(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Meet the Mustangs

Meet the opening night roster of the 2019/2020 Melfort Mustangs

Sep 13, 2019 | 2:00 PM

The Melfort Mustangs are looking to go to their fourth Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League final in 2019/2020 after reaching that point last season before losing to the Battlefords North Stars.

Here is a look at the players tasked with bringing the Mustangs back to the playoffs.

The Forwards

(Number – Name – Birth Year – Height/Weight – Hometown)

#3 – Ben Chase – 2000 – 5’11″/175lbs – College Grove, U.S.A.

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The son of former NHL player Kelly Chase, Ben comes to the Mustangs as a late add to the roster. He’s spent the last few seasons in the United States High School ranks, playing at Marquette High in Missouri. Last season he had 14 points in six high school games. Meanwhile, he spent time with the St. Louis Blues AAA program as well.

(Submitted photo/Melfort Mustangs)

#9 – Ben Tkachuk – 2002 – 6’/175lbs – Gronlid, Sask.

The soon-to-be 17-year-old forward comes to the Mustangs after one season with the Sherwood Park Kings Midget AAA program where he scored six goals and added eight assists for 14 points in 33 games. He also suited up for the Spruce Grove Saints in the Alberta Junior Hockey League for five games. Tkachuk also has some ties with the Mustangs with his dad being a former Captain for Melfort in the early 1990s.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#14 – Kenzie Arnold – 1999 – 5’11″/180lbs – Dodsland, Sask.

Heading into his second season in Melfort, Kenzie Arnold was a mainstay in the middle of the Mustangs second line last season. He had 12 goals and 20 assists in 42 games after joining Melfort following a trade with the La Ronge Ice Wolves who acquired Arnold in the off-season of the 2017/2018 season after he was traded from the Nipawin Hawks to complete a futures deal. He was part of the Hawks championship team that season and spent two full seasons their overall. Arnold played in a total of 99 games for the Hawks, scoring 25 points. He’s also the most experienced Mustang when it comes to the playoffs with 41 games under his belt, including six games at the Anavet Cup.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#15 – Zach Anderson – 1999 – 6’/185lbs – Calgary, Alta.

Going into his third, and final Junior A season, Zach Anderson is looking to improve on his offensive numbers once again. In his first season with Melfort (2017/2018), Anderson notched 17 points in 38 games. He bested that last year, scoring 16 goals and adding 16 assists for 32 points in 52 games. He’s also a former Second All-Star Team member in the Alberta Midget AAA league with the Calgary Buffaloes.

(Submitted photo/Melfort Mustangs)

#16 – Christian Albertson – 2001 – 6’2″/205lbs – Saskatoon, Sask

The big 18-year-old comes into the regular season after a very good camp including a pre-season game that saw him score two excellent goals against the Humboldt Broncos. Albertson was a fourth round pick of the Mustangs in the 2016 SJHL Draft and spent the last two seasons playing for the Saskatoon Blazers and then Swift Current Legionnaires of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League. He had 30 points over 84 contests.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#18 – Alaister Standen – 2001 – 5’11″/195lbs – High River, Alta.

After a breakout season in the Alberta Midget AAA ranks, Alaister Standen has cracked the Mustangs opening night roster. Standen is a smooth skater who scored 13 goals and added 13 assists for the Okotoks Oilers AAA squad last season. That was tied for third on the team.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#20 – Seth McCulloch – 2001 – 5’11″/190lbs – Coutts, Alta.

Seth McCullogh showed a great work ethic in camp and has earned himself a spot on the Mustangs opening night roster. He tallied ten points in 34 games last season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes Midget AAA squad. In Midget AA the season prior, McCullogh was over a point-per-game.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#21 – Luc Marleau – 2001 – 5’10″/173lbs – Tisdale, Sask.

Marleau was acquired by the Mustangs last season in a trade with the La Ronge Ice Wolves that also brought Kenzie Arnold to Melfort. The former second round pick of the Ice Wolves comes back to his home region after spending last season in Regina playing for the Pat Canadians in the AAA ranks. He had 16 goals and 11 assists in 42 games. Marleau is also a former third round pick of the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2016 WHL Draft.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#22 – Tyson Meyers – 1999 – 5’10″/173lbs – Melfort, Sask.

