|
By Jim Coggins
BRAD Thiessen said he “could hardly believe it” when team captain Sidney Crosby handed him the Stanley Cup last June. It was evidence the young goaltender from Abbotsford has come a long way.
The undrafted Thiessen had been signed to a contract just a few weeks earlier by
the Pittsburgh Penguins, just before they won the Stanley Cup.
After posting a 25-12-4 record with Northeastern University in Boston in
2008-2009, he was sought by several National Hockey League (NHL) teams. He
signed with the Penguins at the end of the school year. He was immediately assigned to the Penguins’ farm team. He practiced, but never played there. Instead, he was called to
Pittsburgh after the first round of the NHL playoffs.
The Penguins wanted a third goalie, in order to rest first-string goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury during practices. Thiessen did not play in any games; but
along with other young players, he got to wear a Penguins uniform during the
post-game celebrations after they won the playoffs.
“I’ve worked my whole life to be in the NHL,” Thiessen told BCCN. But he has taken a somewhat circuitous route to get close to his goal.
In his last year of high school, Thiessen played one season with the Delta Ice
Hawks of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League. He then spent three
seasons with Penticton, Prince George and Merritt in the B.C. Hockey League.
Thiessen wasn’t surprised when he was not chosen to play in the Western Hockey League, or
drafted by any NHL team. “Nothing is ever handed to you,” he said. “Competition brings out the best in you.”
Undaunted, he chose the route followed by many other NHL hopefuls: he accepted a
scholarship to an American university where he could hone his hockey skills. He
had several offers, but chose Northeastern because it had quality coaches and
players, and because the hockey program received a lot of attention from
professional hockey scouts.
In the last year, he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award given to the top
college hockey player. His skill created enough attention that he decided to
cut short his university studies and turn professional. It has been a mixed
blessing.
“There’s not a lot of Christians in the hockey world. It’s definitely a tough place to be a Christian,” Thiessen told BCCN. Often he has been the only visible Christian on his team. There is “a lot of wild partying and drinking,” and “a lot of guys use their hockey status to get things they want.” On top of that, there is a lot of travel and Sunday games, and it’s not always easy to get to church.
Continue article >>
|
Thiessen benefitted from a solid Christian upbringing in his family, his school
(Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford) and his church (Ross Road
Community Church near Aldergrove). As a junior player, he was fortunate to live
with some Christian families; and in Boston, he got involved with a Campus
Crusade group and settled into Park Street Church. If he plays for the Penguins’ farm team next year, one of his first priorities will be to look for a local
church.
The wilder lifestyle “is not forced on anybody,” and “you can choose to get involved in it or not,” Thiessen said. Still, especially for junior players away from home for the
first time, “if you’re not mature enough to handle it, you can get caught up pretty quickly. It’s easy to fall into going along with the crowd.”
On a new team, “guys don’t know who you are and what you stand for.” But, after a few weeks, “once you’ve said no a couple of times, they come to respect you. If you stand up at the
beginning, it’s easier down the road.”
Passing up questionable activities allowed Thiessen to pay more attention to
practicing, getting plenty of sleep and eating properly. “You have to stay focused,” he said. “I’m there to play hockey, so I put myself in the best position possible to
succeed.”
After a while, the other players “realize you’re different,” Thiessen said. This may “open their eyes,” and lead them to “ask questions about your lifestyle.”
“I believe I have been given talent for a reason,” he added. “Perhaps I can be a light in a dark place.”
September 2009
|
