The morning of Thursday, May 1st
had young hockey players huddled at their computers, checking their phones and
waiting for their name to be called at the WHL Bantam Draft. When Regina Pats Director of Scouting, Dale
McMullin ascended to the podium to make the team’s first selection (13th
Overall) of the Draft, the name called was out of character for the Blue and
White. For the first time since the
inception of the Bantam Draft in 1990, the Pats selected a goaltender in the
first round. Langley, B.C.’s Jordan
Hollett was the second goaltender picked in the opening round.
“When Ian Scott went (9th
Overall to Prince Albert), another goalie I knew, that some goalies would be going
pretty quick there,” said Hollett of being picked in the 13th
slot. “I didn’t really know for sure
that I was going (early), so it was a little bit of a change with Ian Scott
going and I knew it was a matter of time.”
The Pats scouting staff is
charged with building the team through the draft every year and for the young
players selected it can be a life-changing event.
“It was a special moment, there
was a whole bunch of excitement and a little bit of shock,” recounted Hollett. “You expect, almost, before the draft… I
thought I was going to get drafted, but once it happens it’s not really
something you can prepare yourself for.”
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| Photo: Freeze Frame Photography |
Hollett was the first of nine
players selected by the Pats in this year’s Bantam Draft. They all make their first impressions on the
organization this weekend at the Pats Spring Prospect Camp at the Cooperators
Centre along with the Pats’ previous draft class and new list prospects.
“It’s really exciting. I’m going to meet other players I got drafted
with which is going to be fun, make a lot of new friends so I’m really excited
for it.”
For the first-year and new prospects,
the Camp is meant to be an orientation for the players and their families to
get familiar with the Regina Pats. It’s
meant to be a low pressure environment for the prospects to build relationships
with their peers and the hockey operations staff. Hollett plans to take advantage of the
relaxed atmosphere.
“People can get caught up and
get too worked up about (Camp). I’m just
going to relax, believe in all the work I’ve done the whole year with OHA in
dry-land and all that and just have some fun and meet some guys in the program.”
July 8th–13th,
Hollett will take part in B.C. Hockey’s 2014 Provincial U16 Camp as the first
step toward playing for British Columbia at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in
Prince George. His philosophy for that audition
is very similar to the Pats Spring Camp.
“It’s the exact same thing,
really. Just don’t get too caught up in
it and just go out there and play your own game. You can’t get too worked up about it, like I
said, people get caught up in the pressure and can’t perform the way they want
to so you just have to go in and relax and play your game.”
For Pats fans wondering what style
the 6’3”, 180 lbs goaltender plays, Hollett puts his size to good use.
“I’m a butterfly goalie, so I
have good movement side to side, quickness and the mental side of being
composed and relaxed is the way I want to play.”
You can get your first look at
the Pats’ newest goaltending prospect and his peers from the 2014 Bantam Draft
class at the Cooperators Centre this weekend.
The Pats’ prospects will be on the Ice at 6:00 p.m. Friday night and
10:00 a.m. Saturday/Sunday. On-ice
sessions will be roughly one hour in length.
The Pats Neutral Zone Store will be on-site for Spring Camp with great
discount prices on Pats merchandise, visit ReginaPats.com
for the store hours.
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