Huard shines in the Maritimes

Story by Joey Butkevich

Recently, Baytoday had the opportunity to sit down with one of the members of the Woodstock Slammers, Nick Huard. Huard a one-time North Bay Trapper Midget AAA forward has moved East in order to hone his skills in the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MJHL). The North Bay Minor Hockey product is a graduate of Widdifield Secondary School, and is looking forward to closing out his Junior career next season, before continuing on towards a post-secondary education or a shot at professional hockey.

Huard feels the sport of hockey has been responsible for making the 19-year-old a more responsible, confident and independent young man, while enabling him to meet numerous good people along the way. But, things have not come easy to free-spirited Huard, as he was exposed to Major Junior hockey in both Victoriaville and Lewiston of the QMJHL to start his Junior hockey career. Throughout his first season in a league where the players are older, stronger and wiser; Huard managed to play 51 games while accumulating 5 points on the season (4 points in 2 games in 2010). The point totals and the lack of ice time were not something that Huard was accustomed to, as he was counted on previously to carry his teams offensively. Thus, Nick bared down over last off-season and worked out with local hockey product Cassidy Preston, and focused himself on becoming the player he knew he once was. Huard then signed on with the Woodstock Slammers in the Maritime Junior 'A' hockey league, and has not looked back since.

Nick Huard had a dream season in 2009/10, which included the opportunity to wear the Team Canada jersey in the World Junior 'A' challenge, a MJHL title, and a successful year offensively where he scored 41 goals and 35 assists for 76 points in 48 regular season games with the Slammers.

Huard describes the opportunity of playing in the World Junior 'A' Challenge as "unbelievable." The local product was initially overlooked for Team East until he made the MJHL All-Star team, and became a standout player, forcing the Team East representatives to take him the next day.

"At first I didn't make the team. I played against the World Junior team with the league all-star's and had a good game, and the next day I was picked up," Huard said.

Although he was by-passed for the World Team initially - so was every other player in the Maritimes - as Huard was the only member from his league to make the team in the end, and left the talented Centre feeling honoured.

"Wearing the Team Canada jersey was surreal, an unbelievable feeling. I was the only Maritime Junior player on it, so representing the Maritimes was a great feeling," he said.

After a great season in Woodstock, Prince Edward Island, Huard is in the process of making a difficult decision of whether to return to Woodstock, or pursue another opportunity of cracking the Lewiston Maineiacs roster. The opportunity that Lewiston presents will undoubtedly lead to more opportunities of his ultimate goal of playing professional hockey in Europe, something that is surely a realistic goal after demonstrating the undeniable knack for putting the puck in the net this past season. Although Europe is the ultimate goal, Huard foresees a stay within the CIS hockey circuit in the not too distant future, and has not closed the door on coming back to North Bay to play for the Lakers.

And the former Trapper believes that the implementation of the Lakers Hockey program in North Bay has opened the door for 20-year-old junior players, and believes that the talent level has opened up the eyes of Hockey goers in North Bay and area. Thus, helping fill the void left by the OHL, and allowing local hockey enthusiasts the opportunity to see high calibre hockey locally.

"The CIS has opened the door for me to play at home again one day," said Huard.

Huard believes that hockey locally is on the right track with numerous off-ice instruction building up around the area, but feels that the 'AAA' programs need to be implemented right through West Ferris Minor Hockey. He feels that the ability to ready young players at an earlier age will allow our kids to be better prepared to compete locally and provincially.

"The ability for players to see the intensity needed to compete at the next level will allow players to see what it takes to get to that next level," states the Woodstock Slammer.

Like most players growing up, Huard has his role models both on and off the ice. On the ice, Nick looks up to NHL stars Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, and admires how hard both players work to stay at the top of their games. Off the ice, the eldest of the Huard children views his father as a strong role model for helping him get to the next level, and supporting him throughout the journey. Although Nick points to his father, he is quick to praise his entire family for the support and love they have given him both in and out of hockey.

This off-season, once again Nick Huard will continue to work-out with Cassidy Preston and 'Complete Hockey Training' focusing on; increasing speed, balance and foot speed. While Cassidy's program will begin the process of preparing Nick for the upcoming hockey season, the University of New Brunswick will finish up Nick's training. Huard plans on returning to the East Coast to work with UNB trainer during the off-season. Although Nick plans on enjoying a brief stay back home in North Bay, he knows the personal sacrifices needed to get to the next level. The committed young man is blessed with the uncanny ability to put the puck in the net, but knows he needs to continue to become a well-rounded player to move on.

Huard concluded the recent sit down with Baytoday with a message for the area youth. "Play to have fun! If you are trying to make the next level, always know theirs others out there working just as hard as you", states Huard. The successful WFMHA graduate can be viewed as a local role model to many youth, thus Huard serves as an example that both perservance and hard work serve as a blueprint for success in the hockey world. Nick Huard is both an offensive talent, but also a well mannered Bayite, showing the East Coast what North Bay has to offer.