Game On Magazine - April 2017 GameOn-Apr2017-P001-144-ONLINE | Page 86

KEYSTONE JR. B HOCKEY LEAGUE
Milan can be very effective at
any level, His speed is definitely 
Junior A speed, maybe higher. His puck
smarts are the same, and so is his
shot. He’s got all the tools you need
to play Junior A but he just chooses
at this point to play Junior B
the team in scoring with 15 goals and 49
points.
While offence is his forte, Horanski consid-
ers himself an effective two-way player.
“I try to play hard at both ends of the rink
and not just key on the offence. I definitely
try to back check as hard as I can and get
back into the defensive zone,” he says. “I
try to just do my role and cover my guy and
really stick with him.”
Horanski tried out for the Selkirk Steelers
Junior A squad at the start of the 2015-1 6
season but didn’t make the team. He tried
out again this past fall and did very well.
In fact, Horanski said the Steelers were
prepared to offer him a spot after train-
ing camp, but after weighing his options,
he decided to return to the Fishermen this
season.
Poponick says he doesn’t doubt Horanski
could be a successful Junior A player.
“Milan can be very effective at any level,”
said Poponick. “His speed is  definitely  Ju-
86 GAME ON
2017 PLAYOFF EDITION
nior A speed, maybe higher. His puck smarts
are the same, and so is his shot. He’s got
all the tools you need to play Junior A but
he just chooses at this point to play Junior
B. We were more than happy to have him
back.”
After graduating from high school in 2016,
Horanski has focused on working to save up
enough money to go university. The Junior
B life, with fewer games and practices than
he’s have at the Junior A level, was a big
reason why he opted to return to the Fish-
erman this year.
“The Junior A loop is a long haul,” said
Poponick. “It’s difficult for some kids, espe-
cially those looking to be career-minded or
school-minded. You’re practicing three to
four days a week, you’re playing three to
four days a week, and you have lots of long
bus trips.
“It’s a large time commitment that players
have to make, and many kids just opt for our
league for that reason. It’s not that they’re
not Junior A calibre, they just choose to
start beginning life.”
Horanski learned in February that he’d been
accepted into the Marketing and Communi-
cation program at the University of Winni-
peg. He says broadcasting is an area he’s
interested in, adding there might be hockey
involved if that’s something Horanski de-
cides to eventually pursue.
“I’ll always have a passion for the game,”
Horanski says. “I have a lot of knowledge
about hockey and I think I could do some-
thing with that.”
In the meantime, he has three more years
of junior eligibility remaining. At this point,
Horanski isn’t sure how hockey will fit into
his plans this fall, but you can bet Poponick
would be happy to see his star player back
in a Fishermen’s uniform next season.
“I sure hope so,” Poponick said. “He could
be a leader on this team and in this league
for a long time.” n