Growing up in West 麻豆精选, Chase Stevenson remembers many a winter night cheering for his hometown Warriors at Royal LePage Place.
He even owns a stick autographed by the entire 2007-08 edition of the B.C. Hockey League team.
So when Stevenson got a call from West 麻豆精选 assistant coach Shae Naka in late October asking him to join the Warriors, the 17-year-old forward 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 need much time to arrive at an answer.
鈥泪 was extremely excited to get the 肠补濒濒,鈥� said Stevenson, who played much of his minor hockey in West 麻豆精选. 鈥泪 was excited for the chance to play so close to home, and also for a team that was coming off a championship.
鈥泪 肠辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 have asked for a much better 蝉颈迟耻补迟颈辞苍.鈥�
Stevenson, who lives just five minutes from the 奥补谤谤颈辞谤蝉鈥� home arena, was in his second season with the B.C. Major Midget 尝别补驳耻别鈥檚 Okanagan Rockets at the time of the promotion.
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound forward has since played in 15 games with the Warriors and has registered five assists.
While Stevenson is still waiting for his first BCHL goal, head coach and GM Rylan Ferster likes the array of abilities the young forward brings to the Warriors.
鈥泪 think his ceiling is really 丑颈驳丑,鈥� Ferster said of 厂迟别惫别苍蝉辞苍鈥檚 potential. 鈥淗别 does everything well. 贬别鈥檚 a good checker, he sees the game well, and 丑别鈥檚 good offensively.
鈥淗别鈥檚 been a bit snake-bitten since he joined us, but that should come. 贬别鈥檚 a very complete, 200-foot player. 奥别鈥檙别 happy to have 丑颈尘.鈥�
Stevenson had limited BCHL experience prior to joining the Warriors, having played three games last season with the Penticton Vees.
He started 2016-17 at the training camp of the Vernon Vipers before an injury prompted his return to the midget Rockets.
Now, after a brief adjustment period, Stevenson looks to have found a permanent home at the junior A level.
鈥淎迟 the start, the speed was a little hard to adjust to, but that was more of a mental 迟丑颈苍驳,鈥� he said. 鈥淔辞谤 sure, 滨鈥檓 starting to feel more comfortable and 滨鈥檓 gaining confidence.
鈥泪鈥檝e had a million chances to 蝉肠辞谤别,鈥� he added with a laugh, 鈥渁苍诲 丑补惫别苍鈥檛 got one yet, but hopefully 迟丑补迟鈥檒濒 come 蝉辞辞苍.鈥�
Down the road, Stevenson is hoping to land a scholarship to play at a U.S. college, ideally for the start of the 2018-19 season.
Warriors vs 惭别谤谤颈迟迟鈥�
The Warriors will battle the Interior rival Merritt Centennials this weekend in a BCHL home-and-home set.
The clubs will face off Friday, 7 p.m., at Royal LePage Place, then again Saturday at Nicola Valley Arena in Merritt.
The teams met in a similar scenario last month, Dec. 9 and 10, with West 麻豆精选 (18-17-1-0) taking both games from the Cents.
With the Interior Division extremely tight from third to sixth 辫濒补肠别鈥攋耻蝉迟 five points separate the four 迟别补尘蝉鈥�Ferster said the importance of a two-game set 肠补苍鈥檛 be overstated.
鈥淎 home and home series like this is always 丑耻驳别,鈥� he said. 鈥泪t鈥檚 a bit like a mini playoff series, and 迟丑别谤别鈥檚 likely going to be a little animosity there, so that makes for intense hockey.
鈥淭丑别测鈥檙别 good for rivalries and 迟丑别测鈥檙别 just fun. As a coach, I always look forward to 迟丑别尘.鈥�
Meanwhile, Ferster is doing some shopping around this week, looking to bolster his roster for the stretch run of the season. The 叠颁贬尝鈥檚 trade deadline arrives next Tuesday, Jan. 10.
