After stepping away from playing hockey when he was in grade 7, Brady Turner is back with a vengeance.
The Tumbler Ridge native graduated last year and went off to Edmonton for school, but decided to take the semester off to come back and play for the Steel Kings. “I wanted to get back into playing hockey,” says Turner. “But you can only play Juniors until you’re 21 or so. I figured I might as well go for as long as I can.
In fact, players age out of the league at age 20, meaning the 18-year-old Turner only has a couple years left in the league. His plan is to spend this season with Tumbler Ridge, then hopefully step up to the next level next year, probably on one of the Alberta teams.And then? Turner shrugs. He doesn’t see himself making the NHL, but if one of the European Leagues were to come a-calling? “Why not? I think it would be a great experience.”
But for now? Turner is focusing on what is right before him. “I am focusing on being the best I can during my junior years,” he says.
Turner has always been into sports, but after some personal issues during his minor hockey days, he turned his attention to basketball. But with the new team in town, he has returned to his first love.
He says the experience is quite different than playing minor hockey, where the parents would hop into the car and drive him to Chetwynd for a game. Now, it’s boarding the team bus with a bunch of other players. “My parents are always going to be involved with me playing hockey,” says Turner, “but they’re not as involved. Now I’m dealing with adults that aren’t my parents. These are people who know a lot about what’s going on in hockey. It’s a big, big step.”
Turner is excited to watch the team take shape over the next few weeks. He says the team now has two goalies, after having to borrow goalies for their first three games.
“These new players are going to be here soon. Starting a team from scratch is always going to be challenging. The team is still forming. It’s a process.”
Turner managed to score a goal during his first game as a Steel King, playing against Mackenzie, but it was waived off. He shrugs. “It happens. I’m not going to dwell on it.”
TR Native Tristan Bradley also suited up for the Steel King’s most recent home game.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
