Ryan Hanes has twice witnessed the icy business side of the hockey world this season.
The 20-year-old was on the receiving end of the cruelest of cuts earlier this season when the Western Hockey League Kamloops Blazers decided not to keep the hometown product around as one of their three overage players.
"I was pretty upset but it's life," said Hanes. "It's a business and you move on."
After three complete seasons with the Blazers, Hanes moved to Duncan to play with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the B.C. Hockey League. That's when fate intervened. Hanes said he was enjoying his time with the Capitals when Prince George Cougars head coach Dean Clark rang him up Tuesday evening.
"I was making dinner [at home] when Dean Clark called me and asked me if I want to come and play," said Hanes. "I asked if he was playing a prank on me. I was pretty excited that's for sure ."
The call from Clark came after Cougars' captain Brock Hirsche was placed on the WHL 30-day injured list which allowed the team to add a fourth 20-year-old to its roster.
"It's sad to see Hirsche go down with an injury but, hopefully he can recover from it and come back quick because the team needs him," said Hanes, regarding the "upper-body injury" that has sidelined the Cougars' leader. "I'm just looking to come in here and bring back my game and help the Cougars as much as I can."
The game Hanes brings to the Cougars is one of a hardworking, go-to the corners and stand in front of the net type of player.
Clark was familiar with Hanes, having drafted him in the fifth round (99th overall) of the 2007 bantam draft when he was the general manager in Kamloops.
"He's a gritty guy and a great team guy," said Clark. "He'll do whatever the team needs that's the kind of player he is. He's a very, very unselfish guy."
In three full seasons with the Blazers, Hanes played in 176 games, contributing 40 points (22 last year). In 15 playoff games, Hanes had four points. He joined the team full-time in 2009 after spending time with the Thompson Blazers of the BCMML and the junior B Kamloops Storm.
Clark said he's counting on the newest Cougar to help guide some of the younger players in their WHL journey.
"He's just one of those guys that will go through the wall," said Clark. "We need that a little bit. We're still a younger club and we need an older presence to kind of lead in that direction so our younger guys know what it takes to be successful."
After playing 20 games with the Capitals in the BCHL, Hanes said he's hoping to carryover some of the offensive production - he had 12 goals and 25 points - into his second WHL stint.
"I didn't really have it in past years with the Blazers but in the BCHL I kind of found my touch and I got my confidence up," said the left-winger.
Hanes stopped over in Kamloops on Wednesday night to visit his parents before continuing his journey to Prince George on Thursday morning where he met his new Cougars teammates and joined in his first team practice, preparing for tonight's game against the visiting Saskatoon Blades.
It won't be long before Hanes gets to suit up as a Cougar in his hometown as the team heads down Highway 97 for a game Saturday at the Interior Savings Centre against the Blazers.
"It's going to be really weird being on the other side but it's going to be exciting," he said. "There's going to be a huge Cougars section probably."
With four 20-year-old players on the Cougars' roster, Hanes is back in a similar position he was in with the Blazers, who had five overage players at training camp, settling on a trio of forwards in
Jordan DePape, Brendan Ranford and Prince George product Dylan Willick.
But the added competition could benefit the Cougars as Hanes and defencemen Dan Gibb and Dallas Ehrhardt battle to not be the odd-man out when Hirsche is healthy enough to return.
"You just go out every day like it's your last day and play to the best of your ability," said Hanes. "Right now, I'm just excited to get on the ice and get to know the guys."
