BY Jonathan Huntington
SASKATOON – Teams from across Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern Ontario have been preparing all year for this exact week. The four-day Telus Cup Western Regional tournament begins Thursday in the Queen City with the Regina Pat Canadians, Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors, Winnipeg Bruins and Thunder Bay Kings battling for the title – and the ticket to the national tournament.
For some players, this will be the highlight week of their career. For others, it will be a stepping stone to a bigger stage.
To help set the scene, we go inside the tournament from a coaching perspective. Troy Walkington has guided the Saskatoon Blazers to multiple Telus Cup West appearances, including winning the tournament in 2023.
Here is his take on what makes the tournament challenging – and the lessons learned.
What makes the Telus Cup West a challenging tournament?
“Preparing for four games in four days is a challenge. Being able to have a short memory (good and bad) is imperative, and not looking too far ahead in a short term competition is also important.”
What lessons did you learn from being a head coach at the tournament?
“You need to use your bench as long as you can and two goalies are a must. Picking the right games may change as the tournament goes on.
“Players (also) need routines… different game times versus different leagues require preparation from the coaches – whether that’s meetings / video review / pre-scout video.
“(And) if you try and anticipate who the top teams are in short term competition, there are always surprises. Two years ago in Winnipeg, Thunder Bay beat Brandon. (They) had won a ridiculous amount of games in a row. Every game you play is important and if you win or lose, your memory needs to be short. (And) after your game, the most important game you will play is your next one.”
(Photo: Saskatoon Blazers winning the 2023 Telus Cup West.)
