Kaiden Ellertson (yellow) with the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs of the Alberta Elite Hockey League's U18 AAA division. (Rob Wallator/RawImpressions.ca)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

pursuing his dreams

Red Deer’s Kaiden Ellertson becomes first commit to Blackfalds Bulldogs

Dec 6, 2020 | 1:09 PM

A defenceman and Red Deer product is the first player to commit to the AJHL’s newest franchise, the Blackfalds Bulldogs.

The club announced the commitment of 2004-born Kaiden Ellertson last week.

Ellertson is currently in his second season with the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs, though it’s on pause due to COVID-19. Last season, the blueliner played under head coach Doug Quinn, who is now the coach, president and owner of the Bulldogs.

Hockey Alberta regulations prevent Ellertson and the Bulldogs from putting pen to paper until January.

“I’m honoured that I was the first to commit. I feel blessed that they believe in me and I know I won’t let them down,” says Ellertson, who calls the Bulldogs’ jerseys ‘pretty sweet.’ “This is an opportunity to build a team in such a great community, and one that’s already been supporting us like crazy.”

to be handed out may 27

Red Deer Catholic names St. Patrick's teacher as Edwin Parr Award nominee

1h ago

231 calls to justice

Walk this Sunday in Red Deer to remember all missing & murdered Indigenous people

1h ago

Watch Your Speed

Photo radar locations announced for May

1h ago

A big body, he says the mental side of his game is what allows him to keep up with older players, both in the U18 AAA division of the Alberta Elite Hockey League and when he played one game last season with the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats.

“One thing I took away from that lone game is that you can’t take any shifts off in better leagues like that because good teams will take advantage of you and put the puck in the net,” he says. “Even though I might be one of the better players on the Chiefs, there’s always room to improve because you never know when you’re going to get the opportunity to step up.”

The one game with Lloydminster, which he played on Jan. 24, 2020 against Drayton Valley, was an “eye-opener,” he adds.

A 96^th overall WHL Bantam Draft pick of the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2019, Ellertson sees a variety of different ways his hockey career could go.

Be it with Blackfalds, Brandon, or a future scholarship opportunity in the NCAA, he’s not taking any of what he’s currently getting to experience for granted.

“I take pride in everything I do, including the classroom. I take my studies very seriously,” the Notre Dame Cougar shares. “This has opened a whole set of doors for me.

“You’ve got to believe in yourself to get to the NHL, and I do,” he says, noting his admiration for the leadership of Sidney Crosby. “I don’t know how I’m going to get there, but that’s been my dream since I was a kid and I’m not going to give up on it.”

Coach Quinn, a former defenceman, junior player and NHL draft pick in his own right, says having Ellertson committed to the team is, without a doubt, exciting.

“Last year, he was one of my top players as a 15-year-old and he’s a real character kid. He has an amazing work ethic and he’s motivated to be a hockey player,” says Quinn. “I think he’s going to have a real impact in Junior ‘A’ right from the get-go. One of the luxuries of what we’re doing is we have the ability to recruit across North America and we’ve already identified a number of individuals.”

Quinn admits COVID-19 has impacted recruitment, but not drastically, with more Zoom calls becoming the norm.

“As people are learning more and more about our program, we’re getting more hockey people, agents and coaches coming to us now, giving us players,” he says. “It’s been a little bit overwhelming actually with the support we’ve seen from the hockey community.”

On Sunday, the Bulldogs tweeted that they’ll be announcing a second player commitment on Monday, Dec. 7.