07-05-2025
Centennial Cup: Hometown hockey hero Zac Somers savours second chance
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Zac Somers has gone from Melfort Mustangs fan to a fan favourite.
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Somers grew up with the Mustangs, attending games religiously while idolizing and worshipping his favourite players like so young fans tend to do.
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The hometown product is now set to conclude his junior A hockey career at the 2025 Centennial Cup national championship tournament in Calgary as a hometown hero and one of the team's offensive leaders.
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What a journey it's been.
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A year ago, the Mustangs were playing in the 2024 Centennial Cup national championship final but Somers sat on the sidelines, unable to play after failing to get medical clearance following a concussion.
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'It was tough — probably one of the hardest points of my career — watching them go to war and not be able to be out there with them,' admits Somers, a 5-foot-11, 166-pound forward. 'But hoping to help them out this year.'
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Somers has more than helped so far. He led his team through the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs with eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 14 games.
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Melfort will open up this year's tournament Thursday in Calgary against the host Canucks.
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'Obviously, it's a great experience — it's going to be awesome,' said Somers. 'Especially (after) last year, (when) I was sidelined. I wasn't allowed to play. But being able to play for your hometown — a lot of guys don't get that opportunity — and be able to win two (SJHL) championships and be able to go to two nationals, it's unreal. It's something that's really special and something I'm really grateful for.'
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Somers was able to mount a comeback this season and led his team to a second-straight SJHL championship title with 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points in 34 games.
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'A little bit of a relief,' said Somers. 'It took it a little while, once I got back on the ice, to get back into it, but I stayed pretty healthy this year and I'm hoping for a pretty good run here.'
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He didn't even know if was going to be able to play until early September. Six weeks of rehabilitation followed before he returned to the ice.
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'It,' admitted Somers, 'was a long haul to get back.'
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Somers committed to the NCAA's University of Maine Black Bears two years ago but admits that some NCAA rule changes have somewhat clouded his hockey future.
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'I'm not too sure,' said Somers. It's kind of all up in the air with the new rules and stuff, so I'm not too sure at the moment. With all the major junior rules changing, we'll see what happens.'
