Next up on the 16-year-old Cochrane product’s lofty list is cracking the Red Deer Rebels roster.

“They know what I can do and they know I bring it every night,” said Hamilton of the Rebels’ coaching staff. “They’ve told me to keep doing that, just working hard and battling it out, playing good defensively and also bring some scoring.”

A strong work ethic isn’t something exclusive to Joel, the youngest of three brothers in the Hamilton household.

His oldest sibling Wyatt is currently preparing for his second stint with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds after proving himself as a consistent producer during a five-year run with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Camrose Kodiaks.

Meanwhile, Wacey — the middle child of the trio — took over captaincy duties in his third year with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers last season and continues to make a case for walk-on spot on numerous NHL teams after going undrafted.

Wacey said he attempts to provide guidance to Joel, who he believes has been blessed with more natural talent.

“He was fortunate enough to get drafted and I’ve told him, ‘Don’t take that for granted, you have got to be humble about your success and can’t really get complacent’,” Wacey said. “So far he’s done that, he always working hard to improve and get better. It’s good to see that as an older brother.”

Joel said Wacey serves as an important role model in his development.

“Mostly his message was don’t give up and keep going,” Joel said. “He’s pretty good at that,”

During the off-season, Wacey and Joel rarely have time to catch their breath, as both return home to help their father on the family’s highly regarded purebred cattle ranch. The two also train daily at the Edge School, a sports-based institution in the Calgary-area community of Springbank.

Joel attends the Edge School as well, allowing him to focus on both hockey and education under one roof.

He’s even had the opportunity to work with Andy O’Brien, the former personal strength and conditioning coach of Canadian hockey icon Sidney Crosby, who signed a five-year commitment with Edge that began last fall.

“It’s been really helpful,” Joel said of Edge. “They give you the tools and the teachers are really flexible when it comes to school work and things.”

Joel has put his training to good use. Last November, he helped Team Alberta to gold at the U16 Challenge Cup, a tournament to showcase young hockey talent from the four western provincial hockey associations.

“It was pretty unreal,” Joel said of the competition. “It was really high-level and you had to be at the top of your game to help the team succeed.”

Then, just last week, the spirited teenager received a phone call letting him know that he has made the 25-player shortlist for Team Pacific, which will battle at the U17 World Hockey Challenge in Winnipeg later this year.

Provincial and international accolades aside, Hamilton said he remains focused on the Rebels training camp, which begins with on-ice sessions Aug. 29.

“I am going to go pretty much as hard as I can for the next week or two and then rest for a couple days before camp,” said Joel, who also took part in last year’s camp.

And whether he cracks the roster this year or not, you can bet that by camp’s end no will have worked harder than the young farm boy from Cochrane.

After all, the never-say-die attitude is in his blood.

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It’s a time to part ways with old junk that will likely never again serve a purpose as well as new items that you simply have no need for.

Darryl Sutter isn’t a big fan of spring cleaning.

In fact, the Calgary Flames general manager would just as soon spend the free agent period crowding what little salary cap space he has with a bunch of unproven, unmotivated talent (Olli Jokinen, Tim Jackman, Raitis Ivanans, to name a few of his more recent projects) and washed out veterans in desperate need of employment (Daymond Langkow, Steve Staios and so on).

This year, the Sutter machine took its monolithic approach one step further, bringing back two supposed superstars who already flunked out of the Flames’ system in Alex Tanguay and Jokinen.

While Tanguay’s efforts were never appreciated in Calgary, despite posting career highs in points and assists during the 2006-07 season, the 30-year-old struggled greatly last season in Tampa Bay. As well, he doesn’t play the Sutter way, an over-hyped bump-and-grind style that is as outdated as Darryl himself.

Let’s hope Tanguay rebounds and finds some of the original chemistry he had with Flames’ poster boy Jarome Iginla.

The Flames’ big free agency shocker was re-enlisting the services of Finnish flop Jokinen.

Once the prodigal son of the Florida Panthers, Jokinen joined the Flames in 2009 and found moderate success at best, potting 19 goals and 50 points in 75 games.

