Power Dodge Estevan Bruins defenceman Jake Heerspink found himself playing an unfamiliar role last weekend.
The first-year Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League rearguard lined up as a forward for the majority of the Bruins 4-3 overtime loss to the Weyburn Red Wings at Affinity Place on Saturday. Heerspink started the game on the second line with centre Jason Miller and left wing Hayden Guilderson, moved to the fourth line alongside centre Levi Barnstable and Matthew Kesslering and finished the match back on defence.
“I don't practise forward, so it was a quick adjustment,” said Heerspink, 18, noting he did experience a couple mixups playing up front. “I don't know. It's not too different. It's just playing the game in a different spot.”
Heerspink said he saw a bit of ice time as a forward while playing with the British Columbia Hockey League's Salmon Arm Silverbacks, which shipped him back to the Bruins for a player development fee in late November. The 5-foot-11 and 170-pound Regina product, who played 26 games for the Bruins over the past two seasons before signing with Salmon Arm last summer, said the last time he lined up as a forward before that was probably in novice.
“It's too different spots and you got to have a different mindset for wherever you're playing,” he said. “It's just like different situations in a game.”
Chris Lewgood, head coach and general manager of the Bruins, said a one-game suspension imposed on left wing Jake Fletcher forced his hand to rejig the lineup. He said defenceman Mark Edmands was slated to be a healthy scratch that game, so knowing that Heerspink had experience playing forward they decided to move him up to a line with Miller and Guilderson and insert Edmands back on defence.
“It was just one of those things where he was going to be in the lineup either way and it was a chance to get Eddy back in,” said Lewgood, noting having Heerspink available to play forward showcases the versatility of their roster. Edmands has “been real good. We don't like sitting him at all. So, there was an opening in the lineup and it was more about getting Eddy in the lineup and Jake seemed like the natural fit to move up when we needed him.”
Heerspink said Miller and Guilderson are both good offensive players, so his focus was just to try and get them the puck as much as possible and let them do what they do best. He accomplished just that on the Bruins first goal against the Red Wings earning a second assist on Guilderson's second period marker.
“If coach wants me up there I'll do what I can for the team,” said Heerspink. “Next time hopefully we can come out with the win.”
