Layne Young won’t have to travel far to continue his hockey career once he graduates from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League at end of this year.
The Battlefords North Stars captain will be plying his trade in Saskatoon next fall as he committed to the Saskatchewan Huskies on Thursday morning.
“It was a goal of mine to make a decision on where I was going to go before Christmas,” Young said. “It ended up being a couple of weeks after that, but I’m really happy about getting that decision out of the way.”
Young, a 20 year old from Frenchman Butte, had bit of a different approach when it came to committing to a post-secondary program as he had reached out to the Huskies program to let them know he was interested in playing for them.
“A number of schools had been in contact with me since the SJHL Showcase [which took place in September in Saskatoon] but I had been looking at going to the Huskies since the start of the year, as the agriculture program in Saskatoon is something that I’m really focused on,” Young said.
“I reached out [to head coach Dave Adolph] with a text to let them know that I was interested, and everything seemed to work out from there.”
The Huskies, who are currently second in Canada West with a 14-3-1 record, are a perennial threat nationally but are still in search of the first University Cup title since 1983.
North Battleford’s Jordan Fransoo is currently a member of the Huskies blueline, while former Humboldt Broncos and Flin Flon Bombers defenceman Josh Roach and former Humboldt Broncos forward John Lawrence are the two SJHL graduates on the roster.
“They have a competitive team every year and they are always in the hunt for a title, so to have a chance to win a national title is really exciting,” Young said. “Coach Adolph has been there for almost 25 years and he’s one of the best at that level.
“Plus, they are moving into a new arena next year [Merlis Blesher Place which will replace the 88-year old Rutherford Arena] so that will be really cool to be a part of.”
Young won’t be the only former North Stars player joining the Huskies next year, as former captain Kendall Fransoo will begin his career with the team after redshirting this season.
Since joining the North Stars three years ago, Young has been one of the best players in the SJHL as he’s put up 211 points in 145 games.
He’s the top scorer in the league so far this year with 65 points in 33 games, as he’s set to surpass the 71 points he put up last season and the 75 points he had in his rookie of the year campaign in 2015-16.
“Looking back on everything, I’d say the biggest growth in my game has to do with gaining more confidence and improving my overall strength,” Young said.
“When I came here from playing midget [with the Battlefords Stars] I had to adjust to being outmuscled by guys that were older than I was. Now that I’m the older one, it’s easier to be in that role now and know what to expect when you are battling in the corners and trying to make plays. That will change around again next year in U Sports, but I’ve been preparing for that already with the work I do in the summer.”
Young has also moved into a leadership role with the team along the way, as he was named the captain for the 2017-18 campaign.
“A lot of people might not believe this, but as good of a hockey player as he is, Layne’s an even better person,” North Stars head coach and general manager Brandon Heck said. “I ask him questions and he doesn’t just tell me what I want to hear, he always gives an honest answer.
“I’m blown away by his leadership and how he always puts the team first.”
Young is the third player from this year’s North Stars squad to commit to a post-secondary program, as forward MacGregor Sinclair and defenceman Levi Kleiboer have announced their intentions to play for the NCAA’s Canisius Golden Griffins and Maine Black Bears respectively.
