It was the fall of 1986, and Kevin Cheveldayoff represented much of what hockey fans in Brandon had to look forward to.
Although he played for one of the worst teams in major-junior hockey, the 16-year-old Wheat Kings defenceman from Blaine Lake, Sask., had promise and an unbridled enthusiasm for what he was doing.
He loved the rugged WHL, was fiercely protective of his teammates and fought often to protect them. He displayed a cheerfulness and willingness to talk with the media — becoming a go-to person for reporters during that lost season. He was thoughtful in ways you didn’t always expect from a hockey player.