Bonnyville Minor Hockey hosted a U13 tournament this weekend, and instead of chasing scores or standings, I spent my time looking for the pulse of one team — Coach Dean Cardinal’s group and his leadership line.

A Straightforward Conversation with Coach Dean

Meeting Dean between games was refreshingly simple. No coach-speak. No overthinking. Just a guy who shows up for his kids and expects them to show up for themselves. He talked about effort, routine, and the long school week that landed on their legs before Game 1. It wasn’t dramatic — it was real.

What stood out to me was his focus on work ethic over results. It’s not about reinventing hockey at age 12; it’s about building habits that actually translate into better shifts, better days, and eventually, better players.

The Leadership Line: Three Different Lenses

Talking to the leadership line felt a bit like flipping through three perspectives of the same story.

One kid zeroed in on who works hardest.
Another talked about shots and skills.
And the third casually dropped “Cole Caufield” as their inspiration — which told me more about their mindset than any stat sheet could.

They’re 12. They’re figuring it out. And they’re already thinking about the game with intention, even if their answers come out scattered and unpolished. That’s the good stuff — the part that shows they’re absorbing their roles more than they realise.

A Tournament Without the Noise

The best thing about this weekend? Nobody was pretending it was anything more than it was. A home tournament. A chance to play. A chance to learn. No inflated expectations, no dramatic arcs — just kids putting in the reps and a coach who’s trying to set a tone they can grow into.

You could feel it in the room: this is a group that’s still shaping its identity, but they’re buying in. Not because someone told them to, but because they genuinely want to.

 

Why This Team Caught My Attention

There’s something compelling about a team in the middle of the work — not at the top, not at the bottom, but pushing through the phase where foundation matters more than flash.

That’s where Coach Dean’s group is right now.
Not chasing a storyline.
Not performing for the crowd.
Just building.

And sometimes, that’s the most interesting hockey to watch.