Panthers add promising forward
The Pelham Panthers appear to have found a diamond in the rough with Will Stewart.
The 16-year-old Hamilton resident caught the eye of the Panthers at a pre-camp skate with his size and skill.
“Right away we noticed him and picked him off,” Panthers coach Chris Lukey said. “He impressed us enough to invite him to main camp.
“We really liked him.”
Stewart, a 6-foot-3, 170-pound winger, showed up in Pelham innocently enough.
“I was looking to get back on the ice and get the skates going and heard it was cheap, so I came out and ended up making it,” he said. “I hadn’t really played with any junior players and I’d never really seen junior level hockey so I was coming out not really knowing anything. I got out there and I was just playing and realized I could do it.”
Stewart picked up a pair of assists in two pre-season tournaments and proved he belonged at the junior B level.
“He has all the tools,” Lukey said. “He gets into the dirty areas and he’s not afraid to take a hit or give a hit.
“He’s got a great set of hands — the kid can score — he’s going to do really well.”
Lukey figures to give Stewart some time to get his feet wet at the junior level.
“He’s here to develop,” Lukey said. “He needs another year to develop and we’re glad to do that for him.”
With several veterans returning up front, Stewart figures to start the season on the third line.
“He’s knocking on the door and really close,” Lukey said. “We plan on utilizing him a lot. I don’t want to put him into positions he can’t handle just yet. I want to build his confidence which he showed a lot of in the pre-season and then get him into killing some penalties and I can see him on the power play eventually.”
That’s fine with Stewart.
“I’ll just go out there and play as hard as I can and see where it goes,” he said.
Stewart went to camp in Flint after being selected in the 15th round of the 2021 Ontario Hockey League draft by the Firebirds.
“It was great. It was super high-paced and super-aggressive. That’s where I want to be,” he said.
Stewart was given the message by the Firebirds to hit the gym.
“I need to strengthen up. Off ice, I was a little weaker than half the kids. Just strengthen up and continue to be consistent and do the little stuff,” he said.
The Panthers open the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League season Friday, Sept. 24 at home versus Hamilton.
“We ran into some injuries and illness so we’re down a few guys,” Lukey said. “We feel strongly we have three good lines now and we’re trying to piece together a grinder line. We have all our D defence and goalies in place. We’re just looking to finish off that fourth line.”
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