As his days in Calgary became obviously numbered, Jokinen slowed down even further and provided little more than a big barrier at centre. The Flames shipped him to New York earlier this year for a lazy lummox by the name of Alex Kotalik and winger Chris Higgins — neither are expected to wear the flaming C next season.

Now, Sutter, who was openly critical of his failed Finnish project the first time, has shaved nearly half of the yearly price tag off Jokinen’s contract and is championing him as the spark that could reignite the Flames’ top line.

Am I the only one confused here?

And if Tanguay and Jokinen are the two big free agent acquisitions made by the Flames this season, let’s turn to the other new members of this dysfunctional family that no one is talking about.

First, we have Jackman, a former New York Islander who will fill in at the less-than glamorous role filled by Jamal Mayers last season. A big boy who doesn’t mind throwing his body around, look for Jackman to log less than five minutes of ice time per game next season — the classic grinder role that Sutter seems hell-bent on filling the bottom half of his depth chart with.

Next up is Rainitis Ivanans. The bruising Latvian’s numbers speak for themselves: just two points to go with nearly 300 penalty minutes in 137 games for the Los Angeles Kings over the past few seasons. Ho-hum, another Sutter goon.

Finally, we have Ryan Stone. A transfer from the northern rival Edmonton Oilers, the 25-year-old drops the gloves more than he scores goals. He could turn into a defensive fail-safe that helps bail out Calgary’s ever-encroaching defensive corps, but will more than likely fall through the cracks of a misguided franchise that already has well-documented troubles when it comes to putting the puck in the net.

That’s three Sutter-type goons to supposedly round out the roster. I think the common denominator in this predicament is obvious.

The organization’s lack of innovation isn’t confined to the big leagues either. On July 18, the Flames farm team in Abbotsford chose to re-sign a bunch of familiar faces in defencemen Matt Pelech and Gord Baldwin, forward Kris Chucko and netminder Matt Keetley. All four have seemingly developed into fringe talents.

The only one with a hint of promise is Pelech; however, with eight defencemen already signed to one-way contracts on the Flames roster, the 22-year-old is unlikely to leave Abbotsford anytime soon.

All of this is very uninspiring and with the summer months now upon us, Sutter is more likely to go on vacation than orchestrate some sort of mastermind deal.

The best hope for Flames fans at this point is that someone else will be calling the shots next spring and Sutter himself will be the one swept aside.

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In that time, the local author and historian has seen the area shift from a quiet place of relaxation to what he describes as a “madhouse” on the weekends. And with the influx of visitors to the area has also come an increase in unlawful behaviour.

Even during a brief Saturday stroll through the hamlet, McLennan is able to point out numerous bylaw infractions, such as litter strewn about and cars parked on the sidewalks.

“The pedestrians have really lost their way in Bragg Creek,” McLennan said.

“The noise is phenomenal, people leave dogs in their hot cars and they bark. We pick up tons of garbage and we have people walking right through the yard.”

Long lines of traffic like this are a non-stop sight on the weekends in Bragg Creek, and some residents believe there is not enough police presence to ensure everyone heading to the area is obeying the law. Photo by Jeremy Nolais

McLennan has spent countless hours bringing issues to the attention of local law enforcement, namely Rocky View protective services and the Cochrane RCMP, but to date has received what he describes as an inadequate response.

“I get a frustrated feeling, they say ‘We’ll look into it,’ but that’s about all,” McLennan explained.
“I would say the Cochrane police are rarely in this area.”

McLennan’s thoughts on police presence are echoed by fellow Bragg Creek resident Andrew Benson, 15.

“You just don’t see them here; there’s really no sign of RCMP,” Benson said. “I have been living here my whole life and you just don’t see them.”

Cochrane RCMP Staff Sgt. Jason Seper said his detachment treats Bragg Creek like any other area in its jurisdiction and will respond to all calls for service.

“The issue is priority. If it’s a bylaw matter that can be handled at a later date, we will take the information and go from there,” he added.

