Game On Magazine - April 2017 GameOn-Apr2017-P001-144-ONLINE | Page 19

T
here have been plenty of NCAA Division 1 hockey scouts
nosing around the Manitoba Junior Hockey League this
season. Many have asked Winnipeg Blues head coach,
Billy Keane, about East St. Paul’s Dexter Kuczek.
However, when you ask Kuczek if he has any desire to play NCAA
hockey, his shoulders sag. The always smiling Winnipeg Blues’ late
bloomer doesn’t have that option anymore and you can tell, al-
most immediately, how he feels about it.
I trained Dexter’s
group two summers ago and
I got to know him and saw
some real good things: big
body, strong kid, had some
good skill there
“That messed that up. But there is still U SPORT. I could go to Eu-
rope, that would be cool, but I don’t really know how to get noticed
by them. I think U SPORT is at the top of mind for me. I get one year
of university for signing in the WHL, but I look back and I kind of
wish I didn’t sign.”
Dexter Kuczek has, in the past couple of seasons, developed into
one of the best players in the MJHL. This past season, he had 30
goals, 67 points and was eighth in the league in scoring. He’s 6-foot,
210-pounds and he’s developed a knack for putting the puck in the
net. His outstanding play helped the Blues reached the MJHL play-
offs and with one season of junior hockey remaining, he could be-
come one of the league’s most dominating players next season.
But he wasn’t always this good and his coach isn’t sure if Dexter
actually realizes how good he is right now.
“I trained Dexter’s group two summers ago and I got to know him
and saw some real good things: big body, strong kid, had some good
skill,” said Keane with a smile. “I followed him closely and last sum-
mer there was a chance for us to acquire him and Dale Goodbrand-
son for two of our 20-year-olds and it was Donny (MacGillivray) and
I at the time and I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ We gave up two 20s to get an 18
and a 19 and it turned out to be a good deal for us.
“I don’t think Dexter knows how good he is or how good he can be.
He could play minor pro here. But every D-1 school that has scouted
us here in Winnipeg has asked about him. He played five games in
the Dub and screwed himself. Now, those college scouts come in
and say, ‘We like Kuczek, but oh yeah, he signed in the Dub.’ There
are a lot kids who screw themselves over
that way. He’s as good or better than
the guys who are getting scholar-
ships.
“And the guys who are getting
schollies are smaller, skilled
guys. Dexter is more of a big
power forward type player who
can skate. Although, I would
suggest that if he had a mean
bone in his body,
he
wouldn’t
be in our
league.
He’d
“Well, I signed in the Dub (he was
chosen in the 11th round of the
2012 WHL Bantam Draft,
234th
overall,
by
the
Saskatoon
Blades),” he
said.
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