January 10th, 2018, less than a year removed from a Western Hockey League title the Seattle Thunderbirds made a trade with the very team they defeated the previous May en route to their first Ed Chynoweth Cup, the Regina Pats, sending Aaron Hyman east for seventeen-year-old defenseman, Owen Williams and a second-round pick in that years upcoming Bantam draft. Williams appeared in 31 games for Seattle, contributing five assists.
Williams took on a much larger role in his first full season with Seattle, playing in 67 games and reaching new heights in personal statistics, scoring six goals and adding 13 assists for 19 total points.
“I thought the season was really good. We had such a great group last year, and really, again this year. Although we’re a little bit younger, I’m really excited about this group” Said Williams.
Williams spent the offseason preparing himself for an elevated role on the Thunderbirds blue line. Like all major junior hockey players, staying in peak shape was a goal Owen had headed into the 2019-2020 season.
“I think I mostly just wanted to focus on improving my strength and conditioning. I know it’s a pretty generic answer but that was really the biggest thing I wanted to focus on over the summer, in preparation for this season” Said Williams of his offseason training regimen.
However, Williams already had attributes that benefited the Thunderbirds, not only on the ice, but in the dressing room as well. With the departure of veteran Seattle defenseman, Jarret Tyszka, Williams will be the eldest d-man on the Seattle blue line in 2019-2020.
“I don’t think that it really changes my game that much. We have a great d-corps, a lot of younger guys and we can all just learn from everyone. Got to pay attention to detail and make sure I’m doing all the right things and the younger guys can see, watch and learn. That’s how I learned when I was a younger guy in Regina when I was a 16 and 17-year-od. Watching how the veterans not only play in games, but in practice as well, picking up on their routines and applying it to my game” Williams said of his new leadership role with the Thunderbirds and his development.
The Thunderbirds are no doubt a young team, but it’s something that excites Owen, and the fans should be excited as well.
“The young guys are great, they’re all great. We’ve got a deep d-corps here and it’s going to be a fun season” Williams said of his position group.
The Thunderbirds open the regular season tonight against the Kamloops Blazers at 6:05 PM at the Accesso ShoWare Center.
