Taking the jump to the SMJHL from juniors was an easy jump for me. I was able to meet up with our captain of the Knights', Ryan Shepard some time before the start of the season and was able to receive the debrief on everything I needed to know. He supplied me with a room in downtown Kelowna which made for easy commutes to the rink. Having a player help out like that for the new guy meant the world, this opened up opportunities to meet the other guys on the team. Being the backup also meant you got to mess around more with the team without more of the consequences. I love joking with the guys to keep everyone chipper for the game. I guess you can say i'm quite the joker off the ice. I once put a fake dog shit in Luca's helmet before a game in Detroit. He played with it until a tv timeout halfway through the first before he even noticed. Or the time I filled Erikkson's gloves with baby powder and told the team I thought I saw Erikkson doing coke in the parking lot before our game. The locker room is great in Kelowna and helps us clear our heads before and even during games. Making the jump to the SHL when the time comes should also be an easy transition. Having spent a few seasons in the SMJHL was able to give me more confidence both on and off the ice to allow myself to focus on my game and help my team win games.
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Recipient of the Mike Honcho Award for Lowest Goal Against Average