Alex Rondeau suited up in all 58 regular season games for Melfort last season. (Facebook/Broad Leaf Media)

By Mat Barrett

Rondeau Returns

‘I’m just so happy’: Mustangs re-acquire Rondeau from Whitecourt

Sep 3, 2019 | 5:00 PM

The Melfort Mustangs have brought back their Most Improved Player from the 2018/2019 season.

Alex Rondeau, the 1999-born defenceman was re-acquired by the Mustangs from the Whitecourt Wolverines of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Rondeau was traded to Whitecourt in the off-season to complete a futures deal. However, Head Coach Trevor Blevins said he had kept checking in about Rondeau’s progress in the AJHL, and when things didn’t work as well there, Blevins pulled the trigger and brought the big blue liner back.

“Obviously on our backend we were looking for a left-shot, big, strong, defenceman with some experience,” Blevins told northeastNOW. “And obviously he fits the bill. So it was kind of a no brainer for us.”

Rondeau came to Melfort as a rookie last season after spending two seasons at Pomfret, a prep school in the United States. He flourished in Melfort, tallying six goals and 15 assists for 21 points, playing all 58 regular season games. He also suited up for all 16 playoff games for the Mustangs where he had a goal and an assist. His goal in the playoffs was a big one; in Game 6 of the semifinals against Estevan, Rondeau scored late in the second period to tie up the game at 2-2. Melfort went on to win that game 3-2, punching their ticket to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) finals.

Blevins said they were very happy to get Rondeau back in the green and blue.

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“He’s got skill, and toughness, pretty much the full package,” he said. “And it really does round out our four veteran defencemen on the back end.”

Those four veterans include Jake Hobson, Melfort native Nolan Kadachuk, and Gabe Odowichuk.

When asked about his thoughts on returning to Melfort, the Quebec native was pretty excited.

“It’s unbelievable,” Rondeau said. “I can’t even believe I’m back, I’m just so happy right now. I thank Trevor a lot, it’s unbelievable, it’s like a dream.”

Rondeau said Whitecourt wasn’t the best fit for him with the Wolverines, and coming back to Melfort really restores his happiness playing the game.

“It’s just like a new start for me coming back to Melfort,” he said. “I’m just so happy right now, and hopefully I can have a good year for colleges and stuff.”

Rondeau added being a veteran on the Mustangs, he’s going to try and lead by example and stand up for the younger players on the ice.

However, with Rondeau going into his 20-year-old season, it pushes the Mustangs to nine of them on the roster. SJHL teams are only allowed to carry eight. Blevins said they will let the competition play out.

“There’s no rush,” he said. “Like we’ve always said, players will typically play themselves on or off.”

The Mustangs still have three pre-season games to set their roster before the regular season opens on Sept. 13 when they visit the Nipawin Hawks. The two teams meet on Tuesday, Sept. 3 in Nipawin for a pre-season tilt after Melfort took the game on Monday, Sept. 2 by a 3-2 score.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6