Seper acknowledged that he can “never have enough manpower,” but said Cochrane RCMP must also strive to exercise fiscal responsibility when it comes to policing levels and patrol frequency.
“Policing is a funny thing,” he said.

“Some weekends we can be extremely busy and others we can be doing more proactive stuff. It depends on the weekend, depends on the weather, depends on what’s going on.”

Bylaw enforcement in the Bragg Creek area falls largely to Rocky View protective services, which manager Ted McCauley says has been hit with a “huge reduction in manpower recently.”

Two months ago, the service suspended weekend shift work and now only responds to special attentions, McCauley said.

Rocky View’s director of emergency services Ted Gard, however, said the situation is not dire, noting the department reduces and increases its manpower based on community need.

Both Gard and McCauley noted that protective services typically does not receive a high volume of weekend calls.

“It works to a degree, it’s certainly not as ideal as having someone seven days a week,” McCauley added. “The thing about bylaws is we are not talking about emergencies here. We are talking about the concerns of the citizens and we are very interested in making them happy but in the same sense when somebody phones in we are not going to get there in two minutes.”

As well, McCauley said issues such as cars parked on the sidewalk are not specific to Bragg Creek and have been around for decades.

McLennan, meanwhile, said Rocky View’s stance on the matter is not good enough.

“What do we have to happen to get some change?” he said.

“Do we need to have a child hit?”

McLennan added there is very little enforcement on noise levels in Bragg Creek, with the most common source being loud motorcycles rolling through the hamlet.

This issue has also caused a fair amount of grievance for Bragg Creek resident of 27 years Tammy Moon, who owns The Alicat Gallery in town.

“They are so disruptive and take up so much space in the parking lots,” she said.

“In (the gallery) we can be having a conversation and two rip down the street and you can’t hear each other.”

McCauley noted that a tougher noise bylaw was recently passed in Edmonton and the matter is also currently being mulled over by Calgary city council.

“I’m certain if Calgary passes their legislation, then it’s something I will bring to (Rocky View) council,” he said.

McCauley added that he is looking at enlisting some contractors to help with enforcement on the weekends.

In the meantime, McLennan said he plans to continue making his voice heard in hopes of improving not only his own quality of life but that of fellow Bragg Creek residents.

“I can’t change the whole bloody world,” he said. “You just have to pick your battles.”

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Rik Wedgwood, who has owned Mechanical Services & Supply for roughly 10 years, said the Aug. 24 incident started when two parents who had dropped their daughter off at the nearby Snap Dance Studios were attempting to instigate a confrontation.Wedgwood said this was nothing new, as the couple had purposely parked in the stalls belonging to his establishment numerous times in the past, leading to verbal arguments.

“I talk to people without trying to be rude, but if they’re rude to me they get rudeness back,” Wedgwood said.

Not wanting another argument, Wedgwood went over to the dance studio in hopes of resolving the issue with its new owner Courtney Sproule; however, he was followed in by the father.

Wedgwood said the man first told him to leave the establishment but then blocked his exit. Some heated words were exchanged, and Wedgwood pushed past the man and headed back into his establishment.

Local business owner Rik Wedgwood alleges RCMP officers wrongfully damaged his wrist during a heated altercation Aug. 24. Photo by Jeremy Broadfield

“(The parents) didn’t leave,” Wedwood said. “They were trying to start something.”

Some time passed and the couple stayed parked outside. Wedgwood said around 4 p.m. he decided to transfer  a piece of heavy equipment into his truck before heading home.

“The only way I can load this thing is through the parking lot, which is my parking lot,” Wedgwood said.

Wedgwood parked his truck in the lot, blocking in the couple who he estimated had been sitting there for nearly an hour.

Before loading his truck, Wedgwood said he went back inside to answer the phone, and that was when the father got out of his vehicle looked at the truck’s licence plate and then made a call.

“Before I know it, three RCMP members show up,” Wedgwood said.

The 55-year-old said he attempted to finish his call, but the lead RCMP member insisted he hang up.

When Wedgwood, didn’t comply, the member said he was towing the truck.

