NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN Swift Current Broncos forward Hayden Ostir enters the offensive zone during a Western Hockey League game against the Medicine Hat Tigers Tuesday at Canalta Centre.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
It hasn’t gone the way he drew it up, but Hayden Ostir is still making the most of his final season in the Western Hockey League.
Ostir parted ways with the Tigers in the pre-season as one of the odd overagers out and initially set his sights on a post-secondary education. When that plan fell through, the 20-year-old Winnipeg product found an opportunity to return to the Dub for one last hurrah with the rebuilding Swift Current Broncos.
“It’s been good, it’s been fun,” Ostir said of his season, following his team’s 7-0 loss in Medicine Hat Tuesday at the Canalta Centre. “Originally I was planning to go to university but it didn’t work out – I couldn’t get into school in time – so I looked back into the WHL and Swift was willing to take me back and give me a shot. I came back in and I was in the lineup pretty quick.”
Ostir was initially one of four overagers on Medicine Hat’s roster – a number that needed to be trimmed to three – alongside captain James Hamblin, centre Logan Christensen and winger Tyler Preziuso. Christensen was let go by the team in mid-September, however a trade to acquire overage defenceman Parker Gavlas just a few hours later left Ostir out of the picture.
The 6-foot, 195-pound winger made his debut with the Broncos on Oct. 16, but Tuesday was his first trip back to Canalta Centre since changing uniforms. Although it was a tough loss, Ostir says it was still nice to see his old friends, fans and billets again.
“It was good seeing all the boys and the fans here are awesome,” said Ostir, who scored 17 goals and assisted on 25 over his 80 games with the Tigers. “It was fun. It was a bit different being on the other side but it was good.”
They may no longer be friends on the ice, but Hamblin said he’s happy Ostir was given the chance to close out his career in the WHL as an overager – even if it meant playing for a new divisional rival in Swift Current.
“He deserves it,” Hamblin said of Ostir, who joined the Tigers through a trade with the Spokane Chiefs in October of 2017.
“He put a lot of hard work in with us. I wish Ozzy all the best. I’m really happy for him.”
Ostir has five goals and nine assists in 33 games with Swift Current this season, and spent Tuesday’s game on a line with 18-year-old winger Aiden Bulych and 19-year-old centre Tyler Smithies. He also serves as one of Swift Current’s alternate captains and says he’s been doing what he can to fill those skates as a leader.
“I think I’m taking some steps being a leader, but clearly we’re struggling. I’m just trying to get better every day and help out the boys as much as I can,” said Ostir, whose Broncos sit last in the Eastern Conference with a 10-32-1-3 record. “We’ve got a young team and we’ve got a lot of open-minded young guys. I think it’s important for me to come in positive every day and try to help out as much as I can. Then I leave them with something positive.”
The Tigers and Broncos go back at it in Swift Current to complete a home-and-home set on Friday at 6 p.m.
