Some fatherly advice
Like father, like son. For the most part, anyway. As he skated into his second Lethbridge Hurricanes camp, Chase Wheatcroft didn’t have to look too far for a reference.
His father, Jim, was a member of the Canes — and in historical fashion to boot — part of the 1987-88 Hurricanes that returned to Lethbridge after the Calgary Wranglers moved to the deep south.
The younger Wheatcroft filled the net as a member of the Calgary Gold Minor Midget AAA team last year. His father’s main numbers back in the day, however, were mainly under the penalty minutes column, as a quick Youtube search to view some of the elder Wheatcroft’s knucklechucking sessions from 1988 will attest.
So as the 16-year-old forward partook his first main camp with the Hurricanes after taking in the rookie camp last year, the advice from his father — who still managed to score 15 goals in each of his seasons in Lethbridge — was pretty simple.
Do as I say, not necessarily what I did.
“He just told me ‘Keep your head up and don’t be like me, don’t get in fights with the veterans just keep it cool out there and play your game,’” said the younger Wheatcroft Sunday afternoon as the second day of main camp wound down at the Enmax Centre. “He was super pumped that I was coming here. He came down here for the tour and he said he remembers these halls. His best buddy was on the team as well, so they were known around here and they loved their time here.”
Wheatcroft averaged nearly a goal a game last season in the Alberta Minor Midget Hockey League, scoring 28 goals and 54 points in 33 games.
He also played a pair of games with the Calgary Royals of the Alberta Midget Hockey League, scoring once.
“It went really well,” said Wheatcroft of the 2017-18 season. “We had a great coaching staff and great players on my line. And I had really good success this year.”
This past summer, Wheatcroft worked out with former Winnipeg Jet Pat Elynuik, who runs the Pat Elynuik Development Camp out of Calgary, something he’s been doing for roughly the past five years.
“Every single summer I really like going on his ice times,” said Wheatcroft.
When the Canes main camp began Saturday, Wheatcroft found himself still on the roster.
“It’s been really cool,” he said. “Last year I was here as well, but I didn’t make it farther than the rookie camp, so it’s good that I made it to the main camp. I really love my time here.”
The Hurricanes Red and White Game is tonight at 7 p.m. at the Enmax Centre.
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