“We started yelling back and forth,” Wedgwood said. “He was raising his hand in the air . . . I raised mine and that’s when he grabbed me, whipped me around, put the cuffs on (my right wrist) and said ‘You are under arrest for assaulting a police officer.’ ”

Next, Wedgwood said a female member approached him from behind, kneed him in the leg and forced him to the ground. He said she then cuffed his left wrist in an awkward position.

“I said ‘That’s too tight, you’re going to break something,’ ” Wedgwood said. “She responded ‘Too bad.’ ”

Wedgwood said he was put into the back of a police cruiser, and the lead RCMP member then ordered his son Nik to move the truck from the parking lot, which he did by making a 180-degree turn out of the lot and back up the adjacent road.

“I was sitting in the backseat and I heard him (the RCMP member) say ‘I want to hurt him bad, go get the kid for stunting.’ ” Wedgwood said, adding that Nik was issued a $400 violation ticket.

Wedgwood said he was taken to the local RCMP detachment and held in custody for two hours. He has been charged with assaulting a police officer and obstructing justice. Upon his release, Wedgwood went to the hospital in  Canmore to have his wrist examined.

After some deliberation, a specialist opted to perform surgery on “torn ligaments” in Banff Aug. 30.

Wedgwood said the whole incident has left him frustrated to say the least, and he plans to take legal action against the RCMP members.

“I will definitely go after them . . . I have got no faith in them anymore,” Wedgwood said.

Cochrane RCMP Staff Sgt. Jason Seper said he was unwilling to comment on the alleged incident, citing ongoing legal proceedings.

“All I can confirm is that we were called to attend a local establishment here, a business. We attended, an altercation ensued and a male was charged,” Seper said, adding Wedgwood has not brought his concerns forward to the RCMP.
“If he’s unhappy with the service of the RCMP, there is a mechanism for him to voice his concerns and they will be investigated like any other complaint,” Seper added.

Seper said he was not specifically aware of parking concerns between Mechanical Services & Supply and the nearby dance studio, despite Wedgwood claiming RCMP have been contacted a half-dozen times about the issue in the past.

“Parking issues may or may not come to the RCMP,” Seper said. “If it’s between two businesses . . . we wouldn’t necessarily know about it.”

Interview requests made to Sproule at Snap Dance Studios were not returned.

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2. Stuntman charged for train jumping
3. Local teen’s stunts draw national media attention

Nearly 1,900 participants signed up to race in one of the events, which included a five-kilometre run/walk, 10-km run/walk, duathlon, half-marathon and kids triathlon, held over two days of June 12-13. Some competitors travelled in from as far away as England and Germany.

“I think it’s great,” commented Denis Boyer, who journeyed to Footstock from Drummondville, Quebec, moments after completing his first-ever half-marathon.

“It’s really interesting to see so many people getting involved and getting fit.”

Boyer was talked into taking part by some of his Calgary colleagues.

He said he was happy with his time of roughly two hours, 30 minutes, especially given the difficulty of the countryside course.

“If it had been a bit more flat it would have been easier,” he said.

“Those hills were tough, really tough.”

And while Boyer and others travelled in from afar, Footstock director Ann Locke-Pope said the race weekend is a community event at its core.

Runners get started on the 10km race June 12 at Footstock. Photo by Jeremy Broadfield

“The board members are all from Cochrane, 70 per cent of the participants are local, most of the volunteers are from Cochrane,” said Locke-Pope, who served in her third year as director.

One of the local standouts over the course of the weekend was St. Timothy School student Thomas DeBiasio, 17, who placed third overall out of more than 140 male competitors in the 10-kilometre run/walk.

“It felt really good,” said DeBiasio, who officially posted a time 38:56, roughly three minutes off the winner.

“I just started running in Grade 8 and I really enjoyed it.”

DeBiasio also thanked his coach, Frank Emshey, and family members for their support during the race.

The St. Timothy student was one of 420 competitors overall to take part in the sold-out 10-kilometre run/walk, as organizers were forced to cap the number of participants in each event this year due to ever-increasing demand.

