Since it was only one game he previously played with the Victoria Grizzlies in 2012-13, it might be pushing it to say Haydn Hopkins’ career has come full circle.
Yet, in a sense it has, as the five-foot-nine centre returns to his hometown Grizzlies in the B.C. Hockey League after stints in the Western Hockey League with the Saskatoon Blades, Prince George Cougars and Vancouver Giants.
“I’m finding myself as a player, and this is the best path for me to do that,” said the 18-year-old, who had one goal in 16 WHL games this season for the Giants after beginning the year with an assist in two games for the Cougars.
“I’m excited to be playing in front of family and friends again,” said the Victoria Ice Hawks and Racquet Club product.
It was in front of them, in a Prince George jersey, that Hopkins had his biggest moment as a junior. He had two goals in 31 games last WHL season for the Cougars, with one of them coming at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre against the Victoria Royals.
“That was a thrill and a moment I will never forget,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins went to the Cougars from the Saskatoon Blades in a 2014 trade that sent fellow-centre Alex Forsberg from the Cougars to the Blades. Interestingly, Forsberg was acquired by Victoria from Saskatoon last season and currently centres the Royals’ top line as a 20-year-old.
Meanwhile, Hopkins’ move this season from Prince George to the struggling Giants, second-to-last in the WHL, didn’t go as well.
“It was a tough situation, yes,” said Hopkins, a member of Team Pacific in 2013.
But then old connections again came into play, as they often do in hockey. Former Saskaoon head coach and GM Lorne Molleken, now with the Giants, had selected Hopkins in the 12th round of the 2012 WHL bantam draft after he scored 17 goals and recorded 48 points in 36 games for the South Island Royals of the B.C. Major Midget League.
Hopkins and Molleken sat down recently and talked.
“In the end, we agreed it was better that I play here [with the Grizzlies] and develop and find myself as a player and be the player I can be,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins makes his Grizzlies debut, well his second if you count that one game back in 2012-13, tonight when Victoria (12-17-4 ) hosts the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (11-16-3) at The Q Centre.
Hopkins described himself as a “Brad Marchand type player.”
“I can get into guys’ kitchens and also put the puck in the net,” said Hopkins.
With his WHL experience, and being 18 , there is a considerable amount of upside for the Grizzlies in obtaining Hopkins.
“I eventually want to play pro,” he said. “But I’m more a here-and-now person.”
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies overcame some weather-related travel issues and got goals from Jake Stevens, Dante Hahn, Brayden Gelsinger and P.J. Conlon in a 4-1 victory over the Kings on Sunday in Powell River. Stevens, Gelsinger and Tyler Welsh had two-point games. Matthew Galajda took the win with 25 saves.
“The keys are to stick to our game plan. When we do that, we can dominate any team,” said centre Jared Virtanen, who has played four games since being acquired in a recent trade from the Calgary Mustangs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
“Now, getting [Hopkins] will only help us get stronger as we go into the second part of the season and a playoff push.”
Alberni Valley is coming in tonight after a 5-4 overtime victory Sunday against the Coquitlam Express.
