(Submitted photo/Melfort Mustangs)

By Ben Tompkins

Guess who's back, back again?

Tkachuk retains captaincy, first-time assistants fill out leadership group

Sep 22, 2022 | 2:02 PM

For the second year in a row, the Melfort Mustangs will have the same man leading the ship.

Ben Tkachuk is returning for his second season as Mustangs’ captain and his fourth overall, as he dawns the letter ‘C’ across his chest for this 2022-23 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season.

Tkachuk will have three assistant captains, as 2002-born forwards Dawson Leroux, Clarke Huxley and 2003-born defenceman Leith Olafson will all wear ‘A’s’ for the first time in their SJHL careers.

“I am proud, and honoured to be back leading this team this season,” said Tkachuk, in a press release sent to northeastNOW. “We have a lot of great leaders in our room, and I’m excited to work with Dawson, Clarke, and Leith.”

Tkachuk has played in 128 regular season and playoff games for Melfort, entering this season and has totalled 33 goals and 51 assists in that time. The Gronlid, Sask. product has also added two assists in two games to start this season.

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Meanwhile, since joining the Mustangs prior to the 2021-22 season, Leroux has been an integral part of the team. The Lethbridge, Alta. product was the only Mustang to play in all 58 games a season ago and also played in all seven playoff games.

He scored 17 goals and notched 26 assists for 43 regular season points last year. Leroux would go on to add four assists in the playoffs, as well. Prior to his time in Melfort, Leroux played a total of 73 games in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) with the Olds Grizzlys.

Huxley, the newest ‘Stang of the four, was a trade deadline acquisition in 2022 and has only played in 27 total SJHL contests heading into this season with the Mustangs, but his presence has been greatly felt by the club, already.

The Calgary, Alta. product totalled eight points in 20 regular season games with the team but would turn it up a notch in last year’s playoffs, scoring three times and adding six assists for 9 points in seven games. Huxley also has 47 games of experience in the AJHL with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.

And finally, the youngest of the four captains with the Mustangs this season, Olafson is entering his second season with Melfort as a key cog on the blue line. The Wasa, B.C. product played in 46 games last season and scored 15 points from the backend. He was also named last season’s “Most Improved Player” by the organization.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8