Sask. player drafted to WHL comes from long line of hockey talent

CTV Regina: Shaunavon producing top hockey players Watch: Shaunavon is known for top hockey talent, including Kalan Lind. Claire Hanna reports.

REGINA — When 15-year-old Kalan Lind was nervously watching the WHL Bantam Draft last Wednesday, hoping to hear his name called, he experienced some very normal emotions.

“My stomach was turning, I was getting butterflies,” said Lind from his home in Shaunavon. “Sitting on the couch watching the first few picks go by it’s like, oh, here we go.”

But while his nerves were normal, the situation in which he found himself, was very abnormal.

The forward’s entire family, including his two older sisters Taylor and Tenelle, and older brother Kole, were with him during the draft. It was the first time in 15 years the entire family has been together for an extended period of time. Taylor plays NCAA Division 1 hockey with St. Cloud, Tenelle plays USports hockey with Lethbridge, and Kole plays with the Vancouver Canucks farm team in Utica.

“Probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever been around in our family,” said Kole, who was drafted 33rd overall by the Canucks in 2017.

“You could see my parents start to tear up, everyone was so excited when I got that phone call,” said Kalan.

The family lives in Shaunavon, and Kalan grew up playing with his siblings on outdoor hockey rinks and in their basement. When Red Deer Rebels GM Brent Sutter called Lind to tell him they’d selected him sixth overall, he was on cloud nine.

“It just felt like a dream to me, ever since I was young I wanted to follow my brothers footsteps and play in the WHL,” he said.

Kalan was drafted 81 spots higher than his brother Kole, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 Bantam Draft by the Kelowna Rockets. The oldest Lind sibling was the Kelowna Rockets’ leading scorer in his final two seasons, but thinks his younger brother could do further.

“Kalan’s miles better than I was at that age, he’s got the skill level that I had probably when I was playing Midget AAA at least, he’s an unbelievable player,” said Kole, now 21 years old.

Kalan is the first southwestern Saskatchewan player to be drafted in the first round since Craig Cuthbert in 2003. But it’s the Lind family, led by parents Ashley and Marcia, that have cultivated the mindset of excellence in the household.

“They do set goals regularly in our house, every 6 months, before season after season, we review them,” said the mother of four.

“He’s learned through all of us just little pieces like hard work and finishing the job before you start a new one,” said Taylor, who woke Kalan up on his draft day.

Kalan has a house full of role models, but his parents think the biggest learning lesson he’s received from his siblings is to learn from their mistakes.

“My rookie year in the ‘dub (WHL), I struggled at times. You just gotta stick with it and be confident in your abilities,” advised Kole.

In his final season playing Bantam with the Swift Current AA Broncos, Lind collected an outstanding 120 points in just 27 games. Moving up to Midget AAA, and eventually the WHL, might seem like a jump, but his brother and sisters have been preparing him for this moment.

“Being the youngest and getting picked on, he’s got to be that much better,” laughed Tenelle.

Lind was one of seven players from Saskatchewan chosen in the WHL’s first round of the Bantam Draft.