Skill leads to strength

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

CFR Chemicals Bisons power forward and Regina Pats prospect, Trygve Many Guns has acquired a trait that is very rarely heard of at the age of 16 years old.
That trait is his ability to use his 6’3″, 252-pound frame to motor past his opponents and create a path to the net.
His former head coach Dan MacDonald thought he made really big strides in adjusting to the speed of the game, and that is what the Pats will be looking for in him if he were to make the team.
“He improved his speed to turn the game in terms of understanding how to play the puck quicker and go to the net better and all the things that make him a very good hockey player,” said MacDonald.
He added that what distinguished Many Guns from most other players in the league was his size, which resulted in his opponents having a difficult time moving him off the puck.
“He would always keep the puck, hold it and do what he wanted with it and make the decision ‘ok I can keep it and I go get it and fight for it,’ ” said MacDonald. “That’s really the secret for him is that he has to keep going to the net and being that big presence the way he does, he’s very effective.”
According to MacDonald, if Many Guns were to be a regular in the Pats line-up next season, he has to put more focus into developing more power into his skating stride and building it to a respectable level.
“It’s come easy for him up to this point in time because he was bigger and stronger than the guys that he was playing with,” said McDonald. “He’s got to bend his knees a little more, push wider and longer. When he does that, he really improved in that area of his skating and that’s what going to keep him going.”
The Gleichen native knows that hard work and dedication in the off-season will allow him to succeed at the next level.
“We practiced every day, so that helped to learn what my strengths were and the coach telling me what to do to make me better,” said Many Guns.
He saw a lot of improvement in some areas more than others by practicing that much in a week.
“I wasn’t doing what I usually did and I was changing it up a bit, I was too predictable at the beginning of the year,” said Many Guns. “As the season went on, I switched my style and played a bigger game, hit more, used my body (and) passed more.”
He added that the Pats want him to lose about 15 pounds or more and get quicker on his feet.
Regina Pats director of scouting, Dale McMullin, said that the onus will be on Many Guns to get in better shape, but aside from that, he has the potential to crack the line-up next season.
“He’s a young player that stands the opportunity to play in Regina,” said McMullin. “He’s a boy in a man’s body. For his size, he carries himself pretty well out there, his conditioning has to get a little better.”
McMullin added that if they can get him into the organization, and with the help of the coaching and training staff, he could turn into something pretty special in the future.
“All these other guys have to train hard too,” said McMullin. “There’s nothing given to the young guys. It’s a great place to play, and if he does his part, he’s got an opportunity in front of him to be developed in Regina and who knows, maybe if he’s capable on his part to make another step.”