Hockey / COBOURG 'BUDDIES' TAKE THEIR ACT TO WORLD JR. A CHALLENGE

COBOURG 'BUDDIES' TAKE THEIR ACT TO WORLD JR. A CHALLENGE

Date:  Source: Ontario Junior A Hockey League

Riley McCutcheon (left) and Jamie Englebert chat at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke Wednesday. They have plenty in common, including playing for Team Canada East at this week’s World Jr. A Hockey Challenge in northern Alberta.

BY JIM MASON / THE OJHL             

Consider the odds.

Eight players from the Ontario Junior Hockey League were selected to play for Team Canada East at this month’s 2018 World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta.

Two are members of the Cobourg Cougars: Riley McCutcheon and Jamie Englebert.

Born four days apart in June of 2000, their hockey lives have been connected since they entered the sport.

They began playing together as novices in the Clarington Toros organization. And save for a season or two, they’ve been teammates ever since. Even playing on the same line at times.

“Eight or nine years together,” McCutcheon said, following Team Canada East’s final at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke Wednesday.

They’re in a Hwy. 401 carpool of Durham Region players who live at home and drive to and from games and practices in Cobourg.

If they finish each other’s sentences, you’ll understand.

Cobourg general manager Adam Yahn is immensely proud of the Cougars’ connection to World Jr. A Challenge. That includes co-hosting the 2015 tourney with the Whitby Fury and sending seven players to Team Canada East in the past five years – including this year’s duo.

“It’s really cool to see it come full circle from Clarington to this point with Riley and Jamie,” Yahn said. “It’s fantastic.”

Englebert played his entire nine-year minor hockey career in Clarington. That included a year of midget – and a growth spurt that brought him up to 6-foot-4 the same as McCutcheon – after being released from Cobourg’s Jr. A camp in 2016.

“A lot of crash and bang,” is how he describes his game. “With me, it all starts in the defensive zone getting the puck out, making a hit then getting the forecheck going and turning on the offence.”

Englebert was “Always on our radar,” including playing for Cobourg’s team in the OJHL summer Development League, Yahn said.

But…

“He came into last season and, to be honest, we didn’t expect he’d crack a roster spot. But he came into camp, worked his tail off and made a position on the team for himself. He played depth minutes for us. He’s always been one of those kids who will buy in.”

“This year, again we didn’t know what to expect,” Yahn said. “But he pushed himself into our top six and made a name for himself at Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge (in Trenton last month).”

Englebert’s physical style should pay dividends in “the small barn” in Bonnyville, Yahn predicts.

Perseverance is in his nature.

“Don’t stop work, put your mind to it,” he said. “Just keep on pushing and the opportunities will be there.”

The goal during his first ever trek to Alberta?

“Winning gold,” he said. “I think that’s something we can achieve here. If we work for it, we’ll be walking out with gold medals around our necks.”

McCutcheon appreciates having his old pal from Clarington along for the ride.

“It’s great,” he said. “Nice knowing someone on the team, who you’ve been buddies with for a long, long time. There are good connections out there. Even off the ice, in the hotel room playing cards, joking around and the good memories you can bring up.”

There was little kidding around when the coaching staff made the final cuts to the roster Tuesday afternoon,

“A lot of nerves waiting in the room to get called into the meetings,” McCutcheon said. “You’re thinking you definitely have a good chance; then you’re thinking I don’t think things went too well. You’re never too sure. But it’s always great to hear they need you in Alberta.

“As soon as I heard that, it was just a wave of emotion. Couldn’t stop smiling, which is great.”

The first person he shared the news with was his dad, who was waiting in the arena lobby.

Then he texted one of his trainers, Gord McPhail of AreYouGame Conditioning Club Inc. in Whitby, who McCutcheon credits with transforming his “skinny kid” body.

“McCutcheon really perfected himself into a power forward,” said Yahn,

Invited to the national Jr. A prospects game but undrafted last year, Yahn says McCutcheon shot out of the gate this season.

The Vermont commit has 17 goals in 26 games.

“He’ll be an asset to Team Canada East with that shot,” Yahn said. “I think he’s poised for a very good tournament.”

The other OJHL players on the squad are Spencer Kersten (Oakville Blades), Ty Glover (Buffalo Jr. Sabres), Eric Ciccolini (Toronto Jr. Canadiens), Jack Watson (St. Michael’s Buzzers), Dustyn McFaul (Pickering Panthers) and Trevor LeDonne (Brantford 99ers).

McFaul was selected by the Boston Bruins in the 2018 NHL Draft. Ciccolini and Glover are ranked for the 2019 draft.

40 Team Canada East hopefuls  gathered at the MasterCard Centre for three days of games and practices this week as part of the evaluation process this week.

Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe addressed the players in his AHL team’s dressing room at the MasterCard Centre Wednesday. Keefe was an assistant coach of Team Canada East in 2012.

On another ice pad at the four-rink complex, William Nylander was skating in preparation for his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs Thursday.

Team Canada East flew to Alberta today and practised this evening. They play the United States in an exhibition game in Cold Lake Friday night.

Team Canada East will officially kick off the tournament against Russia on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET when the World Junior A Challenge returns to Bonnyville for the second time in three years.