This month’s Alumni Spotlight features Chase Wouters, formerly of the Lloydminster Heat and Bobcats.
LLOYDMINSTER – Chase Wouters played all of his minor and elite hockey in Lloydminster, getting into the game when he was just four or five years old, following in the footsteps of his sister and father.
Chase suited up for the Lloydminster U15 AAA Heat in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, the latter as team captain, while also getting the call up to play for the U16 AAA Rage for seven games. Following that season, he was taken by the Saskatoon Blades in the first round, 19th overall in the 2015 Western Hockey League Draft.
That same year, after playing for Team Northeast at the 2015 Alberta Cup, Chase was selected to play for Team Alberta at the 2015 WHL Cup (formerly known as the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup), winning a gold medal.
After one season with the Lloydminster U18 AAA Bobcats in 2015-16, Chase made the jump to the WHL as a 16 year-old, and is currently in his fifth season with the Blades, and his third as team captain. He’s also represented Canada twice, suiting up for Team Canada Black at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, winning a silver medal, and for Team Canada at the U18 World Championship.
Chase points to his final season of minor hockey as his most memorable.
“My favourite memory from playing hockey in Alberta was when the Lloydminster U18 AAA Bobcats won the league and ended up going to the Telus Cup,” he said. “It was an experience I will never forget.”
Chase added that his experience in minor hockey really helped shape his future.
“Minor hockey in Lloydminster, and all of Alberta, is world-class,” he said. “It helped me learn many on and off-ice habits that help me on a day-to-day basis.”
In addition to hockey, Chase said he tried to play every sport possible growing up, as he enjoyed learning new sports, which in turn helped improve his game. But, he says hockey really has provided him with some
“Hockey has presented me with many different opportunities such as fundraisers, different summer jobs, and lots of valuable memories that will last with me forever,” he said.
Chase’s words of wisdom for young aspiring athletes are simple: just enjoy it.
“My advice to give to any child starting out hockey would be to make sure you enjoy playing,” he said. “There are a lot of ups and downs, so just remember to always have fun and have a good attitude.”