Andy Devlin

Almeida capitalizing on opportunity

By Matthew Gourlie

Justin Almeida learned the value of opportunities early in his hockey career.

The 18-year-old Moose Jaw Warriors centre is making the most of the opportunity to play a big role on the high-flying top-ranked team in the Western Hockey League.

Almeida has been one of the breakout players of the WHL season. He has 29 goals and 69 points in 50 games to sit 11th in league scoring. He has also contributed on the penalty kill all season and his four short-handed goals is tied for second in the WHL. Almeida is fifth in the league at plus-40.

Justin Almeida, left, from the Moose Jaw Warriors battles with Tomas Soustal from the Edmonton Oil Kings. (Andy Devlin photo)

“When you’re playing with guys like (Brayden) Burke, (Tanner) Jeannot, (Brett) Howden and (Jayden) Halbgeachs they make it pretty easy on the ice. When you start capitalizing on your scoring chances you start to feel good about yourself and gaining confidence,” Almeida said.

It is easy to forget now, but Almeida had to earn the role he has assumed on the Warriors out of training camp this season. With three 20-year-old forwards, plus Howden and veteran Noah Gregor there wasn’t a lot of opportunity in the top-six. Still, Almeida found quick chemistry with Burke and Jeannot and established his spot in the lineup.

“I had big expectations coming in and I wanted to be in a top role on our team. I pushed myself to get those opportunities,” Almeida said. “Coming into the season I knew there were no guarantees and I would have to work for (a top-six role). I had a big summer and coming in I just wanted to show every opportunity I got that I belonged there.”

In addition to getting stronger over the summer, Almeida worked on his skills and said he came into the season with more confidence. He scored  in four of the first five games of the season and he hasn’t looked back.

He said this season the game is slowing down for him and his “control with the puck in the offensive zone and just controlling some of the pace” of the game has been the biggest improvement to his game.

“As you get used to this league it definitely feels more comfortable and you can see the ice better out there,” he added.

The Warriors acquired Almeida in a trade with Prince George that stands as one of general manager Alan Millar’s biggest coups in Moose Jaw. The Warriors received Almeida, import Jan Khomenko, a fifth round pick in 2017 and a second rounder in 2018 for Russian winger Nikita Popugaev who left the Cougars early this season.

The Cougars will visit Moose Jaw Saturday and Almeida is looking forward to the meeting.

Justin Almeida

“It’s my old team. I have some friends on that team, but I want to show them what they’re missing,” Almeida said.

Born in Kitimat B.C., just south of Prince Rupert, Almeida and his mother moved to Vancouver to help further his hockey career. He played Pee Wee and Bantam hockey with the famed North Shore Winter Club and was selected fifth overall in the 2014 WHL bantam draft.

“There wasn’t a lot of competition in Kitimat, so I moved to the North Shore Winter Club… and there I got the competition and exposure,” he said. “It was a big sacrifice, but right now it’s paying off.”

Almeida scored 80 goals and had 147 points in 70 games as a Bantam player as the North Shore Winter Club won the Western Canadian Bantam AAA title.

He said he didn’t feel any added pressure by being such a high pick in the bantam draft and said once you’re in the league it’s about making the most of your opportunities regardless of where you were selected.

“You see players all over the draft — seventh, 10th round — and they come into the league and have a huge impact, so it’s really just the opportunity you get,” Almeida said.

After being passed over in the 2017 NHL draft, Almeida is ranked 125th by Central Scouring this time around. Whether he gets selected or not, he’s taking that same lesson to heart.

“As long as I keep producing and keep showing what I have — and as long as our team keeps doing well, that’s always good for me — then that stuff will take care of itself,” Almeida said.