(To view our January/February 2018 issue of ClubWEST online, click here.)

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
– Benjamin Franklin

For one, I appreciate the efforts of someone like Brandon Saigeon.

Yes, he is a talented young man, but he also has heart and determination.

As a very high pick in the OHL draft – fourth overall – one might think he was a silver spoon type, someone who had doors open and a path paved because of what he could do on the ice. Hockey simply doesn’t work that way.

No matter what your “specialty”, it is all about production. If you check, your opponent does not tally points. If you score, the puck needs to find the back of the net. If you stop pucks, your team had better win: night in, night out.

So for a teenager trying to make a name for himself and just plain get noticed, suffering a serious injury like shattering two bones in a forearm is major setback.

Confidence, development and most of all time on the ice is gone in an instant. Confidence can get rebuilt, development (while delayed) can come with solid coaching but making up for the time is near impossible.

Hard, painful work on rehab and training can help make up for that. Hours upon hours in a gym, effort fans don’t see, is what pushes one down the tough road to success.

Finally, and undoubtedly, a little later than he would have hoped, Brandon’s game is rounding into form and he and his mates with the Hamilton Bulldogs are starting to roll the way scouts had predicted for Brandon coming out of midget hockey.

Good on him!

I recall doing the story with him when he got drafted by the Belleville Bulls. He was a quiet, unassuming youngster who just wanted a chance. He is the same youngster today.

For me, it has always been my interest to tell the story behind the story. Yes, we have a solid prospect here with an opportunity to get to the promised land of the NHL. Maybe he will, maybe he won’t. However, it won’t be through lack of effort and it is that story that needs to be told.

How many kids play hockey? How many kids are a top prospect? How many players average more than a point per game in Junior? The numbers dwindle pretty quickly.

Brandon has an interesting story to tell and we are happy to do just that.

Now it is time to sit back and see how things play out while rooting for the young man.

Publisher, ClubWest Magazine
Mike Williscraft