Joey Payeur
If there was a no cellphone rule in the class, Carter Chorney will be glad for one day that he ignored it.
The Fort Frances Lakers’ forward, a Grade 12 student at Fort High, received word Friday that he was invited to try out for the Canada West squad that will compete at the 2014 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Kindersley, Sask. from Dec. 14-20.
“They phoned me in chemistry class to tell me I got the invite,” the 17-year-old Rainy River native revealed.
“I was a little surprised but I’m really excited to go,” he added.
“It’s a big opportunity and it will be a great learning experience for me, I’m sure.”
Chorney, along with Thunder Bay North Stars’ forwards Nicholas Nigro and Brett Wolframe, were the only three SIJHL players out of the 60 invitees to the three-day camp that begins Saturday in Calgary.
With 36 forwards vying for one of likely 12-15 roster spots, Chorney concedes the odds definitely are not in his favour.
“It’s going to be a lot faster pace but I’m going to go in with the right mindset,” said Chorney, who has three goals and 10 assists in 21 games during his rookie season with the Lakers.
“I’m going to go in and play my game, not try to change it,” he stressed.
Chorney started the season on the fourth line, but his performance gradually has earned him increased playing time and a home on a recently-crafted second line with two of the team’s top offensive threats in Colton Spicer and Wyatt Cota.
“I think at the start it took some time to adjust to the jump from high school to junior,” Chorney admitted.
“But I’m getting more success now as the first half of the season has gone on.”
Lakers’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan was pleased by Chorney’s good fortune—even though it will cost him one of his top-six forwards for perhaps the last six games before the SIJHL breaks for two weeks over the holidays.
“Carter is a very gifted and talented player, and he is deserving of this achievement,” Strachan lauded.
“I believe he is still in the learning process of what he can do, as well as what he needs to do to be successful at this level,” added Strachan.
“If he learns how to use his speed, keep his feet moving, and drive to the net wide on defencemen, he could be very dangerous for us the rest of the year,” he predicted.
“He has come a long way defensively and will only grow as the season goes on.”
The camp will see the players split into three 20-player teams, with each one playing four intrasquad games over two days.
Deciding the final make-up of the team will be in the hands of head coach Trent Cassan from the Yorkton Terriers.
He’ll be aided by assistant coaches Marc Berry (Dauphin Kings), Tim Fragle (Sherwood Park Crusaders), and Luke Pierce (Merritt Centennials), as well as director of hockey operations Andrew Boutilier.
The six-team tournament in Kindersley will feature Canada West, Russia, and Denmark in Pool ‘B’ while Canada East, the U.S., and Switzerland will comprise Pool ‘A’.
Chorney would consider it the highlight of his hockey career so far if he can get to make an appearance in Kindersley.
“It would mean a lot for me to get to represent Fort Frances and the SIJHL,” he remarked.
“There’s not a lot of us going from the SIJHL so we’re hoping we all do well.”