The Kids Triathlon also sold out in just 28 hours.

“I think the reputation has grown for a well-organized event,” Locke-Pope said.

“I think for people who run road races all the time it’s something different . . . for whatever reason, the sun always shines on Footstock.”

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Members of the Canadian Pacific Police Service, assisted by Cochrane RCMP and the Calgary Police Service, executed a search warrant June 11 on the residence of Chris Ball, 19.

A computer, camera and electronic storage devices were seized and Ball was summoned to appear in Cochrane Provincial Court July 8 on a mischief charge.

“When they came in, I was still in bed, still in my boxers,” recalls Ball, a few days after the search. “You can imagine how awkward that is. My mom was in tears as six officers barge into our house . . . I was shocked.”
Canadian Pacific officials allege Ball jumped from the Highway 22 overpass onto a moving freight train May 17.

At the time, the train stopped and Cochrane RCMP apprehended Ball and fined him $300 for petty trespassing.

“They chose not to charge me,” Ball said of the local law enforcement. “Then, three weeks later, after I have gotten all this news coverage, (Canadian Pacific) comes back and says we have got to charge him now.

“They’re saying he was on the news and we have got to make an example of him. To me that’s unfair.”

Mike LoVecchio. spokesperson for Canadian Pacific, said a subsequent investigation uncovered a YouTube video of the incident, which led to the charges.

“Trespassing is a problem across our network,” LoVecchio said. “It is simply risky behaviour for which there is no need.”

LoVecchio also stressed Canadian Pacific is solely focused on the train jumping incident.

Ball, meanwhile, dreams of working in the entertainment industry and plans to attend the motion picture arts program at Red Deer College in the fall.

He said he appreciates both the positive and negative feedback his risky actions have received.

“For all the negative, I have also had a great deal of support” Ball said.

“For all the negative, I have also had a great deal of support,” Ball said, adding that an anonymous fan started a Facebook group in his honour.

Ball is scheduled to make his first court appearance July 8.

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1. Local teen’s stunts draw national media attention
2. Local business owner alleges RCMP brutality
3. Bragg Creek enforcement levels leave local residents concerned

Because of this, Hockey Canada will likely be sent a series of recommendations by the study’s authors to ban physical contact in peewee. Author of the study, Dr. Carolyn Emery, a sport epidemiologist and athletic therapist as well as a hockey coach and parent, said more than 1,000 game-related injuries and 400 concussions could be prevented each year in Alberta alone.

Cochrane Minor Hockey President Blake Fleming said the study’s findings are valid and should be taken seriously by all those involved with the game.

“I think hockey’s going to have to pay attention to what (Emery) has to say,” Fleming said. “And what she’s saying is hit hockey is substantially riskier than non-hit hockey.”

While Fleming said Cochrane Minor plans to wait and see how Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta react to the proposed ban, at least two local coaches who teach the game at senior levels believe removing bodychecking from the peewee ranks would be a mistake.

Bodychecks in peewee hockey, like this one laid on Bow Valley Timberwolves winger Andrew Forster, right, last October could soon be outlawed if Hockey Canada accepts the recommendations of a recent University of Calgary study. Photo by Jeremy Nolais

Dana Boothby coaches young adults on the Junior B Cochrane Generals and has also had three sons come up through the Cochrane Minor Hockey system. He said the longer kids wait to begin bodychecking the more likely they are to hurt themselves or others.

“The way I see it is you need a certain amount of time to learn a skill,” he said.

Boothby said he feels studies like the one led by Emery tend to focus on a few “remote examples.”

Boothby added that his sons progressed through the bodychecking training just fine.

Kevin Willison, head coach of the Edge School Prep team in Springbank, echoed Boothby’s comments.

“It certainly is tougher at our level to teach them how to bodycheck than when they’re younger,” Willison said.

Willison said even at the atom and tyke age levels kids are constantly running into each other.

“It’s really about teaching kids how to protect themselves,” he said. “Also, when you talk to scouts a lot of them fault kids who are unwilling to play in the high-traffic areas.”

