When the Prince George Cougars traded stud defenceman Dennis Cholowski in January they needed someone to take over as the point guard - the guy who drives the offence from the back end.
The departure of Cholowski, an NHL-drafted first rounder, left big skates to fill but Joel Lakusta seamlessly stepped into the role.
He showed he's adept at clearing opponents away from his own net and introducing them to the boards with his body and also has the ability to feather crisp breakaway passes to the forwards and sidestep checks at the far blueline to keep teams under pressure on power plays.
Tasked with additional responsibility as the go-to guy on a young defence, Lakusta's confidence soared and it was no coincidence he turned in his best hockey season. He played 70 games of the 72-game schedule and collected nine goals and 33 assists for 42 points.
During the four months the Cougars had Cholowski around, Lakusta had a front-row seat to see what he brought to the table and it left a lasting effect.
"Dennis is just an awesome guy, on and off the ice, and what he does on the ice speaks for itself," said Lakusta. "He's a quiet guy off the ice, but just the most respectful guy and he kind of shows you how to hold yourself for the next level. On the ice, he's so smooth and confident out there and it's overwhelming at times to see the stuff he pulls off and you can pick up a lot just watching the guy.
"The main thing is he always has his head up and that's something I picked up on. In every situation you've got to be aware what's going on, especially at the next level where guys are running you and its much faster."
Lakusta is getting a taste of the next level this summer. His usual routine in the off-season of playing lots of golf (he lives on a golf course) and being a gym rat in Sherwood Park, Alta., included a trip to Calgary as an invited participant in the Calgary Flames' summer camp.
"It was tiring, every day you're just going and going and you don't get a break, pretty much," said Lakusta, who grew up an Edmonton Oilers' fan. "It was fun, especially meeting guys who play in the league. You get to notice them away from the rink, not just hating them on the ice. I'm loyal to the Oil, but Calgary's a great organization and I can't thank them enough."
Cougars associate coach Steve O'Rourke knows St. Louis Blues head scout Bill Armstrong and that connection led to Lakusta getting invited to the Blues' rookie camp. He'll leave Sept. 5 for Traverse City, Mich., where the Blues will be playing their rookie tournament.
"It's going to be a good experience for me and it's exciting, especially with the d-corps they have, some of the big names," said Lakusta. "They know how to treat defencemen. I like to think that last year could have been my last year in Prince George, you just never know."
Lakusta, along with Cam MacPhee, is working on his fourth WHL season, and along with third-year Ryan Schoettler they are the only seasoned veterans on the Cougars' blueline in training camp.
If he doesn't make it on a pro team this season, Lakusta will be back for his last year of junior as one of the Cougars' 20-year-olds and he might even be wearing the captain's C on his jersey.
"I just have a different level of confidence going into the season," Lakusta said. "After last season, having a good second half, and then going to a (pro) camp, it gives you that confidence just to come out here and not only be a leader.
"My goal is to be the best player on the team and I think that should be everyone's goal. If we all have that mentality we're going to go pretty far.
"We've changed this organization completely around with a new GM (Mark Lamb) and it's exciting to see what we've got going. We have so many prospects here too, and you don't know what to expect coming into the year. We have a competitive camp and it's exciting to see what it's going to lead to."
