Skip to content

Wranglers Joel Patsey and Dale Hladun in Top Prospects Game

‘He was one of the kids many of the scouts wanted to talk to’
10179654_web1_JoelPatsey
Joel Patsey at the 2018 KIJHL Top Prospects Game on Jan. 13. Steve Dunsmoor Photo.

Coach Dale Hladun was behind the bench for the Okanagan/Shuswap Prospects team, coaching a select group of players chosen from the Doug Birks and Okanagan divisions of the conference the team is named for. One of the players was Wrangler’s defenceman, Joel Patsey.

Hladun was joined on the bench by Mark McNaughton and Ryan Parent from the Princeton Posse and the North Okanagan Knights. The trio coached by committee even though Hladun was named head coach.

“It was a good experience. I thought meeting all the young kids that are the showcase guys of our league, there was a lot of energy,” said Hladun.

It was the second time the coach has been involved with the Top Prospects game in as many years during his four-year-tenure with the Wranglers.

The team lost against the Kootenay Prospects in a 7-3 game, even though the losing side outshot the former. Hladun said he had a good time despite the loss.

Hladun said the game started a little “scrambly,” and attributed it to the teams picking their rosters by talent rather than by position.

“I think everybody was a right-handed centreman, so we had to have some guys play on the wing and such but overall, I thought it was a really good, entertaining game,” Hladun laughed.

Many scouts from Junior A leagues were in attendance, looking at players such as Patsey.

Hladun said the Merritt Centennials, the team Patsey is affiliated with, the Langley Riverman and the Drumheller Dragons approached Patsey after the game.

“I thought he was really good,” said Hladun. “He was one of the kids many of the scouts wanted to talk to.”

He expects more scouts will reach out in the coming weeks to the 18-year-old Hazelton native.

Patsey has already played one game with the Merritt Centennials this season and Hladun expects him to become a main feature on the British Columbia Hockey League side’s blueline in the future. With the Wranglers, he has appeared in 35 games and scored eight goals and 12 assists despite being more of a defensive defenceman, modelling his play after NHL players Roman Josi and Shea Weber.

Hladun also disclosed Patsey was only playing at 60 to 70 per cent, after aggravating a groin injury and will likely be resting this week in preparation for the upcoming doubleheader against the Revelstoke Grizzlies on Jan. 19 and Jan. 20.