Meet the new Sheriff in town for the Leafs
By Bruce Fuhr
There’s a new sheriff in town patrolling the ice surface at the NDCC Arena.
Instead of a shiny badge this sheriff wears a “C” on his jersey.
His name is Colton Schell and promises bigger and better times ahead for the Green and White on his watch.
“I feel this year will be a lot better than last year,” the 20-year-old New Westminster native said prior to stepping onto the ice this week.
“I feel we’re going to be better a lot sooner than last year and challenge for the division because so far everyone’s getting along . . . we’re all friends and we all are eager to put in the hard work to be successful.”
This is Schell’s third go-around with the Leafs. That veteran leadership played a big part in No. 18 getting the “C” on his jersey prior to the start of the current campaign.
“We’re happy with Colton being our captain and we think he’s going to be a great leader,” Leaf skipper Frank Maida told The Nelson Daily.
“This is (Schell’s) third season here, and being 20 (years old) and wanting to come back as a 20-year-old and Colton being a leader off the ice helped us make the final decision.”
Fans have seen the Leaf franchise take a slide the past few seasons back to number 3 in the hotly contested Neil Murdoch Division behind Castlegar and Beaver Valley.
During that period Nelson failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs, losing to both the Rebels and Hawks.
A reason for the drop after Nelson dominated not only the division but also the league in the latter years of the last decade has been the lack of stability behind the bench.
The unsteadiness at the coaching ranks only led to a less than cohesive dressing room.
“We all have to come to the rink ready to play, not only in games but also at practice during the week,” Schell explained. “There was a lot of joking around in between periods and a lot of drama off the ice that affected the team.”
“That has to, and has already, change this season,” added Schell, finishing the last season with 23 goals and 42 assists in 48 games.
Schell also proved to be a feisty player, accumulating 92 minutes in penalties.
Of course two games doesn’t make a season for any team.
Especially when the team plays a four-game exhibition season that the coaching staff uses to get a good look a rookies on the team.
“I feel we’re going to be better sooner than later,” Schell said, after Nelson opened the season gaining one of a possible four points during a two-game set against Castlegar – playing to a 5-5 tie Friday and losing 1-0 Saturday in the Sunflower City.
“We’re starting the season with everyone getting along with each other really well. We all talk and there’s no little groups like there was last year which I feel is a must to have success in any league.”
Those idiosyncrasies every player brings to the rink has will be put to the test when Nelson plays the next three games on the road, beginning Thursday in Grand Forks against the new-and-improved Bruins.
After going through the entire season with only one victory, the Bruins got that monkey off their back on opening weekend after surprising the Beaver Valley Nitehawks 3-2 in overtime.
No doubt the new sheriff of the Leafs has already told his mates to be ready.
ICE CHIPS: The Leafs had left-winger Brendan Colter in camp on a tryout basis. Princeton Posse released the 6-foot winger after Colter scored nine times in 39 games for the Okanagan Division squad. No word from the coaching staff if Colter will see any action this weekend. . . .Coach Maida was non-committal on the injured players, including two defencemen, Blake Arcuri and Andy Miller. All players are listed as day-to-day. . . . Nelson travels to Creston Saturday and Beaver Valley September 28 before returning home to face the defending KIJHL champs Saturday, September 29.
