The leap from the Western Hockey League to the pros is never an easy one, but some players make it look easier than others. Former Brandon Wheat Kings’ goaltender Carson Bjarnason has been among those who’ve had a smoother transition.
The 2005-born goaltender, a second-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, has started his pro career with their American Hockey League affiliate in Lehigh Valley. As he adjusts to faster shooters, bigger bodies in front of him, and a different off-ice lifestyle, the longtime Wheat King is quick to credit his former junior team for his early pro success.
“I think I took a good route to get there and got the proper training in Brandon to get me ready for my first pro season,” Bjarnason said. “It’s been nice. We have a great group of guys up there that have shown me the ropes. It’s been fun.”
In his first pro season, Bjarnason has an 11-6-5 record for a Phantoms team that sits right smack in the middle of the AHL’s Atlantic Division. He’s posted a 3.03 goals against average and .891 save percentage, but says the biggest differences have actually come off the ice.
“The lifestyle of it, being on your own, being an adult and paying all your bills,” said Bjarnason with a good-natured grin that’s never far from his face. “It’s been nice though, I enjoy it. I like having my own space and it’s been a nice refresher. And if I ever have questions, there are lots of guys I can ask.”
One of the biggest changes off the ice for a lifelong prairie boy has been living outside Manitoba. The Carberry native said he found a place close to hiking and biking trails, and has been being able to use them even in a very different sort of winter from the one he’s used to.
“It’s a lot better than the one (winter) out here,” Bjarnason said. “It was zero out there while it was -40 over here. But I think they’re having the coldest winter they’ve had in five or ten years, we’ve got a good bit of snow so it reminds me a bit of home. If it gets a little colder, I’ll be ready for it.”
With the AHL in all-star break mode, Bjarnason took some time to come back to ACU Place and meet up with some old friends and see some familiar faces. After four seasons as a Wheat King, he’s got a bevy of memories that come back as he steps back into the arena where his journey to the pros really began.
“It’s great to be back and catch up with all the old guys and even the new guys, it’s nice to see some new faces or guys I played against in camp when I was an older guy and they were just coming in,” Bjarnason said. “It’s nice to be back and see the city again, to be back in the rink, and just to remember all the fun times I had with the guys and the staff.”
Bjarnason played over 150 games as a Wheat King over those four seasons and represented Canada at the World Under-18s, Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, and World Juniors while a member of the Black and Gold.
