Virden has become a special place for the Oil Capitals forward Jack Einarson.
The Gimili product is now in his fourth season with the Manitoba Junior Hockey League team. He co-captains the club with fellow veteran forward Brett Paddock. Einarson, who had 11 points with four goals in nine games before the COVID-19 pandemic caused the pause of the MJHL season, has created many memories with the Oil Caps that he will take with him.
“I’ll remember many things, the main ones would be all the things my billets and I have done, bus rides with the guys, and the big stage games like the finals in my first year,” said the 20-year-old, who billets with Doug and Kathi Gatey. He also said, “I have been with the Gateys my entire junior career. I only have good things to say about them. They took me in when I was young and truly made it a second home for me.”
Einarson, who plans to study kinesiology and education after his junior career is over, hopes the 2020-2021 campaign will provide him with more great memories. Virden had a league-best record of 8-0-1-0 when the season was paused. When asked what he is most excited about this year’s team, Einarson said:
“For me, it’s the possibilities. I think this team can do whatever we set our minds on. With the depth, leadership and the drive to win. We are going to do some special things when we get back.”
Einarson played a major role in the Oil Capitals’ early season success. In the team’s final contest before the pause, the 5-foot-11, 160-pounder lit the lamp twice and recorded four points in Virden’s 5-4 victory over Swan Valley. Through nine games, Einarson was second on the Oil Caps in points and goals.
“Jack does so many things well on and off the ice,” Oil Caps head coach Tyson Ramsey said. “He has really thrived and come into his own the last two years. He has tremendous puck protection skills and his intelligence allows him to see the ice and make plays that other guys don’t see.
He is our best faceoff guy and he has the ability to drive our team offensively.”
Einarson developed his game in the Interlake Lightning AAA system. As the former bench boss for the Brandon U18 AAA Wheat Kings, Ramsey coached against his current co-captain.
“I remember some of the same things you see now,” Ramsey said of coaching against Einarson. “He was a very intelligent player that could hurt you offensively if you gave him too much time and space.”
Einarson joined the Oil Caps in 2017 as a 17-year-old rookie. He recorded 14 points, with five goals, in 47 regular season games on a team that made it all of the way to the MJHL finals. The next season, with a bigger role, Einarson exploded for 41 points, including 18 goals, in 60 games. Last season he posted 52 points in 60 contests.
As for Einarson’s leadership, Ramsey said that he leads by example.
“He lets his play do his talking and the fact that he goes up against the opposition’s best every night and succeeds is a really good example for our younger guys.”
Next season the Virden squad will miss Einarson’s skills on the ice as well as his personality off it.
“Jack is also one of the most respectful people you will meet,” Ramsey said. “Very polite and humble and comes from a very good family.
“The Oil Caps are very fortunate to have had Jack in our program for so long and he will be missed when he moves on next year.”
