04-04-2024, 02:40 PM
When Oliver Cornwall finally reported to the facilities of the Vancouver Whalers, the 6-foot-1, 202-pound defenseman boldly strode into the locker room to meet the teammates he had missed the chance to meet immediately following the S76 SMJHL draft.
The smooth-skating Cornwall had been told only days before that his agent, HillsHaveHats, had missed the deadline to file his paperwork for the S76 SMJHL Draft. As a result, Cornwall would miss the crucial first days bonding with his new team as well as the opportunity to measure himself against his peers in the most objective measurement around, the entry draft.
However, the young British defenseman is making the most of his opportunity as it stands before him, and the chip on his shoulder has only fueled his drive to make an impact with his new club, just as he had throughout his sporting career
Born in Cambridge, Great Britain, Cornwall was immersed in sport from a young age. He captained the Griffin Selects Rugby club as a young lad, earning a reputation as an exceptional athlete as he outran opponents and, where that wasn’t possible, by introducing their face to the pitch with his trademarked stiff-arm fend.
Cornwall was also very effective playing with the Royals Football Club. A midfielder, he patrolled the length of the field and showcased his quick feet, showing off his positional discipline while posing a consistent threat to opposing defenders with a deadly first step.
When his family moved to Calgary to facilitate his mother’s career shift, Cornwall threw himself into the sport of his new home. Playing two seasons with the Calgary Northstars, Cornwall proved that his athletic gifts made the transition from the pitch to the ice.
When asked, the Whalers’ lead amateur scout noted the tools in the young defender’s toolbox. “He already has an SMJHL frame, which we expect he will continue to grow into as he continues to develop and get stronger. He’s already got a really nice stride - considering that he came over from Britain and adopted hockey recently, his technique is excellent and it really speaks to his work ethic that he is playing for an SMJHL team as such a raw prospect”.
The eye test certainly bears out the Whaler’s views. Despite limited play as he adjusted to the the game, Cornwall showed off the upside which has scouts raving across the league. Cornwall is unique in his sheer athleticism, using his explosive strength and body control to stick right to his assignment, with few players matching his athleticism.
The newest Whalers defenseman has diligently worked to make his physical gifts translate into on-ice performance. The rear guard has started to carry his rugby background into the new frozen arena, developing into a respectable hitter who should continue to develop his physical game as he develops his hockey sense. He also plays a respectable game in his own end, generally being in the right place at the right time and making plays with his long reach. However, he is still a project who will make mistakes in his own zone. Cornwall lacks the instincts to read and react, manifesting in poor shot block rates and whiffing on almost as many big hits as he lands.
In Cornwall’s transition onto the ice, the most glaring deficiency has been his offensive game. Cornwall has the hands to carry a puck up the ice, but the rest of his offensive game leaves a lot to be desired. His passing and shooting are average at best and he lacks the ability to find space in the offensive end. Taken together, it’s unlikely that Whalers management expect him to contribute offensively in the near future. However, Cornwall has recognized this as an area of growth.
“I know I’ve got the capability to chip in offensively, absolutely”, says Cornwall
“I know that right now I’m a little bit raw, but I believe that makes me a little bit of a blank slate, and I can develop and become a contributor to this team. My whole life, I’ve prided myself on chipping in on a two-way basis, and I reckon that I have the capability to do it with a premier organization.”
With the waiver now behind him, Cornwall has reflected on his new situation.
“I mean obviously it would have been nice to go through the process with my fellow rookies and get to see where the SMJHL teams think I stand compared to them.
“But honestly, I wouldn’t trade the end result at all. Obviously when you get to walk into this league and play behind guys like Groaty Bronson and Archibald Walker, you need to kinda seize the opportunity and just learn as much as you can from him right?”
And Cornwall is stepping into a solid corps of defensemen, with both players playing a steady defensive game and chipping in offensively, while providing excellent leadership to the young Brit and the two other rookie defensemen getting their start with the Whalers this season, the offensively-minded Czech David Vent and the two-way presence out of Mexica, Trevor Lopez.
