Tenacious ‘C’: gritty Pats Captain Tanner Howe preparing for Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
By: Cami Kepke / Western Hockey League
Moncton Wildcats fans piling into the Avenir Centre for the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game might see shades of a former Wildcats star in Tanner Howe later this month.
The Regina Pats forward has evoked comparisons to the wily Brad Marchand since his first shift in the WHL bubble back in 2021.
“I’ll never forget his first shift,” Head Coach Brad Herauf, an assistant coach with the Pats at the time, recalled. “As a 15-year-old, he skated across the ice and did a flying body check that should have been a penalty. I Remember (General Manager) John Paddock looking at me and going ‘That kid is going to be a player.'”
“Came out of the gates hot,” Howe grinned. “Just trying to make an impression.”
Three seasons later, the tenacious winger has earned the red ‘C’ emblazoned on his jersey and an invite to the Top Prospects game, Canada’s largest showcase of NHL Entry Draft-eligible talent.
“I was super pumped,” Howe said of the invite. “It’s such a huge honor to go and just get even recognized for that. Pretty cool to tell my family and stuff like that so I’m really excited.”
Howe’s nose-to-the-grindstone mentality, speed and skill have helped him earn an ‘A’ rating from NHL Central Scouting, projecting him as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
“He doesn’t talk the way Brad Marchand probably talks to the other opponents but he plays the same hard game,” Herauf added. “He’s got a lot of skill in his game and he plays very competitively. He’s going to help you win if he’s on your first power play unit or if he’s a fourth-line, left or right winger. He’s got kind of like that Swiss Army Knife ability and he has that mentality. He’s always started at the bottom and worked himself up so he’s one of those guys that might not have the most flash per se, but he’s one of those people that’s gonna wear on you.”
Howe, the only CHL Captain to earn an invite to Top Prospects, takes many leadership cues from his former linemate, Connor Bedard.
“He taught me so much in two years,” Howe said. “I couldn’t be more grateful to hang out with that guy every day. See what he does in the gym, on the ice outside of the hockey at home. Last year he led by example so much, being the captain. It’s something I’ve kind of learned to do this year and doing all the little things that matter and people that notice so I learned from him a lot in that way.”
The 5-foot-11, 182-pound Prince Albert product has 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points in 39 games this season- and he still isn’t shying away from getting into the muck.
In a way, Howe has also forced those in the stands to see him as his own player and not a supporting character in the Bedard show.
“Everyone was talking about how he’s going to do without Connor, what his numbers look like without Connor,” Herauf said. “We just talked about just drowning out the outside noise and just playing a game and not worrying about the points and wherever you get drafted. He was a fourth-round Bantam pick (73rd overall in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft) and you know, if you go redo the order, he’s probably in the top five now. He understands that process and he’s real self-aware and mature that way.”
On the international stage, Howe has represented Canada at the U18 World Championship and scored two goals and two assists in five games to help Canada clinch gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Basha, Andrew – Medicine Hat Tigers – Calgary, Alta. – 5’11” – 184 – LW
Catton, Berkly – Spokane Chiefs – Saskatoon, Sask. – 5’11” – 170 – C
Curran, Maxmilian – Tri-City Americans – Prague, Czechia – 6’3” – 179 – C
Howe, Tanner – Regina Pats – Prince Albert, Sask. – 5’10” – 182 – LW
Iginla, Tij – Kelowna Rockets – Lake Country, B.C. – 6’0” – 186 – C
Jecho, Adam – Edmonton Oil Kings – Zlin, Czechia – 6’5” – 201 – C
Josephson, Ollie – Red Deer Rebels – Victoria, B.C. – 6’0” – 185 C
Lindstrom, Cayden – Medicine Hat Tigers – Chetwynd, B.C. – 6’3” – 210 – C
Miettinen, Julius – Everett Silvertips – Helsinki, Finland – 6’3” – 205 – C
Parascak, Terik – Prince George Cougars – Lethbridge, Alta. – 6’0” – 176 – RW
Ritchie, Ryder – Prince Albert Raiders – Kelowna, B.C. – 6’0” – 175 – RW
Wetsch, Carson – Calgary Hitmen – Vancouver, B.C. – 6’0” – 187 – RW
Brunicke, Harrison – Kamloops Blazers – Calgary, Alta. – 6’2” – 185 – RD
Elick, Charlie – Brandon Wheat Kings – Calgary, Alta. – 6’3” – 200 – RD
Roberts, Colton – Vancouver Giants – Maple Ridge, B.C. – 6’4” – 198 – RD
Yakemchuk, Carter – Calgary Hitmen – Calgary, Alta. – 6’3” – 190 – RD
Cowan, Dawson – Spokane Chiefs – Warren, Man. – 6’2” – 185 – G
Matecha, Lukas – Tri-City Americans – Pardubice, Czechia – 6’3” – 194 – G
The 40 players will be assigned to either Team Red or Team White in the new year, while captains and alternates for both squads will also be announced in January.
The 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game will mark the 28th edition of this showcase and it will represent the first time that the event has taken place in the province of New Brunswick.
Of the 40 CHL players to compete at the 2023 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in Langley, B.C., 37 went on to be selected in the 2023 NHL Draft, including Connor Bedard (Regina Pats), who was chosen first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Since the event was first introduced in 1996, it has featured 16 players who were later selected first overall in the NHL Draft, including Bedard (2023), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011) and Chris Phillips (1996).
The 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game airs live on TSN, TSN.ca, the TSN app, and RDS on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 (4:30 p.m. MT). With a limited number of tickets available, fans are encouraged to act quickly to secure their seat for the 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton by visiting ticketmaster.ca.
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