B.C. walk-on makes hockey Bears' defence

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In spite of not playing hockey last winter, Mac Cardinal showed up at the University of Alberta training camp and two weeks later found himself starting on the storied varsity blue line. Having made the team, Cardinal's goal now is to keep his grades up and to contribute to the rebuilding of a proud team, one that missed the playoffs last year for the first time in decades.

"When I first walked in here (to the Clare Drake Arena), it was overwhelming to see all the banners up and all the green and gold," Cardinal said. "This rink is full of tradition, and you really hear about the U of A hockey tradition here. Then, to make the team. . . "

Indeed, Cardinal, whose given names are Mutann Anthony, was not picked to make the squad, but doesn't consider that his making the club is a surprise.

"If I wasn't playing as well as I am then I'd be disappointed," he said. "I'm not the kind of player who stands out, I guess. In the level I came from, I never really shone, never actually stood out as much as other high-calibre players." But Cardinal's steady, solid play was enough to ensure him a place on the Golden Bears.

"He was a bit of a surprise," said Bears' rookie head coach Rob Daum. "We're rebuilding this year, and will have a young team, and Mac came to camp and played his way onto the club." And he did this after not playing competitive hockey at all in 1994-95.

"I took the season off because school has always come first for me." Cardinal said. "I needed to qualify for a program that you need very high marks to get into." The 20-year-old defenceman is in his first year at Alberta, and is taking rehabilitation medicine, emphasizing physical therapy.

"I chose Tier II (hockey) because school comes first, and major junior would've made getting good marks very difficult," he said. "I needed high 80s to get in, and in Tier II I had a better chance in both hockey and school." Cardinal worked hard over the summer to get back into shape to try out for Canada West university hockey. He officiated some games at home in Prince George in 1994-95, and worked at the Prince George Spruce Kings' hockey camp after the season.

"Mac Cardinal is a quality kid, a smart kid," said Len McNamara, general manager of the Spruce Kings, the most successful franchise in the history of the Rocky Mountain Junior "A" Hockey League. "He's got his head on straight, and he knows where he's going and what it will take to get there." Cardinal toiled for the Spruce Kings for two years between 1992 and 1994.

At 14 Cardinal, who was born in Vancouver but grew up in Chetwynd, B.C., before moving with his parents to Prince George, played with the Prince George Native midgets. The team finished third at the national championships in Saskatoon in 1990-91. He also played for Green Lake (Sask.) in Native tournament hockey for three years.

"I had a lot of fun at those tournaments," the 6 ft. 1 in., 189 lb. defenceman said. "Green lake is a really good tournament, and in Native hockey there's a lot of good friendship and the competition is maybe more enjoyable than at other competitions." Cardinal also won a national gold medal as a midget lacrosse player.

"I was always set on going to (the University of British Columbia), but the U of A really impressed me," Cardinal said. "After this program, my second choice was UBC forestry."

Which is now academic. Cardinal is focused on continuing to develop as a player, which he said he did under coach Jeff Rowland in Prince George.

"He's a really good technical coach, and over the two years, my skating really picked up and he showed me my position on the team as defence," Cardinal said. "I have to make use of my talent, and work hard. The tradition here really helps the younger guys like me want to work harder.

"I've made the team" he concluded, "but I still have to show that I can really contribute."