Catching up with Cavin Leth
Playing in the WHL entails more than just talent and a hard work ethic. One key skill that many overlook is the ability to adapt to change at a moment’s notice. This skill was put to the test for Center Cavin Leth, who spent two full seasons with the Swift Current Broncos before being traded to the Thunderbirds midway through the 2015-16 season. Despite spending most of his WHL career with the Broncos, Cavin quickly adapted and embraced being a T-Bird.
“I was excited to have a new start in an organization that I knew was a very good team and was going to make a good playoff push,” Leth said.
Cavin appeared in 35 regular season games for the T-Birds, recording six goals and four assists with 31 penalty minutes. In the playoffs, Cavin played in 15 games, tallying three goals and six assists for the T-Birds. Cavin fondly recalls the electric atmosphere at ShoWare Center last season, which was a noticeable contrast from playing in Canada.
“The fans are always into the game no matter what the score is,” Leth said. “The rivalries are a lot bigger down here as well, and you can really notice it when a team like Portland is in town. It always feels like a Game 7 or a double-overtime atmosphere with the crowd always cheering you on.”
Falling to the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Championship was a tough pill to swallow, but Cavin is using the final series loss as a learning experience to come back stronger next season.
“The biggest thing I took from the series would be how much adversity you have to overcome to be successful,” Leth said. “We can apply it to next season by knowing that we will always face challenges, but we need to keep moving forward and overcome them as a team.”
Cavin is a hardworking player who’s versatile on offensive, T-Birds General Manager Russ Farwell said last January after trading for Leth. While primarily a center, Cavin feels comfortable in all three forward positions since he’s had experience playing all of them. Along with his flexibility as a forward, Cavin compares his style of play to Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers, who ranked fourth in the NHL in penalty minutes last season.
“He plays an aggressive, gritty, determined game,” Leth said. “I’d like to think that’s how I play too.”
Cavin has been staying busy this offseason with trying to improve on his game to be a more well-rounded player, which includes training both on and off the ice.
“Most of my workouts involve weights and sprinting along with skating throughout the summer,” Leth said. “I’m always trying to improve on all aspects of my game to become a better hockey player who can contribute at both ends of the ice.”
Although Cavin has been training hard this offseason, he still maintains an active presence on social media, boasting over 600 followers on Twitter (@cavinleth). When asked about which teammate fans should follow on Twitter, Cavin had a calculated response.
“I’d probably say Otto (Turner Ottenbreit) mainly because I’m hoping he’d say me if he got asked this question at some point,” Leth said.
From offseason workouts to tweeting, Cavin is anything but bored this offseason. His determined work ethic and excitement to return to the ice at ShoWare Center makes him an important factor for the T-Birds in bringing a Championship title to Kent.
