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Jack Sander says his Prince George Cougars captaincy comes with open conversation during altered WHL season

Cats’ quest for a successful 24-game season begins Saturday (March 27)

Being there with listening ears when someone needs to talk.

The last 12 months have been a mental roller-coaster for hockey players with the uncertainty of what their futures will look like come amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jack Sander was no exception when the now Prince George Cougars captain, announced by the team on Wednesday (March 24), was sent home to Beaumont, Alta., after the 2019-20 WHL season and playoffs were cancelled.

At first, like many others, it was a weird concept to grasp going from sitting next to friends on a bus to isolating in your home one province over.

Now, with a shortened 2020-21 return-to-play season on the horizon, the new lead Cat says he’s going to apply every single skill he’s developed in the extended off-season with 'no excuses' to give.

“[I’ve] went through a lot of ups and downs as anyone does, you know, I’ve found my game, I’ve improved on quite a few things,” Sander explained in an interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters.

“I’ve worked on my skating and [hockey] IQ and I’ve been very proud of that, but I’ve also pushed on things that I wanted to work on, like my physicality and my aggressiveness. I really think if I’ve had any time in the world, it’s been this year to work on those things.”

So, it sounds like Sander is good to go on the ice, but it’s off the ice in the double-bubble concept where he believes will be the biggest challenge.

When it comes to utilizing his newly-elected leadership, the defenceman says it’s best to offer something other captains have shown him and take it a step further.

The three previous Cougars to wear the ‘C’, Josh Maser, Josh Curtis and Dennis Cholowski, have all been ‘good buddies’ with Sander, teaching him the value of being a good teammate since coming onto the scene in 2017.

In a year when mental health has been a topic of almost every conversation, the 20-year-old wants to open a door for when an opportunity to talk is needed.

“It’s not about what you say, it’s about being there for someone,” he remarked.

“The way I like to run and control myself is making sure that you’re there for everyone and you’re someone people can come to and talk to. I’m not the guy that’ll go and scream at the whole team at the intermission, I’m more of the guy that likes to work it out, fix the small things, see as we go and just be there for everyone. [...] It’s just another step and another difficulty almost for a lot of the boys here, you know, stepping into the bubble, but you could also take it positively and just look at it as a fun experience that no one else will get to go through.”

Since March 13, all Prince George players and staff have been going through protocols put in place by the WHL after it approved a B.C. Division season.

After undergoing several COVID-19 tests, done by DynaLIFE Medical Labs, hired by league owners and previously conducted its program at the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and 2021 World Junior Championships, the Cougars got to skate their first practice in many months on March 18.

To Sander, it was a joyous event after completing their mandatory isolation in their hotel rooms.

“The first week was pretty tough. We got locked up and couldn’t leave our rooms. We did about five Zoom calls a day, which was a little tough mentally, but it was good otherwise. There’s been a lot of weird things for sure, but even just finding the small things is very important. The first day we got to skate together on the ice was like Christmas, and today [March 24], we finally got the nod to use a big room so we could all hang out and play cards. So whether it’s just texting the guys or playing Fortnite online, it was a lot of tough things for sure.”

The Cougars are now bonding in whatever way they can before the first puck-drop on their 24-game campaign in hopes of creating a memorable stint in the Kamloops-Kelowna bubbles.

But, of course, within reason.

The WHL has stated if even one player or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, that team shuts down for 14 days at minimum before getting back in play.

“The main focus for us was just making sure we’re following the protocols, staying safe and listening to the rules,” said Sander, who has never worn a letter while skating in a Cougars sweater.

“We’ve waited so long for this that there’s no point to blowing it now and taking unnecessary risks. I’ve preached that a little bit with the boys [...] it’s just about playing simple and making every shift count because you never know. There’s a lot of fluky things that could happen this year; just give it your all when you can and have fun, that’s all we can do.”

If Prince George is able to stay safe and healthy, and put in a lot of hard work in just a short period (likely to fly by quickly for the athletes involved, especially with no playoffs), Sander believes they can be a team to beat in the B.C. Division.

Despite a younger roster that includes 10 rookies, he understands the task at hand, but is grateful for the group players he’s set to share competitive ice with once again since March 7, 2020.

“Winning is very important for us. Every single guy here had the winning mentality, but it’s also been a tough year this past year, so getting through those own personal battles or hoping to get back and fighting it as it comes. I’ve been very proud of the guys through the quarantine, and we went through a whole summer of not knowing what’s been going on, I’ve just been very proud of them.”

Statistically speaking, in his three-year WHL tenure, Sander has put up 38 points in 181 games with the Cougars, including a career-high 28 in the 2019-20 campaign.

He was even consistent with a point in the final four contests before the COVID-19 cancellation, putting him on, what would've been, a pace for a 34-point year if the Cats played their final six games.

The blue-liner also topped at 103 shots on goal last year, turning Mark Lamb’s head more than once to earn as much ice-time as possible.

“Jack is a great story of perseverance. He went from being a signed prospect to our team captain in four years,” said Prince George’s General Manager and Head Coach. 

“He has committed himself to doing everything that is needed to be a good player in our league. He has grown into a natural leader and he is the captain we want to guide our younger players.”

Sander received the news he was going to be the 26th captain in Cougars’ history via a heartfelt (and heart-melting) video submission from his parents in Alberta.

“It’s an honour, even just throwing on the jersey itself for me," he said gleefully, while also noting he had a feeling he was getting a letter sown to his jersey, but didn’t want to think much of it.

“Getting the nod like that after quite a few buddies that have gotten the ‘C’ before for the Cougars is quite an achievement for me, so I’m pretty proud of it.”

The alternates for Prince George’s 2020-21 leadership core include Connor Bowie, Ethan Browne, Jonny Hooker and Majid Kaddoura.

Their first meeting of the B.C. Division season is set for Saturday (March 27) at 7 p.m. in Kamloops against the host-Blazers.