Keeping Up with the Pistons - Eric Han
Welcome to Keeping Up with the Pistons,
Over the course of the summer, we'll be catching up with members of the Steinbach Pistons, as they go about their summer hobbies before preparing to return to Steinbach for the 2026/27 MJHL season.
Eric Han - Regina, Saskatchewan
Rookie season - 7 goals, 16 assists, 23 points in 49 games
Season highlight: Fight of the Year winner vs Winkler
Happy to be home
Coming off his first MJHL season, Han says it's always nice to have a bit of a reset and focus on different parts of life. "It's pretty nice, you go home, you go make some money, you train a bit, and you go see some friends. Pretty sweet. I don't think a lot about hockey. I'm pretty good at being able to unplug. I find it good to be able to reset and kind of be a kid again."
Summer highlights
"As soon as I got back from Steinbach, I went on the road for six weeks," Han says with a chuckle. "Working some 50-, 60-hour weeks, making some money. Now, I've started skating a bit. I'm just grinding away on the farm, working out on weekends, and finding some time to spend with buddies. We'll head out to the lake or out of town, do some fishing, and stay at a cabin."
Another highlight is a newfound hobby for the forward. "I actually have picked up golf a little bit," he says with a grin. "The other day, I actually couldn't even get the ball to go high. Then, one of my buddies gave me a quick tip, and bam, now I'm sending rockets. The ball went like 220 yards straight. So, I was pretty happy about that and loving the game."
Strong friendships
A big part of the summer for Han is spending time with friends, because it's not always easy to see family. "They're actually out of the country, so I didn't really even get to see them," the 19-year-old explains. "Being around friends, they're really like family. It's unreal, like, we'd go out of town to see each other and all. Friends from even years ago, we'd still go out on the town and go see each other. Yeah, it's stuff like that that really means a lot."
Getting the itch
When it comes to thinking about returning, Han is quick to point out what he has missed since leaving Steinbach. "Honestly, just the hockey," he says with a smile. "The fellas, the hockey, and you know, some of the coaching staff. Maybe Calvin (Bugyik). For sure, Calvin."
The difference from then to now
Going into year two, Han is feeling quite a bit different compared to this time last year when he didn't really know much about Steinbach or the MJHL. "Last summer, I honestly was kind of doing the same thing. Working away, but obviously, I didn't know where I was going to play or if I was going to be on the team full-time. This summer, knowing that I'm a returning guy, I've got to come back better, but still be me. Got to do my thing."
With still a few weeks before he's set to return, Han is not kick-starting the motor just yet, he's making sure to keep things calm, for now. "I'll be thinking about that once I start skating more seriously. Right now, I don't need to be thinking too much about it. I know better now that you need time to reset. The hockey season demands a lot, so when you can take a little time away, I've learned to use it. When the time comes, I'll be the first guy ready to run through the wall for my team."
In need of a new BFF
It will be a little strange for Han when he returns, as his brother from another mother, Chris Quizi, won't be there. Chris graduated from Junior A at the end of the 25-26 season. "That guy will send me something hilarious once in a while," he says, laughing. "He and I are always chatting. He's just a great, great guy. There is no one else like him. I'm going to miss him, but I know we'll always be close, so I don't worry too much about it."
Don't expect just anyone to fill that role for the upcoming season, according to Han. "I don't know. Man, that's like a size 27 shoe to fill right there. So I don't know. We'll have to wait and find out. Like, there is another Christopher Quizi around the world here. So they only make one of them."
A rink to brag about
Everyone he talks to, Han makes sure to let them know just how special it is to play in Steinbach. "Oh man, our rink is something else, the atmosphere is crazy," he says with a big grin. "Whether it's a big fight, a hit, or a goal, our fans are just so into it. I tell everyone, there's nothing like it around. When that place gets going, it's a total vibe. We really feed off of it and now that I'm thinking about it, I'm even more excited to come back and put on a show for the fans. We want to win, we want to be champions, and we want to make our supporters proud."
Written by Dave Anthony
