Date of Birth
July 13, 2005
Hometown
Edmonton, AB, CAN
Current Team
Sicamous Eagles (KIJHL)
Position
Defenseman
Height
6’0”
Weight
170 lbs
Shoots
Right
GPA
4.0
What are some of your main goals within the game over the next 5 years?
Next year my goal is to play Junior A hockey. I am hoping to play in the AJHL or BCHL but the SJHL and MJHL are still good leagues that I would be fortunate to play in. After my first year playing Jr A hockey I am aiming to commit to an NCAA Division 1 school where I would continue to play hockey as well as complete my degree.
Why are these your goals? Why are they important to you? What would it mean to achieve them?
Playing Jr A hockey has always been my goal since I was young. I have always wanted to make a career out of hockey and playing Jr A would be a major step to completing that goal. Committing to a Division 1 school would be a tremendous achievement as it would provide me with the opportunity to get a good education. Life after hockey comes for everyone, sometimes it comes sooner than people might hope for, and you need to have a plan B if that is the case. My goal is to pursue a Commerce degree with a Major in Finance. I received early acceptance to the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta, and am planning to take one course per term next year while playing junior.
What separates you as a player and person? What are some areas requiring work? How do you continue to get better?
I believe that my work ethic and competitiveness are what really separates me from other hockey players. I am constantly out on the ice early before practice working on my skills, and I am one of the last ones off the ice. My drive is to be the best player that I can develop into, and I will work as hard as necessary to achieve that. Off ice, I work on my stickhandling and shooting, as well as doing extra work-outs at the gym to gain extra strength that my teammates and competition may not be doing.
I am a leader on my team and at school as well. This past season I was an assistant captain with HC Edmonton, and I was voted as the Student Body President at Progressive Academy. While I tend to lead by example, I can also be a vocal leader as needed. I bring energy to the bench and at school, and am considered a “glue guy” that brings teammates or classmates together.
Off the ice I am a very compassionate person. I want to make sure that everyone is feeling okay and that they are having a good day, if they are not I try to change that. Academically, I work hard and am on the Honours with Distinction Roll at school. Areas that I am continuously working on with hockey are my stickhandling and shooting as those two that can always be improved. I also do additional workouts to increase my explosiveness and strength. Academically, I am striving to be the valedictorian for my graduating class, which means putting in extra effort as my classmates are high achievers.
What do you bring to any team you play for? What could a coach expect from you if they selected you for their roster?
I am a glue guy off the ice. I can help teammates fit in if they feel uncomfortable or feel anxious when first joining the team. I work to bring everyone together if there are arguments or disagreements on the team. I am also a big energy guy on the bench. I love to cheer on and encourage my teammates to do their best. I want to be the best player on the ice but I am always happy to see a teammate succeed and play amazing. I am a good leader both on and off the ice. I am not as big of a vocal leader, I like to lead more by example. Regarding what I bring with my play, I am a two-way defenseman that is strong defensively and can chip in offensively. I make clean crisp first passes that lead to a smooth breakout or transition. I am a reliable player in a protect the lead type of end of game situation. Other areas I excel at include my skating, shot and stick/defensive positioning. I am a strong penalty killer, and also tend to block multiple shots each game.
Although I am sound in my own end, I am still able to generate offence. My hockey IQ and skating allows me to join in on the rush or pinch without putting myself in a vulnerable position. I do play on the powerplay, this year I was flip flopping between the first and second powerplay units. I have a mean factor to my game as well. I am not afraid to get into it with opposing teams players and I clear guys out from the front of the net. Communication is another strong suit of mine. I let my D partner know where pressure is coming from, if he has time to transport the puck, or where outlet passes are. I also try to direct our forwards on defensive zone coverage and on the attack. I make sure that I make myself an option for them as well so that they are able to succeed.
What impact are you looking to have in your sports career? (Community, team, success, etc)
I always want to be a part of a winning team and will do whatever it takes to make sure that my team has the best chance of winning. Hockey is not all about what you do on the ice though. I want to be able to give back to my community and share my experiences with hockey, and one-day hopefully be able to help grow younger kids’ love for the game. I have always been a compassionate person and with hockey I have been given the opportunity to do at least one volunteer event per year to help those in need (minus the two covid years). I want to volunteer with the Oilers community foundation and help coach a minor hockey team.
What do you believe separates the best players in the world? What attributes/intangibles define them?
All of the best players have their own special attribute that they are miles ahead of everyone else with. Ovechkin with his goal scoring, Crosby with his vision, Mcdavid with his speed, etc. One thing that all of the best players in the world share though is an elite hockey IQ and a hunger to want to be better. They don’t just settle for being top 5 or top 10 in the world, they work and compete to try and be the best player in the world. They take their training seriously and go full speed every rep of every drill.
Favorite thing about the game (on or off ice)?
My favourite part of the game is the energy and excitement I get when I start on ice warm ups. I’m out there playing my favourite game, I don’t have to worry about anything except playing my best at the game I love for the next 2 hours.
- 2016-2022 Honours Student
- 2022-2023 (Semester 1) Honours with Distinction, Top Grade in Class for Bio 30
- 2020-21 – OHA Edmonton U16 Prep – Most Improved Award
- 2021-22 – KC Colts U18AA – Top Defenceman Award, Vimy Ridge Spring League Leadership Award
- 2022-23 – HC Edmonton U18 – JPHL Champions
