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A B.C. boy through and through, Chilliwack Chiefs forward Mateo Mrsic was born in Richmond, but considers South Surrey his hometown. The 20-year-old forward played the majority of his minor hockey in Cloverdale with a quick stop in Semiahmoo for a year before he began a four-year stint at Delta Hockey Academy.
It was in Delta where Mrsic really grew as a player on the ice and in the gym, thanks to one individual in particular.
“They have a lot of great people running that program, but for me, it all starts with Ian Gallagher,” he said.
The father of NHL player and fellow British Columbian Brendan Gallagher, Ian is the president of Delta Hockey Academy, as well as the strength and conditioning coach.
“Coming in as an eighth grader, I wasn’t the most filled out guy,” Mrsic said jokingly. “He really helped me become faster, bigger and stronger. I go back to Delta every summer to train with him. We’ve built a pretty good relationship there. I know those guys really well and they take great care of me, as well as everyone else who comes through the program. They’re great people.”
“It’s been an honour for, not only myself, but both of my brothers, to have been through there. They have a lot of resources that allow them to produce many great hockey players, including some NHLers. Those four years that I spent there was a very cool experience.”
His time in Delta enabled him to be prepared for the next step in his hockey career, which was the BCHL. Mrsic played his first season with the Chiefs in 2021-22 and was an impact player right away as a 17-year-old, posting 14 goals and 36 points in 51 games.
“I think it was somewhat seamless,” said Mrsic about his transition to junior hockey. “It helped that we had a really good group of guys on the team that year. To be honest, I was kind of surprised when we got bounced in the second round because I thought we really had the team to do it that year.”
After an almost identical stat line in year two, Mrsic started to break out offensively last season with 45 points in 54 games, then took things to the next level in 2024-25. This season, he sits in fourth in league scoring with 67 points, while his 32 goals are tied for third in the BCHL.
He attributes most of his success this year to an improved mindset.
“I think, more so now than in previous years, I know my worth,” he said. “I feel like confidence is a massive thing in any sport and in life in general. That really helps me. Our team is doing really well this year too, so that helps as well. I’m the type of player that likes to make the players around me better and I think I’ve done that so far this season.”
Aside from the personal accolades, this year’s Chiefs team has also been the most successful of Mrsic’s tenure. The team currently holds a record of 34-12-5 with three games remaining and, just this week, clinched first place in the Coastal Conference.
The Chiefs have enjoyed this success despite losing several players early in the season, which Mrsic sees as a testament to the type of organization Chilliwack has built.
“It was tough losing the guys that we did, but at the end of the day, we still had the core in tact here and that’s what mattered the most,” he said. “It’s also a testament to the coaching staff and management to be able to recruit the guys that we did midseason. I’m really proud of our group. The culture is unbelievable on this team. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of.”
In junior hockey, there is so much turnover from year to year with players moving on to the next level, but one constant for him during his four years in Chilliwack has been head coach and general manager Brian Maloney. According to Mrsic, their dynamic has grown into being more than just about hockey.
“Coach Maloney has been awesome for me,” he said. “Ever since year one until now, our relationship has grown so much. I can pretty much talk to him about everything. I feel like that’s important in a player-coach relationship.”
“He’s definitely a player’s coach. He played pro hockey. He knows what it’s all about. It’s been really fun these last four years. He always jokes that I’m getting sick of hearing his voice. Hopefully we can finish off on a good note here this postseason.”
Speaking of the postseason, the Chiefs do not know who their first-round opponent will be just yet. They will either face the Langley Rivermen or the Prince George Spruce Kings, but what they do know is they will have home-ice advantage for as far as they can go in the Coastal Conference.
With this being his final year of junior hockey before he heads off to Colorado College, Mrsic and his teammates have their eyes firmly set on the big prize.
“Personally, these last games I have left in junior, I just want to keep growing, dominating and producing,” he said. “I just want to help my team in any way possible. We all know what the goal is and that’s to win that Fred Page Cup.”
The Chiefs have put themselves in the best position possible to accomplish that goal heading into the postseason, now the real work begins to see if Mrsic and his fellow 20-year-olds get their storybook ending.
