Ashton Tait has found his game in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
After being reassigned to the Hawks and suiting up with the SJHL club for the first time (The Hawks listed the Prince Albert product last season) it took some time to readjust for the former AAA U18 Minto sniper. In Tait’s first 14 games he had four points and never scored his first goal until his seventh game.
Since the calendar flipped to December, the 18-year-old caught fire and hasn’t looked back. He scored four goals and added eight assists (including four in a shootout loss to Yorkton) earning himself Saskatchewan Player of the Month by the SJHL on Tuesday.
Associate General Manager Dana Dirks joined Clark Stork on Beach Radio Dec. 21 in Melfort. Also a Prince Albert resident that has seen Tait play many times over the years and took a shot listing him despite a high pick in the Western Hockey League draft by Kamloops.
“I have watched Ashton develop for years and he is a dynamic player,” Dirks said. “He was with a very good Kamloops program but it limited his opportunities for a couple seasons. He is now getting the ice time he deserves and doing some pretty special things on the ice. The best is yet to come from Aston and he’s still a 2006-born player.”
Overall Tait has six goals and 10 assists in 26 games. He was also named the SJHL Sask. Player of the Week on Dec. 16.
The Hawks announced on Thursday that 19-year-old forward Mark LaFleur has been traded to the Revelstoke Grizzlies of the Kootenay International Junior ‘A’ Hockey League for a player development fee.
In a season and a half the Calgary product had three goals and seven assists in 50 games. This year La Fleur suited up in 11 contests scoring once and adding two assists.
The Hawks return from the Christmas break on Jan. 4 in North Battleford.
