Former junior defenceman gears up for a shot at pro hockey

By Sam Laskaris

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – As it turned out, Owen Headrick will be playing a bit more hockey during the 2017-18 season.

The 20-year-old defenceman had his junior career come to an end this past Saturday as he played his final game with the Pennsylvania-based Erie Otters, members of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

The Otters, who had captured the OHL championship in 2017, failed to qualify for this year’s playoffs.
But Headrick, a member of the Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie, ON, is now in the minor pro ranks.

On Tuesday, he was signed by the West Virginia-based Wheeling Nailers, members of the ECHL (formerly called the East Coast Hockey League). In the North American pro hockey ladder, the ECHL is considered two steps behind the National Hockey League and just one notch below the American Hockey League (AHL).

Headrick was inked to a five-game Amateur Tryout (ATO). Following this stint, the Nailers’ brass will decide whether to sign Headrick for the remainder of its season or whether to release him.

Headrick made a positive impression in his pro debut on Wednesday. He was in the Wheeling lineup as the host Nailers eked out a 1-0 victory in a shootout over Massachusetts’ Worcester Railers.

“It was a pretty awesome experience,” Headrick told the Anishinabek News in a phone interview the morning after his first pro match. “I was a little nervous. I grew up my whole life wanting to play pro.”

Though it was just one contest, Headrick said he noticed a difference between that match and junior games.

“There was a pretty big jump but nothing that I felt I couldn’t handle,” he said. “It was just playing with a lot of older guys that are stronger and faster.”

Headrick had a regular shift in the game and estimated he had as many as 15 minutes of ice time. He was also encouraged by the fact that Nailers’ assistant coach, Jay Spess, told him afterwards that he had played well.

Once he arrived in Wheeling, Headrick did see a familiar face. Nailers’ defenceman Kevin Spinozzi spent portions of two seasons in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

“He’s a year older than me but we went to high school together,” Headrick said. “He’s been really good to me, making sure I have everything I need.”

Headrick has not been given any sort of indication how long his stint with the Nailers will be.

“After the five games they decide if I’m going to stay or not,” he said. “Obviously I’m hoping to stay.”
The Nailers have seven regular season contests remaining and are expected to advance to the ECHL playoffs.

Upon the conclusion of the current season, Headrick will be returning to his northern Ontario home. And he’ll be looking forward to playing his first full year of pro hockey starting this fall.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to be doing for next year,” he said. “Obviously I’d like to play at the highest level I can. I have a really big summer coming up. I’ll be focussing on working hard and hopefully good things will happen.”

Headrick has had some mixed reactions in the past week.

“I was pretty disappointed with it being my last year of junior and our team not making the playoffs,” he said. “But I guess it worked out for me playing my first pro game less than a week after my junior season finished.”