The Elgin-Middlesex Canucks have accomplished step one in their journey to a National U18 hockey championship.
Lucas Van Steensel’s overtime winner against Vaughan booked them a ticket to the Telus Cup.
“You have to win the Alliance, which is a very good league,” said Canucks head coach Brian Dobbin.
“We beat Waterloo in five games and then you go to the Ontarios, play the winners of all the other leagues. It’s quite a daunting journey to get to the Telus Cup.”
That was step one. Step two is raising nearly $50,000 to get to British Columbia.
“When you get the bill like that, it’s kind of like it hits you,” said Dobbin.
“Hockey Canada has cut back their funding for this and it’s a once in a lifetime for these players and families. Any help we can get for sponsorship is certainly appreciated.”
This is the first time the Canucks organization has won the U18 Alliance. They are also the first team from this conference to go to the Telus Cup since the London Jr. Knights won silver in 2011.
“Since 1974, only four Alliance teams have made it to the Telus Cup,” said Dobbin.
The team will leave for the tournament in British Columbia Sunday.
“That’s why we’re out here practicing,” said Van Steelsel.
“We’re hoping to really have a strong push there. Not just go there but actually have an impact there.”
They will represent the Central region (the province excluding Northern Ontario) in the six-team tournament, which will have the gold medal game shown on TSN.
“A lot of boys who are on this team have been here for a while,” said James MacGregor, Canucks defenceman.
“A lot of guys have been drafted to the OHL; a lot of guys have junior ambitions and school ambitions. It’s just awesome to see all the eyeballs on the fellas.”
These “fellas” are a group comprised of players from all over the region. From Elgin, Chatham, London, Sarnia, Goderich, they have a mix of different backgrounds and locations.
“We’re kind of from a bunch of different regions around the area, but we glued together straight out of tryouts,” said Van Steelsel.
“Everything kind of worked really well from our coaches, APs (affiliated players), and everybody’s really come together and have a strong group of guys.”
Dobbin, a Petrolia native who starred for the London Knights from 1983-1986, went onto a 12-year professional career which included 63 games in the NHL. This will be his final year behind the bench, and he’s going out on top.
“We’re really happy to get them the success that they wanted, as well as us players who’ve never really won anything,” said Van Steensel.
Dobbin said he never expected to have as season where they registered a point in every game, going 32-0-2-1 in league play and go to a National Championship.
“You think you might have a shot, but you don’t expect it,” said Dobbin.
“Especially in your final year coaching. It’s been nice to go out this way and I really appreciate the parents and the and the players for this opportunity.”
They aren’t done yet. It is a war of attrition to win the Telus Cup. The Canucks will play five games in five days (Monday to Friday) in the round-robin. Should they qualify for the semifinals and finals, they’ll have to play seven games in seven days and still be standing at the final buzzer.
That’s a formidable task. So is trying to raise the thousands of dollars to even get there.
