Keeping the dream alive: IN THE GAME
Keeping the dream alive: IN THE GAME
Former Barrie Colts captain plying his trade in Oklahoma City
By Gene Pereira - Special to the Examiner
Life is pretty good these days for Hunter Tremblay. The former Barrie Colts captain finds himself in Oklahoma City, of all places, and he’s loving it.
For one, the Edmonton Oilers prospect is chasing his dream of playing pro hockey after five impressive seasons with the Colts and a very successful four more years with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Red Devils.
On Thursday night, Tremblay and his Oklahoma City Barons teammates will continue their pursuit of a Calder Cup title when they open up their American Hockey League Western Conference final best-of-seven series at home against the Toronto Marlies.
Oh yeah, and there’s those 30-degree Celsius temperatures in Oklahoma City right now that this native of Timmins is making sure to soak in.
“It wasn’t a place on my map, but I’m glad I came here,” said Tremblay, who made the rare move of signing a pro hockey contract after graduating from university. “I like experiencing new things and coming from a place like Timmins, or even Barrie for that matter, where there’s snow, it’s minus 40 outside and the school buses don’t work that good, to come in here — I’m actually spending the day at the pool right now getting a sun tan — it’s a little bit different.
“My fiance (Jessica Myllymaki) and I have really enjoyed it here this year.”
While the route to his dream may have been a little longer, and it may have taken a little more time, Tremblay says he wouldn’t change a thing about how he’s arrived here today.
After racking up 115 goals and 274 points in 317 games with Barrie, Tremblay admits at first he was undecided between playing Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) hockey or pursuing a pro contract.
Armed with an education package from the Ontario Hockey League’s Colts, Tremblay decided it best he get his schooling and continue his hockey career at the University of New Brunswick (UNB).
In four years out east, Tremblay would collect 87 goals and 142 assists in 138 regular season and playoff games, be named the CIS Player of the Year in 2009-10, lead the Red Devils to a CIS National championship last year, their third in five years, and top it all off by earning his bachelor degree in business administration degree.
“Sometimes you’ve got to go with your gut and it worked out,” the 26-year-old said of his decision to go to school. “It was four of the most amazing years of my life. I built a lot of good relationships, won some championships, ended up getting my (business) degree and ended up getting an NHL contract out of it, which I didn’t have coming out of junior.
“I kind of got the best of both worlds,” he added. “I feel a little more secure in case I get injured or I want to stop playing hockey.”
If Tremblay had needed any inspiration that he could still play pro hockey, he only needed to look at some of his UNB teammates. Darryl Boyce, who played with the St. Michael’s Majors, would sign a deal with the Marlies and eventually with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is playing in the NHL.
In Tremblay’s first year at UNB, he played with former Windsor forward Rob Hennigar who after that season would ink a two-year deal with the New York Islanders.
“It was examples like that I could follow,” Tremblay said.
His university career done, the Oilers came a knocking. When Edmonton called up seven players near the end of the season from Oklahoma City, the organization decided to bring Tremblay in.
He didn’t disappoint and Edmonton signed the winger to a one-year deal.
“(Our scouts) said this is a guy that could help your team right now, so we said get him in here,” explained Barons head coach Todd Nelson. “I could tell from the first practice, he didn’t even have to play a game. I could just tell the way he conducted himself, the way he passed the puck, the way he shot the puck. He looked like a season pro just coming in from college.
“He’s been a great story.”
Tremblay scored a goal in five playoff games with the Barons last season, but this year he has blossomed into one of the team’s trusted forwards with 16 goals and 15 helpers in 68 games.
Tremblay has been a force in the playoffs this year, scoring four goals and adding a pair of assists in eight games while continuing his strong play defensively.
“One of the most impressive things with him is that he’s a very complete hockey player,” Nelson said. “He can play both ends of the ice very well. He’s strong defensively, where he’s one of the guys that I look to have out there in the last minute of a game when we’re protecting a lead.”
Nelson also points out Tremblay’s ability to do all the little things right, like consistently finish his checks or stopping at the net. While Tremblay has received the bulk of his ice time in an defensive role, killing penalties, Nelson says he can use the winger in any situation and has.
“I’m not trying to blow a whole bunch of smoke up his butt,” Nelson said with a hearty chuckle, “but he’s a coach’s dream. He’s very coachable. When he has a game plan, he executes it to a tee. Very seldom do you have to correct him on structure with what we’re doing on the ice.
“He’s definitely had a good season for us. One of his biggest attributes is that he’s a very intelligent player. He’s not flashy, but he works his tail off and gives you an honest effort every night.”
Tremblay has always taken pride in his play at both ends of the rink. While he played more of an offensive role with UNB, he doesn’t mind playing the defensive role he has with the Barons.
A strong two-way player in junior, Tremblay received the bulk of his ice time killing penalties with Oklahoma City and actually led the AHL with five shorthanded goals and two assists.
“When I came here, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know where I’d be playing,” said the five-foot-11, 200-pound left winger. “I came with an open mind. Wherever the coach was going to put me, I just wanted to excel and be part of the team and have a niche or roll.
“I ended up on the penalty kill and it was nice because most of my ice time came on the penalty kill and we ended up killing a lot of penalties every game. As a hockey player the more shifts you get, the more you’re into the game.”
As well as things have gone for Tremblay, his special year continues with the Barons playoff run and then his upcoming wedding this July in Timmins.
He’s been dating his fiance, Jessica, since high school.
“I guess it’s about time I got married,” he said, adding a chuckle.
“Just another thing to add to an exciting year overall,” added Tremblay, who still talks to former Barrie teammates like Kris Sparre and Matthew Bragg, both of whom will be attending his wedding.
“I’m looking forward to making a run at the Calder Cup and than after that I’m getting married. It’s been a busy year.”
Tremblay will also see another familiar face when the Barons open up their series against the Marlies. Former Colt teammate Ryan Hamilton is Toronto’s captain.
“When I came up to Toronto this year, it was my closest game to home. I had lots of family there and I called Hammy for extra tickets and he said, ‘no problem.’
“It’s kind of nice that I have these relationships that continue to grow.”
Tremblay’s one-year deal with the Oilers is up this season, but Nelson believes if he doesn’t ink a new deal with Edmonton, he’ll definitely find a job somewhere.
“The further we go along here, the more exposure everyone gets,” Nelson said. “It’ll help his cause, but he’s definitely on the map. Teams definitely know who he is. He’s just a good hockey player.
“No sugar coating it, he’s a very complete hockey player.”
Nelson wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Tremblay works his way into the NHL. He’s seen many a player come along who wasn’t drafted because of their size or something else and they continue to work on their game and work their way into an opportunity at the top level.
“These guys do have an opportunity,” Nelson said. “Let’s face it, in the NHL you want your prospects to play because you drafted them, but you’re going to try and put the best product on the ice as you can and Hunter is working his way into that situation.”
Tremblay may be an older, undrafted prospect, but he’s come too far to let that take
away his dream of playing in the NHL some day.
He believes he just has to work hard this summer, have another good season, get better and then who knows what can happen.
“Everything is gravy from here on in,” Tremblay said. “I got my degree, I played my first year of pro and I proved to myself that I can do it.
“The only thing now is getting an NHL game under my belt, which keeps me going and is the extra motivation that I use.”
Gene Pereira covers the Barrie Colts for the Barrie Examiner.