Every winter in Carrot River there are two things you can count on: snow and Kolton Holmen in net for the community’s Junior B hockey team.
The 2017-18 campaign will be the 20-year-old goalie’s fourth full season with the Carrot River Outback Thunder and his sixth in total pulling on a Prairie Junior Hockey League Thunder jersey. What keeps Holmen – who played parts of four seasons for the then named Tri-Town Thunder – coming back?
“It’s a great organization surrounded by lots of supportive people,” said the son of Dean and Trisha Hardie and Kris and Bridget Holmen. “It’s not very often nowadays to have a chance to play competitively in your own small hometown. So you have to make it last while it’s still here.”
This weekend Holmen and the Thunder play their only two games of the PJHL exhibition season. At the Curtis Ross Memorial Tournament, the Outback Thunder are playing the Regina Silver Foxes and Fort Knox in Fort Qu’Appelle – both on Sept. 24. Carrot River begins the PJHL regular season on Oct. 6 against the Saskatoon Westleys on the road. The following evening the Outback Thunder host the Saskatoon Quakers. Holmen is excited to play with this season’s edition of the Outback Thunder.
“I think we have a lot more experience compared to last year with the amount of rookies we had that are now veterans,” Holmen said. “I thought we came to camp with the same mind set of wanting to make a deep run in the playoffs this year.”
The veteran goaltender will certainly be a player the Outback Thunder count on. After two full years of backing up Braydon Rubisch, Holmen stepped into the role of being the team’s No. 1 netminder last season.
“Kolton has played close to 90 games over the last five years for the team and been around since he was 15 so obviously that experience is an asset to have in the lineup,” said Trevor Logan, the team’s head coach. “Last season was his first year as the go-to guy, I’m hoping that the experience in that role helps him be that much better again this year. He will be a big part of our team this year for sure and we’re glad to have him back.”
Last season Holmen responded with his best year yet. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound athlete posted his PJHL best goals against average (3.68) and save percentage (.903). He was named the team’s MVP as well as its Top Goalie and received the Community Involvement Award.
Holmen is valued for more than just his play between the pipes. Logan said he is one of the team’s main leaders on and off the ice.
“As a goalie when you’re in the net, it’s your preparation, mental strength, calm demeanor that I think you look for in a goalie to have to keep your team confident,” said Logan, a former netminder. “You’re not on the bench or generally around the guys to say too much and I don’t feel you need to be a leader as a goalie. You need to do your job with confidence and in turn give your team confidence. That’s what Kolton and I have talked about this year and last.
“As far as off the ice goes, he’s definitely a go-to guy that I rely on to handle team affairs and he’s always up to the task so you can’t ask more than that.”
Holmen started playing goalie full time in his first peewee season. He enjoys the challenge of the position.
“I love being put in pressure situations and every game for a goalie is filled with pressure,” said Holmen, who is living in Saskatoon and is in his first year studying education at the University of Saskatchewan.
