The Selkirk Steelers announced that 20-year-old Jacob Ziegler has been named captain for the 2024-25 season.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to not only wear the ‘C’, but to also wear the Steelers jersey”, Ziegler said. “I was super pumped when I chatted with (Head Coach Hudson Friesen) about being the leader heading into this year.”
Remembering back to when Ziegler was acquired by the Steelers in 2022-23, he says it felt right almost immediately. “The guys in the room and Hudson made the transition very easy for me. The older guys, the vets, they were a huge help for me. I’m a guy who wears my heart on my sleeve and they kind of knew that and they made it easy for me to find my groove.”
After putting up 9 points in 33 games in Selkirk in his first year with the club, production rose dramatically for Ziegler who notched 32 points in 57 games as a 19-year-old. He says it was a mix of comfort and work put in over the summer. “It’s for sure a bit of both. Getting more comfortable with guys and their tendencies plus the summer training, working on things always trying to improve. Once I knew the guys I was playing with and we got to work together, it really made things easy.”
It was an up-and-down year for the Steelers, something the new captain believes will help a young group going forward. “Obviously, it was a bittersweet ending falling just short at the end. It’s about finding the even keel, keeping a level head. Not getting too high or too low, using the experience from last year to teach the young guys not to ride the emotions, just stay in the moment and focus on what needs to get done.”
Ziegler has no intention of having a repeat of falling short, he wants more especially given his circumstance. “I’m a 20-year-old, it’s my last year in the league, obviously nothing short of the playoffs, let alone a championship is what we’re aiming for here. With the guys coming back plus the new guys coming in, I believe we know what we must do. There’s a level of expectation and using that ending from last year, the heartbreak at the end of the year, we’re going to use that to push right from the start.”
Selkirk may be young but there’s something about going into the ‘House of Steel’ that can cause issues for any visiting team. “We want to be a team that lets the other team know they’re in for a fight” Ziegler says with a laugh. “Our barn, their barn, it doesn’t matter. We’re not a team that will fade, we’re going to keep coming at you, that’s the kind of team we are.”
Being a captain for his final year of junior means a lot to the kid from Saskatchewan, especially given who will be fellow leaders around him in Selkirk. “It really helps with the group of guys we have coming back but it’s not all on them, it can be young guys who step up, too. It doesn’t matter if you’re a vet or a rookie, you can be a leader. It takes everyone to make a team.”
It’s not just on the ice that Ziegler wants to leave a positive impression, it’s away from the rink as a group and in the community. “You look at every successful team, it all comes from being a tight-knit group. Being in the community is huge. Interacting with fans, letting them know the teams is here for them like they are for us. There’s a rich hockey history here in Selkirk and we want to honor that while adding to it. There’s nothing like having the kids reach their hands out for a fist bump. Those connections go both ways, and we really appreciate it.”
After being told he would be wearing the big letter, Ziegler knew exactly who he wanted to tell first. “We’ve got a family group chat, and I put it in there right away. It was great to get a bunch of messages back saying congratulations but also reminding me the hard work starts now. I’m ready for the season to get started and get out on the ice with my teammates.”
The Selkirk Steelers open the regular season against the Winnipeg Blues on September 20th.
