Sports stats

WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Fresh off Ball Hockey World Championships, Pasternak Eager to Rejoin Wheat Kings

August 23, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


There may be some relaxation in the offseason for the average junior hockey player, but most of them spend a lot of the summer training, skating, and preparing for another campaign. Others, meanwhile, spend their summer scoring goals and winning championships.

That's exactly what Dawson Pasternak did this summer, but he did so in a unique setting. Pasternak won a world championship in ball hockey with Team Canada's U20 squad in Liberec, Czechia. They defeated Slovakia 10-3 in the gold medal game.

"It's an awesome feeling," Pasternak said. "It's an accomplishment that growing up I never would've thought I'd have, whether in ball hockey or ice hockey, whatever the case may be. But I've won a couple now and it's awesome."

The selection process for this team looks different than for most Hockey Canada events, as they recruit players based on their performance in national level tournaments. From those events, Pasternak and six other Manitobans earned their spot on the national squad.

"You go through lots of Zoom calls and team meetings for strategy, the same things you would for hockey," Pasternak said, "but you have no chance to see everybody in person. Everyone is throughout Canada and we don't have time to all meet up somewhere."

Upon arriving in Czechia, Pasternak and his teammates had one week to get to know each other and gel as a team. It helped that he knew the other Manitobans, particularly fellow WHLer Conner Roulette, whom he played with for years growing up.

"Probably since we were eight years old we've known each other," said Pasternak. "We played with each other until we went our separate ways when were 14 or 15 years old there. It's always fun to play with him again, even playing against him is a treat too."

Pasternak finished with ten points in six games en route to the gold medal, and it shouldn't surprise Wheat Kings fans that he meshed quickly with a new team. After all, he'd done the same thing when he was traded to Brandon on January 10 of 2023 from the Portland Winterhawks.

"I had a feeling I was going to be on the trade block, and I was hoping if I could go anywhere I'd want to go somewhere closer to home," Pasternak said. "I hadn't lived anywhere near home in lots of years, so when I found out I was traded and it was to Brandon, it was a great feeling."

Upon his arrival in Brandon, Pasternak found another gear offensively, posting 22 points in just 27 games. He credits his coaches and teammates with making it an easy transition for him, and he knows he'll be relied upon for more offense when the new season begins.

"I have one more year in this league, junior hockey has flown by," said Pasternak. "I'm really excited to get back, hang out with the guys, and get to work and hopefully have a really, really good last season with the team."

Check out the Brandon Wheat Kings Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from August 23, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Brandon Wheat Kings Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central