By Matthew Gourlie /

Spencer Edwards isn’t supposed to be here.
He's not supposed to be checking one of the top players in junior hockey. He's not supposed to be the in the Western Hockey League period.
But here he is — a 19-year-old making the most of a third chance in the WHL — playing a key role for the Moose Jaw Warriors.
One of the reasons why he is here is because Edwards remembers how hard he worked to get back into the WHL. His effort shows on every shift and he doesn’t intend to get comfortable or complacent.
Heading into the season, Edwards didn’t factor into the Warriors’ plans. The Warriors brass admits that Edwards was brought into camp to make up the numbers and use his speed to help keep the tempo up.
The Warriors had 11 forwards returning, plus two 16-year-old rookies who had already played in the league as 15-year-olds and a pair of new imports
What chance did an unlisted 1990-born journeyman have?
Apparently no one told the 5-10 right winger that he had no chance to make the Warriors.
“There have been a few times in the last couple of years when I thought I should just stick in the BCHL and finish out my Junior career,” Edwards said. “This is what I want to do as a career and my parents and people around me convinced me to stay on track and not lose sight of what my goal is. The biggest thing is to never give up and things can happen.”
Edwards never quit working and quickly turned heads with his speed, his goal-scoring and his tenacity in camp and during
the pre-season.
He had played 38 career games in parts of three seasons with Red Deer and then Seattle. The most he ever played in one season was 30 games in 2007/08. He spent most of last season with Cowichan Valley of the BCHL.
“It’s pretty satisfying,” Edwards said of making the league. “Everywhere I’ve been, I didn’t get a chance. People said that I couldn’t play in the league and I think I proved them wrong. I think I’ve been an offensive and defensive contributor this year and that’s something I’m really proud of.”
Edwards scored eight goals in his first 15 games. While he’s had a quiet November offensively, his primary duty is in a shutdown role and he’s paired with Cody Smuk and Jesse Paradis to battle some of the WHL’s top lines.
Earlier in the season he went one better, shadowing Regina’s Jordan Eberle to try to limit the World Junior hero.
“I’ve felt my defensive play has been good,” said Edwards who is also a key penalty killer.
“It’s not like the chances aren’t coming. I feel like I’m playing better now than I was at the start of the year when the goals were going in. I just have to wait it out and those goals will start coming back.”