A shot at a national title is up for grabs just up the road this week for a trio of Okotokians.
Calgary Canucks alternate captain Gavin Schmidt along with Grande Prairie Storm forwards Will Harris and Brandon de Haas charge into the 2025 Centennial Cup, Hockey Canada’s national Jr. A championship, from May 8-18 at the Max Bell Centre.
“It’s amazing,” Harris said. “Playing in Okotoks, we didn’t have the best of luck for a lot of years so I’ve never really played for something big like this.
“It’s a big change and amazing to get to be on this grand scale with teams coming from all over Canada.”
The Canucks, hosts of the event, qualified through the front door with a dominant playoff run highlighted by sweeps over Drumheller and then Grande Prairie in the final with a +63 goal differential in 13 postseason games.
Schmidt, an alternate captain, has contributed to two consecutive Alberta Junior Hockey League championships with the Canucks and posted 54 points (16 goals, 38 assists) in 52 games in 2024-25.
The Storm advanced to nationals as the AJHL finalists to bookend a season of highs with the franchise setting attendance and 50-50 records in a community that loves its hockey.
“It’s amazing the support we’ve had,” Harris said. “You’re constantly walking around town and having people recognize us. It’s amazing to see how a hockey team can help to boost the morale around a city as big as Grande Prairie is. It’s really cool to see the city back us.”
Harris pointed to the appointment of Chris Schmidt as head coach as a big reason for the Storm’s surge to a North Division banner.
“He really came around and got things switched up and got us firing on all cylinders and all working together,” Harris said. “It’s really changed this program around and the success has shown and got us to where we are.”
Getting to the national stage as a rookie at the junior level is a feat not lost on de Haas, a hard-nosed forward.
“It’s a great opportunity,” de Haas said. “All of my family can come watch and there’s going to be a lot of scouts there and we have a good team.
“I think our team is good enough to win the whole thing. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
It’s been a season of change for Harris.
The puck moving blueliner made the switch to forward at the end of last season and hasn’t looked back, finishing second on the team with 48 points in 53 games.
“It was a pretty big switch,” he said. “I was always a pretty offensive defenceman, but it’s a lot more go-go-go. I was used to sitting back and watching the play, but with this switch you’re always going. You get back to the bench and you’re breathing a lot heavier.”
The connections to Okotoks don’t end there.
Calgary boasts a number of former Okotoks players on its roster, including former Jr. A Oilers Bowden Singleton, the Canucks captain, fleet-footed forward Hayden Fechner as well as Bow Mark Oilers alumni Luc Trevors and Nathan Maloney.
Okotokian Ryan Rarick, the former GM of the Okotoks Bisons, is the assistant GM and head scout of the Canucks. Chris Beston, former Bisons and Bow Mark Oilers coach, is a scout with the Storm.
The 10-team tournament also features the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs, MJHL’s Northern Manitoba Blizzard, SIJHL’s Kam River Fighting Walleye, NOJHL’s Greater Sudbury Cubs, OJHL’s Trenton Golden Hawks, CCHL’s Rockland Nationals, LHJAAAQ’s Braves de Valleyfield and MHL’s Edmunston Blizzard.
Grande Prairie is pooled alongside Trenton, Greater Sudbury, Kam River and Northern Manitoba with Calgary in Group B against Melfort, Rockland, Valleyfield and Edmunston.
“I think we’re going to stack up well,” de Haas added. “But we’re not underestimating any of the other teams. We’ve just got to go in with a positive mindset and play the way we can.”
For tickets and more information on the 2025 Centennial Cup, click here.
