Taking his shot at a goal
Former Baker minor hockey player aims at major junior
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, March 19, 2014
BAKER LAKE/BANFF, ALTA.
Terrance McLean believes in setting big goals. McLean, 16, spent his younger years in Baker Lake, and is enrolled at the Banff Hockey Academy in Alberta.
Defenceman Terrance McLean (21), originally from Baker Lake, turns it up a notch during a recent practice with the Banff Academy AAA midget team in Banff, Alberta. - photo courtesy of Glenn McLean |
He played AAA midget this season, and was an affiliated player for the junior 'B' Banff Bears.
He was called up to the Bears for three regular season and one playoff game.
McLean said the junior 'B' league is much more intense than AAA midget.
He said junior players want to battle a lot more.
"They weren't really any bigger or stronger than players in AAA midget, but they were more intense in just about every aspect of the game," said McLean.
"As far as skill level, I'd say it was lower than AAA, but they were older players, so the games were different."
Now in Grade 11, McLean left Baker at the tender age of 10.
He's working toward making a junior 'A' or major junior team in the Western Hockey League during the next couple of years.
McLean said he's allin for accomplishing his goal, and is going to give it everything he's got to make a top junior team in Alberta.
He said he's keeping up with his school work, but his focus is on major junior.
"We have no free time during hockey season.
"You have to be at the house by 9:30 p.m. to put in about two hours of study hall every night after practice.
"We also work out every day, so it can be really hard to keep up with both the hockey and your schooling."
The players stay at an old hostel that houses about 25 of them in the downtown area.
McLean said he looks back upon his early years in Baker, and how different it was moving to the big city.
He said the first few years were hard on him.
"I didn't fit in well at first, but, after a couple of years away from home, I began to feel more comfortable.
"Hockey helped with the transition and the game is really big in the south, too.
"Everyone played and that helped me fit in better."
McLean is an offensive-minded defenceman.
At six-foot-three, 210 pounds, it's no surprise he models his game after Nashville's Shea Weber.
McLean said he's taking things a step at a time, with two years of eligibility remaining in AAA midget.
He said he's been told to expect to play with the Bears next year, as well as in a AAA midget prep league.
"The prep league is the best in the area, and, between the two, I should play about 75 games.
"They placed me on a bit lower team this season to prepare me for next year with 19- and 20-year-old players."
McLean wasn't eligible for the Dub during his draft year because of being in Ontario at the time.
He said he's been talking to a couple of teams about attending rookie camp.
"My coach is also trying to set something up, so I'll see what happens in the next month.
"That's usually when prospect camps are held, so I'm just waiting to see what develops right now."
