By Peter Watts /

Michael St Croix wasn’t born when his father, Rick, was tending goal for Philadelphia and Toronto in the NHL.

So he wasn’t around to spend time in an NHL dressing room and maybe get his own taste of the ice after dad’s morning skate. It’s clear though, that at the age of 15, he has his own dreams to chase. The only question will be his skill level and his work ethic. The early evidence suggests the 15-year-old has a chance to be an elite player.

“We drafted him last year in the WHL Bantam Draft,” reports Edmonton Oil Kings communications manager, Jordi Weidman. “First round, fourth overall. We brought him up for a couple of games when we played in Moose Jaw and in Brandon earlier this month.

“He got a goal in Moose Jaw and assisted on another one in Brandon and took a regular shift in both games. So we’re pretty happy with what we got and we’re looking forward to having him with us next season.”

St Croix opened the eyes of a lot of scouts last year when he scored 51 goals and 96 points playing for his Winnipeg Bantam team. This year, he’s moved up to the Winnipeg Wild of the Manitoba AAA Midget League where he continues to be the leading scorer.

“He was good enough to be a goalie if he’d wanted to play the position,” his father said. “But I guess now it’s too late. He’s worked for me at my summer hockey schools and goalie camps in Winnipeg. He understands the basics of the position. He has really good hand-eye co-ordination and he’s not afraid of the puck. Sometimes I wonder if his understanding of goaltending makes him a better scorer. I really don’t know.”

What Rick St Croix does know is that his son was one of the youngest players to play in the World U-17 tournament in Port Alberni, B.C., during the Christmas holidays. The team finished fourth overall among the 10 teams taking part. There were only two 1993-born players in the event.

“I think Michael understands what it’s going to take to move up the ladder,” his father said. “He’s fortunate to be playing on a good line with Zack Franko and Brendan O’Donald. Both of those players are headed to the WHL. Zack’s with Kelowna and Brendan is a Kootenay Ice prospect.

“They’re playing on a first-place team in the Manitoba league at the moment. And with the Telus Cup scheduled for late April in Winnipeg, the Wild players know that they have to win their way into the event, even though it will be held in their home town.

The Thrashers get in as the host team, but the Wild will have to win the Manitoba league and then beat the Saskatchewan champions to earn the regional berth.”

Certainly, Michael has plenty of people he can talk to about playing the game at higher levels. His father played 130 games over eight seasons in the NHL. He has an older brother, Chris, who played defence for Marc Habscheid in Kamloops in the WHL. Chris spent four years playing hockey in Germany and is now in his first season with Las Vegas in the East Coast Hockey League.  

Meanwhile, having a second Winnipeg team in the Telus Cup National Midget championship in late April would be wonderful, according to Diane Woods, executive director of Winnipeg Minor Hockey.

“Our sponsorship and ticketing programs have been really well-received by the community,” she said. “We really haven’t noticed any problems as a result of the economic downturn. It’ll be great hockey late in the season before people get into their summer activities. The Thrashers are already in as the host team. If the Wild can win their way into the championship, that would be the icing on the cake.”