Bradley Jones

Jaeger White’s long journey around the WHL

There was a time when Jaeger White of the Kootenay ICE thought that his Western Hockey League playing days were done. After a promising 16-year-old season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes where he had four goals and 12 assists for 16 points, a series of problems with his shoulder had him off the ice more than he was on it.

Even when he was on the ice as a 17-year-old, he struggled.

His struggles had him traded from Lethbridge to the Everett Silvertips for a brief stint, before he ended up with the Brandon Wheat Kings. Then another injury to his shoulder ended his year.

He had one goal and three assists for four points in 39 games with three different teams.

White, who is five games into his overage season in the WHL with the ICE, looks back on the struggles, changes of scenery and injuries as things that taught him a lot.

“I’ve learned a lot, I feel like I’ve changed a lot since I was 15. I’ve matured a lot. You learn a lot from your experiences and from older players. It feels like just yesterday I was 15 but it’s been a long time and I’ve learned a lot,” White said.

White was acquired this summer by the ICE, from the Medicine Hat Tigers. It is the sixth WHL team he has worn a jersey for.

“When I was 17, I wasn’t really happy with where I was at. I was going through a rough time and wasn’t performing to the best of my abilities on the ice. I still do talk to Pete Anholt (Hurricanes GM) sometimes and I still have a really good relationship with him. This time around with Medicine Hat, I knew it might be coming. With being 20, it’s different, there is only room for three. They had a lot of other guys and I got a good opportunity here to play a bigger role so I wasn’t mad about it. I was upset about leaving my home town and a good group of guys but I knew I had the opportunity I had with Kootenay.”

With WHL teams being limited to three 20-year-old players and White being one of many on the Tigers’ roster, he had a feeling the feel-good story of him playing for his hometown team was over.

White had 34 points in 2017-18 with the Tigers (Andy Devlin)

“I had a good 16-year-old year and when I was 17 things fell off the rails for me a little bit. Then I got injured and did not play for a year which is tough. I wasn’t sure if I was going to play again. Mentally and physically it just wasn’t there. Then I got a chance to go to Moose Jaw’s training camp and played Medicine Hat in the preseason. Moose Jaw sent me home but Medicine Hat liked what they saw I guess. I just went in there just trying to make that team as well and things just worked out. I’m thankful for the opportunity Shaun gave me.”

White then got more of an opportunity with Medicine Hat, as some injuries moved him up in the lineup. He had six points in six games as the Tigers fell in the first round to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

“It was really unfortunate we had our top two centers go down and I was asked to play a bigger role. For me it was a real cool experience to play for my hometown team in the playoffs. I tried to do everything I could to help us win. I was rewarded statistically but at the end of the day it was a really tough losing. It was a hard fought series.”

Even though White was acquired by the ICE, he still had to compete with other overage players in the preseason to earn his spot.

“Cranbrook has a really amazing staff here. They gave me a good opportunity and I played a couple pre-season games and did well. It’s always tough when you are only allowed to take three 20-year-olds so they made some decisions and I’m just thankful I was one of the ones they kept.”

Now that he made the regular season roster and is five games in, White is looking forward this year with yet another WHL team.

“I think we have a really strong group. We are pretty deep through the lineup – pretty young and there is a lot of talent. So far I think we have a pretty balanced attack then maybe was expected. The division is doing a lot better this year so we are really going to have to win those divisional games but ultimately our goal is to make the playoffs and I think we are off to a pretty good start.”

White has one goal and three assists for four points so far this year. While his journey in the WHL has taken him all over the league and it looked like he might not play in the league at one point, he is ready to make the most of his last year of junior hockey.