Victoria had the unique opportunity to host the Vancouver Canucks training camp early in the fall. The city also had the privilege of hosting an exhibition NHL game between the Canucks and the Calgary Flames. During the training camp, we had a chance to catch up with a former WHL star, Carter Bancks.
Bancks played four seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, suiting up for 262 games. The Calgary product recorded 178 points over those games, including 58 goals. He was on the 2008 Hurricanes team that reached the WHL Final before being swept by the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs.
Bancks also served as the Hurricanes captain during his final WHL season in 2009-10. He went undrafted but signed with the Calgary Flames as a free agent after his junior career came to an end. Here is our talk with the Captain of the Utica Comets.
DN: So first of all, day two camp, how was it today for you?
CB: “That was good. It’s been a really tough camp and a lot of hard work, a lot of skating, really fast-paced. But it’s great to get back to work and get back out there with a lot of guys we’re going to play with this year and some fun competing together.”
DN: What are the coaches really stressing to you this camp for you to do?
CB: “It’s not a whole lot about, I mean, this far in camp, about exactly what you want, what they want me to do, but I think just being in a bit of a leadership role the last few years, you just want to show up and be in good shape and compete hard and kind of lead the way. We’re familiar with a lot of the drills, be at the front lines, make sure everyone knows where they’re going to, help guys out if they don’t know drills, and kind of talk through it and communicate and just try to push the pace.”
DN: How is your health going into camp? Good offseason?
CB: “Yeah, really good. Feeling good. I’ve had some years in my career where it’s been a lot of rehabbing, but this year was was good. It was body was healthy, was able to get a lot accomplished in the gym and in my workouts and feeling really good about where I’m at.”
DN: Now let’s switch gears here a little bit. Junior hockey, a barn here. You had a great junior hockey career with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Any thoughts or memories stand out out of the top of your mind?
CB: “Well for sure. I mean, it’s cool getting back in the rink like this. Unfortunately, Victoria wasn’t in the league when I played. Chilliwack was still there. So never made my way out here. But I have some great memories from junior, had a good playoff run the one year to in the finals. Then they (Spokane) went on to win the Memorial Cup and break it (the cup) that same year. But yeah, it was just, I mean, the battles with Medicine Hat. It’s funny — looking all these years later, (Wacey) Hamilton was a captain in Med Hat when I was captain to Lethbridge and wasn’t my favorite guy ever on the ice — didn’t get along too well with him. And now he’s one of my closest friends and having trained together for six years now. So it’s just funny how it all comes around.”
DN: What was it like going through your real developmental years and putting your life in the hands of the coaches and being on the bus and being around the guys? Looking back on it, was that really key to your growth as a player?
CB: “Definitely. I had an unbelievable time in the Western League, the whole organization, our coaching staff, treated us great. Michael Dyck is now with Vancouver. I had him my first three years, and then Rich Preston came in my last year, and the city of Lethbridge was great to me. It was huge in terms of developing. You get to learn, kind of learn what the grind’s like. So when I turned pro, we come off playing 72 games and we’re only up to 80 games at that time in American Hockey League. Your body’s kind of used to that and performance and kind of learning how to manage it and keep yourself healthy. The WHL is a great league. I always grew up dreaming of playing in it, and it was pretty cool to get to do it for four years. When I’ve been home on the all-star break, I’ll stop and watch them play and kind of see where the league is at and it’s just great hockey and it’s great to develop in. I was lucky enough to turn pro, and I’ve got some great friends that ended up using the scholarship fund and have degrees now in kinesiology or business and are doing really well in other aspects of life. So there’s a lot of pros to me. As a guy who’s made that transition from junior hockey to the pros, we both know there’s a lot of guys that don’t get that opportunity.”
DN: What is your advice for maybe a young junior player starting?, What advice can you maybe give to that young player?
CB: “Just believe in yourself. I was a smaller, undersized guy who wasn’t ever drafted — didn’t know if I’d ever get to play pro. And just self-belief and when guys might be taking it off or heading to the lake or whatever it may be. If you’re committed to it, you can achieve things. I mean, the ultimate goal would have been to be in the NHL, and I was lucky I got to play two games with Calgary, but I’ve been primarily in the AHL. But it’s been a great life. I’ve had an absolute blast doing it. Played with some awesome people. We got to play some really good hockey, so just never quit work and never quit believing in yourself. You can find a way to make it work.”
Shooting the Breeze: Bancks kicks off his season with the Utica Comets on October 5th in Binghamton vs. the Devils. His former team, the Hurricanes, are in action Friday night when they host the Portland Winterhawks.
