Braydon Burak
Jersey: 29
Position: Centre
Height 5-11 Weight: 210
Points this season: 35
A four-year veteran of the St. Paul Jr. B Canadiens, 22-year old Braydon Burak says it’s tough to think about life after hockey.
“It’s kind of sad in a way I guess, that hockey is just about over for me. I’m not really sure if I’ll keep playing or not.”
Burak has not skated with the team for the past three weeks because of a knee injury and said he expects it to be at least another two or three before he’s on the ice again.
“I hope to be back for the playoffs, and I hope the team is able to make it to the finals,” said Burak. He said when he looks back at the past four years, the experience of making the finals and going to provincials in his second year with the team is something that really sticks out for him.
“Just doing so good as a team and all the guys; that was really cool.”
Looking forward, Burak has plans to study power engineering in the fall. He was preparing for his interview with Portage College when the Journal reached him.
“I’m hoping to go to school and possibly keep playing college hockey while I get my education.”
One of the things Burak said attracted him to the program at Portage is that it allows him to continue living in the area. Burak grew up in Bonnyville and continued to live with his parents throughout his Junior B career.
“My parents have been able to come and watch every game and it’s been great, I couldn’t ask for anything better than to be able to live at home and play hockey.”
A few favourites…
Food: crab and lobster
Music: country, especially George Strait, Paul Brandt, and Garth Brooks
Colour: purple
“I painted my truck that colour. I built an old ’76 Chevy with my Dad when I was 15 years old. Took us about two and a half years,” said Burak. His other hobbies include fishing and hunting, water sports, sledding, and other outdoor pursuits.
Dyson Roy
Jersey: 26
Position: Forward
Height: 5-11 Weight: 205
Points this season: 34
A homegrown staple to the Canadiens for the past five years, Dyson Roy expects he’ll keep being involved in hockey in St. Paul even after his days playing for the team are done.
“As far as keeping hockey in my life, I can’t go without it so I’ll probably end up coaching something, or helping the little kids out or something like that,” said Roy.
“Some of those kids are pretty young and it’s exciting when they know who you are before you even get your jersey on.”
As the season draws to a close, Roy said it’s bittersweet to know his hockey career is winding down. “My body has taken a beating in the last five years just from the way I play. It’ll be nice to give my body a break but I know I’m going to miss it and it’s going to be tough to step away from the game.”
Roy got his journeyman carpenter’s ticket over the summer and is currently studying construction and engineering at NAIT. “One big goal of mine is to crack the NAIT hockey team next fall.”
A few favourites…
Colour: orange
Music: rock and roll, especially Rush
Food: “Anything Mom makes”
Asked if Mom’s home cooking is his favourite because his mother is a particularly good cook or because it’s food he doesn’t have to prepare himself, Roy laughed and said it was a bit of both. “I can make cereal and eggs and that’s about it. I’m not a very good cook.”
Nick Klassen
Jersey: 13
Position: Defense
Height: 6-1 Weight: 185
Points this season: 2
Originally from Port Coquitlam, BC Nick Klassen came to the mainland and Alberta in order to keep playing junior hockey because in British Columbia you have to hang up your skates at the age of 20 instead of 22 like in Alberta. Klassen is in his second year with the Canadiens.
Klassen said it was definitely an adjustment from the big cities he grew up around to living in St. Paul, but “once I found a job and started working I found I got in to a good routine and got a good feel for everything in the town.”
Once his junior b career wraps up, Klassen said he plans to take a year to work before applying to the Navy.
“It’s a good opportunity. They pay for your schooling so you can train in whatever trade or whatever you want to do.” He doesn’t know what he wants to study yet, but Klassen said he’s leaning towards becoming an electrician of some sort.
In the year between now and then, he plans to move to Saskatoon with his girlfriend Janelle who will be attending the University of Saskatchewan.
A few favourites…
Colour: blue
Food: pizza
“It’s what I always look forward to on road games. I usually am just a pepperoni guy, but they change it up all the time and I eat ham, bacon, basically anything with meat on it.”
Music: Rock and roll. “I like AC/DC, Metallica, those kinds of bands. It’s been in my family for a long time.”
“I’m definitely an air shredder, I can not play instruments.”
Bailey Lonsberry
Jersey: 18
Position: Defense
Height: 5-10 Weight: 160
Points this season: 19
Raised in Bienfait, SK, Bailey Lonsberry was transplanted to St. Paul to play hockey for the Canadiens four years ago, and plans to stick around.
“I’m going to stick around here and finish my schooling and I’ll probably play senior hockey in Elk Point most likely,” said Lonsberry.
Asked about other ways he might stay involved in hockey after junior B, Lonsberry said “I want to get in to coaching, but I also want to wait a little bit.”
He said after he arrived in St. Paul the team helped him find a job.
“I work at Northpark Collision in town. They’re actually sending me to school,” said Lonsberry who is studying at NAIT to be an autobody technician.
Lonsberry credits the community welcome for his decision to stay.
“It’s not just hockey it’s also great people here.”
Lonsberry plays slo-pitch throughout the summers.
Asked how it feels to know his hockey career it winding down, Lonsberry said “It really sucks. It hasn’t set in yet but once that last game comes it’ll hit .”
His goal for his final season? “I’d like to tie my points from last year but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. It’d be nice to make the finals,”said Lonsberry. He had 27 points in the 2017/2018 regular season. In order to tie that number, Lonsberry said he needs at least two assists and a goal in every game remaining.
A few favourites …
Colour: yellow
Food: pizza with “Breakfast bacon and feta”
Music: anything but classical
The St. Paul Jr. B Candiens will play their last home game of the regular season on Feb. 9 at the Clancy Richard Arena, before heading into playoffs.
