The 2018-19 Ontario Hockey League season was a chance for Aidan Dudas to take a step forward with the Owen Sound Attack.
The Los Angeles Kings prospect saw an increased role as the Attack made moves at the deadline to get younger and in the process gave Dudas an opportunity to take on a bigger role.
As he moved into that bigger, front-line role, the 18-year-old had to make some adjustments in his game.
"It’s tougher and it was a tough adjustment because last year, I’d be playing against a team’s second defence pairing or their second or third line and now it’s every time [on the ice] I’m going against their top ‘D’ pairing," Dudas said. "It’s tough but it’s a good challenge for me and my linemates.
Owen Sound coach Alan Letang, who took over for Todd Gill shortly after the deadline, credited Dudas for making the adjustment and using it as a learning experience.
"There’s been that transition," Letang said. "Last year he had a really good season, putting up some good numbers being that secondary guy. Then he gets thrust into the role where he’s the guy that drives our top line. He’s supposed to be the guy that makes guys around him better.
"It was an adjustment for sure," Letang added. "All of a sudden, teams single in on him. Now he’s playing against top pairing defencemen who are going to be a little harder on him. He’s playing against the other teams’ top lines at times. He’s so competitive and wants to be that guy so bad that he’s got to realize sometimes that he might come out of a game and only created one or two scoring chances. But if he’s coming out of that game even or above, he’s still done a job for us."
Dudas said he learned a lot from his former teammates, which included the likes of Montreal Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki.
"You could have one bad day at the rink, but you have to let it go and come back the next day and come back ready to work," Dudas said. "Nick was probably the best I’ve every seen at that. He was always level. There were no ups and downs. If he had one bad day, he was right back the next day and he was ready to work. I learned a lot from him."
In addition to calling Dudas "the engine that runs our team," Letang had more high-praise for the Parry Sound, Ont. native.
"He’s a high-energy guy. He hounds pucks all of the time. He’s the guy in the room that gets the guys going because he’s talking all the time.
"He’s the guy that gets everyone involved," Letang added. "He’s our leader on the ice."
Letang also said Dudas wants to learn.
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"He wants to talk hockey 24 hours a day," Letang said. "If you’re talking hockey with him, he loves it. He’s full of energy. He’s always coming around looking to learn and asking questions. He wants to stay out after practice to do extra."
"He’s really matured into a really good junior player and he’s on his way to becoming a pro," Letang added.
There’s a lot to like about Dudas. For Letang, Dudas’ willingness to go into traffic is one of the 5-foot-8, 185-pound centre’s biggest assets.
"He consistently hunts pucks," Letang said. "He’s always around the puck. He’s got a really good stick. He’s still working on the defensive side, which most junior players have to work on that. The fact that he’s not scared to go into traffic areas with the puck, the fact that he’s not scared to go into traffic areas to get the puck is his biggest advantage with his quickness. He can dart into a traffic area, get a puck and dart back out. He’ll crash the net for a rebound. He’ll cut through the middle knowing there might be a defenceman stepping up on him."
In the midst of Owen Sound’s opening round playoff series with the Soo Greyhounds, Dudas was held off the scoresheet in the first two games of the series but took a majority of the key faceoffs for the Attack and had a major impact in Owen Sound’s game one win on the road.
HOT START
In the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs, a handful of players are off to good starts offensively through the opening weekend.
Among them was draft-eligible forward Samuel Poulin of the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
The 18-year-old forward scored four times in Sherbrooke’s opening two games against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
After scoring once in Sherbrooke’s opening-game loss, Poulin led the way with three goals on Saturday as the Phoenix rebounded for a 6-0 victory to tie the series.
Rookie forward Theo Rochette of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens also potted four goals over the weekend.
The 17-year-old forward scored a pair of goals in each of the opening two games of Chicoutimi’s opening round series against the Rimouski Oceanic, both overtime losses.
Both of Rochette’s goals in game two came on the power play in what was eventually a quadruple overtime loss.
Speaking of hot starts to the playoffs, shout out to Everett Silvertips forward Martin Fasko-Rudas and defenceman Jake Christensen in the Western Hockey League.
The pair has five points each through Everett’s opening two games of their first round series with the Tri-City Americans.
After picking up two points each in Everett’s narrow win in the series opener, the pair each added three more points in the Silvertips 6-1 win in game two on Friday.
