At just 16, Isaac Sousa is already making his presence felt in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
The 2009-born forward is the youngest player on the Selkirk Steelers roster, yet through the first half of the season he has shown he can hold his own against opponents up to four years older — and play a meaningful role in the team’s push for a playoff spot.
Playing as a 16-year-old in the MJHL is rare. This season, the league’s oldest players are 20 and were born in 2005.
The Selkirk Steelers have seven of those veterans on their roster, all skating in their final year of junior eligibility, helping keep the team in the thick of the playoff race at the midway point of the season.
The Selkirk Steelers have seven of those players on their roster this season, all skating in their final year of junior eligibility.
Those veterans have helped the team remain in the thick of the playoff race at the midway point of the season.
Also contributing are the team’s younger players and rookies. One of them is 2009-born forward Isaac Sousa.
At 16, Sousa is the youngest player on the Steelers roster. Despite being four years younger than some of his teammates, his play through 32 games has shown he could be a key piece in the team’s push for a Turnbull Cup.
“Our number one goal is to get a playoff spot and ultimately win,” said Sousa. “We just focus on every game. Every game’s a must-win, and we’re going to push for a playoff spot and take it all.”
Sousa’s motivation and buy-in to the Steelers began last season. While playing with the U17 RINK Academy in Winnipeg at the time, he was invited to practise with the club and appear in a handful of exhibition games.
This year, he wanted to make the jump to the MJHL as a way to challenge himself.
He spent much of the off-season working in the gym to build strength and power.
After cracking the Steelers roster in September, Sousa kicked off the season with points in each of his first six games, including a goal in his very first MJHL contest.
“It was a big jump moving from U17 prep to a league with a bunch of 20-year-olds,” Sousa said. “The biggest difference I’ve found is it’s way faster and way more physical compared to a U17 league, which is to be expected. You’re playing with adults now as opposed to 16- and 17-year-olds. You have less time and space, but I like that.”
Sousa now has four goals and 10 assists on the season. Many of those points have come on a rink he knows well — the Selkirk Recreation Complex.
A native of St. Andrews, Sousa has been able to continue his hockey career close to home.
He is one of three local players on the team, alongside Tyndall’s Remy Hlady and St. Andrews’ Dylan Line.
“It’s awesome. It’s close to home, which is nice, and it’s been a really great experience so far,” Sousa said. “We have a really good group of guys, and I’m just really fortunate to be playing with this team. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
He has also benefited from the mentorship of his older teammates. Recently, Sousa has been slotted on a line with the team’s top two scorers, Wyatt Witham and Owen Branson. Both are 2005-born players and wear letters for the club — a dream scenario for a rookie.
“Those guys are older and have lots of wisdom to pass down and lots of advice to give,” said Sousa. “I just try to take that in.”
The Steelers will play another 26 regular-season games in 2026.
Their 15-15-2 record at the Christmas break left them one point out of a playoff spot, with plenty of time remaining to make a push.
