After five years at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Manor native Kruise Reddick is leaving the university with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Leisure, as well as a successful tenure as captain of the school's hockey team, the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Reddick has signed an eight-month contract with HC (Hockey Club) Vista Hasten in Norrkoping, Sweden. The team is part of the all-Swedish league, Allsvenskan, which is the second-highest hockey division in the country. “It's great hockey,” says Reddick. “And I'm really looking forward to playing there. They're even giving me my jersey number- #11.”
“Vita Hasten means 'White Horse,'” says Reddick. “The team is based in the city of Norrkoping, which is about two hours from Stockholm. It's on the eastern side of the country, near the water. I don't know if it's sunk in yet, but I'm looking forward to throwing myself into the culture there and experiencing something new.”
Reddick's resume is filled with university, junior, and pro hockey experience and accolades. “When I was 18, I attended a Chicago Black Hawks-Tampa Bay Lightning camp,” he says. “When I was 16, I started playing for the WHL's Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Washington for five years. I wanted to get an education and further my hockey career, so I enrolled at the U of A and began my career with their team, the Golden Bears.”
Reddick captained the Tri-City team and the Golden Bears during those 10 years-leading both teams to numerous victories and garnering praise for both his personal and professional leadership. He was also named Team Canada's captain at the 2015 Winter Universiade in Spain, where he led the Canadian squad to a bronze medal.
After graduating this spring and after leading the Golden Bears to their final national championship in Halifax, Reddick played professionally with the Eastern Hockey League's Idaho Steelheads, based in Boise, before returning to Saskatchewan to see friends and family prior to his departure for Sweden.
The 26-year-old forward says the road to playing as a pro in Sweden began with the Golden Bears.
“Our (general manager) at the U of A had a connection through a friend of his with Vita Hasten,” he says. “Last winter, myself and one of our defencemen-a friend of mine named Jordan Rowley, who's also going to be playing for Vita Hasten-were flown over there and it just snowballed from there.”
The Swedes not only looked at Reddick's considerable talent on the ice-they were also impressed by his leadership skills.
“The GM told me Sweden expects big things from me,” says Reddick. “They're looking to me to be kind of a leader. I don't speak any Swedish-yet,” he smiles. “So that part of it's kind of intimidating, but it's all part of the experience.”
“Of course, I plan to learn some Swedish and I've already researched the hockey part of it. The Europeans play on Olympic-size ice, so that's noticeably different. I've played on that size of ice surface before, and it can only benefit my game.”
Another aspect of Reddick's skill set that appealed to the Swedes was the fact that he has played both junior and college hockey in North America.
“The European teams generally play with more finesse,” he says. “They don't play as physical a game as North American teams do. I can play a physical game, so I bring that too. But I'm also a smaller guy, so I work on my speed and skills.”
“I'm a forward, but I'll play wherever the coach needs me.”
Reddick says that he and his friend and fellow Golden Bear, Rowley will share an apartment in Sweden. “We've seen some pictures of it and we're great friends, so it's a good situation for both us as newcomers to the team and to the country.”
“The team has already bought me skates and they look after all of our equipment,” he adds. “For example, I'm taking my own shinpads and I might wear their brand, but as a hockey player, I'm a creature of habit, so I'll be taking some of my own equipment.”
Reddick says the prospect of playing professionally in Sweden is exciting rather than overwhelming.
“It's not overwhelming because I've been preparing for it for so long. I knew I was going to play professionally.”
“My path as a player started in Manor, where I learned to skate. I played in Carlyle and then Yorkton. When I got a little bigger, I played for Tri-City and I learned how to be a pro there. That led me to the U of A and that turned me into the player I am today.”
“That, and my family,” he adds. “Without them, I wouldn't have done any of this. They're really my number one.”
“I've learned something from every team I've played on. And I'm looking forward to playing in Sweden.”
Follow Kruise Reddick on Twitter @KReddick11
