Hurricanes prospect getting settled in
By Dale Woodard on September 10, 2021.
On the opening day of the Lethbridge Hurricanes camp, Noah Chadwick has already ticked a few items off his list.
A first trip to Lethbridge was one of those items.
Still, by Thursday afternoon at the Enmax Centre, the 16-year-old defenceman the Canes drafted in the second round and 38th overall in the 2020 WHL bantam draft looked like he was not only fitting in, but ready to make an impression.
“It’s good,” said Chadwick, a product of Saskatoon who turned 16 May 10. “There’s a very supportive and great coaching staff here. Obviously Peter (Anholt, Hurricanes general manager) is a great guy and they’re all very welcoming and made me feel comfortable right away, which is always nice. It’s a new transition to a new city and a new team.”
It was also a new pace to adjust to, as the six-foot, 161-pound blue-liner found out on opening day.
“It’s a lot faster, they’re bigger and stronger guys,” said Chadwick. “That’s been widely said every year, but it really is faster than midget hockey. It’s a good challenge and I really enjoy it out here.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic threw a proverbial wrench into everyone’s 2020 season, Chadwick welcomed the chance to get back on the ice and hopefully a normal season.
“It’s pretty great,” he said. “Nobody has played a game in a long time and I think we are pretty eager to get on the ice this afternoon.”
The pandemic limited Chadwick to six games with the Saskatoon Contacts U18 AAA team of the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League.
“We didn’t get to play very much,” said Chadwick. “But we were practising non-stop a few times a week and we were able to work out. I just did everything I could this winter and summer to prepare myself for camp and for this season.
“There’s obviously the physical aspect of it, you have to be in the gym. It’s an integral part of the game now, but it’s also going on the ice three or four times a week and fine tuning those skills that you need to succeed in this league. It’s the mental aspects, too. Just preparing yourself to get back into the games and get back at it.”
In 2019-20 Chadwick had a goal and an assist in three games with the Contacts and added another nine goals and 42 points in 21 games with the Saskatoon Stallions U15 AA team.
He added one goal and six points in four post season games with the U15 AAs.
With camp underway and running until Sunday, Chadwick looks to bring his defensively-sound – yet offensive when it needs to be – game to the major junior level.
“I’m a two-way defender,” he said. “I take care of the defensive zone first. I pride myself with my good stick position and body position. I try not to let anybody get by me. That’s my main goal at the end of the day. I like to pitch in on the offensive zone, jump up on the rush and be the fourth guy in. I can always support the forwards in the offensive zone.”
Camp continues today with six more games, starting with Team Blue taking on Team Grey at 9 a.m.
Action continues through the weekend, ending with the Red vs. White Game Sunday at noon at the Enmax Centre.
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