Regina Pats’ Sam Steel has ‘never felt better’ after an injury-riddled season: Making The Jump

Sam Steel’s past season did not play out as he hoped after becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. For the first time in his young hockey career, he was forced to miss a chunk of action because of significant injuries.

“I went through a tough wrist injury and a back injury,” says Steel, who scored seven goals and 23 points in 14 games with the Alberta Midget league's Sherwood Park Kings last season. “I never suffered injuries like that before, so it was new to me. I thought I handled it pretty well, though. The day after I was injured (wrist), I started the recovery process and couldn’t wait to get back out there.”

Fortunately for Steel and the Pats, the 5-foot-11, 172-pound centre was able to fully recover.

“The recovery process went well and now I have never felt better,” says Steel. “I’m really looking forward to the season and am confident those injuries are behind me.”

Despite the setbacks, Steel will be expected to make a notable impact in the Pats’ lineup straight out of the gate as a rookie. The Queen City Kids will lean on him to help fill the expected void left by 20-year-old Washington Capitals prospect Chandler Stephenson, who will likely make the jump to the pros.

“Right now I’m just focused on making the team and going from there,” says Steel, who scored 52 goals and 104 points in 31 games with the Sherwood Park Flyers bantams in 2012-13. “But I do feel like I’m ready for the challenge. I played five games with them last year, so I got to know the speed and everything in the league."

The long-term expectations on Steel are ultimately for him to develop into a top-notch first-line sniper. The Sherwood Park, Alta., native will fortunately get to see firsthand what it takes to be a major junior star as he’ll have Calgary Flames first-rounder Morgan Klimchuk by his side this upcoming season.

“It’s great to have a guy like him on the team to look up to and have someone like him to show me the ropes,” Steel says of Klimchuk. “He’s a very talented player and it will be great to play with him.”

One thing is certain, Steel will be expected to play his heart out every night under old-school coach John Paddock. The 16-year-old says he has had “tougher coaches” in the past, but time will tell how they stack up against Paddock.

“I've had a few tougher coaches before, but I don’t know how they will compare to him,” he says. “I actually haven’t met him yet, though. So that’s something I’m looking forward to doing and I’m looking forward to learning from him. He’s a smart coach with a lot of NHL experience.”

1. In 2011, the Pats practiced in your family's outdoor rink before their outdoor game with the Calgary Hitmen. What was it like to see them play in your backyard and did the possibility of one day playing for the Pats cross your mind?

“It was pretty cool when they came to our house for a practice. They contacted my dad and I thought it was cool to have them practice on our ice. I never really thought about the (bantam) draft then, but it was cool to get drafted by the team that practiced on our outdoor rink.”

2. Do you have a favourite NHL team?

“I’m an (Edmonton) Oilers fan just because I grew up right close to them.”

3. Do you have a favourite player in the NHL?

“I’m not sure if I have one favourite player, but I look up to (Pittsburgh Penguins star) Sidney Crosby, (Chicago Blackhawks winger) Patrick Kane and (Detroit Red Wings centre) Pavel Datsyuk. They are all very talented players and anything I can take from them will help my game.”

4. If you weren’t entrenched in hockey, what other sport would you pursue?

“I don’t really have a second sport, but I enjoy playing some other ones. I like golf, but I’m not the greatest at it. I also enjoy playing basketball, but again, it’s just a hobby.”

5. What’s your favourite movie or TV show?

“I like Breaking Bad because it was a great series. For a movie, I’d have to go with Shawshank Redemption; it’s a favourite of mine.”

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen