Derek Bacon is thrilled to call St. Albert home after starting his junior A career with the Victoria Grizzlies.
“You want to be where you’re wanted,” the highly touted Steel centre said with a grin prior to Wednesday’s practice at Performance Arena.
Bacon was acquired by the Alberta Junior Hockey League team in exchange for the rights to Mitch Labreche, a forward who played last season with the Powell River Kings. Labreche, 20, became Steel property in the offseason as part of the future considerations the Kings owed St. Albert from a previous deal.
“I was surprised,” Bacon said of the June 2 trade. “But once I talked to the management here they seemed really excited. They wanted me here.”
The five-foot-eight skater scored seven goals, added 23 assists and had 55 penalty minutes in 58 games with Victoria in his first season in the British Columbia Hockey League.
“I played more of a checking kind of role and then chipped in when I could offensively,” said the Calgary product, who turns 19 on Sept. 27. “I had to play a different role than I was used to but I think it made me a more complete hockey player.”
Victoria finished third in the coastal conference with 34 wins and 76 points in 60 games and in the quarter-finals bowed out to the Nanaimo Clippers in six games. Three were decided in overtime, with Victoria winning twice.
“We had a strong finish and then we were upset in the first round of the playoffs.”
Bacon recorded two goals (power-play marker and game winner) and one assist in the series.
“I had a good playoffs while it lasted,” he said. “We had some old guys who didn’t step up when they needed to and that kind of put an end to things.”
Bacon hooked up with Victoria after honing his skills at the Edge School academy in Calgary,
“I played there for three years and went to school for five years,” he said. “The coaches were great. It was just a good atmosphere to learn. Everyone wants to get better. It was good for me.
“We definitely had a lot more games than you would’ve played anywhere else. There were some challenging games for sure. We weren’t over our heads but it made everyone better.”
With the Steel he will be counted on offensively as the second-line centre behind all-star Reed Linaker as the team plans to ice two top-scoring lines.
“I’m more of a playmaker than scoring goals,” Bacon said. “I can skate well. I’ve got good vision and I think I can lead by example.”
Last weekend Bacon was in the line-up for three of the four games the Steel played in the four-team pre-season tournament. He picked up two assists and instigated a fight as the Steel finished 3-1 overall.
“I know I can play better. I’m still waiting for that to happen but I feel I’m working hard,” he said. “The coaches seem happy though.”
Bacon feels more at ease in his new surroundings in week two of training camp.
“Definitely it’s new guys to get used to. There is always a feeling-out period but they’ve been good to me. It’s been very welcoming.”
As for the upcoming season, Bacon believes the Steel have the potential to do some serious damage.
“It looks positive,” he said. “There is a good group of core guys here and then some young guys that can really step up and will be leaders by the end of the year.”
As the pre-season draws to a close, Bacon is counting down the days before the regular season opens Friday, when the Steel host the Drumheller Dragons at 7 p.m.
“It will be good to get things under way and get down to our numbers and start bonding as a team and get the systems in place and create an identity for us.”
Meanwhile, the Steel’s third game against the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the pre-season was Thursday’s 6-2 loss in St. Albert. The Steel dressed only two returning players off their playoff roster last spring: forward Andrew Hamilton and goalie Sean Reilly. Hamilton scored in the first frame and Reilly stopped 30 shots overall. The Steel were credited with 33 shots.
Rookie Matt Abt added the Steel’s second goal on the power play. The promising defenceman is the brother of Jordan Abt, another blueliner and the Steel’s rookie of the year last season.
Period scores were 3-2 and 4-2. The first two goals by the Crusaders were scored shorthanded.
The teams combined for 144 penalty minutes. The Steel led the way with 79 PIM. The lengthy affair featured three scraps.
The Steel’s last game before league play goes tonight in Sherwood Park at 7 p.m.
