By Greg Harder via Regina Leader-Post

REGINA, Sask. — Jared Legien is trying to approach the Sask First bantam hockey championship like it’s just another tournament, but he knows it’s not.

Sask First represents the last chance for the top players in the province to make a lasting impression on WHL teams prior to the 2013 bantam draft, slated for May 2 in Calgary.

Although it’s considered a down year for Saskatchewan’s bantam crop – with no players projected to go early in the first round – there’s still plenty of prospective WHL talent that will ultimately be scattered throughout the draft.

The best of the bunch might be Legien, a big and talented goal-scoring forward who already possesses a procalibre shot. The Regina product will be heavily scrutinized by scouts from each of the WHL’s 22 teams this weekend, but he views the pressure as more of a blessing than a burden.

“It’s exciting,” Legien said before the tournament opened on Friday afternoon at the Co-operators Centre. “(The scouts) are always watching you either way and it’s a good thing.

“(Sask First) is an opportunity to keep moving up, playing a higher level of hockey. You can gauge yourself against everybody else and see what you have to do to become better.”

In addition to the on-ice competition, Sask First also has an education component. With increased competition between the WHL, NCAA and junior A leagues, players can be torn on which path to take.

“You get information about scholarships (to decide) if the WHL is your route, or the college way,” said Legien, 14, who grew up in Regina but moved two years ago to Pilot Butte, where he plays for the Prairie Storm. “It’s just (a matter of deciding) the way you would like to go and which would help you become better.

“Right now I think the WHL would make me better,” added the 6-foot-0, 175-pounder. “I’m a big guy. I think I would be able to fit in well in the league.”

WHL scouts would seem to agree. Arguably the top talent available in the province, Legien is projected as a strong candidate – although not a shoo-in – to land in the latter stages of the first round.

“He could be as skilled as anybody in the draft,” offered one WHL head scout. “He has probably the quickest release in the draft. It’s just that his compete level needs to be higher to become a high-end guy.”

Legien said it’s his goal to be selected in the first round. However, he’s not taking anything for granted, nor is he concerned with playing favourites as far as which team selects him.

“It doesn’t really matter, they’re all great programs,” he said. “I just play my game and the cards will fall where they fall and things will work out. It’s always the goal to come out of the first round but being picked is just very exciting.”

Legien’s ticket to the WHL is his offensive skill set. He led the Saskatchewan bantam AA league in scoring this season with 40 goals and 66 points in 26 games, then added 10 goals and 18 points in 10 playoff games.

After leading the Prairie Storm to a provincial title, Legien added four goals and a helper in five games last weekend at the Western Canadian bantam championship in Kindersley.

“I have a knack for scoring goals and in the offensive zone I can find my teammates well,” said Legien, adding that there are also areas of his game that he wants to improve. “It’s important (to get better). My skating is average. I’m doing some power skating this year. I want to improve. You can never be fast enough and quick enough.”