Whistler Minor Hockey Association (WMHA) grad Eric Smith hopes to make the jump from the Junior B-ranked Nelson Leafs to the Eddie Belfour-owned Winkler Flyers of the Junior A level Manitoba Junior Hockey League this fall.
“We’ll have to see how it plays out, but I’ve signed with the Flyers. After we finished our season in Nelson, it seemed like they were calling me every second day,” Smith said.
“My goal is to play NCAA Division 1 hockey. Winkler is south of Winnipeg and very close to several schools in the United States.”
Academics shouldn’t be a problem for Smith, who graduated with honours from Whistler Secondary in June. At 18 years old (as of Aug.13), he stands 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 210 pounds. A stay-at-home style defenceman in the Willie Mitchell mould, he is regarded as a good skater and good puck handler.
Smith has just returned from a three-day mini-camp with the Langley Chiefs of British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He will continue dryland training with Jordan Glasser at the Cross Fit facility in Whistler Creek until training camp for the Flyers opens Aug. 29 in Winkler.
“I’d like to play two years of Junior A hockey. Who knows, I could get traded and move a little closer to home. Right now I’m looking forward to playing with the Flyers,” Smith said.
A two-year stint in Junior A is a proven formula for players headed to NCAA schools. WMHA grad Garrett Milan has elected to play one more year with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL before entering St. Cloud University in Minnesota on a full-ride scholarship.
Milan racked up 57 points with 25 goals and 32 assists in his freshman season with the Vees. He also took home plenty of hardware from the awards banquet, where he was named the team’s Fan Favourite, Most Inspirational Player and Rookie of the Year.
“Right now, I just can’t wait for the season to start. Our main camp opens Aug. 23 in Penticton and the exhibition games begin Aug. 25 in Trail,” Milan said.
Milan enjoyed a busy summer, playing in an NHL Hall of Fame celebrity hockey game with Tom Renney as his coach and featuring Ryan Smythe, Dany Heatley and Jarome Iginla.
He also traveled to Europe for a three-game exhibition tilt against a stacked Under-20 National Team from Sweden. The team included 12 skaters from the silver-medal-winning Swedish Junior National Team.
“It was a quick trip. We had a pickup team from Minnesota and the Northwest, so we didn’t win any games there. But we practiced every day and it was a great experience,” Milan said.
Meanwhile, defenceman Mike McCance, 19, has enrolled at Thompson Rivers University and is looking forward to his third season with the Kamloops Storm. As host team the Storm will be guaranteed a berth in the Western Canadian Junior B Hockey championships next April.
The WMHA Skills and Scrimmage Camp runs Sept. 7 to 11 with ice times starting at 3:15 p.m. at Meadow Park Arena. For more information call Kevin or Jennifer Sopp at (604) 938-8881 or (604) 932-5495. The web site is admin@whistlerallstarhockey.com.
