Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

4th round pick in 2023

More confidence, less fear: Owen Folstrom’s next step

Oct 22, 2025 | 8:00 AM

Owen Folstrom doesn’t overthink it. He’s just a 17-year-old in his second WHL season, but when he talks, you can hear a calm kind of confidence. No ego. No flash. Just a belief in where he’s going, and the work it’ll take to get there.

“Definitely off to a nice start. I’m feeling super confident,” he told RocketFAN after practice last week. “I felt the same last year, but I feel like this year, I just got to stay consistent and play a well-rounded game and be effective out there.”

A year ago, he was 16, wide-eyed, bouncing in and out of the lineup. Now, he’s stronger, more trusted, and comfortable in his own gear.

“Being 16 in this league, it’s definitely not easy. Lots of ups and downs, in and out of the lineup,” he said. “But this year, I definitely feel more effective, more confident, put on some weight. A lot less fear out there, so it’s definitely a lot easier and I feel a lot better.”

The game hasn’t slowed down, but his mind has.

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“As you get more games in this league, your mind definitely slows down a little. So I wouldn’t say the game’s slower, but I’d say I definitely think it a lot better.”

Folstrom came in with a reputation. He could shoot it. And this year, he wants to shoot more. Simple as that.

“I would love to score lots of goals. I always try to,” he said. “This year, I’m really working on shooting the puck lots. I like to think of myself as a well-rounded forward. I want to be reliable in all zones. As much as I would love to stack up goals and stuff, I also have pride in the D zone and just doing little things right to help your team win.”

If that means getting greasy goals instead of highlight-reel ones, sign him up.

“Trigger happy, but also just I found this year, just getting in that hard area in front of the net. That’s how I scored my goals, just standing there,” he said. “I’m getting lots of rebound chances. My bread and butter right now is just crashing the net and getting garbage goals because at the end of the day, a goal is a goal and it’s all that matters.”

Confidence hasn’t just grown on the ice, it’s grown in the room. He’s more vocal now. His words carry more weight.

“I’ve always been a super positive, talkative guy with my teammates,” Folstrom said. “As you get older, your words mean a little more. Being 16, trying to get the boys going before the games, it’s not really as effective. Now that I’m getting more games in this league, I definitely feel like I can lead more and more and hopefully just keep building that.”

And the opportunity? It’s real. Last year, he was just earning ice. Now, the staff trusts him.

“Definitely a lot more opportunity. Opportunities earned. You have to work for it,” he said. “At 16, you have to do the hard things and slowly work your way up, but it’s nice to get a couple of games on the power play and just play more of a skill role. But you have to  balance that and be able to do everything.”

While left off Central Scouting’s ‘Player to Watch List’ earlier this week, he’s not letting it weigh on him.

“That’s everyone’s lifelong dream, to get drafted. But at the end of the day, it’s a game. You just want to have fun,” he said. “The pressure’s there, but when you get out on the ice, you just have to forget about everything, play your game and just have fun.”

There’s also something different about the group around him. It’s tighter, more connected, more mature.

“We got a super tight group this year. Great group of guys. No one’s mean to each other. It’s overall way better than last year,” he said. “We spent lots of time together and once we keep building and really gel together, this is going to be a great group of guys and we’re going to punish teams.”

Last year hurt. A lot of losing. A lot of hard nights. But he doesn’t regret it.

“It’s definitely hard, but at the end of the day, lots of lessons learned,” he said. “Win or lose, you just got to keep going, give your 110% and never give up. As much as we lost so much, the lessons learned, I think it was great for everyone as a character, as a player.”

And waiting out there, months away, is May. The Memorial Cup. On home ice.

“It’s a long way away, but every small detail we’re working on out here, it’s to that. It’s super exciting,” he said. “I’ve watched that tournament since a young man and it’s pretty cool to have the chance to play in it. I’m so excited.”

Rosters will change. Some players will stay, some won’t. He knows it.

“Obviously that’s in your mind, but I think for me, I’m just working as hard as I can, doing what I can do. You can’t really control what happens,” Folstrom said. “If you’re not here, it is what it is. But always giving your all, no matter where you are.

“I definitely want to stay as a Rocket hopefully. Just keep working at that and hopefully win a Memorial Cup for the city.”