By Mike Stackhouse
The Notre Dame Hounds have developed a strong track record of turning out elite defensemen and it’s hoped that their first round bantam pick from this past summer will be one of their latest gems.
2002 born Alex Liskowich (Regina SK) went 12th overall to the Hounds and has the bloodlines to succeed. His father and grandfather are both heavily entrenched in the Saskatchewan hockey scene. A smart and consistent player, Liskowich impressed the Hounds scouting department with how steady he is. “Each game we watched him play, he seemed to perform at a real consistent level. I am sure most goaltenders that play behind him appreciate his attention to detail in the defensive zone,” said Hounds Head Coach Clint Mylymok.
Alex’s grandfather, Bill, taught at Notre Dame from 1968-75 and is a member of the Wall Of Honour. He won a Telus Cup as the Hounds Assistant Coach in 2011. Alex scored 2-goals and 9-assists last year with the Regina Monarchs. “He does a lot of good things, naturally, and our mindset at the draft was to find some defensemen that compete hard and have high character. He fits that mold very well and we are looking forward to seeing him develop over the next few years,” says Mylymok.
Meanwhile, third round pick, Jordan Edwards (36th overall) is a Saskatoon product who picked up 7-goals and 9-assists in 21-games last year and has already grown to 5’ 11”.
Edwards is a bit of a throwback in that he has a very competitive edge with his play and isn’t afraid to use his stick for more than just passing and shooting. He doesn’t back down from anyone and has an advanced understanding of the game.
Mylymok says, “He went undrafted in the WHL but is listed by Red Deer. What we really liked his how much he talks and communicates on the ice. You don’t see that amongst the peer group much anymore.”
“Big, right handed defensemen are a commodity and difficult to find. We have seen Jordan play a number of times and really liked his willingness to play tough in the defensive zone. He can also move the puck and makes a lot of simple plays and doesn’t complicate the game. A few scouts and coaches in the Saskatoon area are very high on him and feel he’s a ‘sleeper’,” added Mylymok.
Edwards was invited to the U16 Top 40 camp in August and was listed from that camp by the WHL Rebels, so the Hounds aren’t alone in assessing his upside.
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