Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics
The measuring stick for individual success isn't nearly as palpable for a defensive defenceman as it is for a forward who goes out and scores the winning goal.
But the importance of Taylor Bilyk to the MacEwan Griffins men's hockey team's fortunes can't be understated.
Almost never noticed on the scoresheet – (he had a goal and four points in 26 games last season) – Bilyk's almost always noticed for the right reasons by the coaching staff and those who watch the finer details of a hockey game.
"He's just one of these guys where the more you watch him play, the more you appreciate what he brings to the game," said Griffins interim head coach Michael Ringrose. "He's willing to be first to every puck, puts the team first in every situation and just consistently does things right. That makes him very valuable."
Bilyk, who grew up in the Edmonton minor hockey system before playing three seasons for the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, prides himself on taking care of business in his own zone.
"Being a defensive defenceman, when you get scored on, that's one thing you really don't like," he said. "Everyone loves to score goals, but … you take a lot of pride in having a game where you don't have any goals scored on you."
The fourth-year Science major will lead the Griffins (2-2-0) into a weekend home-and-home series against cross-town rival NAIT (4-0-0), the very squad they defeated in the 2016-17 championship final for their first ACAC banner since 2004.
Adding to the history between the two teams, who will meet Friday (7 p.m., NAIT Arena) and Saturday (6 p.m., Downtown Community Arena), is the fact they were briefly teammates last month on a combined all-star team that faced the Edmonton Oilers rookies, beating them 2-0.
"We said when we went into that game that we'd put the rivalry aside for a couple of days and then after that game we could get back to having the rivalry we've had," said Bilyk, one of 10 Griffins players on that squad. "I don't think there's going to be any difference. Both teams are going to come and will want to win."
Beyond last year's history between the teams, in a fresh season the Ooks enter the weekend undefeated and on top of the ACAC.
"Obviously there's a history dating back to last year in the playoffs – a healthy animosity, I think," said Ringrose. "They've had a really good start to the year and we're coming off a really good weekend, so I'm looking forward to (the weekend). I think they're going to be really good games."
If the Griffins are to have success against NAIT – who have scored a league-leading 23 goals in just four games – Bilyk's play in his own zone, among others, will be crucial.
"He does a really good job in his own end," said Ringrose. "He's always in the right spot. He leans on guys when he needs to lean on guys.
"A lot of times the guys that do that really well just kind of fly under the radar. He certainly does that. He doesn't necessarily get the accolades that the other guys do who are putting up offensive numbers," he continued. "He kills every penalty for us, he's on the ice when we need to protect the lead and he's as valuable in that role as those offensive guys are in theirs. To me, he's an extremely important piece to the puzzle."
