Flin Flon Bombers forward Nick Shumlanski recalls his first game as an affiliated player for the squad as being hard on his nerves.
“I didn’t know what to expect and the adjustment from midget to junior was definitely something you had to get used to quick or else you wouldn’t keep up,” he said. “Getting to play as a 17-year-old a bit helped me a lot for my rookie season.”
Shumlanski’s six regular season games as an AP during the 2014-15 season helped the Tisdale, Sask., product put together a solid rookie season in 2015-16.
Now 19, he has taken another step forward this season. Following the weekend, he led the Bombers in points and was in the top 12 in SJHL scoring.
“He has developed well,” Flin Flon head coach Mike Reagan said Shumlanski. “He is one of the better (1997-born players) in the league. I think he is capable of even more.”
The 5-foot-7, 155-pound Shumlanski has 18 points (6G, 12A) 18 games this season. In the Bombers’ last four games, he has racked up seven points while his squad earned at least a point in each contest.
“He plays the game hard,” Reagan said. “He is quick. He is shifty. … He competes hard.”
Shumlanski had 25 points and 10 goals in 56 games as a rookie last season. He is on pace to far surpass those numbers.
When asked about his increased points production, Shumlanski said:
“Just getting more pucks to the net and going hard to the net has helped me find the back of the net more this year. Having linemates who can score from anywhere also plays a big factor in putting up points.”
Reagan said there is an adjustment from midget AAA to junior hockey and that Shumlanski is figuring it out.
The coach noted that Shumlanski’s improvement has come in part because he is more familiar with the league and with how to produce.
Shumlanski contributed last season while helping the Bombers reach the SJHL finals. He said his rookie campaign was a big learning experience for him
“Getting to see what junior hockey is like and what it takes to play it,” Shumlanski said of his first-year experience.
“Coming up to the junior game is more of a chip and chase style, so getting a lot more pucks in and being a threat on the forecheck. Also, there is no such thing as a bad shot. I learned that you can’t get as in tight and need to be more willing to shoot the puck from anywhere.”
This past summer Shumlanski worked hard to get his legs stronger. He focused on workouts to build up his speed. In addition, he did exercises to work his wrists and forearms to help his shot and improve his hands.
While Shumlanski has produced offensively this season, the Bombers also require his contributions at the other end of the ice.
“This year my role has changed a bit, as I’m relied on more heavily for producing and being used on the penalty kill and more defensive situations,” he said.
