Fresh start for Hanna
Peterborough native now playing in QMJHL’s Armada after being dropped by Storm
Quinn Hanna wasn’t ready to give up on his hockey dreams.
The 18-year-old Peterborough native had a tough decision to make when the OHL’s Guelph Storm informed him two weeks into pre-season they didn’t have a spot for him on their roster. It was a blow to the young player’s confidence.
The OHL’s 2016-17 Ivan Tennant Memorial Award winner for academic achievement considered whether he should concentrate on school. He had a 96 per cent average in Grade 12.
His parents Dave and Tracey Hanna are high school teachers but also have athletic backgrounds. Less than two years ago, Hanna was identified as one of the top players in his age group in Ontario when he represented his province at the Canada Winter Games.
As his grades attest, Hanna is pretty perceptive so he wasn’t completely surprised by the turn of events. Guelph made wholesale coaching and management changes in the off-season and head coach/GM George Burnett quickly got to work making changes before camp even started.
“I knew what the numbers were going in (to camp),” Hanna said. “I saw they made a trade for an overage defenceman along with trading for a second overall pick in 2015 in (Owen) Lalonde. I kind of knew they’d acquired some new defencemen and I was going to have to have a really good camp if I wanted to play there.”
Hanna’s agent started looking around for teams which might have interest and the greatest interest came from teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
“There were OHL teams in the mix that had interest but they weren’t ready to make an immediate decision or to trade for me. If I were to wait that might have been a possibility but it might have meant waiting in the stands and who knows for how long,” he said. “It was that or make the decision to go and play in the Q right away for a team that really wanted me.”
That team was the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada coached and managed by Joel Bouchard.
“I talked to my family because it was going to be a big change and lots of road trips; we just got back from a three-in-three out in Halifax. It took me a while to wrap my head around it but in the end I realized it was going to be the best decision for me.
“I made the decision because I want to continue to pursue hockey at a high level,” he said.
“I’m really happy with my decision. I’m playing for a great team and a great organization and playing with some really good guys who are going to make this year a lot of fun. It’s a great city. A great arena. There is really not a lot to complain about ... I figure I have the rest of my life to go to work and go to school so I’m going to pursue hockey as long as I can and have as much fun as I can.”
He started some bio-medical engineering courses at the University of Guelph and will continue his studies there online.
He left a team that finished near the bottom of the standings for two consecutive years to join a team ranked in the top five of the Canadian Hockey League. They are 4-1 to start the season.
“Guelph has been trying to rebuild around a lot of key young players. They definitely have a lot of skill in Guelph but I’m not sure if they’re going to be able to come together as a team with that skill or not. To be a great team it doesn’t just take a lot of good players. It takes a lot of good players to come together as a good team,” he said.
“That’s what I think we have here in Blainville. We definitely don’t have the most skill in the league but with Joel Bouchard we have great coaching and we work hard. I think it’s a really great organization and I’m really excited to be playing for them.”
He says Bouchard told him nothing would be handed to him.
“He let me know I’m not going to just walk in and have a spot immediately. I’m going to have to earn it,” said Hanna, who has dressed in three of five games.
“I think he’s really fair. If you play well, you’re going to keep playing. In practice I’ve been getting some great tips and it’s been a great opportunity. There is a lot of season left and if I keep working hard I think I’ll be able to earn a permanent spot with this team.”
Hanna says he’s working to improve his French but says all the coaching is done in English and most of the players speak English so it’s not been a difficult adjustment.
“I’m definitely learning,” he said.