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Xtreme player cracks AMBHL all-star game roster

Noah Edstrom will be the lone Airdrie representative to compete in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League’s (AMBHL) 2019 All-Star Game Jan. 12 in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.
Lone star
Airdrie Xtreme forward Noah Edstrom (left) will be among those skating at the AMBHL 2019 All-Star Game, Jan. 12 in Fort Saskatchewan. Pictured: Edstrom fights for the puck against the Okotoks Oilers, Jan. 5.

Noah Edstrom will be the lone Airdrie representative to compete in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League’s (AMBHL) 2019 All-Star Game Jan. 12 in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. While the 14-year-old Airdrie Xtreme centre admitted he was surprised to be the only Xtreme player chosen for the all-star fixture, he said he is excited to play with and against some of the top AAA bantam players in the province. “There are a lot of great players from the north and south divisions that were selected,” he said. “I’m excited to play with such good players, and it’s good exposure for me.” A second-year bantam player, Edstrom has tallied 13 points in 21 games for the Xtreme this season. He plied his trade for the Airdrie Lightning AA bantam team last year, recording 12 goals and 19 assists in 34 games. He said the move up to the AAA level this season has been positive, and credited his coaches and teammates with helping him succeed. “It’s been good playing in the AMBHL,” he said. “It’s a really high tempo, and I think our team has been slowly getting over the learning curve.” With an entirely new roster from last year’s championship-winning team, the Xtreme has struggled to secure wins in 2018-19. Airdrie currently sits bottom of the Ram South division with a 7-13-2 record. Still, Edstrom said he expects the Xtreme to find its feet and challenge for a playoff position as the team enters the homestretch of the regular season. “Every game is a fresh start,” he said. “We just need to close out some of our close games.” Despite being a newcomer to the league, Edstrom has proven Airdrie’s most efficient scorer this season, leading the roster with 10 goals. But head coach Reid Hnatowich said putting pucks in the net is not the only way the 14-year-old has contributed. “One thing that always struck me as a positive about him is his overall skating ability,” Hnatowich said. “He came out of bantam AA, so the AAA pace was something he needed time to get used to. Over the past couple of months, he’s done a really good job at getting used to that pace, and then elevating that pace.” Another of Edstrom’s best attributes, Hnatowich added, is his drive to continue improving as a player. “He’s the kind of kid that always wants to get better, and he won’t rest until he’s satisfied with what he’s putting out as an end product,” he said. “You ask the scouts in the stands, the parents in the stands and the other coaches who the most effective player on the ice is, and they’re going to say Noah Edstrom.”

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