Kimberley Dynamiters alum Leith Olafson (2019-20) is playing his first season of U SPORTS hockey with the Mount Royal University Cougars men’s team. Olafson committed to the Cougars after spending three seasons with the Melfort Mustangs in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.Â
Olafson spoke with KIJHL communications director Emanuel Sequeira about the start of his season. This Q&A story has been edited for length and clarity.
KIJHL: What have you enjoyed about playing at the U SPORTS level?
LO: So far the competition has been really good, and we’ve been doing really well, it’s been a fun start. (Currently the Cougars are ranked No.8 of 10 teams in the U SPORTS Rankings) It’s been a step up from playing Junior A and it’s been a lot of fun to improve my game really quickly and play against some top-end players.
KIJHL: What is it like to balance hockey with school?
LO: After taking three years off and coming back to university and taking some classes, it’s a little more stressful, but it’s kind of nice. It’s a nice difference compared to juniors because I have stuff to focus on besides hockey. Every day I work out in the morning, go to class and then have practice. It fills your day. There are lots of nights where you are doing homework. It is an expectation to have good grades if you’re playing on the sports team. It’s a bit of a challenge, but a lot of fun as well. (While playing for Melfort, Olafson took classes at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook. The credits from the courses transferred over to MRU.) I’m only taking four per semester right now, but if I take five next year, I’ll be on track to graduate in four years. Taking university courses was nice because it kept me in it and when I came back, it wasn’t a complete shock. I did well in high school, it was a big focus so that I could go to college. Coming back it’s not too big of an adjustment. There are some guys who didn’t do too well in high school, or were struggling in high school because they were more focused on hockey. Now they are struggling a little bit. Â
KIJHL: What message would you give current KIJHL players about their educational future?
LO: I think taking classes through your time in junior hockey is a good idea if you are wanting to play college hockey. It gives you that flexibility once you get there, some of your credits transfer over to take a few less courses and have a bit more free time. It keeps you in it and prepared for when you have to go back to school. As a junior hockey player, it can fill your day up a bit.
KIJHL: Has it been as good as you thought it would be playing in U SPORTS?Â
LO: Yeah, I think the speed of the game, skill and physicality are all a step up from anything I’ve ever played. It met my expectations on how hard it was going to be to play in this league.
KIJHL: How do you feel that you have been playing?
LO: I’ve had a good start and I’ve played in every single game and getting some good minutes. I think I’ve gotten to the point where the staff can put me in situations like the penalty-kill and lots of 5-on-5 play. It’s been a really good start for myself. (In 12 games, Olafson has a goal and three points with 11 shots.)
KIJHL: What was it like to score your first career goal?
LO: Yeah it was pretty fun. We were out in Saskatchewan playing the University of Saskatchewan, which is pretty cool because I was playing out there for the last three years. My family, billets, and friends were there so it was really cool to get that goal, especially against one of the players, who I used to play with. It was a good feeling.Â
KIJHL: As a first-year player, what is the coaching staff expecting of you?
LO: Coming into the year we lost a defenceman right away, so we were down to six. I was expected to play every game to start, which was good for me. I had to make a statement that I could play and wasn’t a liability. Their expectation is just to be a solid defensive player and someone who they can put trust in to be out on the ice at all times.
KIJHL: How much are you asking your defensive teammates about what to do in certain situations?
LO: There’s a lot of learning going through all the players. I started out playing with our captain, just learning from him for a few months. Now I’m playing with Clay Hanus, who won the Canada West Defenceman of the Year award. I ask lots of questions, lots of reading off them and trying to figure out what they do. Our coaching staff – the defence coach, is really good for giving us tips and keeping us dialed in and making sure we’re improving.Â
KIJHL: What has the adjustment been like coming from Junior A hockey?
LO: After being a power-play guy, and a guy that we needed to produce points, it’s been a little bit of an adjustment to go back playing a defensive style and work back into a role again.Â
Related KIJHL content about Leith Olafson
