Ste Anne’s Lansard hopes season will end with NHL selection

There’s no doubt the first year a player is eligible to be drafted to the NHL comes with added motivation and pressure.

Ste Anne’s Zach Lansard is one of many hoping his name is one of 224 called at the 2026 draft, and he’s gotten off to a strong start. The 2008-born forward was recently named to NHL Central Scouting’s initial player’s to watch list, and continues to rack up points with the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League.

“It’s a dream come true for every kid (to be drafted to the NHL), but I try not to pay too much attention to it,” Lansard said with a chuckle when asked how aware he is of accolades like the players to watch list.

He was named Regina’s rookie of the year last season.

Included in Lansard’s 11 points across 15 games to start the season was a strong offensive performance in Brandon Nov. 1. Lansard picked up two goals in front of friends and family who made the trip out from Ste Anne and was named the second star of the game.

“I’m trying to take it day by day, slowly get better, stay consistent throughout the year,” Lansand said.

“Myself and as a team, I think our start has been pretty solid, but there’s always room for improvement.”

Lansard emphasized he’ll need to stick to a strong routine to continue on the right path, and that routine starts as soon as he wakes up every day.

“A good breakfast is very important, I feel like a lot of people skip that,” he said.

“Good breakfast, make my bed, make sure my phone’s charged, all that good stuff. So when morning comes, I’m ready to start the day.”

Fans who made the trip out to Brandon were treated to a crazy game, as the Pats took a 3-0 first period lead, chasing Wheat Kings starter Filip Ruzicka. Brandon rallied to cut into the lead, but eventually fell behind 5-3, before coming all the way back to win 8-5.

The Wheat Kings also beat Regina in the Saskatchewan capital Oct. 29 3-2 in a shootout.

“This team could be so good, we’re getting so many chances,” Lansard said.

“Personally I feel like we’re better than Brandon, we should have beaten them the past few games but the bounces just didn’t go our way tonight. I’m really excited moving forward, we’re going to be a real solid group.”

Lansard is one of many players from the region who played much of his younger years at Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg before joining the WHL ranks.

“They’ve helped me improve a lot, from growing, to gaining weight, to getting stronger, skill on the ice, maturity off the ice,” Lansard said.

“It’s improved my life around me as a whole. That was probably one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made.”

The Pats are back in Brandon for a game Jan. 10.

Steinbach’s Luke Mistelbacher, who was moved to Brandon from Swift Current in a high-profile off-season trade as an overage player, is filling the net for the Wheat Kings. He has nine goals in 14 games to start the season and is once again on pace to average over a point-per-game. That includes three assists against Regina, as the Eastman products combined for five points on the night.

After a slow start to the season, a Brandon team with expectations to compete has battled back in the standings. Coaches were delighted to see Joby Baumuller give up a sure empty net goal to Jordan Gavin for a hat trick to cap off their victory over Regina.

“They’re all great kids, and that was pretty selfless what Joby did there to let Gavin get the hat trick,” Wheat Kings head coach and general manager Marty Murray told the Brandon Sun after the game.

“Those things bring teams closer together … To see plays like that, a lot of people won’t leave the rink remembering it, but we do. It’s just a good sign that Joby is one of the guys on the team looking out for his teammates.”

Brandon’s winning streak came to an end Nov. 2 when they lost to Calgary 3-1.

Mistelbacher committed to the University of Maine this offseason and attended the Minnesota Wild’s rookie camp this year.

With files from Perry Bergson