It wasn't the welcome to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League he had expected.
Declan Andrews played the Dauphin Kings' preseason opener on August 31. He suffered an upper-body injury. He was still able to skate with his new team, but he missed more than six weeks of game action. Everyone goes through and battles adversity.
Declan's just happened to come in preseason game one.
"Yeah, it was unfortunate. Coming into a new team, new place, new province," said Andrews. "I just wanted to get a good relationship with the boys and play some games. Injuries happen. It's my first injury. It was tough, but I stayed positive every day. I still stayed connected with the boys."
Declan comes to Dauphin from the Pacific Coast Academy. He played with their U18 Prep team last year. He had two goals and 10 points in 30 regular-season games. He added an assist in three playoff games. Andrews was with the PCA program from 2022 through the 2025-26 season.
He started with the U15 Prep team.
The transition from U18 to junior isn't easy for everyone. It took some time, but Andrews is fitting in nicely in his rookie season.
"Yeah, it's definitely a lot faster. More physical. I learned so much in U18 about playing with my head up. I'm a smaller player, so I have to play with my head up," added Andrews. "I learned how to avoid contact at times. Make good first passes."
The Return:
The wait was over. 46 days. That's how long Declan waited from the preseason opener to his next game action.
He was in the lineup on October 16. The Kings were in Winkler to play the Flyers. It was rookie lap time. It was a moment that Declan won't forget.
"I was definitely nervous. I was super excited to get back in the lineup. Play with the boys," added Andrews. "I knew it was going to be a tough challenge with how physical Winkler is. It was a surreal rookie lap. It was exciting."
Declan had a regular shift, and he was pleased with how he played.
"I played our systems well. I was making solid passes," he added. "Creating opportunities and playing strong defensively."
It took 46 days to return. Once he did, Declan hasn't left. He's played every game since returning to the blue line. That includes a 2-1 win over Swan Valley on October 20.
Keep The Puck:
14 days after his debut, there was another first. Down 2-0 against the Steinbach Pistons last Friday, Declan had the puck at the high slot.
The rest, as they say, is history. He fired a beautiful shot past Lincoln Molind.
In two weeks, Declan played his first regular-season MJHL game and scored his first goal. Not too shabby for a young 18-year-old trying to forge his path at the junior level. He said scoring the goal felt unreal.
"I don't even really remember it. The puck came out to me, I got it, and shot it," said Andrews. "It all happened so fast. It felt so good. The boys were super excited for me, which was awesome."
The puck Declan fired into the net is sitting in his room, and he's looking forward to giving it to his mom.
Homestand Continues:
Declan and the Kings are back on the ice on Friday night. They host the Winkler Flyers. It's the third game of a four-game homestand. The Kings have played Winkler twice this season. They lost in overtime and in regulation.
Dauphin enters the game tied for fourth place in the tightly contested MGEU West Division. The Kings are 6-8-2-0. The Kings have dropped five of their last six. During the skid, the team has had flashes of brilliance.
It's about putting together a complete 60 minutes; something Declan believes will happen on Friday night.
"Losses happen. Once we get a win, we'll keep that going. We will continue being strong and working at it," said Andrews. "We're battling every day at practice. We want to get better. We know the wins are going to come."
You can hear Declan's full chat with Darnell Duff during the Dauphin Kings Power Play Show. It airs on Friday afternoon at 4:05 on 730CKDM.
Get to know Andrews:
If you weren't playing for the Kings, what would you be doing? Probably trying to get my pilot's license. I did a couple of flights when I was younger, and I fell in love with it. It's something I want to make a career of.
Are you a night owl or enjoy getting up early? A bit of a night owl.
What's your favourite hockey memory? Probably winning a home tournament at the academy two years ago. We hadn't won that tournament in a while. It was nice to win on home ice.
Do you have any inspirations in your life? My entire family. My brother has been big. I text him every day. He has taught me so much on and off the ice. I love chatting with him.
Where is the coolest place you've been? Chicago. I love that city.
Is there anywhere you'd like to travel? I would say Japan.
Home Away From Home:
Declan Andrews is more than a dozen hours from home. It hasn't always been easy. He's been home sick at times. He misses his family.
But he's embraced being a King. He loves the daily grind. He loves pushing himself. He has worked his entire life for this opportunity.
Nothing is stopping him from making it the best experience possible. He also wants to thank the community for the incredible support.
"The community is awesome. We're always out doing things," said Andrews. "I'm in the elementary school volunteering. People always want to talk. The facility is unreal. The fans are great. It's a great spot."
Declan Andrews is forging his way as a King. You can check him out in action on Friday when Winkler is in town.
