Logan Coates says he just wants to get better.
"I always work hard, I am always out on the ice early," said the U18 AAA Trappers goaltender.
"Me and a few other teammates are the first ones out there 20 minutes early. I just want to be coachable, take your coaches advice and stuff."
The 6'1", 172 pound goaltender. 16-year-old North Bay product finished his season with the North Bay U18 AAA Trappers with a 3.90 goals against average in 16 games with a Trappers team that struggled down the stretch and failed to make the Great North U18 Tournament of Champions playoff series which included the top 5 teams in the league.
The Trappers were eliminated in a play-in tournament by the Sudbury U16 Wolves at Memorial Gardens back in March.
See related: U18 Trappers enjoy OHL Cup experience with Team NOHA
Vitali Yachmenev, who coached the U18 Trappers in 2023-24, believes Coates made great strides this season in goal for the local AAA U18 team.
"Logan improved big time throughout the season, he wants to get better," said the former NHLer.
"Just before Christmas his game really started to pick up, and he was more consistent. At the beginning of the season, you did not know what to expect from him but now he has become solid. He consistently works hard and it is paying off for him."
As the season ended in disappointment, Coates was also a surprising omission for Team NOHA which was comprised of the top 2008 birth year hockey players primarily from the Great North U18 League which competed in the OHL Cup.
The team, which included four North Bay U18 Trappers, finished the tournament, which wrapped up on March 30, with a 2-2 record.
Coates goalie partner Carson Ruddy was named to the team and when Ruddy was injured at the OHL draft showcase OHL Cup event in Toronto, Coates did not get the call as a replacement despite some OHL scouts saying he is a legitimate 2024 OHL draft prospect.
Despite the highs and lows, Dr. Rob Graham, U18 Trappers goalie coach, believes this season has been a great learning experience.
"Logan comes to the rink every day with a positive attitude, a desire to do better and be better," said Dr. Graham.
"The one thing about Logan, not only is his work ethic, but just his willingness to work and use the information he's given.
"One of those things is we know we can elevate his skating and we have done that since September. I think that has been a really important part of his growth but overall for me, Logan is just a kid who is just enjoying the experience of getting better. He is not chasing the dream.
"He is chasing the experience and that is something I really want all my goalies to buy into."
Coates, who models his game after Fredrick Andersen, Joseph Woll and Jake Oettinger, is hoping he did enough during the season to catch the eye of OHL scouts with the 2024 OHL priority selection taking place online April 12 and 13.
In fact, Coates hopes both him and his goalie partner Carson Ruddy get selected.
"That would be awesome," he said.
"I know it is nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time it is a weird feeling but it is very cool to be a part of something like that."
