The two Calvery brothers are battling in this year’s Western Hockey League Eastern Conference best-of-seven final series, which begins Friday night at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.
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Rowan Calvert would rather settle the score at the hockey rink than the golf course when it comes to big brother and role model Atley Calvert.
“The only time we’re really ever bickering at each other,” points out Rowan, “is either between (hockey) shifts or on the golf course.”
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The younger Calvert believes his Saskatoon Blades have the edge on the ice, but he admits his older brother, a Moose Jaw Warriors forward, has a definite advantage on the golf links.
“He’s actually a really good player,” acknowledges Rowan. “He got into it a little earlier than me. He’s way better than I am.”
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The two brothers are battling in this year’s Western Hockey League Eastern Conference best-of-seven final series, which begins Friday night at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.
The golf course can wait — at least for one of them — as the playoff series between Saskatchewan’s top major junior teams plays on.
One Calvert will get to advance to the WHL championship; the other will get an earlier tee time.
“I hope he gets a little more practice before I hit the course, for sure,” quipped Rowan.
When it comes to these two brothers, no one’s throwing golf clubs or hockey sticks at each other, or throwing too many verbal barbs, for that matter.
This is much more civilized.
“Not much (trash talk), honestly,” says Rowan. “We kind of have a pretty loose relationship. We keep it light. Not too much bickering, but I’m sure that will ramp up as the series goes on.”
Rowan continues to ramp up his play in his second full season with the Blades. He had 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 68 games during the regular season and two goals and an assist through nine playoff games.
Atley, who is wrapping up his final year of major junior, has put up impressive numbers in his overage year with 47 goals and 48 assists for 95 points in 68 games. He’s added three goals and six assists for nine points in nine playoff games heading into the Eastern final.
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Rowan said he thinks it’s “really cool” to be able to play in the WHL Eastern final against his brother and have a few more games against him. Atley is somebody he’s always looked up to while growing up and playing hockey.
“I always couldn’t help but compare myself to him,” Rowan said. “I mean, he was kind of like my role model growing up, and he still is. He kind of did everything before I did, right? … But it’s super cool to have him as a role model, someone to lean on, whether that was my first year of bantam when we started hitting, or my first year here in the Western league. It was just really cool to have someone who did it really recently and to kind of rely on him.”
At age 18, Rowan is two years younger than Atley, so their hockey paths never really crossed until the WHL.
The two siblings grew up in Moose Jaw as true Warrior fans, but Rowan’s allegiance has obviously switched.
“Growing up, my grandpa had season tickets so we used to go to the Crushed Can (Moose Jaw Civic Centre) and once the new rink was built, we had a box there so we always went there,” said Rowan. “Me and my brother always dreamed about playing for the Warriors. He got his chance. I’m a Blade and I’m super happy to be a Blade. I’m really grateful and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
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Saskatoon and Moose Jaw are battling for a coveted spot in the 2024 WHL championship series and a chance to get to the Memorial Cup.
The Blades (50-13-2-3) and Warriors (44-21-0-3) finished first and second, respectively, in the Eastern Conference during the regular season.
“I know my grandpa would be real proud of me and my brother, playing against each other for a chance to go to the final,” Atley said earlier this week.
“At the end of the day, it’s probably just a little extra added motivation for me.”
For his part, Atley said he’s not ready for the golf course quite yet in this brotherly competition.
“We’ll leave that one to the ice.”
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