Game On Magazine 2017 December 2017 | Page 36

PROFILE NICOLAS G R AV E L L’ETOILE MODESTE B Y J O H N P L O S Z AY Photos by James Carey Lauder 3 6 | G AME O N | D EC EM BER 2017 Known to his teammates as Nico, Nicolas Gravel is a high scoring, hard shooting defenseman who just happens to be the backbone of the Transcona Railer Express. He’s not only the Captain of the Railer Express, but the undisputed leader of his team and last spring was named the 2016-17 winner of the George Cadzow Trophy as the Outstanding Defenseman in the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League But there is more to Gravel than just hockey. He’s a young man who chose school ahead of hockey and thanks to the mere existence of the MMJHL, he’s able to concentrate on his studies and still play the game at a high competitive level. Gravel was born in Winnipeg but played his minor hockey in Lorette. He played midget with the Provincial Triple A Eastman Selects and was signed by the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons. However, when he completed high school, he decided his education was too important to delay. Now in his fourth year at the University of Manitoba and completing his honours degree in psychology, Gravel indicated it wasn’t a tough decision to join the Transcona Railer Express. “When I decided not to pursue the Pistons I spoke to several MMJHL teams,” Gravel said. “Transcona was a really good choice for me. They’re a committed organization and the fit just seemed perfect.” Gravel wears No. 4. As a defenseman you’d think he coveted that number from the start and maybe out of admiration for one of the greatest hockey players of all time – Bobby Orr. However, that’s not the case at all. He actually wanted to wear No. 3 – the number he always wore before joining Transcona. “When I came to the Railer Express, one of the best and most respected veterans and a guy I built my game around wore No. 3,” Gravel said. “That guy was Isaac Bellan (twice named MMJHL Defenseman of the Year) so I had to take No. 4.” Gravel was a bit of a late starter. He