The Captains: Steady climb for rugged Hayes

Philosophically, Rose is very matter of fact in explaining fighting’s place in the game.

“If it comes to that, there’s a reason why. You have to stand up for yourself or else they’re going to walk all over you. You get respect that way.”

Now in his third season with the Raiders, Hayes is known more for his stout all-around play than for his pugilism, but he isn’t shy to step up when needed. This year, the Calgary native has set a career high with 21 points through 52 games, he’s second in the entire league with a plus-56 rating, and he’s a key part of the number one penalty kill unit in the Western Hockey League [WHL].

In addition to her thoughts on fighting, Rose also has an idea of how the Raiders have become so efficient when shorthanded. Zack’s first year with the team in 2016-17, Prince Albert finished sixth in the league in penalty minutes.

“When they would have so many penalties called on them, well hey, you’re getting practice penalty killing. So, there you are, you’re the best now so you learn from those. It’s only a bad mistake if you don’t learn from it,” Rose explained.

Originally from nearby Ridgedale, Rose now lives in Wainwright, AB but she’s a frequent visitor to the Art Hauser Centre when the Raiders are playing.

“I was raised in this area, so it’s almost like being at home,” Rose said. “I still have family [around Tisdale], so I like coming out here.”

Rose settled in Amisk, AB, where Zack’s father Trevor grew up. He was a junior hockey player himself with the Junior B Wainwright Bisons, and remembers a few games that spiraled out of control.

“The craziest [moment] was during a line brawl in Lloydminster. I was on the bench, and our equipment manager was running the gate that game,” Trevor said. “One of the Lloydminster guys jumped the bench, and he went to go over the boards but [equipment manager] Paul grabbed him and pulled him over, so I had the opportunity to get some good shots in.”

After his junior hockey days were over, Trevor’s career in Oil and Gas took him to Calgary, where he and his wife Denise have raised their four children. For their eldest Zack, it was clear from an early age that hockey would be a big part of his life.

“He was pretty much gung-ho with hockey right off the bat. He’d come and watch me with Denise during beer league games and stuff like that,” Trevor said. “He started playing hockey when he was young, but he would also try anything.”

Zack played soccer and lacrosse, dabbled in other sports like volleyball and even field hockey, but hockey ended up being his preference when it came time to choose.

Denise had some concern for the level of commitment that hockey demanded, and whether Zack would be comfortable sacrificing other areas of teenage life. She recalls a conversation that put those worries away.

“I remember when he was in bantam, and it was getting to be five or six days a week. We were near the end of the season, and I was trying to figure out the right words to ask him if he really wanted to stick with this because of everything else he would miss,” Denise said.

“We were driving to one of the last practices and he said ‘aw, I can’t believe this is coming to an end. I just wish we could play a few more games.’ So, I thought OK, he’s not sick of the time commitment. It really is a big sacrifice in a lot of other areas of being a teenager, but he’s just always been like that. With each step, he’s always been really happy.”

At the end of his second year of bantam, Zack was selected to Team Calgary North for the Alberta Cup, a showcase of the province’s top bantam players. Not only was he chosen to participate, but he was designated as the captain of his team that included future teammates Ian Scott and Brett Leason.

Soon after that, he was selected in the ninth round, 184^th overall by the Raiders in the WHL bantam draft. While it was an honour to be drafted, Zack and his parents didn’t want to make any commitments before they were certain.

Zack attended camp with the Camrose Kodiaks and the Canmore Eagles in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, and even played two games with the Eagles.

“We were always the type to be cautiously optimistic and keep your options open,” Trevor said. “We wanted to keep him grounded too. so it wasn’t Raiders or nothing, there were always other options.”

However, midway through his second year of midget AAA hockey, the decision was made to sign with Prince Albert.

In early 2016, Zack and Trevor drove up to Edmonton to watch the Raiders play the Oil Kings at Rexall Place and meet with GM Curtis Hunt. Hayes signed with the team and took the ice for practice the next day, which was the Raiders’ final practice in the old building before moving to Rogers Place.

For Denise, there was an added level of excitement because she grew up an Oilers fan. Having her son skate with the Raiders in the same building the Oilers dynasty won five Stanley Cups was special.

Alternatively, Flames fan Trevor was less enthused about the Oilers connection.

“I was developing a rash,” he joked.

Zack became a full-time Raider as a 17-year-old in the 2016-17 season. That year, the Raiders fell out of playoff position early on and triggered a rebuild, bringing in players like Max Martin and Brayden Pachal to add to the young core already in place including Sean Montgomery, Parker Kelly, Ian Scott, Cole Fonstad, and Spencer Moe.

“Zack kind of cut his own role into the team as a 17-year-old. He just played tough and stayed at home, did his job,” Trevor said.

Off the ice, both Trevor and Denise have been thrilled with the experience their son has had since leaving home.

“You’re nervous letting your kid leave home when he’s in grade 12, and you don’t really know what you’re sending him off to,” Denise said. “It’s been a great experience, and the billet family [Jeff and Tammy Hawkes, and children Matt, Mason, and Katie] has been awesome for him.”

“As a mom, I really appreciate all the extra things that they are exposed to and all the volunteering that they do, because really you’d love for them to play further on, professional or something, but it’s nice to see they care about the character of the kids and that they’re good people when they come out of it.”

Three years later, Zack is an alternate captain on the top-ranked Raiders, and believes he and his teammates have been fortunate to learn from previous locker-room-leaders.

“I think our leadership group was able to learn from the previous captains like Timmy [Vanstone] and [Curtis Miske] and then [Jordy Stallard] and all of those A’s that we’ve had. We were able to bring some good qualities from them and add them into how we lead the team this year,” Hayes said.

“We’re obviously very proud of how the team has done this year. It just shows that it’s a product of the hard work we’ve put in over the last couple of years.”

For Trevor and Denise, they’re proud of the hard-working mentality that Zack has continued to bring to the rink on a daily basis.

“It’s good to see them play with everything they’ve got, and we’re really proud of that. It’s just heart and soul and you leave everything on the ice,” Denise said. “In sports that we played, that’s how we approached it so it’s nice to see that he carries that on and puts everything into it.”

In addition to his parents, Zack draws inspiration from one of his biggest supporters.

“My grandma is probably one of the hardest working people I know,” Hayes said. “She’ll do anything for anybody and will always put others before herself. I think I learned a lot from her.”

As for grandma Rose, she’s proud of her grandson showing a prairie work ethic in her old stomping grounds.

After all, in her own words, “his grandmother is a stubble jumper.”

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trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden

by Trevor Redden

The Captains: Steady climb for rugged Hayes

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