Ted Stephens ended his 2009/2010 season with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in a manner that would have impressed Don Cherry; Stephens powered through his team's final Memorial Cup game playing with a broken wrist.

"I hurt it the first or second shift and I thought it was just sprained,” said the former Whitehorse minor hockey leaguer. "I didn't really look too bad so I just kept playing. Two days later I found out it was broken.”

And the centreman's toughness isn't the only thing Stephens has going for him. This season the Wildcats' veteran scored 22 goals, earned 17 assists and ended the regular season with a plus five rating – this after a couple of injuries sidelined the six foot, 180 lbs player for 20 games at the start of the year.

And it was an exciting year that witnessed the Wildcats advance to the 2010 Memorial Cup in Brandon Manitoba by winning the QMJHL championships in what was billed the "Battle for New Brunswick”. In game six the Cats beat the Saint John Sea Dogs and Stephens contributed an assist in the 7-4 victory.

Unfortunately hoisting the QMJHL's President's Cup did not translate to success in Brandon, where the pride of the Quebec major junior's failed to win a match in the round robin tournament pitting champions from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the QMJHL.

"That first game against Calgary, we were beating them the whole game and up 4-2 going into the third when we kind of let it fall away,” Stephens recalled. "The Hitmen came back and tied it with a minute left and that kind of took the wind out of us for the tournament.”

The final score was Hitmen 5, Wildcats 4. In the next matchup, host team Brandon Wheat Kings shutout the Wildcats 4-0 but the Moncton boys were not fading lilies. In their final game against defending Memorial Cup champs Windsor Spitfires, it took the OHL's number one squad an overtime frame to surmount Stephens and the Wildcats in a 4-3 nail biter.

"I'd say Windsor was the toughest team we faced. Every player on their team is great offensively and they have three lines that could be the first line. Definitely, they were the dominating team offensively,” Stephens said of the Spitfires who went on to win their second Memorial Cup in a row. "But we're still champions in our league so we can't be disappointed with our season.”

There was some disappointment for Stephens, though, when last year he learned that a clerical error kept him from attending a 2009 rookie camp hosted by the Montreal Canadiens.

"I can laugh about it now, but it wasn't funny at the time,” Stephens told Telegraph-Journal in New Brunswick back in May. "I pretty much found out at the last minute that something had gone wrong with the paper work ... it was a mistake, but it was heartbreaking.”

The rugged centreman, who turned 20 last month, has not given up on his NHL dreams and hopes to make the Wildcats cut next year in his last season of eligibility with the defending President's Cup champs.

According to QMJHL rules, each team can carry up to three 20 year old skaters. But with a great season under Stephens' belt and his ability to put pucks in the net and make plays, it's a good bet the Whitehorse hockey star will get the nod. Either way, said Stephens, the Wildcats roster for 2010/2011 will see a new lineup of players.

"We're losing tons of guys so we'll definitely have a way different team, but we've got the best prepared coaches in the league who always put together a good team,” said Stephens of the coaching staff he thanks for molding him into a solid player.

"(Last season) was my best so far in three years and I have to credit that to my coaches for helping me improve so much, and my teammates as well.”

If Stephens plays a fourth season in the QMJHL, he hopes to get drafted by an NHL team and if not, he would likely continue his hockey career in the Canadian university system where he can get his education paid for while continuing to play elite hockey.

Asked what advice he had for younger players with similar ambitions as his, Stephens said perseverance and keeping in top physical condition are key.

"Have fun, that's the first thing and keep working hard and never give up. If you don't make the team the first time, don't give up and come back and work even harder,” he told the Star. "During the summer I train pretty hard to try and get ready for the next season – that's my main focus during the off season ... it's a huge thing to be in good shape.”

Scouted by Wildcats' coach Danny Flynn during a summer hockey camp in Whitehorse, Stephens became the first Yukoner to don skates in the QMJHL.