By Nathan Kanter

New year means new possibilities for Ice Wolves

Jan 2, 2018 | 7:12 PM

The 2016-17 season was not the kindest one for the La Ronge Ice Wolves. They won just six times all season long and lost their last 29 games in a row.

The team began the 2017-18 season just as rocky, going 1-10-0-1 in their first 12 games. But since then, they have gone 7-14-0-1.

Although that may not seem like much (after all, they are still in last place in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with a 7-25-0-2 record), let’s remember that 7-14-0-1 is much better than the 6-47-1-4 record they compiled last season.

Plus, they’ve beaten tough teams this season like Humboldt and Weyburn.

Becoming a playoff team doesn’t happen overnight. It’s all about taking the right small steps forward.

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The Ice Wolves won’t make the playoffs this year. But why not next year?

Moves will have to be made, but right now there are solid pieces for next season, such as 6’4” 18-year-old forward Nolan Dawson, who has 11 points in 16 games this year. Then there’s 18-year-old Shane Hounsell, who has 13 points this season, in his first year in the SJHL.

Newly acquired 19-year-old Mitch Zambon has seven points in seven games and has another year left of SJHL eligibility. Tanner Brewster is eligible to return as well, and has 15 points. Captain Drayton Thunder-Chief will be back for another season too.

On the blueline, Antonio Di Paolo is proving the coaching staff right after he was acquired from Humboldt earlier this season. The 18-year-old already has nine points in 20 games as an Ice Wolf, and has two years left in the SJHL.

The better news is that the club should be able to add even more young assets, assuming they move 20-year-olds Jason Bednarski and Matthew Perkins ahead of next week’s trade deadline. The more picks and prospects the better.

Going younger may hurt in the short run, but come 2018-19, it’s quite possible Ice Wolves fans may think back on that 29-game losing streak and laugh.

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @larongenow