At the same time, Oliver is looking forward to seizing the opportunity to be part of the resurgence for a team that struggled last SMJHL season.
“Obviously, this group of guys are capable of so much more than last season showed. I believe that we have an outstanding core group who can provide that foundation for the younger guys as we grow and hopefully chip in to more success this season.”
As the Whalers look to turn the page on last season, the roster has retained several key contributors while adding new faces to make up for their losses, including their S75 leading scorer, Lily Jin Morrow as she looks to make the transition to the SHL.
However, the Whalers’ second leading scorer, GM’s Son will remain with the team and is expected to be a major contributor down the middle. The team’s backbone, the ever-steadying presence that is Masked Stranger also remains with the team, and can be counted on to provide a safety net for the players in front of him on a nightly basis. The rest of the core for this season revolves around Niclas Wastlund, who will provide some offensive touch with a two-way presence down the right wall, and Groaty Bronson who will lead the defense corps.
Cornwall prides himself on his versatile play and his coachability, and that is reflected in his mindset going into the season.
“I think we have a really well-rounded group of guys in this room. I pride myself on sticking with the play and doing what needs to be done, and I think I will be a difference maker on this team sooner rather than later.
“This season, my emphasis is going to be on being coachable and rounding out the more glaring weaknesses of my game, while continuing to develop my strengths. I want to end up chipping in on special teams and just being a guy coach can rely on on a night to night basis.”
As he transitions into the SMJHL, Cornwall projects to be a mobile defender who takes away opportunities with his ability to move around the ice. If he continues to develop how the Whalers expect him to, he will earn his place in the hearts of Whalers fans in no time.
“It’s really such a pleasure to be here. As I went through the waivers process, I was fortunate enough that several teams reached out to my representation and I’m truly humbled that so many organizations saw my potential and thought I was worth investing in.
“But from the start, I think I had a special connection with the management and leadership group of the Whalers. They’re a hungry group who knows what it takes to win in this league, and I think we have the tools to do it.
“I don’t know exactly what this season will bring, but I know for a fact that we are going to make an impact and I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun putting this league on notice.”
Total Word Count - 1,353 words
The smooth-skating Cornwall had been told only days before that his agent, HillsHaveHats, had missed the deadline to file his paperwork for the S76 SMJHL Draft. As a result, Cornwall would miss the crucial first days bonding with his new team as well as the opportunity to measure himself against his peers in the most objective measurement around, the entry draft.
However, the young British defenseman is making the most of his opportunity as it stands before him, and the chip on his shoulder has only fueled his drive to make an impact with his new club, just as he had throughout his sporting career
Born in Cambridge, Great Britain, Cornwall was immersed in sport from a young age. He captained the Griffin Selects Rugby club as a young lad, earning a reputation as an exceptional athlete as he outran opponents and, where that wasn’t possible, by introducing their face to the pitch with his trademarked stiff-arm fend.
Cornwall was also very effective playing with the Royals Football Club. A midfielder, he patrolled the length of the field and showcased his quick feet, showing off his positional discipline while posing a consistent threat to opposing defenders with a deadly first step.
When his family moved to Calgary to facilitate his mother’s career shift, Cornwall threw himself into the sport of his new home. Playing two seasons with the Calgary Northstars, Cornwall proved that his athletic gifts made the transition from the pitch to the ice.
When asked, the Whalers’ lead amateur scout noted the tools in the young defender’s toolbox. “He already has an SMJHL frame, which we expect he will continue to grow into as he continues to develop and get stronger. He’s already got a really nice stride - considering that he came over from Britain and adopted hockey recently, his technique is excellent and it really speaks to his work ethic that he is playing for an SMJHL team as such a raw prospect”.
The eye test certainly bears out the Whaler’s views. Despite limited play as he adjusted to the the game, Cornwall showed off the upside which has scouts raving across the league. Cornwall is unique in his sheer athleticism, using his explosive strength and body control to stick right to his assignment, with few players matching his athleticism.
