Some New Faces

The Saskatchewan Huskies and Regina Cougars met for a preseason game in Swift Current tonight where the Huskies won 3-0. Because it's the preseason, we're not going to focus too much on the scores as both teams start to get themselves ready for the 2022-23 Canada West season. I will say that Kendra Zuchotzki, Kennedy Brown, and Jasper Desmarais scored for the Huskies, but those goals matter for naught in the bigger picture of the season. What we should be focusing on are the new faces on the Huskies' roster!

I had mentioned two of the players who will fill holes on the roster back on July 1 in the Stellar Recruits article I wrote. As stated,

"Steve Kook had very few holes to fill, but there's still a roster spot open with the unexpected departure of Abby Shirley. That being said, Patterson will be a solid hustle player with the ability to score, and Backman had a great season with Battleford as she comes into to relieve the 'what if' situation if a Huskies netminder suffers an injury. Overall, though, Saskatchewan still has all the tools necessary to make the Canada West Final again if things work out as well as they did this past season."

With those Jessica Patterson and Emma Backman already getting mentions, it was expected that head coach Steve Kook may need to contact a few other players to potentially fill out his roster a little more. Today, we got to see those players in action against Regina, so let's take a look at who is getting a shot with Huskies!

We'll start with #13 Kalli Hiebert as the defender already has U SPORTS experience. Hiebert appeared in six games with the UNB Reds out in the AUS last season, but she came home to Saskatoon and decided to transfer to the University of Saskatchewan. Hiebert had no points in the AUS, but she was a solid defensive player for the Battleford Sharks, Saskatoon Stars, and for Banff Academy as she prepared for university hockey.

In two seasons with the Sharks, Hiebert played 51 games where she scored one goal and added seven helpers. A stop in Banff saw her play ten games where she scored three goals, and her 2020-21 season with the Stars was cut short as she appeared in just two games where she had a pair of assists. Hiebert was also part of Team Saskatchewan's Top 29 in 2020-21, and she brought home a bronze medal with Team Saskatoon at the 2018 Saskatchewan Winter Games.

She likely won't splash ink all over the scoresheet, but UNB head coach Sara Hilworth was excited to welcome her to the Reds. She said of Hiebert, "She's a mobile, hard-working defender who has strong defensive positioning and an offensive flair in her game."

That sounds exactly like the type of defender Steve Kook seeks for his team every year, so getting Kalli Hiebert onto the roster will make the Huskies better overall. She'll have to work hard to earn ice time, but Hiebert could be an important piece for the Huskies as she settles into her role with the team.

#19 Taylor Wilkinson comes to the Huskies via the Alberta Junior Female Hockey League where she suited up with Lakeland College after playing a couple of seasons with the Lloydminster PWM Steelers. Wilkinson had a nose for the offensive side of the game as she netted 15 goals and added 24 assists in 60 games with the Steelers, and she carried that into last season with Lakeland College where she scored four goals and five assists in 16 games. The Lloydminster native helped Lakeland College win the Alberta provincial championship last year as well.

There are a handful of spots on the Huskies that can be earned, but Wilkinson should be able to transfer the same energy she brought to Lakeland over the Saskatchewan and find success. In having natural scoring talent, that will bode well for her in the green-and-white, and it's never a bad thing for a team to bring in a 20 year-old proven scorer. Wilkinson should make the Huskies a little more dangerous.

Joining Wilkinson on the Huskies roster from Lakeland College is former St. Albert Slash and Lloydminster PWM Steelers forward Jayde Cadieux who will wear #18 for the Huskies. The Cold Lake, Alberta native captained the Lakeland College Rustlers last season while scoring 12 goals and 20 assists in 24 games before going off in the championship run where Cadieux added another 11 goals and seven assists in just eight games! Cadieux was named an AJFHL all-star last season for ger efforts in helping Lakeland College capture the Alberta provincial championship.

If given the same opportunities with the Huskies, Cadieux could be the player to replace the scoring of Bourassa or Shirley that the Huskies need. There are some solid offensively-minded players on the Huskies roster, but Cadieux showed she has a natural scoring ability that never quite hit its full potential in St. Albert or Lloydminster with her playing sound defensive hockey. This well-rounded game should make Steve Kook happy as Cadieux has already proven she can be a leader both on and off the ice.

#27 Shelby Williamson comes to the University of Saskatchewan from the Okanagan Hockey Academy where the Weyburn-born defender had an incredible 2021-22 season with the U18 program. Williamson scored three goals and added 11 assists in 21 games for OHA as she finished off her CSSHL career nicely, but she committed to the Huskies very late in the summer, signing her Letter of Intent on August 8, 2022. As a result, she wasn't part of the Stellar Recruits article.

Williamson plays a sound defensive game while picking her spots to jump into the offensive mix. She'll need to adjust to the pace of Canada West hockey, but, if she continues to improve like she did at OHA, the Huskies may find themselves with another defender who plays a complete 200-foot game. Having that kind of player who can step into the lineup will keep the Huskies strong on the blue line.

I don't know if all of these women will remain on Saskatchewan's roster for the 2022-23 season, but they were in the game against the Cougars tonight as they helped the Huskies prevail by that 3-0 score. In theory, this might be the last time we see some of these names above in green-and-white, but I suspect Steve Kook will want to keep the added troops when it comes to potential injuries this season. You can't have too many good players on your roster, right?

We'll see who opens the season with Huskies in three weeks, but these four players make the reigning U SPORTS bronze medalists stronger than they were without them. Having that kind of talent available all season long means the chances of Saskatchewan heading back to the U SPORTS National Championship just got better!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!