WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
I really like the Western League . It ’ s really a high-paced game and there are a lot of great players and great guys , too
in training camp , he stuck with the club in his second attempt . This year , he ’ s a third line checker with a goal and eight points ( at press time ) in the first 19 games . However , he ’ s also a third-line checker on an extremely good team . At press time , the Warriors were second in the WHL ’ s East Division ( 11-4-4-0 ) and were led by captain Brett Howden from Oakbank and three Manitoba defensemen , Josh Brook from Roblin and Ryan Gardiner and Jett Woo from Winnipeg . Langan has fit in to the Warriors ’ system seamlessly . “ He had a really good start to the year in 2015 ,” said Warriors GM Alan Millar . “ He was really close in training camp and he capitalized on the opportunity he got with Swan Valley . We like what he brings in terms of being a responsible , two-way , gritty , hard-working guy . He also , obviously , has the opportunity to chip in offensively . He ’ s done everything to earn his spot on this team and we ’ re happy for him .” He believes he “ earned his spot ,” by doing all the little things well and also , doing exactly what the coaches asked of him . “ I was getting pucks to the net , driving to the net and using my long reach ,” he said . “ I had a pretty good line in Swan Valley , so that helped too . I ’ m trying to work hard every time on the ice and when
I can get some power play or penalty kill time that ’ s really great .” Although it would appear as if he ’ s won a full-time job in Moose Jaw , he doesn ’ t spend a lot of time worrying about the future . There are things he can control and things he can ’ t and he just wants to be sure that the things he can control are being attended to . “ I really like the Western League ,” he said . “ It ’ s really a high-paced game and there are a lot of great players and great guys , too . “ I just train , work out and play as much hockey as I can . I also try to play golf as much as I can , but that ’ s my only diversion from hockey . I ’ ll play some baseball at the end of the hockey season , just to get a bit of a break from hockey , but I spend most of the off-season in the gym or on the ice . Last year was fun . This year , I want to take the next step .” It ’ s been said , “ Take care of the important things and the important things will take care of you .” That ’ s exactly where Tristin Langan finds himself at this stage of his career . “ It ’ s a tough league , but a good league ,” he said . “ It ’ s a much higher level than anything I ’ ve been used to before . But I know that if I keep working hard , I ’ ll have success . I have a lot of time yet and I ’ m learning every day . There is nothing I ’ d rather do than play hockey .” n
86 GAME ON 2016 - 17 ROSTER DEADLINE EDITION