The local product has been a mainstay on the penalty kill for his time with the Mustangs, and has also been trusted greatly to shut down other teams best players. He joined the Mustangs in 2017/2018 after two seasons of Midget AAA. He’s tallied 35 points in 78 regular season games for his hometown Mustangs.

(Submitted photo/Melfort Mustangs)

#23 – Ryley Lanthier – 1999 – 6’2″/180lbs – Surrey, B.C.

After three seasons of junior hockey in B.C., Lanthier comes to Melfort as a veteran winger who is known for his hard work. While playing in the Pacific Junior Hockey League, Lanthier was named the Most Improved Player in the 2017/2018 season while playing for the Ridge Meadow Flames where he had 18 goals and 20 assists in 41 games. He spent last season in Langley, playing for the Rivermen in the BCHL.

(Submitted photo/Melfort Mustangs)

#24 – Kyle Schneider – 5’10″/175lbs – Prince Albert, Sask.

Schneider was brought to the Mustangs during last season and played in 27 regular season games, tallying eight points in those contests. However, Schneider’s effect on the game is felt away from the scoresheet with his physical play, leadership, and ability to get under players skin. He tallied three assists in 11 playoff games.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#26 – Brady Clayton – 2001 – 5’11″/180lbs – Lloydminster, Alta.

Brady Clayton was also part of the Lloydminster Bobcats Midget AAA team last season. He was the leading scorer for the team, tallying 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 34 games. He also suited up for one game with the Lloydminster Bobcats of the AJHL.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#27 – Davin Griffin – 2002 – 5’9″/175lbs – Regina, Sask.

After not catching on with the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL, Griffin joins the Mustangs as one of two underage players. Griffin had a phenomenal two seasons at the Midget AAA level with the Saskatoon Contacts. He notched 81 points in 82 games over his two seasons, including 46 points in 43 games this past season, good for third on the team. Griffin was a third round draft pick by the Mustangs in the 2017 SJHL Draft, and a fifth round pick of the Raiders in the WHL Draft that year but his WHL rights were recently traded to Prince George.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#28 – Deklan Whillans – 1999 – 6’3″/190lbs – Manning, Alta.

Whillans was traded to the Mustangs during the off-season after spending two full seasons in the AJHL. He had eight points in 37 games for the Camrose Kodiaks last season. Prior to that, he spent time with the Sherwood Park Crusaders and the Spruce Grove Saints. Whillans will be a big body on the wing for the Mustangs.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#39 – Zack Smith – 2001 – 6’/175lbs – Saskatoon, Sask.

Last season, Zack Smith tallied 21 points in 55 games for the Mustangs as an underager. He will be expected to improve on that production this season as he is just one of ten returnees on the opening roster from last season. Smith added one assist in 16 playoff games last season as well.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#43 – Colton Schell – 2000 – 6’1″/180lbs – Lampman, Sask.

Colton Schell came to the Mustangs part way through the 2018/2019 season after heading to Alberta to play Junior A there after his Midget career had concluded. The former Tisdale Trojans dressed in 22 games for the Mustangs last season, tallying four points. He was used a lot in penalty killing and shutdown roles. He scored once in 13 playoff games.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#47 – Marco Lopez – 2001 – 6’1″/175lbs – Grand Prairie, Alta.

Lopez was a late addition to camp, but impressed right away. After one season of Midget AAA in Calgary, Lopez joins the Mustangs as a player with plenty of speed with some size as well. With the Calgary Buffaloes last season in AAA, Lopez had 17 points in 34 games. His team finished fourth at the Telus Cup, where Lopez had five points in seven games.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

Rylan Burns – 2000 – 6’2”/181lbs – Eckville, Alta.

Burns joins the Mustangs after a season in the AJHL with the Olds Grizzlys. He had 4 points in 36 games last year. Burns also played parts of two seasons with the Red Deer Chiefs Midget AAA organization, notching 14 points in 42 games.

