Partridge chases his dreams
Chase Partridge is eagerly anticipating the 2025 OHL draft. Photo by Insight Imaging Photography.
It was during his U14 year with the Niagara North Stars that Chase Partridge understood he had the potential to play in the Ontario Hockey League.
“I kind of broke out and realized it was time to get more serious,” said the 15-year-old St. Catharines resident, who turns 16 on Monday. “I got more confident in my game and started making plays myself. I also grew quite a bit that year, I started working out and I became a lot stronger. I was able to use my size and my strength to my advantage against other kids.”
Fast forward two years and the 6-foot-1, 190-pound player is eagerly anticipating hearing his name being called at this weekend’s OHL draft.
“The OHL has always been a goal of mine. I watched it a lot when I was younger. We had IceDogs’ season’s tickets and we would always be at the games. I didn’t know where I wanted to play at the next level but my goal was to make it there.”
With changes made to NCAA eligibility rules, he could also conceivably play Division 1 hockey.
“It is amazing for all the players who come up to know there are more pathways where you can keep progressing, become a better player and get more runway to do it.”
Niagara North Stars AAA U16 head coach Curtis Conrad has had a front row seat to watch Partridge’s development.
“Chase has been a huge contributor to this team, going back to novice. The last two years that I’ve coached, he’s probably led the team in points over the course of those two years, playing forward and defence at different times,” he said. “Really versatile player for us that is able to use his playmaking to set the guys up and has a great shot that he can finish on his own too. He’s also just been a big leader on the team the last few years too. He’s a great kid and a good role model.”
Partridge describes himself as a super hard-working player who is going to be the hardest working player no matter what.
“I am someone with a very high hockey IQ who sees the game really well and the game is really slow for me. I have great vision and I am also a leader off the ice and someone who is mature and making sure the boys are always fired up for the game.”
The multi-sport athlete, who played two years of Ontario Player Development League soccer and competed on the Niagara Junior Golf Tour, can see himself being a defencemen or a forward at the next level.
“It’s wherever my team needs me. I am not afraid to play either position and I love playing both. I am ready to play wherever the coach wants me to play.”
He has had between 12 and 13 interviews with different OHL teams and there’s many different ideas on where they see him fitting in.
“Some have talked about defence, some haven’t and it has been mostly forward discussions but I will see how my recovery goes and go from there.”
Partridge is on the mend from a lacerated calf he suffered on Jan. 19. He’s expected to be good to go in the next two or three weeks.
The seriousness of the injury caught him by surprise.
“Originally I was told I would be back playing in five days. I got back home from the hospital and woke up the next morning, went to walk and fell on my face. I realized there was something more to it and I found out about two weeks later my season was over. By then, I had prepared myself for that and there wasn’t an outpouring of emotion.”
It was the second straight year he had his season cut short by an injury. Last year, he was slew footed in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships and incurred an ankle injury that put him on the shelf for a month.
Partridge is awaiting the draft with mixed emotions.
“It’s everything: stress; nervousness; excitement. The first chapter in my life is coming to an end and I’m excited to see where it takes me and excited to finally get my name called.”
He will follow the draft on-line at home with his parents, girlfriend and his two closest buddies.
“I want to keep it small and keep it reasonable just in case it doesn’t go how I expect it to. I want to celebrate with the people who have been most supportive of me,” the Grade 10 student at Ridley College said.
He started playing hockey at the house league level 12 years ago at the Bill Burgoyne Arena and has been a member of the Niagara North Stars AAA program for the past eight seasons.