The newest Whalers defenseman has diligently worked to make his physical gifts translate into on-ice performance. The rear guard has started to carry his rugby background into the new frozen arena, developing into a respectable hitter who should continue to develop his physical game as he develops his hockey sense. He also plays a respectable game in his own end, generally being in the right place at the right time and making plays with his long reach. However, he is still a project who will make mistakes in his own zone. Cornwall lacks the instincts to read and react, manifesting in poor shot block rates and whiffing on almost as many big hits as he lands.
In Cornwall’s transition onto the ice, the most glaring deficiency has been his offensive game. Cornwall has the hands to carry a puck up the ice, but the rest of his offensive game leaves a lot to be desired. His passing and shooting are average at best and he lacks the ability to find space in the offensive end. Taken together, it’s unlikely that Whalers management expect him to contribute offensively in the near future. However, Cornwall has recognized this as an area of growth.
“I know I’ve got the capability to chip in offensively, absolutely”, says Cornwall
“I know that right now I’m a little bit raw, but I believe that makes me a little bit of a blank slate, and I can develop and become a contributor to this team. My whole life, I’ve prided myself on chipping in on a two-way basis, and I reckon that I have the capability to do it with a premier organization.”
With the waiver now behind him, Cornwall has reflected on his new situation.
“I mean obviously it would have been nice to go through the process with my fellow rookies and get to see where the SMJHL teams think I stand compared to them.
“But honestly, I wouldn’t trade the end result at all. Obviously when you get to walk into this league and play behind guys like Groaty Bronson and Archibald Walker, you need to kinda seize the opportunity and just learn as much as you can from him right?”
And Cornwall is stepping into a solid corps of defensemen, with both players playing a steady defensive game and chipping in offensively, while providing excellent leadership to the young Brit and the two other rookie defensemen getting their start with the Whalers this season, the offensively-minded Czech David Vent and the two-way presence out of Mexica, Trevor Lopez.
At the same time, Oliver is looking forward to seizing the opportunity to be part of the resurgence for a team that struggled last SMJHL season.
“Obviously, this group of guys are capable of so much more than last season showed. I believe that we have an outstanding core group who can provide that foundation for the younger guys as we grow and hopefully chip in to more success this season.”
As the Whalers look to turn the page on last season, the roster has retained several key contributors while adding new faces to make up for their losses, including their S75 leading scorer, Lily Jin Morrow as she looks to make the transition to the SHL.
However, the Whalers’ second leading scorer, GM’s Son will remain with the team and is expected to be a major contributor down the middle. The team’s backbone, the ever-steadying presence that is Masked Stranger also remains with the team, and can be counted on to provide a safety net for the players in front of him on a nightly basis. The rest of the core for this season revolves around Niclas Wastlund, who will provide some offensive touch with a two-way presence down the right wall, and Groaty Bronson who will lead the defense corps.
Cornwall prides himself on his versatile play and his coachability, and that is reflected in his mindset going into the season.
“I think we have a really well-rounded group of guys in this room. I pride myself on sticking with the play and doing what needs to be done, and I think I will be a difference maker on this team sooner rather than later.
“This season, my emphasis is going to be on being coachable and rounding out the more glaring weaknesses of my game, while continuing to develop my strengths. I want to end up chipping in on special teams and just being a guy coach can rely on on a night to night basis.”
As he transitions into the SMJHL, Cornwall projects to be a mobile defender who takes away opportunities with his ability to move around the ice. If he continues to develop how the Whalers expect him to, he will earn his place in the hearts of Whalers fans in no time.
“It’s really such a pleasure to be here. As I went through the waivers process, I was fortunate enough that several teams reached out to my representation and I’m truly humbled that so many organizations saw my potential and thought I was worth investing in.
“But from the start, I think I had a special connection with the management and leadership group of the Whalers. They’re a hungry group who knows what it takes to win in this league, and I think we have the tools to do it.
“I don’t know exactly what this season will bring, but I know for a fact that we are going to make an impact and I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun putting this league on notice.”
Total Word Count - 1,353 words
