TISDALE 鈥� For the Tisdale Trojans, AP could mean A plus.
This season the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League team has had a number of affiliated players, commonly known as APs, come up from the bantam AA, midget AA and A ranks and contribute when Trojans were injured or ill. In addition, some Trojans have been called up by Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League teams. Those players have returned with valuable experience that helps the Trojans.
鈥淚t is definitely great for our guys鈥� confidence to be able to play up at the higher level and see what they have to do to get to the Junior A level,鈥� Trojans head coach Darrell Mann said of his players getting called up to the SJHL. 鈥淔or us, it helps our guys when they come back down.鈥�
For example, Liam Rutten served as an AP for the Weyburn Red Wings on Nov. 27 against the Melfort Mustangs. In four games right after his return the forward was on the scoresheet in each contest and recorded six points. Davis Chorney played for the Nipawin Hawks on Friday night. On Sunday, he netted a hat trick as the Trojans rallied for a win over the league-leading Saskatoon Blazers.
Mann said serving as an AP shows the Trojans, 鈥淲hat they got to look forward to and how hard they got to work to be able to play at that level. I think it is a great thing for our players when they get called up.鈥�
Rutten said that during his game with the Red Wings he found the puck moved quicker and the Junior A players were very skilled with it.
鈥淚t was a good experience to play a higher level of hockey to see what pace and the skill I potentially could be seeing in the next couple years,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t showed me the type of player I need to be to play that level of hockey.鈥� Trojans forward Skyler Olson and defenceman Dylan Ashe played as APs for the La Ronge Ice Wolves and Melfort Mustangs, respectively, this season. Blue liner Landon Kosior was called up but did not get into the lineup for the Melville Millionaires. Those players and other Trojans could likely serve as APs in the SJHL or, for some, maybe the Western Hockey League later this season.
As of Sunday, the Trojans have used nine APs in their own lineup this season 鈥� including backup goalies.
鈥淲e are pretty fortunate we have a great group of APs around here from our [North East] midget AA and our bantam AA program and also in Humboldt with their programs. We are lucky to be able to bring those guys in.鈥�
For example, sixteen-year-old defenceman Kyle Froehlich of Nipawin has played in four games - the most of any of Tisdale鈥檚 AP skater this season. His usual team is the North East midget AA team. Froehlich was an affiliated player for seven games with the Trojans last season. North East midget AA goalie Parker Sturby and Cache Schellenberg, a midget A netminder, have backed up the Trojans鈥� Tyler Martin four times this season.
Froehlich鈥檚 North East teammate, Mario Fortier of Zenon Park, had an assist in one of his two games in a Tisdale uniform this season. Defenceman Dylan Lindal of Humboldt, who plays for his hometown midget AA team, has gotten into three games with the Trojans this season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been great being able to play at a higher level with a very skilled group of guys. I also enjoy playing for a team that two of my uncles played for in the past,鈥� said the nephew of Lance Woods and Kalenn Lindal.
When players AP with the Trojans, Mann and his coaching staff like to utilize them.
鈥淲e play them lots,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen we bring up an AP, we expect them to be able to fill the void of an injured player. They鈥檝e done a great job for us this season.鈥�
As well as helping out the Trojans, serving as an AP allows younger players to get a feel for the team and the coaching staff 鈥� and vice versa. The Tisdale team has a strong track record of APs becoming contributing Trojans. Three seasons ago Cudworth鈥檚 Kaden Kohle played seven games for Tisdale as an AP while competing for the Humboldt bantam AA team. Last season he was a key cog for Tisdale and now he plays in the WHL with the Tri-City Americans. Hometown product Blake Samida is a valuable blue liner for Tisdale this year after playing nine games as an AP last season.
