Anishinabek hockey players enjoy rookie season with UPEI Panthers
By Sam Laskaris
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Three Anishinabek hockey players are deeming their first season with the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers a success.
Now Owen Headrick, Doug Blaisdell and Troy Lajeunesse are anxiously looking forward to their next year with the east coast squad.
Headrick (Garden River First Nation), Blaisdell (Oneida Nation of the Thames) and Lajeunesse (Dokis First Nation) all joined the Panthers for the 2018-19 campaign after they had used up their junior eligibility in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Headrick, who finished off his OHL career as a member of the Pennsylvania-based Erie Otters, ended up leading all Panthers’ defencemen in scoring, with 22 points, including five goals, in 28 regular season matches.
“It’s a lot different than the OHL, that’s for sure,” Headrick said of the seven-team Atlantic University Sport league the Panthers compete in. “Everybody is bigger, faster and stronger than those in the OHL. But obviously there is not the super high-end talent like some players in the OHL.”
Those in the Canadian university ranks are allowed to play five seasons.
“You’re playing against men now,” Lajeunesse said, adding the Panthers’ roster included a pair of players who are 26.
Lajeunesse, a left winger, earned 14 points (six goals and eight assists) in 29 games with the Panthers.
“It was an eyeopener at the start of the year,” Lajeunesse added of playing in a university league with older players as opposed to those aged 16-20 in the junior ranks.
While the OHL is more of a finesse league for skilled players, Lajeunesse said the university circuit features more hitting.
“It took a couple of games to get into it,” said Lajeunesse, who played for the Erie Otters, Sarnia Sting and Sudbury Wolves during his OHL career. “They warned us at the start it’s a different league.”
As for Blaisdell, he was credited with 15 points, including four goals, in 30 contests. He had the second most points among the Panthers’ blueliners.
“I think it was a pretty good step in the right direction,” Blaisdell said of his decision to continue his hockey career in the university ranks with UPEI.
Blaisdell also enjoyed his rookie season with the Panthers as he managed to stay healthy. He had various injuries throughout his junior days.
“It was the first year in a while that I played a full season,” said Blaisdell, who spent the majority of his OHL playing days with the Kitchener Rangers before being traded to the Sudbury Wolves last season.
Now that the UPEI season is over, Panthers’ head coach Forbes MacPherson has given Headrick, Lajeunesse and Blaisdell some additional responsibilities. He’s asked the players to try to sell the UPEI program and persuade some current OHLers to join them for next season.
“We just want to make our team as competitive as possible,” Blaisdell said. “It’s also important to us to have a good team.”
UPEI posted a 15-14-1 regular season record this season, good for fourth spot in their league standings.
The Panthers swept the fifth-ranked Moncton Blue Eagles 2-0 in their best-of-three opening playoff series. UPEI was then downed in three straight matches by the top-ranked University of New Brunswick Reds in their best-of-five semi-final series.
“We’re losing a couple of fifth-year players,” Headrick said. “But most of the guys are coming back. And we’re trying to get some more players from the OHL. I’m super excited for next year.”
All three Anishinabek players received some funding from the Dreamcatcher Charitable Foundation to purchase some new equipment during their rookie season with the Panthers.
“I really appreciate what they did for me,” Lajeunesse said.
With the funding provided, Lajeunesse was able to purchase a couple of new sticks as well as new elbow pads and shin pads.