The major junior hockey career for a blueliner from Olds came to an end this spring.
Defenceman Charlie Wright played all five of his WHL seasons with the Saskatoon Blades and this year they finished the regular season with the most wins in the league with 50 and the most points with 105.
As the number 1 seeded team, Saskatoon eventually bowed out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Final losing in Game 7 in overtime to the Moose Jaw Warriors. Moose Jaw would go on to win the Western Hockey League championship and represent the WHL at the Memorial Cup tournament in Saginaw, Michigan.
Wright thought it was a pretty cool playoff run for the Blades, they had a team he thought could go all the way, and so it was tough to watch Moose Jaw win their league and go to the national championship tourney. He says “That Moose Jaw team was also really good, so we knew we had to get past them and obviously we didn’t get the bounce in that Game 7 overtime but what a series it was with six games going to overtime. So, it was pretty fun to play in and yeah, like I said, just didn’t get that bounce. Because of how close that series was and how 50/50 we were, I found myself cheering for them a little bit just like as if we were there in that moment too. We would be winning or losing, whatever it was. So, yeah, it still makes my stomach turn a little bit.”
Wright made a huge contribution to Saskatoon’s WHL playoff run by posting 5 goals and 14 points during the 16 games the Blades played. He says “I think with the team we had I was just prepared to really step up for the playoffs. I think I almost overlooked the regular season, I was just looking forward to that playoff moment that when it finally came I was so prepared for it and I felt I stepped up my game. The numbers obviously look good, better than what they have in the past. I think overall my 200 foot game, I just stepped up and I really wanted to contribute to the team’s success.”
His WHL career numbers wound up including 15 goals, 103 points, and 83 penalty minutes with a plus 43 +/- rating in 256 regular season games. He added 7 goals, and 22 points in 39 playoff games.
The 20 year old Wright is now looking for any pro hockey opportunities moving forward and will have the chance to get a contract when he attends the National Hockey League prospect camp of the Seattle Kraken from July 1st through the 5th.
Until then, Wright will continue working to get better and enjoy watching one of Alberta’s teams represent Canada in the Stanley Cup Final. He says “Yeah, I think a lot of people are happy about it, and I think a lot of people hate it as well. It’s pretty funny talking to different people, but yeah I have found myself cheering for them a little bit and I don’t really mind who wins to be honest. I like really that Florida team, the way they battle and this Edmonton team, I think they really deserve it as well. So, it will be a very interesting series.”
Wright’s prediction is that the Oilers will win their first championship since 1990 and become the first Canadian team to hoist the Stanley Cup since 1993. He thinks Edmonton will win the series in 7 games.
Game 1 is coming up on Saturday, June 8th at 6pm mountain time when the Edmonton Oilers travel to Sunrise, Florida to face off with the Panthers.