By Tim Switzer /

Jordan Weal doesn’t try to hide it.

He allows himself to feel the pressure in his first season in the Western Hockey League.

“I like to have that pressure and to try to live up to the expectations and strive to be the best that I can be,” said the Regina Pats centre.

“It’s all on you. If you do well, your team is probably going to win. If you have a bad game, your team doesn’t have as good of a chance.”

Yes, the pressure is getting to the 16-year-old Vancouver product, but it is only pushing him forward. Through 34 games, Weal leads all rookies with 30 assists and 39 points.

“He comes every day with a very good work ethic and wants to be the best player on the ice,” said Pats first-year head coach Dale Derkatch. “He wants to be the hardest-working guy off the ice. When you combine that, obviously he’s doing well.”

Weal is also learning some quick lessons with the Pats. The forward has been able to create scoring chances almost at will in other leagues (as evidenced by his 100 points in 40 games last season with the Vancouver North West Giants of the B.C. major midget league), but the points come a little harder in the WHL.

“Teams don’t know things right off and don’t figure things out until 15 games in, and then they put checking lines on certain players,” said Derkatch. “I think he’s found that and it has been a little frustrating for him.”

Weal also learned what it is like to sit out a game. During the team’s recent B.C. road trip, Weal was a healthy scratch for the first time in his life against the Prince George Cougars. Three nights later, he had a pair of assists in a 4-3 win over the Chilliwack Bruins.

“It’s a lot different when you watch the game from the stands,” said Weal. “You learn a lot more and can take a few things from the game.”

Weal will likely be able to take a lot out of his surroundings this season with the likes of Derkatch and linemate Jordan Eberle close at hand.

Like the 5-8 and 160-pound Weal, the 5-5 Derkatch was an undersized scoring sensation with the Pats in the 1980s when he set several team records.

Eberle, a first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2008 draft, has been a constant source of advice for Weal.

Weal seems to have already picked up on Derkatch’s most-important piece of advice.

“Your on-ice usually reflects your off-ice,” said Derkatch. “If you do the right things off the ice and you’re a good citizen and work hard, good things happen.”