Bergson: Hadland Rebounds From Injury, Emerges As Leader In Second Season
Article Courtesy Perry Bergson, Brandon Sun
Caleb Hadland can only hope the bad times are all behind him.
The five-foot-10, 181-pound forward from Sylvan Lake, Alta., persevered through a major injury during his rookie campaign with the Brandon Wheat Kings, and has dressed in all 58 games this season, the only player with the club who can make this claim this season.
“It’s so nice,” Hadland said. “Just missing so many games last year, it was tough being at home. This year, just being able to play in every game — knock on wood — and stay healthy has been a lot of fun. Obviously, I want to be here and get better.”
Brandon grabbed Hadland with the 22nd pick of the 2021 Western Hockey League draft after they took defenceman Charlie Elick third overall and forward Roger McQueen with the fourth pick. Those picks came via the Tanner Kaspick and Kale Clague trades in 2018, but Hadland was Brandon’s actual selection after the league used a lottery to determine the order of selection.
He debuted with the club during a 4-3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Ice on Sept. 24, 2022.
BAD BREAK
Hadland played 12 games with the club before heading off to Hockey Canada’s World U17 Hockey Challenge from Nov. 3 to 12 in Langley and Delta, B.C. Hadland suited up for Canada Red, and in the team’s opening game against Canada Black in Langley on Nov. 3, disaster struck.
He was tripped and broke his fibula near the ankle on his second shift, derailing his rookie season. With the benefit of more than a year to think about it, he simply shakes his head.
“The timing of it was immaculate,” Hadland said. “I don’t know how much worse the timing could have been. Any other time would have been a little bit better, but there’s nothing I can really do about it now except move forward.”
There were no long-term effects from the injury: He doesn’t feel any soreness at all.
Assistant coach Del Pedrick said it was a tough development for a youngster who was just finding his way in major junior.
“He started off like any young player in our league,” Pedrick said. “It wasn’t easy for him and he was making an adjustment and then before you know it, he’s off to U17s and suffers a pretty serious injury. You expect nothing but time for him to take, and he didn’t take as much time as we thought.”
Hadland laced up the blades for the first time in early January 2023, with his teammates giving him a loud cheer when he skated onto the ice for a short spin as they stretched after practice. He returned to the lineup for good on Jan. 20.
In the 12 games before the injury and 26 after his return, he posted three goals, four assists, six penalty minutes and a plus-minus of -7. He said the chance to get back in the lineup for the last two months had a real impact on the success he enjoyed this season.
“It was great,” Hadland said. “Last year when I got back from my injury … I had a lot more opportunity at the end of last year and that really boosted my confidence coming into this year. I think that helped me become the player I am now.”
A good summer didn’t hurt. Pedrick said it was easy to notice he had put in the work after he headed home, and it hinted at the leadership he brings.
“He does things right,” Pedrick said. “He’s a little mini pro already. He knows how to prepare himself, he knows how to take care of himself. He was able to send the summer training with a guy like (former Brandonite Jim) Frederickson with Nate Danielson (in Red Deer) so he’s learned some pro habits from Nate.
“I think he has the respect of all the guys. I don’t think he’s the loudest guy in the room, but he certainly wants to do things the right way, and he wants to do that all the time.”
FRESH START
With his rookie season behind him, Hadland seemed to be an entirely different player when his second campaign began, which he hinted at with two goals and an assist in four pre-season games.
This carried into the regular season, with the teenager earning at least a point in six of the team’s first nine games, highlighted by a career-high goal and three assists in a 9-4 rout of the Moose Jaw Warriors on Sept. 23.
“It was crazy,” Hadland said. “I think if I didn’t have a good start, I don’t know where I would have went. With that start and a lot of guys gone, I had a lot of opportunity at the start of the year and it all worked out. The confidence factor and knowing I could play in this league was a factor out on the ice and really helped me with every step I take.”
This was nice for Hadland, who said there are expectations which come with being a first-round pick and knowing eyes are on him.
