Zach Wytinck looking back, looking forward

 

At the end of every season, there is the natural graduation of players, like 20-year-old defenceman Zach Wytinck.

He was originally listed by Red Deer in 2015 but only dressed in four preseason games for the Rebels. Then a trade to Brandon happened just before the 2016 season began. It was a homecoming of sorts, as Wytinck is from Glenboro, Manitoba, just 80 kilometers from Brandon.

Zack Wytinck
(Photo – Allen Douglas)

“I played for basically my hometown team for three years in Brandon. I had so many great memories there, I have lifelong friends there. I was able to meet so many great people and play in front of my family for three years for every home game, which not a lot of guys can say. I was able to make them proud and I really enjoyed that. I’ll really cherish that for a long time” said Wytinck after a recent Pats game.

This season the Pats were looking to add some offense to the back end and made a deal with Brandon just seven games into the season. Wytinck brought that offense to the Pats, with nine goals, a career-high, and 38 assists for 47 points, another career-high. The trade worked out for both Wytinck and the Pats, Wytinck was fourth on the team in scoring, just one back of Robbie Holmes, a 20-year-old forward.

Despite the Pats’ goals on the season not being as lofty as the Wheat Kings, Wytinck enjoyed his time in Regina. “I got the opportunity to come to probably one of the best organizations in the CHL and live in a great city. It’s obviously a rebuilding year and the fans come out in numbers. Definitely the best fans in the Eastern Division, there’s no doubt about that, to play in front of. It’s been unreal, I’ve enjoyed every second of being here and the new experience” said Wytinck.

Zack Wytinck
(Photo – Keith Hershmiller)

Despite the record of the team, they didn’t give up down the stretch. Wytinck said “it’s pretty easy when you play for an organization like this. I think everybody understands that there’s a huge role, there’s a huge culture. This team’s been around for more than 100 years. Obviously there’s ups and downs and stuff like that but there’s a legacy to carry, as cliche as it probably sounds. We want to play for the logo play for each other too and just enjoy it. Enjoy ourselves and make some memories and that happens with leaving it all on the ice and playing for each other, playing the team and just having fun.”

As for the future, Wytinck is still undecided, saying “not too sure as of now just playing and as it goes. Seeing my options as far as hockey and just life in general, talking things over with my family. Hopefully gonna come to the decision as early as I can, so I can get to the summertime and focus on working and getting better and developing that way. I’m not too sure as of now just kind of listening to all my options and kind of go on from there.”

Zack Wytinck
(Photo – Keith Hershmiller)

Is more golf in the future for Wytinck? “I don’t know, I kind of put it on the back burner because you can always play that when you’re 60. Hockey, you can’t do it the same way when you’re 60. It’s definitely something I still do a ton, I still love a lot. I do it a lot with my family, my brother, I cherish that too. I might get back into a few events this summer and play some men’s tournaments or stuff like that.  I love the competition, It’s a different animal, playing golf in an individual sport. So there’s lots of fun stuff that comes with that. Might get into it a little bit, but nothing, nothing too serious for sure,” replied Wytinck.

Find out more on Zach’s golf and other sports exploits in this article from Tyler Lowey.

Wytinck warms up to WHL ways after putting the clubs away