking into a situation where success is expected, especially after the run the Bombers went on last season.
鈥淓veryone here is real hungry, but I think I fit in well here,鈥� he said. 鈥淣o one likes to lose and there鈥檚 that expectation that we鈥檙e going to do well.鈥�
At 18, McLeod still has three years of eligibility left in junior hockey. His goal now with the rest of the time he has left is to go the school route and play his way into an educational opportunity.
鈥淭he staff here in Flin Flon have some good connections with that and I鈥檓 just hoping to attract some attention,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to keep playing hockey in college after I鈥檓 done junior and I have a few years to make that happen.鈥�
Anstey鈥檚 role on the team this year is one of a veteran. At age 21, he鈥檚 in his final year of junior eligibility and he鈥檚 mindful of making sure the younger players know their way.
鈥淎ll of the veterans are stepping up,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 learned that from last year being the new guy and there are definitely some roles that need to be filled. It鈥檚 all about leading by example and it鈥檚 real cool that Carter鈥檚 here. I can help him out if he鈥檚 nervous or if he has questions or just needs to talk. We鈥檝e known each other a long time and if I can help him, I鈥檒l be there.鈥�
