Jaromir Jagr and Jake Henderson seem to have a lot in common.
They both have the same hair, they both are at the end of their careers - Jake as an overage in the OHL and Jagr, who may be ageless.
Another similarity is that both Jagr and Henderson, the newest Battalion forward who was acquired on Tuesday from the Kitchener Rangers, is that they both have their own personal fan clubs.
Jagr, has a group from Calgary called the Traveling Jagrs, while Henderson has the Traveling Hoosiers, who travel all the way from St. Louis to follow their favourite player.
“They are a bunch of Hoosiers from St. Louis you know it is family so you never know what is going to happen there but they are great to have around, they love to bring some fun,” said Henderson.
“They have started since my first year of junior and haven’t missed a game yet so.”
Henderson admits his fan club, called the Traveling Hendo Club, is mainly family-based, thanks in part to his Mom’s very large side of the family.
“My Mom is one of eight so a lot of babies popping out there and it’s a big family so I’m used to everyone, they are a bunch of Hoosiers so I’m used to anyone, like anyone so I just go with the flow,” he said.
However, much to our disappointment, Jake doesn't believe the Traveling Hendo Club will make its way to North Bay before the end of the year.
"I’m not sure about North Bay but maybe a weekend game down south in Niagara or Hamilton," he said.
The new overage Battalion forward brings more with him than just a fan club. Battalion head coach Stan Butler hopes he brings character and a physical presence up front.
“Obviously one of the first things is he is one of the better penalty killers in the league and our penalty kill is under 80% so we are hoping that is an area he can really help us,” noted Butler at his weekly media conference on Wednesday afternoon.
“If you look at his bio he was voted the most popular player on the team last year.”
Henderson has been on a lot of bus rides in his long junior hockey career that started in 2013 with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL before moving to Kitchener to play with the Rangers for the start of the 2015-16 season.
The St. Louis product who was coached by former NHLers Keith Tkachuk and Al MacInnis will make his debut tonight when the Troops face Brett McKenzie, Brady Lyle and the Owen Sound Attack. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.
