Game On Magazine 2017 Nov Game On low res | Page 20

“I don’t think there are too
many teams that can say they
have two great goalies like
Hall and Thorlakson,” Zeke
said. “They get rotated in and
out equally and we can rely on
those two guys.
“I’m really happy with the
guys we have. Our culture is
like a family. Look at the wall
here in Eric Coy Arena. Players
know when they come to
play for the Hawks they need
to work hard and live up to
the expectations our team’s
culture demands.”
While Zeke loves the
veteran core, he’s also fired up
about the team’s newcomers.
“There’s a couple of really
good ones,” he said. “I’m
really impressed with Noah
Robidoux’s size. There’s no one
in the league who is six-foot-
six and has the skill set he has.
He’ll be a force. Then there are
guys who just work hard. I see
that in Sean Robinson and the
goal scoring potential from
Taylor Opperman. These guys
are willing to learn and that’s
the main thing.”
These days, Zeke is a
classic example of the players
who benefit from playing
in the Manitoba Major
Junior Hockey League. He
is currently working at BLI
Security as a commercial alarm
technician and is considering a
return to school – engineering
at Red River College.
The fact that teams only
practice once or twice a week
and play twice a week at most
allows young men like Zeke
to work, go to school and play
hockey of they so desire.
It’s another reason why
he loves playing in the
MMJHL, enjoys being
captain of the Hawks and
above all else, wants to bring
a championship back. ❍
2 0 | G AM E ON | N OVEM BER 2017
MEET DYLAN ZEKE
WHO ARE THE BEST
PLAYERS YOU PLAY
AGAINST IN THE MMJHL?
I think the best player in the MMJHL
is defenseman Nicholas Gravel of the
Transcona Railer Express and the toughest
player in the league is Chase Faulkner of
Stonewall. Other that the two guys on
my own team, Hunter Ploszay is the best
goalie in the League.
most was Steven George. He really gave
me a hard time in my rookie year, but
at the end of the day I realize how that
contributed to me becoming a better
hockey player and person.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE
HOCKEY MOMENT?
WHICH TEAM IS YOUR
FAVOURITE? When Jordan Eberle scored the game-
tying goal against Russia in the World
Junior Hockey Championship. My dad
and I were watching the game and we
couldn’t believe what was happening.
The Russian player tried to score on the
empty net, but iced the puck in error.
Eberle tied it up with seconds left in
the game and Canada went on to win.
My favourite hockey team is the Chicago
Blackhawks, but I think the St. Louis Blues
will win the Stanley Cup this season. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO
DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT
PLAYING HOCKEY?
WHO ARE THE COACHES
WHO HAVE IMPACTED
YOUR CAREER? I like to work out, go to the lake, and
playing beach volleyball and softball.
I like country music and my favourite
artist is John Mayer. The last book I
read was BioShock, a story about a video
game and underwater world. BioShock
is also my favourite video game and my
favourite movie Cinderella Man, a movie I
always find motivational. How I Met Your
Mother was my favourite TV show and
my favourite actors are Ryan Gosling and
Jennifer Lawrence.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE
HOCKEY PLAYER?
Joe Sakic. I admire the way Sakic led on the
ice with class and little or no show boating.
So many coaches have impacted me. Billy
Keane and Darrell Peterson when I was
younger, Brent Stefanson showed me
the fundamentals of the game, my coach
in high school, Joe Ledechy, was a great
mentor and the coach that pushed me the
H
HOW
IMPORTANT HAS
YOUR FAMILY BEEN TO
YOUR HOCKEY CAREER?
Very important. I have a sister Jan
who is a year older than me and we’re
close. My parents and sister have always
been supportive of me and my hockey
endeavors. My Mom’s a health nut and
she got me into eating better, organics
and all the healthy stuff. I never realized
when I was younger the costs and sacrifices
parents make for hockey, but now that I
pay for hockey myself I understand how
expensive and demanding the game is on
families. My parents are my heroes.