Wildcats veteran used to QMJHL trading period

By NEIL HODGE
Times & Transcript staff

Published 2007-01-02 | Page B1

Nathan Welton has moved into some select company.

The 20-year-old veteran is third in Moncton Wildcats career scoring for defencemen with 101 points in 135 games. He still has an opportunity to climb higher up the ladder with 29 contests remaining in his final season of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League eligibility.

The top two in Wildcats career scoring for defencemen are James Sanford (181 points in 231 games) and Alexandre Vigneault (123 points in 229 games). The points per game averages are 0.78 for Sanford, 0.53 for Vigneault and 0.74 for Welton.

``I didn't really know that (I was among the highest scoring defencemen in team history)," said Welton. ``That's pretty cool. It's nice to know that your name is being mentioned in that way."

Moncton, 26-14-0-1, is third in the Eastern Division and third overall in the league. It meets the Acadie-Bathurst Titan tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the K.C. Irving Regional Centre.

The Wildcats will return home to face the St. John's Fog Devils on Friday and the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Saturday in a pair of 7 p.m. starts at the Moncton Coliseum.

Moncton, in search of an offensive defenceman, acquired Welton from the Quebec Remparts in a trade midway through 2004-05. He admits that in the past he sometimes put too much pressure on himself to force the play and make things happen offensively.

Sometimes the result was high risk play that led to turnovers and scoring chances for the opposition. Wildcats head coach John Torchetti believes the fourth-year veteran deserves credit for settling down his game, playing a smarter style and becoming more accountable defensively.

``I tried to take on the role of an offensive defenceman when I came to Moncton and it was a little bit too much at the time," said Welton. ``I tried to do too much through good intentions, but it just wasn't happening.

``Torchetti has been on me since training camp just to keep it simple and really work on my defensive game. I think I really bought into what he was saying over the last month and a half to two months.

``I think if I focus on my defensive play, moving the puck and keeping it simple, it helps the guys around me play that much better and that improves my game. I'm going to keep trying to improve both ends of my game, offence and defence."

Welton is Moncton's second leading scorer and he's fifth best among defencemen in the league with 40 points, including 12 goals, in 41 games. Mathieu Carle of Acadie-Bathurst is the highest scoring blueliner in the league with 51 points.

Welton tied it in the final minute of the third period in the last game and Moncton went on to defeat Acadie-Bathurst 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday. He's 22nd in Wildcats career scoring.

Welton's minus nine rating is second worst on the Wildcats. His improved defensive play is illustrated by the fact he's plus one in the past 12 games since Nov. 26.

The native of Cole Harbour, N.S. is among the nine returnees from last season when Moncton captured the QMJHL championship and finished runnerup in the 2006 Memorial Cup. He's enjoying his veteran leadership role on a rebuilding Wildcats squad that's surpassing expectations this season.

``We have so many 17- and 18-year-olds," he said. ``It's been fun to see the young guys come in and do so well. Hopefully, the older guys like myself can show them a few things that they can take into the future so they can be good leaders themselves some day.

``You see guys with potential like (Alexi) Pianosi, (Randy) Cameron and (Marc-Andre) Labelle just to name a few. Give them a year or two, they're going to come into their own. We have young guys with great skills and they have the ability to be impact players in the league some day.

``If you look at the success we're having with all these 17- and 18-year-olds, over the next year or two I think this club is going to do excellent. The young guys are playing like veterans now. As older guys, we're just trying to help them along."

The QMJHL trade period concludes on Jan. 8. This is the fourth time that Welton has been through the mid-season period of wheeling and dealing so he's learned to cope with rumours and speculation.

``You hear rumours going around about your teammates and about yourself," said Welton. ``You just try to keep it in perspective. I love being in Moncton and I would love to finish my career here. I love my coaches and my teammates.

``You always hear stuff going around, but you can't really worry about it and pay too much attention. You can't let it affect your game. You've got to stay focused and keep working hard. We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

The Wildcats have won 10 of the past 14 games, their biggest slump of the season was one three-game losing streak and their .634 winning percentage is third best in the league. The players hope their success convinces management not to break up this team with trades.

``Definitely, we love this group of guys we have," said Welton. ``We know we've got a pretty good club and if we can keep all these guys here we're going to be able to compete. We're a family and if we stay together we're going to be happy."

Welton is hoping for a free agent tryout in the professional ranks next season.

``That's obviously been my dream to play pro," he said. ``If that doesn't work out for me, then definitely I'll go to university and play there. I haven't yet decided which school. I'm just waiting and checking out my options."