Metis player shines in Regina Pats line-up

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Brent Hill would prefer to see his club winning a few more games.

Other than that, the 20-year-old forward who hails from Slave Lake, Alta. is certainly enjoying his final year of junior eligibility.

Hill, whose father is Metis, is the leading scorer for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

This is Hill's first full season in the WHL. He joined the Pats in January of 2004 after leaving Minnesota's St. Cloud University where he was on a full athletic scholarship.

"I wasn't a big fan of the school," said Hill, who admits he was struggling to maintain a C average in his first-year university general arts courses. "It was a big school. And it just wasn't for me."

Hill ended up playing in just 19 games for the St. Cloud club-registering only three goals and two assists-before he left the program.

Prior to enrolling at the American university, he had played three seasons for the Drayton Valley Thunder, a Junior A franchise in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. But upon returning from his brief university experience, Hill, who was a free agent, decided to try his hand with the Pats in the higher-calibre WHL, which features Major Junior A clubs.

Hill ended up appearing in 27 games with Regina last year and scored 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists).

As for this season, Hill is the Pats' leading scorer. He had racked up 41 points (18 goals, 23 assists) in his first 47 games, just a tad below his pre-season expectations.

"I wanted to get about a point per game this year," said Hill, who was obviously hindered but continued to produce points in November and December even though he played eight games with a cast while mending a broken thumb.

Hill has managed to earn his share of points even though he's one of the league's smaller players. He weighs 200 pounds but he's just slightly over 5 ft. 8 in..

Though he hasn't been drafted by a National Hockey League club, Hill is hoping to turn pro next season. He'd love to crack the roster of a team in Europe.

"Ever since I was little I've wanted to play pro," Hill said, adding that Pats' assistant coach Mike Blaisdell, a former NHLer who also spent portions of his career playing and then coaching in Europe, will be among those using their contacts to help him land a pro gig next season.

Ideally, Hill would prefer to play in one of Europe's premier leagues but he realizes he might have to settle for a spot with a franchise in a lower-calibre circuit. That's because of the large number of locked-out NHL players who are now suiting up for teams in Europe. Those pros could continue to play in Europe next season if there is still no NHL action.

Regina captain Rick Rypien is among those who believe Hill can go on to play at a pro level.

"If he sticks with it, he can definitely play," he said.

Rypien added that Hill's size does not prevent him from being a physical player. "He's a smaller guy but he knows how to use his body," he said. "And he's always going into the corners trying to create some offence."

Hill is a good individual to have in the dressing room, Rypien added. "He's a great guy to have around," he said. "He likes to have fun and he's always good for a laugh."

As for Hill's current squad, the Pats have struggled this season. After its first 49 games, Regina had a disappointing 11-31-3-4 record. The Pats were in fourth place in the league's five-team East Division, ahead of only the 6-34-7-1 Moose Jaw Warriors.

Despite their record, the Pats were still in a good position to earn a playoff berth since the division's top four finishers advance to the post-season. Should Regina place fourth, it would probably face the division leading Saskatoon Blades.

"If we play Saskatoon that would be good," Hill said. "We've had their number all year."

Well, sort of. Though they haven't had much success against many teams, the Pats have managed to win three out of their first six regular season matches against the Blaes.