In simply his second profession WHL recreation, Cooper Williams gave the Saskatoon Blades their first objective scored on dwelling ice this season as a part of a dominant 9-3 victory over the Swift Present Broncos on Sept. 21.
Within the three months since that milestone objective, he’s executed little to decelerate, balancing confidence in his on-ice skills with a real shock at how his junior profession has begun in Saskatoon.
“All the boys help me it doesn’t matter what,” Williams mentioned. “Even when I’m not doing good one recreation, they’re nonetheless choosing me up on the bench and it’s simply superior having everybody round.”
By means of 30 video games with the Blades thus far this season, the Calgary teenager has racked up 22 factors, which locations him fifth in general staff scoring at simply 16 years outdated.
Not solely is his manufacturing turning heads in north-central Saskatchewan, however throughout the WHL as properly with Williams trailing solely Everett Silvertips phenom Landon DuPont and Brandon Wheat Kings rookie star Jaxon Jacobson in scoring for gamers 16 years of age or youthful.
“He’s unbelievable,” mentioned Blades ahead Tyler Parr. “I’ve performed with a number of nice gamers on this league and rising up, he’s simply one of many smartest gamers I’ve ever performed with. He sees issues which might be fairly spectacular for a 16-year-old and I simply can’t wait to see the place he goes.”
That cerebral strategy to the sport can also be being seen by Blades head coach Dan DaSilva, who mentioned Williams has been capable of create alternatives for himself primarily through the use of his mind.
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One thing he added doesn’t all the time come straightforward for gamers his age.
“The most important factor for him is he’s very, very sensible,” mentioned DaSilva. “He has a excessive hockey IQ, he’s in the suitable place, he is aware of the place to go on the ice each offensively and defensively. That’s his largest asset, I might say… his capacity to suppose and skim performs. He’s simply not afraid, he goes on the market and performs the identical manner each single evening.”
It’s not simply the offensive recreation that Williams is beginning to put collectively at his younger age, as he spent the summer season engaged on the defensive facet of the puck.
That low season coaching has allowed him to take his fair proportion of face-offs within the defensive zone and is slowly gaining the belief of DaSilva and his employees.
“Final yr, I wasn’t superb at it and I knew that,” Williams mentioned. “I got here into this yr attempting to get higher at it and develop in the summertime with it. I got here in considering that’s going to assist my recreation lots and it has thus far.”
Within the early phases of his junior profession, Williams is pointing to veterans like Rowan Calvert and Brandon Lisowsky as Blades who’ve been mentors over the course of the season.
The latter of whom just lately moved into seventh all-time in franchise objective scoring and picked up the 250th level of his WHL profession.
“He had a possibility and he took it,” Lisowsky mentioned. “I feel he’s going to be an superior participant on this league. You’ll be able to already inform he could make performs, he’s obtained a great stick, he can skate properly, he’s an enormous physique at 16 [years old]. He’s going to be a participant for the Blades sooner or later.”
Williams’ fiery begin to the season has helped Saskatoon climb into first place in each the East Division and Jap Convention with a 17-9-2-2 file, sitting one level up on the Medication Hat Tigers.
With the vacation break approaching Williams does have a to do record for the second half, in persevering with his development as one of many brightest up and comers within the ‘Bridge Metropolis.’
“Simply maintaining the purpose tempo but additionally the defensive tempo,” mentioned Williams. “Retaining that plus-minus up, that all the time helps and attempting to do something to assist the staff win.”
The Blades wrap up the unofficial first half of the WHL season on Sunday internet hosting the Brandon Wheat Kings at 4 p.m., earlier than starting their vacation break, which stretches till Dec. 27.
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