Losses have outnumbered wins 20-11 for the Prince George Cougars this season but when it comes to dropping the gloves, Klarc Wilson is a perfect 4-0.
For anybody in the WHL unfamiliar with the hard-nosed 20-year-old Cougar winger, he's the kind of player you don't want to anger. Fortunately for Cougar fans, Wilson has been concentrating on hurting teams more with his offensive production than with his fists.
Through 31 games, Wilson has seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points, well on track to exceed his best season in five years in the WHL. Wilson's return to Edmonton Nov. 22 was memorable not only because the Cougars manhandled the Oil Kings 8-3 but he responded with a three-point night with a goal and two assists.
"This is my last season and I'm trying to do the best I can with everything I've got, so hopefully I'll finish these last few games strong in the first half and continue that in the second half," said Wilson. "I obviously felt pretty good winning the way we did in Edmonton but I have to play that way all the time."
He'll get a chance to do that this weekend when Cougars host the Tri-Cty Americans Friday and Saturday at CN Centre.
Cougars head coach Mark Holick wants Wilson to make a habit of using his strength and aggressive approach to his advantage to create more room for himself. He has a high melting point and doesn't go looking for fights but he's certainly not afraid to go to the line with an opponent if the situation demands it.
"I just try to be intense and first on pucks all the time and be a pain in front of the net," said Wilson. "I'm not on pace for as many fights as I've had before. When you've fought as much as I have you get a reputation in the league and it's a little bit harder to find them out there."
The six-foot, 205-pound Wilson started his WHL career with the Brandon Wheat Kings and played three seasons with his hometown Edmonton Oil Kings before he was traded at midseason last year for a fourth-round draft pick. He played well enough last season to earn a free-agent tryout this summer with the New York Rangers.
"Obviously when we got him out of Edmonton he got thrown into the fire and was a mainstay right off the bat," said Cougars general manager Dallas Thompson. "This year, when he came into training camp he was probably one of the most focused guys. It's a big year for him, he wants to sign a [pro] contract and he's played very well for us most nights.
"He's a tough customer, probably one of the toughest guys in the league and he creates a lot of space for himself and his teammates. Our guys know he's got their back in anything happens. He's always there to answer the bell and plays a hard physical game and he's hard to play against."
Always known for his fitness, Wilson's test results in the Cougars training camp were off the charts and that's helped him get off to a good start. He's played in all his team's games so far, avoided the injury bug that sidelined seven starters for last weekend's weekend series with the Vancouver Giants. "It helps with the confidence when you go to an NHL camp, it taught me a lot and this time it was different just because I was older and knew what to expect," said Wilson.
"Every year I come back I say I'm in the best shape of my life but this year was a big step for me in my training. I took it pretty seriously this summer, eating healthy. I want to be lean, but I want I want to be fast and strong at the same time and that hard work pays off."
Wilson attended the Winnipeg Jets rookie camp as a 17-year-old and was much better prepared for his second NHL tryout in New York.
"They said some good things to me there so I'm hoping their eyes are still on me. If not, I'm still a free agent so there are option out there, I just have to play my best every night," he said. "My ultimate goal next year is to play pro."
Quiet off the ice, Wilson's respectful personality makes him popular with teammates and the media and he's earned a letter as an assistant captain. He took a lead role last year in the Oil Kings' Christmas message to the fans, imitating Bruce Springsteen with his Santa Claus Is Coming To Town lip-sync video, which is on www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4o9OjvHFl4.
