‘It means a lot’: Bridgeman enjoying opportunity with hometown Pats

Kolten Bridgeman was once playing Timbits hockey during the intermission of Regina Pats’ games.

Now he’s getting a chance to play for his hometown WHL club.

“I remember my dad videotaping (me playing Timbits) with his old recorder and I remember scoring a goal with the spotlight on me and all my family was there. We put it onto the TV when we got home to watch it. It was pretty cool to have it in this rink,” the 17-year-old defenceman said.

“It would be a dream come true for kids playing Timbits out here, so I am so lucky and fortunate to be able to have this opportunity and I am so grateful for it.

“It means a lot. I’ve said it a lot before, but watching all the Pats players growing up, they’ve become my role models and it’s really inspiring that they were here and now I’m here. It’s very cool.”

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Bridgeman was signed by the Pats in September of 2022 but only cracked the roster this season as a defenceman. He has appeared in 31 games for the Pats this season, recording a goal and four assists.

“It’s going good,” he said. “I think I have a great opportunity here in my hometown. I think I have earned the trust of my coaches within the games and I think this season is going pretty good.

“We’re not in the right spot in the standings – we’re not where we want to be — but we’re going to keep battling and hopefully work ourselves into a playoff spot.”

It hasn’t been an easy journey to the WHL for Bridgeman.

He went undrafted during the year he was eligible for the WHL bantam draft after playing with the U15 AA Regina Aces.

“We were in the midst of COVID … I was playing AA and I knew I wasn’t going to go in the earlier rounds,” he said. “I was watching in the later rounds and I didn’t get picked, but ending up here is a dream come true and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

After moving into U18, he didn’t make the Regina Pat Canadians, instead playing with the AA Regina Vics.

“I think a lot of my buddies (made the Pat C’s) that same year. I wasn’t at the start one of the top APs (affiliated players) either to get called up, so I knew I had to work harder, especially not getting drafted in the Dub,” Bridgeman said.

“Twenty-two teams passed on me for 12 rounds so I wasn’t where I needed to be. I thought to myself that I needed to work harder that season and just do the best I could.”

But he had to thank a former Pat, Dale Derkatch, for helping him stay on his path. Bridgeman has played hockey with two of Derkatch’s sons and went to the same school as them.

“He’s always been around and a great role model and mentor for me. He has been great to have someone to talk to who has experienced it and been through all the things I have been through. It has been great,” Bridgeman said. “He has kind of prepared me for this and what it’s going to be like and I give a lot to him.”

After one season with the Vics, where Bridgeman got called up for six games with the Pat C’s, he spent the 2022-23 season playing 37 games on the AAA team.

That would eventually lead to a call from the Pats.

“I thought it was a scam and I didn’t even answer it. It was an unreal feeling for my hometown team to call me and to even play in the WHL is a dream come true,” Bridgeman said.

He even netted his first WHL goal in a game against the Saskatoon Blades on Jan. 14.

“I was up in the play (and) it doesn’t happen very much, so it was good,” Bridgeman said. “It was good to get that one off my back. I was getting bugged by a couple of the guys so it was good to get that one too.”

The Pats (18-26-4-2) find themselves in 10th place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference but Bridgeman and the other players feel they can make a push for the playoffs.

“I feel like it is a good developmental year for us but I don’t think we are counting ourselves short. We’re not out of playoffs yet, we’re going to push for a playoff spot and we’re not just going to pack it in,” Bridgeman said.