Sign up for the battlefordsNOW newsletter

Urbanski proving to be a steal for North Stars

Jan 15, 2018 | 4:17 PM

Battlefords North Stars rookie forward Matthias Urbanski missed training camp, and first saw action in a pre-season game on Sept. 6 against Humboldt.

This wasn’t because he was hurt.

Urbanski missed North Stars training camp because he was busy trying out for the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

The Bobcats cut him, but evidently their loss is the North Stars gain.

The Oliver, B.C. native is currently tied for third in league goal scoring among rookies with 14 and is currently competing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League/Manitoba Junior Hockey League showcase, centering the top line on Team Schwartz.

“He’s not just one of the best 99s in the league, he’s one of the better players in the league,” North Stars head coach Brandon Heck said of the 18-year-old after his first showcase game on Monday. “He brings it consistently. You saw again today he was so strong on the puck. He plays both ways. He makes a difference whether he scores or not, each and every game. It’s pretty impressive for a rookie.”

The first ever SJHL/MJHL showcase sees the top 60 players from each league get split into three teams, where each ‘all-star’ team plays two games.

Urbanski is on the team made up of strictly rookies — those born in 1999 or later.

Thought Urbanski may be a rookie, Heck feels his game has come a long way since September.

“He’s got that confidence,” Heck said. “Offensively, he’ll hang onto pucks a little bit more. Early on in the year, he maybe tried to move pucks and now he’s got that confidence to take d-men wide or pull up. With the cycle, he’ll take pucks to the net, not just look to pass and have someone else do it.”

Urbanski has seen the improvements in his game as well.

“When I first came in, I wasn’t really too sure where I’d be able to fall in the lineup and what my role would be,” he said. “Being given the role I am, it’s definitely made me a lot better.”

The role for Urbanski for much of the year has been second-line centre. He gets secondary power play time and sometimes he also kills penalties.

One thing that has really changed as the year has gone on is his physicality, which has been extremely evident as of late.

“I always hear scouts talking about, ‘Even though you’re a little guy, you still need to bang bodies,’” Urbanski said. “Everyone should be hitting. You need to finish your checks. I think it’s something that every single coach wants in a player, just guys that are able to hit and finish checks and aren’t scared to take a hit to make a play.” 

Heck believed the centre’s physicality will help come playoff time.

“Physicality, in your face. He plays real good against the other team’s top players. You know you’ve got a good one when he’s not liked by the other team,” Heck said. “I think his game is modelled for playoffs because… you’re going to get four to seven games of not liking him.”

Urbanski has settled in nicely but he continually works to improve his game, as one should. He believed it’s the little details that need the most improvement, like keeping things simple and making short passes, instead of long, stretch passes.

The good thing is Heck knows he’s got more in him.

“In the d-zone sometimes he’ll lose coverage, but he’s got a great stick and hustles back to make up for it,” Heck said. “Offensively… his poise got better but he can take it to another level. I’m sure he will.”

Urbanski said he felt comfortable at the showcase, where he registered an assist in his first game.

It’s another strong sign, given that it’s made up of the best young players from the both the SJHL and MJHL.

“I think the older guys are more likely to [get scouts attention], but we’re going to try to help Urbs out because he deserves it,” Heck said. “He’s definitely a prospect of interest.”

 

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11