To gain their results, U of C researchers compared the frequency of injuries in Alberta peewee hockey to Quebec peewee hockey, where bodychecking is not allowed. Fleming pointed out that elite players in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League don’t seem to be at a disadvantage despite learning to bodycheck at a later age.

“That would suggest that certainly for the elite player it doesn’t make a difference,” he added.

Despite this, Fleming said he is not advocating for a ban on peewee checking, he is simply suggesting the U of C study be taken seriously.

All coaches with Cochrane Minor Hockey have to gain Hockey Alberta accreditation and all peewee players must participate in a hitting clinic before being allowed to compete.

Both Fleming and Boothby said there is a very natural progression through the various age levels in the current system.

“Still, the evidence suggests that kids are getting hurt more than they should be,” Fleming noted.

Boothby said as long as precautions are being taken, he sees no problem with continuing to allow bodychecking in the peewee game.

“Bodychecking is a part of hockey and it’s not going anywhere.”

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Surfing on the roof of a speeding car, jumping off a bridge onto a moving train and scaling the sides of buildings with ease — Cochrane teenager Chris Ball has been filmed doing all this and much more.

Recently, Ball’s on-screen antics have gained national media attention; however, not everyone is impressed with the 19-year-old who is aiming for a career in the entertainment industry.
“It’s fulfilling to me to complete these stunts,”explained Ball the day after a video of him car-surfing appeared on a national news broadcast.

“Having said that, I don’t want to be a stunt guy because I love being on camera, I just love movies in general to be honest.”

Ball added that he has been taken aback by the amount of attention — both positive and negative — surrounding his car-surfing stunt, which has been viewed roughly 10,000 times on YouTube since being posted earlier this year.

Cochrane teen Chris Ball, seen hanging upside down from a bridge, has received national media attention after a video of him surfing on the roof of a moving car appeared on video sharing website YouTube. Photo courtesy of Chris Ball

The former Cochrane High graduate stated that the video “was for fun,” and was shot roughly two years ago.

“I thought about taking it down but I don’t think I’m going to because what kind of person would I be if I only put up videos for a positive response?” said Ball, who performs his acts under the on-screen moniker Chris Bawl.

Now it seems Ball’s car-surfing video and a number of others available online have caught the attention of local law enforcement.

Cochrane RCMP is currently looking into the possibility of laying charges, said Const. Sean Lentowicz.

“We have got to figure out where the videos are coming from and how they were made and so on,” he said. “I believe a lot of people, including the media and the general public, believe it’s very irresponsible. It not only gets himself in trouble but it also has younger kids wanting to be like Chris Ball. It’s setting a bad example all-around.”

Lentowicz added that Ball could face charges ranging from Traffic Safety Act violations to trespassing to civil suits.

The Calgary Police Service has also launched an investigation of their own.

Ball, meanwhile, refused to give exact locations for where his stunts are filmed, noting that they have taken place “all over the area.”

The daredevil also said he isn’t fazed by talk of criminal charges.

“The way I see it is that if you put videos on YouTube for everyone to see, you have to be held accountable for that,” Ball said. “What I want people to realize is that you can’t say ‘What if this, what if that?’ because nothing’s happened. I’m still here and nobody’s been injured.”

Ball said he has received formal stunt  training in the past and that he is the only one in danger in the majority of his videos.

“The way I see it is this is just my start,” said Ball, who plans to attend the motion picture arts program at Red Deer College in the fall.

John Scott, a stunt co-ordinator with 40 years of experience, said Ball’s daredevil acts may be doing more harm than good to his career aspirations.

“A lot of stunt co-ordinators probably wouldn’t touch him because they would figure he’s unsafe and doesn’t take direction properly,” said Scott, who has worked on numerous feature films, including X-Men 2 and Van Helsing, and currently works as a wrangler on the Alberta-based television show Heartland.

“On a set, you spend a lot of time making a stunt safe and the law of averages says this kid is going to get hurt.”

Ball said he incorporates a great deal of camera trickery into his videos to make stunts appear more dangerous than they really are.

