last September, Robins had
been playing with the Brandon
Wheat Kings’ Triple A Bantams.
He was good. In fact, he was
selected in the fourth round
(76th overall) by the Pats in the
2016 WHA Bantam Draft.
During the 2015-16
season, he led the Triple A
Bantam League with 51 goals
(90 points) in 35 games. In
two years as a Wheat Kings’
Bantam, he had 57 goals and
114 points in 65 games.
A good student, he joined the
Nationals as a 15-year-old last
season and had five goals and 13
points in 25 games. This year, he
had five goals and 10 points in
his first nine games with RHA.
Last year, he also played with
U-16 Team Manitoba. This year,
he’s played a game with the
WHL’s Pats and a game with the
MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons. His
future is bright.
“He loves the game,” said
RHA Midget head coach Rob
Smith. “He comes to the rink
every day ready to work. He’s
always got a smile on his face.
8 8 | G AME O N | D EC EM BER 2017
“
FOR A KID WHO ONCE
HATED THE GAME, THE BRIGHT
LIGHTS OF THE WHL AND
PERHAPS THE NHL COULD BE
RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
He’s a positive kid. He gets
along well with his teammates.
He wants to learn, wants to
develop and wants to play at
that next level.
“He is one of our leadership
group. He’s committed to the
process and he prepares himself
for whatever the situation.
He’s committed to the off-ice
part of the game, the nutrition
aspect. Whatever it takes to
turn himself into a player, he’s
bought into that. He also leads
by example.”
To be fair, Tristen comes
from a hockey pedigree. His
dad was a very good player.
A goaltender from Brandon,
Trevor Robins played with the
Wheat Kings and Saskatoon
”
Blades in a five-year Western
Hockey League career then
moved on to play three years
of pro in North America
in the Central League, the
International League and the
East Coast League.
In 1994-95, Trevor suited
up for a couple of games as
a backup with the San Jose
Sharks, but never played.
In 1996, he went to Great
Britain and had six All-Star
seasons with the Nottingham
Panthers – where he won two
championships -- and the
London Knights in the BISL,
before coming home for good
in 2002. Since then, he’s often
been Tristen’s coach and has
done a great job.
“Tristen is a great young man
but he’s also a very talented
hockey player,” said Smith
bluntly. “When he’s on the ice,
he’s one of the hardest workers
on the team. He brings energy.
He’s not the biggest guy out
there, but he’s not afraid to go
toe-to-toe with some of the
bigger guys and get in there and
much it up physically, as well.
“To be a success at the next
level, he needs to simplify his
game at times. He has an above-
average skill set and sometimes,
those types of players will try to
do something that complicates
things. He’s so skilled, he tries to
do too much sometimes and that
hurts him. When he simplifies
his game, he can be one of the
best players on the ice.”
For Tristen, who was born
in Brandon in 2001 and began
playing the game at a relatively
late age, his self-awareness is
important. He knows that the
best part of his game is his
vision, his ability to find the
open areas of the rink and his
ability to put the puck in the net.
But he’ll also tell you what he
has to do to get better.
“I have to simplify my game,”
he said, echoing his coach.
“Sometimes, I just try to do too
much. I know I have to work
on that.” Well, he certainly has
incentive. For a kid who once
hated the game, the bright
lights of the WHL and perhaps
the NHL could be right around
the corner.
“Regina was fun, I really loved
that place,” he said. “It’s too
bad I can’t be there now, but
I’m in a good place right now.
Regina has a great organization
and it would be tough to crack
that lineup this year with the
Memorial Cup there. I had a
good camp, I enjoyed it and my
goal is to keep improving so I
can play there next year.
“I love this game. I don’t
know what I’d do without it.” ❍