Coming into his second season with WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, Cochrane star forward Jason Swyripa knew he would have more responsibilities.
With Wheat Kings captain Mark Stone being named to Canada’s 2012 World Junior team, Dec. 14, that fact is even more apparent.
“We have to battle with what we’ve got and it’s an opportunity for players like me to step up,” said Swyripa after a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Hitmen, Dec. 11.
“He’s had more responsibilities this year,” said Wheat Kings’ assistant coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk.
“He’s been on the penalty kill and the power play, and with him playing alongside Brandon Walker and Michael Ferland, he’ll be able to take up some of the minutes open with Stone gone.
“We’ll be relying on him, along with the other players, to play good defensively and maybe pop a goal in.”
This season, the Wheat Kings are two points back of the Moose Jaw Warriors for first place in the Eastern Conference and Swyripa is on pace to match his point total from last year.
He currently has five goals and five assists in the first 34 games of the season.
“We’re a good hockey club,” he said.
“We would’ve liked to win more games as of late, but we’ll turn it around. For me, things are going good, I just have to keep working hard and things will come.”
Swyripa was drafted by the Wheat Kings in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft and spent two seasons with the UFA Bisons Midget AAA club before debuting with Brandon last season.
He scored 22 points in 74 regular season games and a single assist in six playoff games.
“He’s a very dynamic and hard-working player,” said Gylywoychuk.
“He brings offensive skill and his compete level is up this year. He worked hard over the summer to get stronger and into good shape. He’s a little small, but he’s big at heart.”
Despite being the shortest player on the team at 5’7”, Swyripa showed that he doesn’t shrink away from standing his ground against bigger and stronger players.
He fought the Hitmen’s Greg Chase, who stands six feet tall, Dec. 11.
“That was a little bit out of the ordinary,” said Gylywoychuk.
“It was in the heat of the battle, and in games there are going to be situations where you need to stand up for yourself or teammates.
“Jason took it as a situation where he needed to stick up for himself.”
Swyripa is hoping the opportunity to play in different situations will help him develop more and improve as a player.
“I just want to improve my game,” he said.
“You always want to work hard and get better. No matter what, the ultimate goal is to become a better hockey player.”
