(As part of a running feature before the start of the year, we will have some features on players going into their rookie WHL seasons).
All across the vast territories than span the Western Hockey League, there are 2002-born players gearing up for the start of training camps this weekend.
Each of them wants to make an impression and they all have the goal of making one of the rosters of the 22 teams.
Each of these players has a varied knowledge of the WHL, depending on where they grew up and what they have been exposed to.
Spokane Chiefs forward Jack Finley’s awareness of what the WHL is all about has to be some of the highest of any of the 2002-born players.
“My Dad actually coached for the (Kelowna) Rockets when I was a kid so I was a big fan of the Rockets. I knew a lot about the WHL from my Dad so I was really excited to get drafted into it,” Finley said.
Of his years watching the many talented Rockets stars, there is one in particular that he followed very closely.
“Leon Draisaitl. He was in Prince Albert and then went up with Edmonton and came to Kelowna for one year. He just destroyed the league. He was unbelievable. It was really fun to watch him.”
As for current WHL players, who he has paid close attention to, a large forward playing down in Kennewick comes to mind.
“Michael Rasmussen from Tri-City. I’ve heard a lot of people tell me to watch him so I have and am trying to emulate my game after his. He is a big guy who is really good in front of the net and that is what I think my game sort of has. Watching him definitely helped.”
Finley, who was drafted by the Chiefs in the first round, sixth overall in 2016, came up through the Pursuit of Excellence program. He had 33 points in 33 games last year in the major midget.
“I think working hard every day. In my draft year, the pursuit of excellence program helped me a lot. Then last year playing major midget back home in Kelowna. That’s a great organization. They really know how to develop their players. I think just working hard every day and getting better as much as you can.”
The six-foot-four, 207 pound Finley also played in the BCHL last year for the Penticton Vees.
“It was different because I had already signed in the Dub and I hadn’t played any WHL games but they called me and they were short guys and asked if I wanted to play that night. I was excited to get some junior experience under my belt and I got into Penticton and met everyone. It was really cool. One of my shifts I was just coming on and the puck came up to me. I just one-timed it and it went in. I didn’t know it went in but all the lights in the arena went off and everyone went crazy. It was really cool.”
He also got into seven games in the WHL as a 15-year-old, potting his first WHL point – an assist.
“That was definitely huge. The WHL has been a league that I’ve really wanted to play in ever since I was young. Playing your first few games, it is nice to dip your tow in the water and see what the league is about. Spokane is a great organization and a great team. I think there’s a bright future ahead.”
Finely had the benefit of playing with some talented older players, who have already been drafted to the NHL in Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Kailer Yamamoto, Ty Smith and Jake McGrew. Anderson-Dolan specifically was someone the coaching staff tasked him with watching and learning from.
“He’s an unbelievable guy and an unbelievable player. When I came in, I talked to the coach – Dan (Lambert) and he said you have to watch Jaret Anderson-Dolan and take anything you can from him. Same with my agency, they said – if there is one guy you should watch it is him. Every time I have been around him, I am trying to learn something from him. How hard he practices and how he recovers and I have learned a lot. He’s a great friend as well and I am very grateful to him.”
While there are differences in their playing style, Anderson-Dolan does a lot of things that Finley is trying to improve at.
“He’s got a really heavy shot and that is something that I work on pretty hard. He’s smaller than me so he’s a better skater but just picking up on stuff that he does like his skating stride and the way he gets the puck into positions where he can shoot it – that is stuff that I picked up.”
Skating is something that Finley worked hard on over the summer as he knows how key this is to success in major junior.
“I think nowadays if you can’t skate you can’t play. It’s been something I’ve been told and know I need to work on. I’ve bene trying to get some lower-body leg strength and try to push the pace when I am practicing. It has improved and needs to improve if I want to play at the WHL level.”
During the summer Finley got the chance to play at Hockey Canada’s U17 Development Camp. He had two assists in three games as he tried to state his case for making one of three of Canada’s U17 teams at the World Hockey Challenge this November.
Finley got the chance to play with and against some of the same players he competed with and against in last year’s WHL Cup. Finley recalls that event fondly as his B.C. team won the gold medal over the favored Alberta squad.
“We were just talking about the final. It was an unreal experience. Every team was amazing but Alberta was a pretty special team. I think the way that the staff of Team B.C. picked our team was phenomenal. Everyone had a tole and we all played a great game we ended up winning.”
All of those camps and his first venture into the WHL has led to this week, where he tries to impress Lambert and co. and end up earning a spot on the Chiefs opening night roster.
“I want to make the WHL. I would also love to make a U17 team – that’s a very big goal for me and I just want to be someone who does not get scratched every night – who is actually in the lineup. I know it is hard as a 16-year-old because you might now get a much playing time. I just want to make it hard for the coaches not to play me.”
(The interview for this piece was conducted by DubNetwork contributor Tyler Lowey).
