MRU Cougars defenceman Clay Hanus has a nose for the net

The Mount Royal Cougars men’s hockey team is off to a great start this season.

The Cougars are 15-5 to start the year, and they’re in first place in the western conference in the Canada West standings.

Defenceman Clay Hanus says it has all come together for his team.

“We’ve had a pretty good start to the year,” said the 23-year-old.

“We’ve played some pretty good opponents. We’ve played Calgary four times and beat them, which is big with the rivalry in the city. The team has really meshed together quite a bit, and yeah, it’s been a great start to the season.”

Leads league in scoring

Hanus has played a big role in the Cougars success this season, and he definitely has a nose for the net.

He leads the league in scoring with 11 goals and 20 assists through 20 games.

Not bad for a guy who plays defence.

Hanus says he wasn’t always a rearguard when he was growing up in Excelsior, Minn.

“Honestly, growing up, I started off as a forward,” he said.

“Once I got older, they needed another defenceman when I was 13 or 14. They just threw me back there and it was nice. I got to skate with the puck, and I had the puck a lot more and maybe I took some of the forward skills up with me.”

A lot of skills

Head coach Bert Gilling says Hanus has the ability to turn the game and is a must-watch when he’s out there.

“He’s so talented, and it’s a pleasure to watch him and coach him,” said Gilling.

“He’s just uber talented, like a modern-day defenceman, just in terms of skating ability and how he sees the game and his puck skills, and he’s got a wicked shot, too. We’re lucky to have him, and we’ll ride it as long as we can.”

‘Not just him’

Hanus played in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks and is in his third season with the Cougars.

He says he can’t take all the credit for how well things have gone for him this season.

“I trained really hard, just like I do any other summer,” he said.

“But we have a really good team. A lot of really good players around me, and it makes it easy and makes me better.”

Hanus and the Cougars will face Grant MacEwan University in a home-and-home series this weekend.