The Estevan Bruins knew they would have a very young squad this year and, as a result, not many expected them to be in the mix for first place two months into the season.
The emergence of rookie defencemen Tyler Kauk and Austin Yano has been one of the biggest reasons for the team's early success.
The two 18-year-olds loomed large in the team's plans entering the season. They have met expectations and then some as a pairing that can log a lot of minutes and keep the mistakes to a minimum.
"They've come in here and done a tremendous job for us as first-year players," said head coach Keith Cassidy. "They're playing beyond their years and I think they definitely complement each other really well."
Kauk's bread and butter is a reliable defensive game with a few crushing hits thrown in, but his booming shot is also a threat and the Winnipeg native has chipped in two goals and eight points through 23 games.
Yano is a natural defenceman who played forward with the Moose Jaw Generals last year and brings potent offensive instincts to the table. The White City native, who has been sidelined since Nov. 4 with a groin injury, has four goals and 10 points through 20 games.
The duo has seen their ice time range from 17 minutes a night to 30 at various points in the season, logging more than 20 minutes on many nights.
"They're not playing like rookies. They're playing lots of minutes. They still make the odd first-year player mistake, but they're learning and it's been a trial by fire for them," said Cassidy.
Yano said he's surprised by the minutes the two have played so far. He feels their skill sets mesh together well.
"He's more of a stay-at-home guy, gritty, get in the corners and throw big hits and I'm a little bit more finesse and I'll skate with it a bit more. It works on the power play (too) with his big shot and I'll skate it up or set things up," Yano said.
Despite his 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame, Yano said the physical transition hasn't been difficult but he wants to work more on his defensive game.
"Right in our zone, picking up sticks and sticking with my man, a little bit more body work and containing," he said. "I think I've learned how to be more of a defensive player because I didn't have much of that when I came here."
Cassidy said the sky is the limit for Yano's junior career because "he's got all the skill in the world," but that he needs to simplify his play with the puck at times because "sometimes he thinks himself into trouble."
Kauk, meanwhile, said he's enjoyed playing with Yano and that he's not too worried about his own offensive game.
"I like playing with him. He's a really smart player and he's good at what he does," Kauk said.
"(Offence is) not a big concern of mine because I play defence, but when it's there, I'll take the opportunity," he said, adding that the speed of the SJHL game has been the biggest adjustment for him.
Cassidy said Kauk can be a much more dangerous player if he can add more accuracy to his shot from the point.
"He's got a cannon of a shot and if we can start getting him to get it on net and off quickly, he can be an effective power play player. He scares everybody when he winds up to shoot and that's a good thing. Now if we can get that under control, that'd be fabulous."
Kauk has been relied upon even more with recent injuries on the back end and Cassidy said he's trying to get his minutes down in the 20-23 range, something that's been made easier by the improvement of Jeff Bartel and Denin Boesch.
"I'd like him to get a little help back there because he's a bigger body and having him play that many minutes and the physical style he plays is gonna start wearing him down."
Both players will surely experience more growing pains as they mature, but Cassidy said it's their ability to recover from mistakes that makes them so valuable.
"One of the great things about those two is when they do get in trouble, they have the ability to recover. Hockey is a game of mistakes and it's how quickly you can recover from those that makes the difference. Their poise with the puck is pretty unique for such young players, whether it's on the power play or 5-on-5."
