Sportsmanship, Skill, and Steelheads

With college and university hockey seasons coming to an end, it's a good idea to watch rosters in the ECHL because players who have shown a high level of skill will be making the jump from university into the minor-professional ranks. U SPORTS is no different as we often see players leave the last few months of school hanging in the balance while they chase their dreams, and one player who is embarking on that path is a recent Canada West award winner after having an outstanding season with the Mount Royal Cougars. Announced earlier today, the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads have signed 2024 Canada West Men's Hockey Sportsmanship and Ability award-winner Connor Blake to a deal!

As we mentioned on The Hockey Show this week, Blake played big minutes for the Cougars against Canada West's best players as a fifth-year defender. He finished the season with 30 points in 28 games, but earned the award thanks to his high hockey IQ, his skill with the puck, and his ability to defend cleanly as he recorded just eight penalty minutes this season. In his four seasons with Mount Royal, Blake totalled 15 goals, 71 assists, and just 33 penalty minutes as he became one of Mount Royal's steadiest players.

"He really embodies all of the qualities of an exceptional student-athlete," Bert Gilling, Head Coach of the Cougars, said in regards to Blake's award. "He has been an awesome captain and deserves a ton of credit for the success of our team this year. Among his greatest qualities, what really stands out are his character and class. He plays the right way and has been an impactful player."

That's high praise from his coach, so it's pretty clear that Blake's a special player. There weren't many games in the 104 Canada West contests that he played where he went unnoticed. As Gilling stated, he was an impacful player as he played in all situations for the Cougars, and he distributed the puck extremely well as evidenced by the assists he earned. The Idaho Steelheads also recognized these traits in Blake, it seems, and they decided to reach out to see if he wanted to play at the next level as they offered him a contract to join the team for the remainder of the season!

After seeing Owen Headrick succeed on the Idaho blue line, I imagine the Steelheads are always looking for another solid, two-way, puck-moving defender. Connor Blake fits that description, and he looks like he'll fit well with the second-overall team in the ECHL standings. Idaho does like to score as they lead the ECHL in goals scored with 239, so Blake's vision and passing ability should help the offensive side of the game for the Steelheads. Where they could use some help is on the defensive side of the game as they've surrendered the tenth-most goals in the league, so getting Blake's defensive skills along with his ability to defend without taking penalties is an immediate boost to the Steelheads' blue line.

The Steelheads were hoping for that boost tonight as they hosted the Utah Grizzlies, and Connor Blake made his debut wearing #51! His game was fairly uneventful - no points, no penalties, no shots - but his first dabble into professional hockey didn't come with any minuses either. It wasn't all good, though, as the Grizzlies scored once in each period while holding the Steelheads to a single first-period goal as Utah prevailed 3-1 in Connor Blake's first ECHL game.

Blake will get another chance to earn his first ECHL win next weekend as the Steelheads make the journey across the continent to St. John's, Newfoundland for a date with Newfoundland Growlers on Friday, March 8. That three-game set is part of a six-game road trip where the Steelheads will finish their Canadian travel in Trois-Rivières where he can visit with former Cougars teammate Nolan Yaremko! And while the two former teammates will be on opposite sides, their presences in those games is a testament to the Mount Royal program's ability to produce solid hockey players.

Here's hoping that Connor Blake can find his footing in the ECHL quickly and he starts piling up points like he did on the Mount Royal blue line. He's a fantastic player who has a bright future, and it seems like it's only a matter of time before the ECHL knows his name as well as we do in western Canada.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!