Future Otter thriving in Thorold
Brett Bressette’s junior hockey career could have been over before it even began.
The 16-year-old Midland native suffered a pair of serious injuries last season in minor midget, breaking his wrist and the femur bone in his leg on a drill in practice when he stepped on a loose puck and tumbled into the boards.
Bressette was able to get into 10 games with the North Central Predators AAA team where he collected six goals and 10 points, but the uncertainly surrounding his health saw his stock plummet for the Ontario Hockey League draft.
“Obviously, I was kind of devastated being my draft year and knowing that might affect me but I just went with it,” he said. “Everybody was supportive and really helped me get through it.”
Bressette, a 5-foot-9, 141-pound centre, was pegged by some to be a late first-round or second-round pick. He ended up being selected in the fourth round by the Erie Otters.
“I was very excited to get drafted,” he said. “I wanted to go as high as possible but the fourth round is still high and I was just happy to get drafted no matter what.”
Bressette impressed in Erie and was signed to a contract before being sent to the Thorold Blackhawks where he could get the necessary playing time to expedite his development.
“It was good. I thought I showed some good hockey,” Bressette said of his experience in Erie. “They know I’m back at 100 per cent now and I signed which was good.
“I went into camp hoping to make the team but I kind of knew this was going to happen. This was the plan we had and I knew this was better for my development to come back to junior B.”
Erie assistant coach Wes Wolfe said Bressette turned some heads at camp.
“When he first reported to prospects camp in the spring, we knew he was just coming off of his long-term injuries but that didn’t stop him from leaving an impression on us,” Wolfe said. “We knew if he had a good summer of training that he would be able to make that next jump, and that’s exactly what he did when he came back for training camp.
“He has a tremendous ability to make smart and creative plays with the puck and find open ice. He’s also not afraid to go to hard areas like the front of the net or into battles along the boards. I think what ultimately earned him his contract with our team was his compete level — arriving first to the puck, having a good stick, making that extra effort.”
Hawks coach Scott Barnes was more than happy to take Bressette, particularly after coaching him in a pair of summer showcase tournaments.
“I thought he looked OK, but I also knew he was coming off an injury and he was going to get better,” Barnes said. “He played again for me two weeks later and the improvement was a ton so I figured by the time the season started he would be close to 100 per cent.”
Bressette is off to a good start with the Hawks compiling two goals and five points in four games.
“I think it’s really good. I’m getting lots of minutes and the guys I’m playing with are great so I think my development is going to come a long way in making me a better hockey player,” he said. “Playing against older guys here is putting me in position if I play for Erie and play against older guys there too. It really sets me up for success.”
Barnes loves Bressette’s approach.
“He’s very smart. He reads the play well and is able to get to pucks and protect pucks and strip pucks off of guys. He’s not the biggest guy or the fastest guy, but he’s just smart and knows where to be and where other guys are at all times.”
Bressette appears to be just what the doctor ordered for the Blackhawks, who have been offensively challenged at times the last couple of seasons.
“I knew we lacked a guy who could put up some points for us the last couple of years and I was thinking he should be able to be one of our top two centres if everything I heard about him was right,” Barnes said. “I was hoping he would be on one of our top two lines and produce and so far, so good.”
The Blackhawks, 2-1-1, are home to Welland Thursday at 7:07 p.m. and in Pelham Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
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