He added that he is fully aware of the risks and that his mother, whom he lives with, and close friends are very supportive of his actions.

“I know my limits,” he said. “I am pretty intuitive when it comes to knowing what I am capable of . . . if there’s doubt I will not attempt it.”

Related stories:

1. Stuntman charged for train jumping
2. Local hoops star nets CIS medal for Saskatchewan
3. Bragg Creek enforcement levels leave local residents concerned

Looking at this year’s college draft, most Canadian Football League analysts expected Cochrane offensive lineman John Bender to be selected in the first round.

After all, the former Cochrane High Cobras standout was ranked No. 2 overall last month among all prospects by the CFL’s Amateur Scouting Bureau.

However, in the weeks leading up to the draft , Bender made it very clear that he will be returning to the University of Nevada Wolf Pack for his senior year in the fall and after that plans on taking a run at the National Football League.

Draft day came May 2, and Bender’s name was absent from the first round selections. Then, the second round passed and still no word.

Former Cochrane Cobras offensive lineman John Bender grew up idolizing the Calgary Stampeders and could now play for them one day after being drafted by the team May 2. Photo courtesy University of Nevada

Naturally, the hulking 6’8, 147-kilogram gridiron star became a little impatient while watching the online draft tracker and went for breakfast. It was while dining that Bender received a text message from a friend saying the long wait had paid off — the Calgary Stampeders had drafted him in the third round.

“I didn’t think I would fall all the way to the third round but that’s fine, it all worked out for the best,” said Bender, who was officially selected 17th overall, during a phone interview.

“I’m with the Stampeders and could maybe play in front of my family and friends someday.”

Bender grew up rooting for the Stampeders and said it was an honour to be selected by the organization.

The 23-year-old noted that his unwillingness to commit to the CFL was likely what sent him down the draft board and funny enough cost him a national television interview with TSN.

“They were going to talk to me over the phone when I got drafted but they only covered the first two rounds live,” Bender said laughing.

Nevertheless, Bender had no hard feelings about his draft day slide.

“I see it more as a sign of respect,” he said.

“(Teams) are not sure if they are going to see me next year. I am going to keep working hard in the off-season and hopefully have a good year with the Wolf Pack and then hopefully the NFL comes calling.”

Bender has been rumoured to be a late-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft by numerous scouting websites. This past season at Nevada, Bender and his fellow offensive linemen helped pave the road for the No. 1 rushing attack in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

After selecting Bender, the Stampeders also chose two other offensive lineman in hopes of filling a void left by the recent retirement of veteran tackle Jeff Pilon. Calgary Stamps head coach John Hufnagel hinted that Bender could one day find himself in Pilon’s spot on the depth chart.

“John Bender’s a very athletic offensive lineman,” Hufnagel said in an audio interview released by the team. “He played guard. I look to see him come in and compete at an offensive tackle position.”

If Bender does join the Stamps, he would be reunited with fellow Cochranites Rob Cote, who plays at fullback, and receiver Blaine Kruger. Bender played with Cote in high school and the two later joined Kruger on the Victoria Rebels of the British Columbia Football Conference.

“Obviously they’re great players and it would be good to play with them again,” Bender said of his fellow Cochrane products.

And although his senior season is still months away, Bender is already looking forward to rejoining the Wolf Pack, who officially kick off their 2010 NCAA campaign Sept. 2 against Eastern Washington.

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Coming into this season, Vancouver Canucks forward Mason Raymond set some lofty goals for himself.

Twenty-five goals, 28 assists and 82 games later it’s safe to say those goals and more were reached in what quickly became a breakthrough year for the young Cochrane winger.
“I always feel like you’re learning something and moving forward,” Raymond said during a recent phone interview.

“Every day I am learning what it takes to be a professional hockey player and to continue to be an effective player for years to come.

Effective would be a good word to summarize Raymond’s 2009-10 campaign to date, as the 24-year-old set career highs in every noteworthy statistical category this season and became a staple in the Canucks’ lineup, appearing in every one of the team’s regular-season games.

