The WHL is not something many kids grow up knowing too much about in the state of Texas. The land where high school football is king does not make much room for hockey in the first place, but even for those that do play the sport, the Western League’s closest team is 1,302 miles (2,095 km) away from Dallas (Brandon, Manitoba).
The WHL has increased their presence in the area recently with prospect camps, but there is one team that has continually mined talented players from Texas, the Portland Winterhawks.
Both Seth and Caleb Jones had solid careers with Portland before moving on to professional hockey.
This year, Portland has two more Texans on the team and they both came from the Dallas Stars Elite Hockey Club. Defenseman Nick Perna and forward Cross Hanas both played together for Dallas.
For Hanas, the WHL was a known commodity.
“I’ve always known about the WHL. My dad played back in the day. Ever since I was young, I wanted to play in the WHL. I never had the college route in my head.”
Trevor Hanas, who is also a scout for the Winterhawks played five seasons in the WHL for the Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades and Lethbridge Hurricanes from 1991-1996. Trevor gave his son some advice for what it takes to succeed in the WHL. The elder Hanas notched 260 points and 515 penalty minutes over his WHL career.
“He told me that you have to work hard. If you don’t work hard you will not get anywhere. Skill goes a long way but you have to work hard first.”
The step up the WHL has been a hard one, as it is for all 16-year-olds.
“It is a whole lot harder here for sure; a lot faster. They depend on you to know what you are doing at all times and do everything right. I can’t just go out there and play anymore, have to do everything the way you are supposed to and do it hard.”
Hanas has two goals and two assists for four points in 17 games and is adjusting well to moving over 2,000 miles (3,200 km) away.
“It was an easy move. I kind of knew some of the guys coming up on my trip during last season but it was great having some Dallas kids in camp.”
While Portland draft pick Jackson Nieuwendyk and listed forward Evan Werner were at camp, Perna is the only other Dallas Stars player still with the team.
“He is a year older than I am, but we got to play together last year. Having a former teammate come up to play with is pretty cool.”
Before joining the Winterhawks, Hanas participated in the Select 16 camp for USA Hockey and ended up representing the U-17 team at the Five Nations Tournament in Slovakia.
“It was an awesome experience. The whole two and a half weeks was grind. That was a great group of guys. Europe was a very different continent so you had to get used to it. There was no A.C. where you sleep so you had to get used to it to get your rest. Everything really was different – time change and ice as well.”
While Hanas had three goals in the four games, the U.S. went 2-2 and ended up with a third-place finish.
A 3-2 loss to open the tournament to Slovakia still haunts Hanas and the U.S. team.
“It was bad. We out shot them 45-20 and we lost. It was a tough loss for sure. I had a good tournament and hopefully it moved me up the charts in USA Hockey’s eyes for tournaments down the road.”
Hanas did not get much rest before having to fly to Portland for the Neely Cup and the start of training camp later that same week.
He caught the eyes of a lot of fans and not just because he wears an odd number – 71 which he wears because Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins is his favorite player.
Portland’s captain Cody Glass has been impressed by the young play-maker.
“He is really skilled and has a bright future in front of him. He works hard and has skill for sure which you love to see out of a 16-year-old kid. I like the confidence he brings on the ice.”
Hanas has used that confidence to have a strong start to the 2018-19 campaign.
“I think the season is going pretty well. I’m adapting pretty good. I’m getting a lot of chances lately. It felt really good to get the first goal; really exciting moment for me.”
Hanas’ goal was a WHL Play of the Week as he followed the puck and batted it in by the goalie from mid-air.
“I used to play baseball growing up so that helped.”
Despite having four points so far, Hanas feels like there is more he can give.
“I have to keep working hard. Chances will keep coming, the points will start if I keep getting the chances. I have to keep doing what is asked.”
In describing his game, Hanas is not shy about how good of a play-maker he is.
“I’m an offensive player definitely. I think I’m skilled who can score and is smart. I need to work on my defense a little bit, but look to get the points.
I’m probably a pass first guy. I think I pass up quite a bit of shots that I should start taking though.”
The more Hanas succeeds in the WHL, the more scouts will start looking at following the Winterhawks’ lead and bringing in players from Texas.
