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John Babcock has heard all of the clichés from veterans earlier than him about how briskly time goes as a Western Hockey League participant.

“The traditional is, ‘get pleasure from it whereas it lasts as a result of it flies by,’ ” mentioned the 20-year-old Regina Pats defenceman. “You don’t actually consider it till you’re type of right here and it’s your final camp and all of that.”

After taking part in his first recreation in the course of the shortened 2020-21 season as a member of the Kelowna Rockets, Babcock is seeking to soak in his final yr of junior hockey, which incorporates Friday’s season opener and Saturday’s dwelling opener.

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Following their first recreation of the season on Friday night time in Prince Albert towards the Raiders, the Pats will host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday (6 p.m.) on the Brandt Centre.

“I’m so fired up,” mentioned the 6-foot-1, 204-pound Babcock, a North Vancouver, B.C. product. “Can’t wait to hit the ice.”

Babcock just isn’t solely a veteran on Regina’s blueline, however as a 2004-born participant, he’s two years older than the subsequent oldest defenceman, as the remainder of the Pats defenders are 17- and 18-years-old.

And as a veteran, Babcock needs to ensure he leaves a long-lasting impression on the subsequent technology whereas maintaining a tally of his personal future and the alternatives that would lie forward for him subsequent season.

“Being an older man right here, I wish to present some enter and data to the youthful guys,” mentioned Babcock, who’s one in every of three overage gamers on Regina’s roster alongside forwards Braxton Whitehead and Tye Spencer. “However on the identical time, crew success is particular person success.

“Hopefully I can play my finest and get one thing on the finish of the yr.”

After being chosen by Kelowna within the fifth spherical of the 2019 WHL Draft, Babcock performed 160 common season and 9 playoff video games for the Rockets from 2020 to 2024 earlier than being traded to the Saskatoon Blades in a three-team deal eventually season’s commerce deadline.

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Babcock suited up for 29 common season and 13 playoff video games for the Blades final yr earlier than dropping to the Moose Jaw Warriors in Recreation 7 of the WHL Jap Convention last.

In July, he was traded to Regina for a pair of draft picks.

“It’s a bit little bit of an adjustment however a very good group of men right here and a training workers that desires to win right here,” mentioned Babcock. “Everybody has been nothing however nice to me.

“For me, coming from Saskatoon and being within the convention last in recreation seven and all of that, I really feel like I can deliver a few of that have and hopefully present it to the youthful guys right here.”

Regardless of being one of many solely new faces within the Pats’ lineup this yr, Babcock has already made an impression.

“He’s a type of guys that realizes that is his final kick on the can at junior hockey so he’s right here to make an impression,” mentioned Pats head coach Brad Herauf. “And he needs to make an impression on the ice however I believe the true cool half is he’s actually appears to make an impression with the gamers.”

Babcock — who’s in his third season as a Hockey Offers Blood volunteer participant ambassador — even took it upon himself to arrange a team-building occasion in the course of the pre-season, which once more, confirmed his management.

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“I requested him a number of occasions if he wanted assist,” mentioned Herauf. “And he’s like, ‘nope, I’ve bought it.’

“He understands the significance of the impression you’ll be able to have on youthful guys.”

And whereas Babcock is offering as a lot management as he can off the ice, he is aware of the impression he needs to have on the ice as he seems to assist lead the Pats again into the post-season after the Regina completed within the basement of the WHL’s Jap Convention final season.

“The largest factor is we’re going to make playoffs this yr,” mentioned Babcock. “There’s little doubt in my thoughts that we’re going to do this.

“I really feel like we’re a youthful crew, however everybody can play on our crew. We’ve bought guys which can be going to have breakout years.”

tshire@postmedia.com

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