In his first year, he was part of an MJHL Championship team. In his second, he picked up an NCAA-Division 1 commitment, was named the MJHL’s Top Defenceman, nominated for the CJHL’s Top Defenceman, and returned to the MJHL finals.
Noah Szabo has done a lot, but he’s far from satisfied and he believes the best is yet to come.
Heading into his third MJHL season with the Steinbach Pistons, Szabo says this year feels different. “It’s a big difference, every year you come back, you’re older, you gain a different role”, he explains. “When I was 18, we had guys like Dawson Milliken and Landon Roberts, where you’re looking up at them going ‘holy cow, they’re huge’. I’m looking up to them, trying to emulate the way they play and their work ethic. Now, the roles kind of reversed, I’m one of the guys setting an example both on and off the ice for the younger guys.”
When it comes to his development, Szabo says he owes a lot to his coach. “A lot of credit goes to Paul (Dyck). I was in and out of the lineup my first year. It was a new spot for me, I had never been in that situation before. He sat down with me, talked with me and we went through steps of a plan. Basically, it was a three-year plan and just trying to help me see the big picture. At the time it was hard to see but now, I’m very glad I went with it.”
Winning the MJHL Championship as a rookie, Szabo’s biggest take away was doing it with that group. “A thing that sticks with me now is just how close that group was”, he says with a smile. “We were such a tight group. Every regular season game, every playoff game…it was special, It’s hard to put it in a different way. It’s something I’ll remember the rest of my life and I’m looking to do that again with this group.”
The veteran of close to 100 MJHL regular season games says despite all that’s happened in the last two years, there’s still a chip on the shoulder of many wearing blue and white.
“We still haven’t finished the whole thing yet”, Szabo says with a serious look. “I’m still very salty about the first year and last year. That first year, going and not winning Nationals and then last year losing in the finals. I still think we have a lot of work to do, and I definitely want to go back to Nationals this year.”
During the year, Szabo, like many MJHL’ers was focused on the season while also balancing talking with NCAA schools. “It was an amazing but nerve-racking experience”, Szabo says about his eventual commitment to Alaska-Fairbanks. “It was a lot of conversation with my family and my coaches. I’m super happy about it. The process of it all was kind of on-edge but once I finally decided, it was a great feeling. Once it was done, you kind of feel different, you practice different, you feel like there’s even more purpose after, you want to keep pushing and keep getting better and better.”
As teammates and others embark on a similar journey committing to the next level of their hockey careers, Szabo is quick to share his advice. “Live in the moment. It’s an extremely special thing that’s going to happen, it’s once in a lifetime and not a lot of people get to do it. You’re going to remember it forever, so cherish it. Once you go through with it, make sure to enjoy it because you’ve earned it.”
Getting opportunities thanks to the MJHL is something the Ontario product also is quick to point out as a big reason he was able to commit to where he did. “What the league does for us is huge. I remember being a rookie and getting to be at an event, seeing a scout and I’d just be so excited, so excited even thinking about it. It’s awesome, it’s a lot of exposure and us players are grateful to the MJHL for putting us in a spot to be successful beyond the MJ.”
For Szabo, there’s no plan to look back, just forward knowing what it takes to get to the top of the mountain. “There’s a hunger, a chip on our shoulders. I think being in that first year, it’s a learning curve for everyone, it’s not like minor hockey when you’re with the same guys year after year. Eventually, you start to realize that you will never play with that exact team ever again. It’s sad but it’s also eye-opening. I think a lot of our returning guys got that and are bringing it into this year. You can tell in camp right now, it’s a different level. There’s some hatred going around in a good way.”
A talented hockey player to be sure, but Szabo has been known to tear up the golf course and if there was a longest drive contest in the MJHL, Szabo would be right near the top. “If I don’t duff it or duck hook it, ballpark, around 330 (yards).”
Steinbach opens the regular season on the road in an MJHL Finals rematch against the Winkler Flyers on Friday, September 20th. The home opener in La Broquerie is set for the following night.