Mason Raymond will look to be an impact player for the Vancouver Canucks as they open the NHL playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings. Photo by Jeremy Nolais

Of course, none of Raymond’s accomplishments are the topic of discussion now, as the National Hockey League quickly shifts focus to the post-season, and the top 16 teams begin the marathon chase for the Stanley Cup.

The Canucks locked up third in the Western Conference by winning the Northwest Division and now have a date with the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round. Raymond believes the key for his team is to take things one game at a time.

“There’s never an easy game, it’s a tough league and any given night these teams come to play,” he said. “I think, at the end of the day, if we are focused on what we can control and doing our thing we are a tough team to beat.”

Up front, Raymond won’t be the only one looked upon to ignite Vancouver’s offence, as the Canucks also boast the NHL’s top regular-season scorer Henrik Sedin and his playmaking twin brother Daniel. On the back end, Olympic gold medal winning netminder Roberto Luongo will look to find his top form after struggling somewhat down the stretch.

“(Luongo’s) only human. Everybody goes through ups and downs,” Raymond said. “He’s finding his consistency and is a huge part of our club. We will rely on him a great deal down the stretch.”

If the Canucks are able to get past the Kings, tough challenges could come from the Western Conference’s top two teams, the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks.

Raymond made his post-season debut during a second round series with the ’Hawks last season, potting two goals and adding an assist as the Canucks fell in six games. Raymond said he learned a great deal from that series and is ready for any challenge awaiting him during this year’s playoff run.

“At the end of the day, you are going to have to play the toughest teams if you hope to go all the way,” he said.

And when the heated NHL playoff action finally comes to a cool, Raymond will find himself in unfamiliar territory as a restricted free agent — meaning he can entertain new contracts from other teams but the Canucks are given the opportunity to match any offer and will be awarded compensatory draft picks if he leaves.

When asked about his possible endeavours in the off-season, Raymond said he plans to let his play do the talking.

“The only thing I can control is what I do on the ice,” he said.

The Canucks open the playoffs against the Kings on April 15 in Vancouver.

Medicine Hat Tigers captain Wacey Hamilton of Cochrane hopes to be drafted by an NHL club this summer. Photo by Jeremy Nolais

Tigers’ Hamilton clawing at the pros

And while Raymond may have multiple contract offers to weigh this summer, fellow Cochranite Wacey Hamilton is looking for just one chance to prove himself in the pros.

The young captain’s season in the Western Hockey League officially came to a close April 11, as his Medicine Hat Tigers fell 3-2 in overtime to the Calgary Hitmen to drop their Eastern Conference semifinal series four games to two.

Much like Raymond, Hamilton set numerous career markers this season, finishing the regular-season campaign with 24 goals and 41 assists in 67 games.

“As captain you can’t expect to be a leader for your teammates if you’re not doing your part,” Hamilton explained.

Hamilton also proved to be a consistent force in the playoffs for Medicine Hat, notching eight points in 12 games, as the Tigers topped the Kootenay Ice and pushed the No. 1-seeded Hitmen to six games.

If he had it his way, Hamilton would already be the property of an NHL team; however, injuries last season cost him any chance of being drafted. Now, the 19-year-old heads into the off-season looking for a shot at the big time.

“I am just going to stay optimistic and see what happens,” he said.

Springbank’s Joe Colborne signed a three-year deal with the Boston Bruins March 31 after two seasons with the Denver Pioneers of the NCAA. Photo courtesy University of Denver

Springbank scorer inks deal with Bruins

Hamilton and Raymond aren’t the only local skaters looking for a steady job in the NHL, as Springbank’s Joe Colborne officially signed a three-year contract with the Boston Bruins on March 31.

Colborne, the 16th-overall pick in 2008 NHL Draft, had his time in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) cut short this past season, as his Denver Pioneers were upset by the Rochester Institute of Technology in the opening round of the Division 1 Men’s Hockey Championships.

After signing with Boston, Colborne reported to the organization’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Providence Bruins, and played in the team’s six remaining regular-season games, picking up two assists in the process.

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