Rylan Burns. (Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

The Defencemen

#4 – Greg Parker – 2000 – 6’3″/210lbs – Edmonton, Alta.

After his time with the Southside Athletic Club in Edmonton, Greg Parker went west and played in the B.C. Junior B ranks in his first junior season. He played in 33 games for the Columbia Valley Rockies of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and had 11 points. He plays with lots of physicality and possesses a big slapshot.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#5 – Colby Brett – 6’1″/195lbs – Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A

Brett comes north of the border after spending his minor hockey career in the United States. Most recently, Brett spent two seasons with the Phoenix Junior Coyotes U16 and U18 teams. He has 15 points in 66 games with those teams.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#6 – Alex Rondeau – 1999 – 6’2″/206lbs – Drummondville, Que.

Rondeau joined the Mustangs at the beginning of last season after two seasons in the United States Prep School Circuit at Pomfret. As a 19-year-old rookie, Rondeau scored six goals and added 15 assists for 21 points last season. He added three points in the playoffs as well. In the off-season, Rondeau was traded to Whitecourt in the AJHL to complete a Futures trade, but while things didn’t quite work in Alberta, Rondeau was dealt back to Melfort.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#7 – Lucas Ochitwa – 2001 – 5’8″/190lbs – Wadena, Sask.

A smooth skating defenceman, Lucas Ochitwa joins Melfort after three seasons with the Swift Current Legionnaires. He played 120 regular season games, tallying 40 points. He was the captain of the Legionnaires last season as well. Ochitwa was the first round pick of the Mustangs in the 2016 SJHL Draft.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#25 – Jake Hobson – 1999 – 6’/190lbs – Christopher Lake, Sask.

Hobson joined the Mustangs prior to the opening game of last season from the Whitecourt Wolverines and made a big impact on the blueline. Hobson had 11 goals and 24 assists, for 35 points with Melfort, and then added another 10 points in 15 games during the Mustangs playoff run. Hobson is also a veteran of 54 WHL games after being a third round pick by Portland in the 2014 draft.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#44 – Nolan Kadachuk – 1999 – 6’1″/180lbs – Melfort, Sask.

Another one of four returning players from last season’s defence core, Kadachuk is going into his third full SJHL season with Melfort. He has 37 points in 90 games in the league and will be looked upon for leadership in his 20-year-old season. He’s also played in 19 playoff games, tallying five assists.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#55 – Gabe Odowichuk – 2000 – 6’2″/188lbs – Winnipeg, Man.

Odowichuk was in and out of the Melfort lineup last season and was somewhat of a utility knife for Head Coach Trevor Blevins. While mostly playing defence, Odowichuk also spent a few games with the forwards. In 35 games, Odowichuk scored once and added nine assists.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

The Goalies

#29 – Tanner Martin – 2001 – 5’10″/175lbs – St. Brieux, Sask.

After heading to Salmon Arm to start the season, Martin was traded back to Melfort prior to camp opening. The former Tisdale Trojan put up some outrageous numbers in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League, sporting a 1.71 goals against average, and a .930 save percentage. Those numbers were good enough for a spot of the league’s First All-Star Team, and the Top Goaltender Award. He was also part of the Trojans team that won bronze at the 2019 Telus Cup.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

#35 – Shawn Parkinson – 1999 – 6’4″/190lbs – Victoria, B.C.

Parkinson comes into his 20-year-old season as the de-facto starter for the Melfort Mustangs. He was acquired in a trade last season in October and played a lot of games for Melfort. Overall, Parkinson played in 26 games and had a 17-6 record to go along with a .909 save percentage, and a 2.59 goals-against-average. He also played in five playoff games, tallying a 1.91 goals against average, and .933 save percentage.

(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

The Melfort Mustangs open their regular season on Friday, Sept. 13 against their rival Nipawin Hawks. That game can be heard on Saskatchewan’s New Beach Radio with the pre-game show beginning at 7:15 p.m.. Meanwhile, the following night, the Mustangs and Hawks play once more, this time at the Northern Lights Palace in Melfort.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6