A Sasky boy returns home: Getting to know Carsyn Dyck

“He didn’t have my number, so he called my parents. My mom and dad were freaking out because they didn’t answer it, so they sent me his phone number, and I gave him a call. He called me back, and then he just said he wanted to bring me to camp, and I was super excited.”

When he found out that he was getting a chance to come to Prince Albert, Dyck knew that he was getting to come to a good team after how the Raiders played last year. While he was injured during last year’s meeting between the Winterhawks and Raiders and didn’t get to see how tough the Raiders were last year first hand, there were a few names Dyck was excited to get a chance to play with including Evan Smith, Athens Shingoose, and Kyle Obobaifo.

“Looking to play with guys like Smitty, we’re both centermen so that doesn’t help. Shinner, I like Shinner. We’re tight, we’re neighbours, so playing with him, I like it. Obo, he’s got some good speed. I mean, any of the guys I really think could jam, I like them all.”

For Dyck, the chance to play in Prince Albert is also a return home to Saskatchewan. Prior to Portland, he was in the SJHL with the Estevan Bruins.

Admittedly, Dyck said that he is going to miss showing up to the rink in shorts in November, but having the chance to have his family come watch him play this year is a more than fair trade-off.

“Really excited. I know my parents are excited, grandparents are excited, everyone’s excited. I mean, they get to finally watch me more than once a year, which they’d just come on family weekend, and I’m super excited. It feels like I’m at home, actually. I don’t get any homesickness that I would in Portland. So it’s really nice; even the rink- just being here feels like I’m home. I’ve played in this rink so many times, so really it’s like home for me.”

Dyck has a ton of family members who have played for the Hague Royals senior hockey team, and he grew up in small-town Saskatchewan rinks playing his own game of mini-sticks while the adults were playing on the ice. His dad and uncle have both played for the Royals and now coach them together, and he has cousins and a bunch of friends who play for the team.

Even when he was gone for two years playing in Portland, Dyck made sure to check out a game in Hague each year. Now, that’s a tradition that’ll be a lot easier to keep up with.

“When I get home for Christmas, I usually go watch one of their games cause they have a Christmas game against their rivals Rosthern. So usually watching those, and I mean, it’s hockey. It’s my cousins I’m watching, I don’t get to watch them often, so it’s just something I like to do. The whole family’s around, I’ve got my grandparents, cousins, it’s just something we do in Hague and a community thing.”

In his first two games with the Raiders, Dyck has been at the centre of the action. In his first game, he scored the game-winning goal against the Regina Pats on a breakaway, which also happened to be his first WHL goal in the Art Hauser Centre.

Hearing the roar of a small-town rink instantly had him hooked on playing in front of the Art Hauser Centre crowd.

“The fans were unbelievable. They were so loud, it was crazy; it was bouncing off every wall I think and it was super loud. When I scored, I couldn’t even hear my thoughts. I was just hearing the crowd, I was into it, it was awesome. I loved it, and that’s something a little bit different in Portland. The fans weren’t as crazy as I think it is here and how supportive and how they are in the community.”

In his second game, after Sawyer Dingman of the Swift Current Broncos threw a dirty hit on Raiders forward Ben Harvey, it was Dyck who stepped in to protect his teammate. Dyck acknowledges that he probably didn’t win that fight, but he was proud to step up for one of his new teammates, and proud to see them have his back the same way.

“I am an older guy, Harv is a younger guy. If you see a younger guy get hit, I mean, as an older guy, you got to step up.” He continued, “The boys got my back. They’re willing to help me in situations like that, which is nice. I know I’m not the biggest guy, I know I’m not a fighter, but I know I got guys like Hubey (Hubert Clarke), BK (Benett Kelly), Harv, they’re all willing to step in. Even Marty (Malaki Martin), they’re also up and in the fight and got my back.”

The Raiders are getting set to play their first home and home series this weekend against the Saskatoon Blades. Dyck is excited to step on the ice as part of the Highway 11 rivalry for the first time.

“Rivalry games are awesome. There’s always that blood war, and it’s always competitive. It’s always down to the last second, everyone’s wanting to win. We all know it’s a big weekend for us here.”

The Raiders host the Blades on Friday, then head to Saskatoon on Saturday for the rematch. You’ll be able to listen to Nick Nielsen’s conversation with Carsyn Dyck during the intermissions of this weekend’s games on 900 CKBI.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com

by Nick Nielsen

A Sasky boy returns home: Getting to know Carsyn Dyck

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