“I think there is a little bit of pressure of wanting to perform and be who they think you are,” Hadland said. “At the end of the day, they picked you for how you play, and I don’t think you should change your game for being a first-rounder. I’m not a skill guy, I’ll admit that, I’m just a hard-working player and I don’t think I’ve changed any of that for (head coach and general manager) Marty (Murray). I just play my role and do anything I can for the team.”
That approach hasn’t gone unnoticed. Pedrick said Hadland is a good example of how to do things right.
“Caleb is a high-character guy,” Pedrick said. “He’s the kind of player you love to be around, and other guys to play with and for. He sticks his nose in, he doesn’t shy away, he takes pride in both ends of the rink and he comes to work every day.”
The National Hockey League’s Central Scouting had him ranked 175th among North American skaters in its mid-term rankings.
Hadland said the signs of what kind of player he would be first emerged when he was playing at the U15 level. While that hasn’t fundamentally changed, his game needed to improve because he’s matching up against better players in major junior.
“My offensive skill has evolved and my skating is getting better,” Hadland said. “I’d say U15 is when I first established my game, a hard-working, get-things-done-right style of play. You have to change. I try to bring that to the team still and produce a little bit of offence. It’s fun.”
He said the size of the players and the smarts they have are the biggest differences from other levels he’s played at, which is another reason he had to adapt.
“The majority of the guys in the league are much bigger than I am,” Hadland said.
That’s part of what makes his utter fearlessness on the ice so remarkable. There isn’t a moment on the ice when he wades into something when he doesn’t exude confidence it will work out. He’s not sure where that mental trait comes from, although he said his physical traits help.
“I have trust in my body,” Hadland said. “I have a sturdy frame on me and I trust my edges and my balance. Going into a lot of situations, I can just be myself and I can handle myself against bigger guys. It makes it easier having a lot of confidence in yourself. If you don’t, you wouldn’t be as good a player.”
And that’s part of what makes him effective. He’s miserable to play against, and won’t make many buddies on the ice.
“I like to stir the pot out there,” Hadland said with a chuckle. “I don’t really have any friends on the ice. I try to get in their heads a little bit and make them play against themselves, really. I take pride in that, being a hard guy to play against. I try to do anything for the betterment of the team that throws them off their game.”
He wore an A as an alternate captain for several games earlier in the season, and this may be a preview of coming attractions for the club. When the club drafted him in December 2021, Wheat Kings director of player personnel Chris Moulton noted Hadland has been a leader on every team he’s played on.
Hadland said that’s an important part of his game, although it’s been less so during his WHL career.
“It can be scary at times,” Hadland said of being a new player in the league. “It’s very intimidating, the first time in the locker room or whatever it may be, and some guys may shut down from that pressure. We’re trying not to have that in our dressing room if I’m one of the leaders.
“I want to make it an open environment and an open team and lead the way for guys and show them what we do around here. I want to make sure everyone feels comfortable and is having fun.”
ODD SEASON
It has been a season of transition for Brandon, which sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-23-5-1. That’s despite the fact the team’s captain and unquestioned leader, Nate Danielson, was dealt at the trade deadline for two players and three draft picks. Hadland said it took time, but the team found its way through a tough time.
“It’s our buy-in with each other,” Hadland said. “With Danny we had it, but now we’re in a mindset that we’re in it together and we need each other to win. I don’t think we have a lot of selfish guys on the team and no passengers in our dressing room. We’re all here to work and play together and have some fun out there.”
The world junior championship actually helped prepare Brandon for what came later. Danielson was away for nearly a month, and the team learned it could win without him. After the trade, they had to find that within themselves all over again.
“With Danny gone, we all had to step up and fill in the gaps,” Hadland said. “That’s when we started playing for each other and making sure stuff got done around the room, and on the ice we just filled it roles and that helped us long term.”
Brandon, which hosts the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday and the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday, has 10 games remaining as it makes a final push for the playoffs.
Hadland said the team, which has several players out of the lineup due to injury and suspension right now, can still be a contender when it plays the right way.
“We’re battling injuries right now, we have a lot of guys hurt, but we have a really skilled and deep forward group up front and solid D in the back and Barney in net,” Hadland said. “If we’re on our game and working hard, I don’t think there are many teams that can stand in our way.”
