Titans’ Mesenchuk wins PJHL Builder of the Year award

“Wayne’s a huge part of this team. Without him, I don’t know where we’d be right now,” said Kim Dryka, the Titans’ head coach and director of hockey operations. “Al Pasloski did a great job with the organization and had to step away, and we didn’t want to see the Junior B team leave P.A. or fold or anything like that. We had conversations and Wayne stepped up and said ‘I’ll help you guys out.’ Five years later, we’re still here.”

If you want to get an idea of Mesenchuk’s passion, get him to give you a tour of the team’s operating room. He’s more than happy when he goes through a locked ‘Staff Only’ door, into the dark and dingy basement of the Kinsmen Arena.

Around the corner of the dark dingy basement is the repurposed referee changing room that the Titans use as their operation and storage room. It’s not big at all, a queen-sized bed lying flat on the floor wouldn’t be able to fit it this room.

To the right of the room in front of all the jerseys hanged up and equipment, there’s a small water pipe with a yellow pine tree air freshener and dryer sheets draped over it. As Mesenchuk explained, the pipe is dry and sometimes a sewer smell sneaks through it. He’s hoping the city can remove it as some point to rid of the smell and clear up some more room.

But throughout the entire tour of this tiny basement room, Mesenchuk’s smile didn’t leave his face. He’s grateful for it, because it makes running the team a lot easier. Whatever allows him and the rest of the Titans brass to keep this team rolling along, Mesenchuk is happy to have it.

He’s been involved in hockey with the Prince Albert Raiders, as well as helping out while his kids went through the local minor hockey system.

Mesenchuk doesn’t have any kids or family members on the Titans, or any extra incentive to be as heavily involved as he is. He just loves the game and wants to not only keep having a Junior B team in Prince Albert, but to make it successful.

“I just had a passion for hockey. I think personally, it’s a challenge for me. I want this team to do well,” Mesenchuk said. “I want this to be run like a junior hockey club, one that the kids and the parents and the city can be prove of. The Prairie Junior Hockey League is a very good league in the province, we travel all over the province, we have some great members. I think it was an opportunity that I could say, “this is mine.” And make it grow. Of course, I’m very proud of it.”

As Prairie Junior Hockey League president Mike Zambon explained, Mesenchuk was voted in by the league members by “a large margin” to receive the builder award.

Mesenchuk was the easy choice this year, especially taking the franchise from the canvas, rebranding it with the help of the Northern Lights Development Cooperation and growing the team.

“It’s very important to the league and to the city as well,” Zambon said on keeping the Titans franchise in Prince Albert. “It gives an opportunity for these guys this age to be at the rink, to be with a group of people and learn life skills, not just hockey skills.”

The Titans finished the year with six wins, twice as many as they had last year. There’s room to grow on the ice, but Mesenchuk believes the team is moving in the right direction and are developing a good group of players for the future.

We’re struggling a little bit on the ice, but we’re rebuilding and trying to get kids here and have them stay here for more than just one season. I think the talent that we have this year and building for next year, I think we’ve finally found players that are committed and we can more forward next year.

Chiefs 7 Titans 1

The Titans closed out their year at the Kinsmen Arena with the 7-1 loss to the first place Delisle Chiefs. The Chiefs only lost twice all season, once in regulation and once in a shootout.

Tanner Hendriks scored the lone goal for the Titans.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW

by Jeff D'Andrea

Titans’ Mesenchuk wins PJHL Builder of the Year award

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