Foster eager for Wheat Kings debut

While his Brandon Wheat Kings teammates might be new tonight, Aiden Foster’s opponent certainly won’t be.

The 19-year-old forward from Lloydminster, Alta., who the Wheat Kings acquired from the Prince George Cougars last week, will debut against the Seattle Thunderbirds in this evening’s Western Hockey League action at Assiniboine Credit Union Place.

It’s a long way to drive to play a team he’s already met 11 times in his four-year WHL career.

“It’s kind of weird for me,” Foster said. “It’s for sure a couple of teams I don’t like, so it’s just a little more juice for those games to get up for.”

The deal, which was announced on Friday morning, saw Brandon send a first-round pick in 2029, a third-round pick in 2029, a fourth-round pick in 2030 and a sixth-round pick in 2029.

After making the 1,900-km trip to Brandon — with a stop in Lloydminster to see his family — the six-foot-four, 190-pound forward arrived on Saturday. If the Wheat Kings were looking to make a strong impression on him that night, they certainly failed in an 8-1 pounding at the hands of the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers.

“It was a long drive up here but once I got here, it was nice to see the fellas,” Foster said. “Obviously it was not the result they wanted, but it was nice to put some names to faces and meet everyone and see what it’s all about.”

On Sunday, the Wheat Kings trailed the Prince Albert Raiders 4-1 early in the third period before rallying for a 5-4 overtime victory.

Foster, who was traded for the first time, has been impressed with the reception he’s received.

“They’ve been really good,” Foster said. “This group is really tight and you can tell that by the way they practise and the way they play. It’s going to be lots of fun.”

Foster practised with the club on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and has certainly made a strong impression on Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray.

“He’s as advertised,” Murray said. “We’ve done some stuff this week where there was a lot of puck protection and that’s kind of his forte. He’s not a finesse-type player; he’s a guy who plays hard. Hopefully he can give his linemates some space and create some loose pucks for them.

“Just watching their group this week, we try to be too nice and overpass the puck a little bit, which is common when you have a new player on the team, but hopefully they can play to their strengths, and hopefully he can be a real asset and the power forward we’re looking for.”

Foster, a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, said the three days of practice have helped him to settle in.

“That’s the best part for me,” Foster said. “I’m coming in comfortable, knowing the guys a little bit more, knowing the systems and how they play and how they want me to play. I’m feeling good going into (tonight).”

Foster was skating on a line with captain Jaxon Jacobson, who turns 18 in December, and 17-year-old leading scorer Chase Surkan, with the clear intention of the newcomer doing the dirty work along the boards to get the puck for the highly skilled duo.

Foster certainly appreciates what they bring.

“It makes me feel old playing with a couple of younger guys but they’re unreal players,” Foster said. “They can move the puck, they can play with so much speed. I’m going to do my job for them and it’s going to be a good game.”

The Wheat Kings remain without two injured players, defenceman Ilari Kapanen and forward Gunnar Gleasman, neither of whom will play on the weekend. Gleasman is closer to returning, although neither is skating yet.

At practice on Thursday, the team had 14 forwards, seven defencemen and two goalies available, including Ryley Budd, who had been nursing a lower-body injury. That necessitated the call-up of Ethan Berard from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Weyburn Red Wings for last weekend’s games.

U.S. OPPONENTS

Seattle (3-5-0-1) fell 6-0 to the Regina Pats on Wednesday in the opening game of their swing through the East Division. After tonight’s game, they visit the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday, the Swift Current Broncos on Wednesday, the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday and the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday.

“They’re a quick team,” said Foster, who met them earlier this season. “They like to play fast and have a couple of big boys too but we match up really good against them with this squad.”

In recent years, the home team has had a lot of success in the series. The Wheat Kings (8-3-0-0) have won the last four regular-season games in Brandon, and both playoff games in the spring of 2016.

The Thunderbirds, meanwhile, have won the last two in Kent.

“They’re a big team, they’re a heavy team, they have a blend of skill and size,” Murray said. “I’m sure their trip didn’t open up like they wanted to (Wednesday) night in Regina, so we expect a hungry team coming into Brandon.”

The Wheat Kings face a second U.S. Division opponent on Sunday when the Everett Silvertips (3-5-1-2) swing by. The defending Western Hockey League champions had an incredible exodus of talent after last season, but have started reasonably well for a team in rebuild mode.

They faced Prince Albert last night in a game that ended after deadline. They fell 3-2 in a shootout in their trip opener against the Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday.

The Silvertips haven’t lost to the Wheat Kings since Oct. 19, 2018, taking the last six decisions between the clubs.

“I don’t think we’ve beat them since I’ve been back here,” said Murray, who was officially named GM on Aug. 29, 2022. “They’re going to work hard. I watched part of their game (Wednesday) night too, and they don’t have the household names they maybe did last year but they work extremely hard and are well structured.

“Both games are going to be tough. We’re going to have to wear our big-boy pants and be working and skating.”

Sunday’s contest will feature the “Pink The Rink” promotion, with the clubs skating on pink ice for the first time in Keystone Centre history. The Wheat Kings will wear special pink jerseys, which will be auctioned off to raise money for the Hope In Our Backyard campaign and research at Brandon University.

It’s the 12th time the club has hosted the initiative since it began in 2014.

“It’s great to raise awareness for cancer, and in particular breast cancer,” Murray said. “I think we’ve all been affected by it in some way, shape or form. To bring awareness and have the opportunity to raise some money is nothing but a positive thing.”

Sunday afternoon’s game starts at 4 o’clock, with the puck dropping on Friday at 7. Brandon can certainly count on having at least one highly motivated player in the lineup.

“All the excitement is going into (tonight),” Foster said. “I just have to play my game and see what it’s all about. It will be good.”

ICINGS: Longtime fans of the Wheat Kings will remember Brandon acquired a forward with a similar name when they picked up Adrian Foster from Saskatoon on Jan. 13, 2002 for 19-year-old forward Richard Mueller. Adrian Foster was also a 19-year-old National Hockey League prospect from Alberta, but he hailed from Lethbridge and had been drafted by the New Jersey Devils.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com