With the hockey world on all but a complete shutdown, we at the LHSHL want to give a few articles every week to look forward to until things in the look brighter again when it comes to slapshots and big hit. We’ll be posting a story about a Freshman once a week that made an impact on their team through their rookie campaign and we start off this series of articles with none other than Will Fliss from the Mitchell Mustangs.
Will is a left-handed forward playing out of Mitchell High School. He scored 7 goals and 8 assists this past regular season and scored another goal against East Lake in the playoffs to bring his total to 16 points on the year and a .84 PPG. I chatted with him about some of his preferences for gear and he rocks Bauer with an affinity for a P88/Kane style curve and a 77 flex. His favorite post-victory meal consists of Pizza and Wings and after playing hockey for ten years already, I’m sure he’s had quite a few of those meals. He’s a local kid, and his path to the LHSHL had him visit quite a few organizations, “I started with the Junior Bulls in Brandon before playing with the Scorpions. The travel team I’ve been with most recently is the Crunch, and of course I play for Mitchell.”
Although the LHSHL is different than previous leagues he has played in, Fliss enjoys what Mitchell has been like through one season checked off, “The locker room is good, we have good chemistry, and I am truly blessed that my coach gives me a lot of playing time to show what I can do and provide me the opportunity to get better. I have goals. I want to improve my skills and aim for a spot on the EDP Roster and I want to make sure I do this while maintaining solid grades. I aspire to play hockey in college, but I also want to study engineering so hopefully I’ll be prepared for both.”
One of the easiest ways to get to know a hockey player is to ask them about their superstitions or why they wear the number they do. Fliss is no exception, “When I was younger, I played on a team with Marty St. Louis’ kid. I wanted to wear number 26 but obviously that didn’t work out too well so I started wearing number 62 and it’s stuck since then.”
To finish, Fliss wanted to share a message with his team and the rest of the league, “I am thankful for my coach giving me ice time, and my teammates for taking me in and teaching me to be a better hockey player.” It’ll be exciting to follow him on his journey through high school and this league and I can’t wait to see what legacy he leaves.
