(Photo courtesy/Broad Leaf Media, Facebook)

By Ben Tompkins

Leith Olafson

Mustangs captain commits to MRU

Jun 3, 2024 | 8:54 AM

Melfort Mustangs captain, Leith Olafson, has committed to play for the Mount Royal University Cougars, come this fall.

The three-year veteran with the Stangs is coming off his final year in the SJHL where he captained his team to a league title and a national silver medal.

“I’m very excited to join Mount Royal. On my way home from Melfort I stopped in and met some of the coaches and players and got a taste of the culture that they have there, and it made me even more excited to go play there,” Olafson told northeastNOW.

“It’s going to be quite a jump up to U Sports there, so I’ll just have to go back to my roots and just work really hard to get in the lineup any way I can and work my way back up to a top role. Having that taste of a top role for these last two years, it’s gonna make me really hungry to want to get back to that.”

A native of Wasa, B.C., Olafson played 184 games in a Mustang uniform, collecting 99 points in the process, following a Junior ‘B’ stint in his home province during his 17-year-old season.

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Now moving to Calgary for his collegiate career, the 2003-born defenceman is excited to be much closer to home.

“MRU is a good program and they’ve been on the upswing for the past couple of years, which is very appealing. Calgary is also only about four hours from my hometown, so it was a pretty easy decision once I got the call from them. I think it was just the best opportunity for me, and for my family, it’s easier for them to be able to come and watch,” Olafson added.

“I had some thoughts about going the NCAA division-three route, but I think there was a little more appeal to me to go the U Sports route and play against some of these high-end CHL players and lots of these high-end Junior A players as well. I think the level of hockey is probably just as good, maybe a slightly different style of play, but one that fits more into my game than the NCAA.”

One of those high-end junior players that Olafson will get to compete against is Chase Friedt-Mohr, who has already committed to the University of Regina Cougars.

The two, who were D-partners this past season, were inseparable, and now will get the opportunity to face each other in Canada West play.

“I think it’s gonna be a good one, it’ll be quite different playing against him, but we were joking that we’re just gonna drop the mitts first shift when we play each other. I think it’ll be a good rivalry, and give me a little more motivation when we end up playing Regina, for sure,” explained Olafson.

One of the more important players in team history, one season as an assistant captain and another as the leader of the herd, the Stangs will miss seeing Olafson in Blue and Green.

Head coach Trevor Blevins is excited to see his player grow, however, and is beyond appreciative of his dedication to the organization.

“We are very proud of Leith’s commitment to Mount Royal University, he has been a privilege to coach for the past three seasons. A true leader who exemplifies all the positive characteristics of who a Melfort Mustang should be, he was our captain for these reasons,” Blevins said.

“Leith’s contributions to Melfort and to the Melfort Mustangs Organization will never be forgotten and will help shape many players for years to come. Thank you for all your effort Leith, on and off the ice.”

Olafson plans to enrol in Kinesiology and is keeping an open mind about his future.

According to the Mustangs, he would like to play professional hockey but is taking things one step at a time.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8