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‘Moose’ on the loose in Mintos’ camp

Aug 19, 2018 | 6:32 PM

Prince Albert’s Marek Schneider was drafted in the second round by the Saskatoon Blades in the past WHL Bantam Draft, in large part for his ability to skate. Blades director of scouting Dan Tencer said Schneider “skates extremely well,” among other compliments in Tencer’s assessment. 

But Schneider’s stride wasn’t always so polished.

Back in his atom hockey days, Schneider was given the nickname ‘Moose’ for how awkward he looked on the ice by the father of Schneider’s longtime teammate Chase Friedt-Mohr. Friedt-Mohr who will join Schneider on the Prince Albert Mintos’ blueline this season as committed players.

“I was so big, long legs. I couldn’t even—I wasn’t a good skater back then. I looked like a moose on the ice,” Schneider said as the Mintos’ camp wrapped up on Sunday. “It was kinda funny. It just stuck all the way through.”

Schneider’s come a long way since his moose strides. He scored 22 points in 30 games from the blue line with the Pirates last year, one point behind his buddy Friedt-Mohr who had 23 to lead the Pirates’ D.

Alongside Schneider and Friedt-Mohr are Logan Cox, Ashton Ferster and Gabe Klassen. All of them are from Prince Albert, played together on the Prince Albert Venice House Pirates and all were drafted in the first five rounds the WHL Bantam Draft. Klassen went first round, 12th overall to the Portland Winterhawks, Ferster and Cox both went in the fourth to Medicine Hat and Spokane Chiefs respectively. Friedt-Mohr went in the fifth to Spokane.

“We have a lot of chemistry from the year before, we’ve played every year together since Pee Wee AA,” Schneider said. “I think we’re going to get along pretty good this year. I think we’re going to surprise a couple people.”

Schneider comes from a hockey family. His older brother Braden is already an accomplished player having won world gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton Aug. 11

“That was amazing, for him to bring the gold home,” Schneider said. “I wish I could have been there — I had other hockey to do but it’s just amazing.”

 

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW