The list of Estevan Bears who will be taking their talents to the next level grew by one yesterday as the MJHL's team in Neepawa announced defenseman Cade Bendtsen had signed a letter of intent to play with them. The 2003-born defenseman from Carlyle is an assistant captain with the Bears this year. 

"I was really happy for him," said Bears head coach and GM Jeff Smith. "He's the type of player that will fit right in in the MJ. He's big, he moves well, he's really physical. That's more his style of play, which I think really suits him and he'll do really well out there."

Bendtsen had scored his first AAA goal early in the shortened season for the Bears, but in Smith's mind, Bendtsen's biggest contribution at the next level won't come offensively as he'll be a steady defender. He didn't rule out Bendtsen being able to put some points on the board, however. 

"He's going to be a puck-moving d-man," Smith said. "He's going to make that first pass well and play physical in front of the net. He'll chip in offensively here and there as he does skate pretty well for a big, lanky d-man. But he'll mostly play mean and nasty." 

Size is among Bendtsen's attributes, as the former Estevan AA Bruins stands six-foot-three. He's also gotten a brief taste of junior hockey already as he got into a pair of exhibition games with the Estevan Bruins and acquitted himself well. In fact, Smith was his coach in those games as well. 

"He was young and still kind of rough around the edges and he did well then," said Smith. "He's matured and he's grown into the player he is. He's really going to succeed I believe in junior hockey."

Bendtsen is a southeast born player using the Bears as a stepping stone to the next level, so in that way, he personifies exactly what the Bears were supposed to be when they came here: a chance for players in the area to play AAA hockey close to home and make the jump to junior. 

"The whole southeast area of players is kind of where we're drawing from," said Smith, "and Bendtsen definitely falls in there as he was playing his minor hockey in Estevan for a few years now. It's good to push the local kids up and on so it's good to see."

Smith added there were other southeast players on the roster who they were looking to propel to the next level.