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Cloverdale’s Kurtis Smythe drafted by Saskatoon Blades

15-year-old defenceman claimed by Blades in WHL Bantam draft
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Kurtis Smythe was in English class when he heard the news.

He and his Delta Hockey Academy teammates were watching the Western Hockey League’s bantam draft during class, but were interrupted by a fire drill. When they returned, Smythe discovered he had been claimed by the Saskatoon Blades.

“I was so relieved,” said Smythe. “I kind of had an idea of where I was going, but I didn’t know for sure. And then I saw my name called, I was just so happy. It was one of the best feelings of my life.”

Smythe has been playing hockey since he was five years old. He grew up playing baseball, football and hockey for the Cloverdale Minor Hockey Association.

The 15-year-old defenceman now stands at five-foot-eleven and 155 pounds, and he dedicates his training solely to the sport he loves most: hockey.

“I’ve always loved hockey, it’s my number one sport,” said Smythe. “Since a young age I’ve been really good at it, and I’ve worked really hard at it. It’s my goal to play in the NHL.”

“Getting drafted is a big step for me,” he continued.

“It was a big goal of mine, coming into this year for bantam prep.”

Smythe goes to South Delta Secondary School in Tsawwassen in order to play for the Delta Hockey Academy, but he’s still based out of Cloverdale, where his family has been for four generations – his great grandfather was the town butcher back in the 1950s.

This draft will take him from his hometown to Saskatoon. He’s no stranger to travelling, as he’s been to Calgary, Penticton and Kelowna with his bantam team, but he hasn’t been to Saskatoon yet.

“You have to do that when you move on in junior hockey,” he said. “It’s something almost every junior hockey player has to do, is move away from home. I’m just going to have to deal with it. If my goal is to play in the NHL, then that’s what I have to do.”

This summer, he’ll attend the Saskatoon Blades’ training camp in August. Smythe will return to Delta in the fall for school, and continue training for next year’s Saskatoon camp, where he’ll showcase his skills to earn a spot on the team.

Smythe plans to take his hockey career a step at a time. First, he needs to prepare for next year at the Delta Hockey Academy.

“Everyone’s going to be stronger,” he said. “So this summer I’ll be working with Ian Gallagher (Director of Delta Hockey Academy) and I’ll be trying to get bigger and stronger off the ice. I’m just going to have to play my game and work hard to get a good spot on that team.”

Smythe’s approach to the game has been to focus on putting in consistent, hard work on and off the ice.

“Once you work hard and put your mind to having a good attitude on and off the ice, it’ll come,” he said. “You’ll get signed and it’ll happen.”

Smythe’s training schedule is intense, but it’s all for the love of the game. When asked what it is about that sport that inspires him to put so much work into pursuing a professional career, he said it’s the competition itself.

“’I’m a very competitive person,” he said. “I always want to win.”

“In hockey, everybody’s moving and it’s a really fast sport,” he continued. “I like how you have to think quick and make decisions. And off ice, with your teammates, it’s just really fun to hang out with everybody.”

“All of your teammates become brothers,” he said. “I think the kids on the team this year, with most of them, we’ll be in contact for the rest of my life. They’re lifelong friends.”

Smythe puts value into off-ice interaction; along with hard work, he considers a good attitude essential to being a good player. When he talks about one of his hockey inspirations, Anaheim Ducks defenceman Cam Folwer, Smythe said it wasn’t just his game that he aspired to have, although that’s certainly an aspect.

“He plays defensively and offensively, he’s a smooth skater and always makes the right play. I try to play like him,” he said. “But he’s also a good person off the ice, which is important.”

What’s next for Smythe? Training, and lots of it, through the rest of the school year and the summer months.

As well as the Saskatoon Blades training camp in August, Smythe will play at the U16 Provincial Camp, set for this July, after securing a spot through his performance at the U16 BC Cup in April. After the July camp, 20 players will be selected for Team BC and will compete at the 2017 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup.

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