You have to be as good in the classroom as on the ice when you are committed to play NCAA Division 1 hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
“It was always drilled into me that you are not going anywhere without an education,” said RIT-bound Victoria Grizzlies forward Alex Hebblethwaite.
That is always sound advice, and to be appreciated down the line, if the dreams of pro hockey fall through.
Hebblethwaite is from Burlington, Ont., and has had a circuitous journey in the ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Hockey League. He was originally recruited by the Grizzlies but traded during training camp to the Trail Smoke Eaters for defenceman Brady Smith.
Hebblethwaite made an immediate impact with the Smokies with two goals and six points in five games before being traded to the Nanaimo Clippers, where he made another boffo entrance, with four goals in his first game with the Clips. He had six goals and eight points in six games with Nanaimo.
The Grizzlies then flipped blueliner Smith to Nanaimo late last month in return for Hebblethwaite to complete the Ontarian’s BCHL odyssey full-circle.
“It’s been quite the journey,” said the 19-year-old, who has an assist in three games with the Grizzlies, to push his Trail- Nanaimo-Victoria totals to eight goals and 15 points in 14 games.
The rangy, six-foot-two winger had 28 goals and 55 points in 41 games last season for the Niagara Falls Canucks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League to show he can produce.
“I’m fast and like to always be pushing offensively,” said Hebblethwaite. “I use my speed to create chances.”
ON THE ICE: Hebblethwaite and Smith faced their former clubs as the Grizzlies (10-5-2) and Clippers (5-9-2) met Saturday night at The Q Centre. The Grizzlies won 5-2 as Chase Pirtle, committed to the NCAA Div. 1 Cornell Big Red, had two goals and an assist, Ryan Watt two goals and Thomas Molson, committed to NCAA Div. 1 in the Ivy League at Yale, three assists. Dylan Kinch had a goal and assist for Nanaimo.
