Game On Magazine 2017 February 2017 | Page 78

It was a big adjustment moving from midget to the MJ , there are bigger guys , faster guys and older guys . The league has a lot more skill
MANITOBA JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

It was a big adjustment moving from midget to the MJ , there are bigger guys , faster guys and older guys . The league has a lot more skill

“ They just wanted to make sure he ’ ll play in the Western League before they committed fully to him . They ’ ve been out to see him play a few times this year so they have some interest in him . I know they ’ d like him to play in a few games this year . “ As far as I ’ m concerned , a 16-year-old kid should make his decision when he ’ s 17 ,” Hedley added with a chuckle . “ As many doors as he can keep open , the better . P . A . could be a great route for him , but so could college . The fact that he signed with P . A . suggests that he knows what he wants .” Hedley certainly believes Nachbaur will be a successful player . In fact , the Blizzard head coach has been more than impressed with his performance as a 16-year-old in the MJHL . After the first 35 games , the rookie had eight goals and 18 points and had become a trusted player . “ Justin ’ s a good kid ,” Hedley with a smile . “ He ’ s from Cross Lake so he ’ s kind of local for us . He ’ s a 6-foot-2 , 195 pound 16-yearold , and while he was drafted by P . A ., he ’ s getting some interest from Division 1 colleges right now . He has a chance to be successful no matter where he goes . “ He ’ s a kid I trust . I ’ ll put him in any situation – penalty kill , power play . In front of the net , he wins a lot of stick battles and he ’ s really responsible defensively . He learns and he wants to learn . He ’ s a really coachable kid .” “ He ’ s physical , he uses his body very well and he controls the puck down low . He ’ s very good on the wall , a big leftwinger that knows how to win stick battles to get the puck out . I can use him in any situation , even in the last 30 seconds of the game I ’ m comfortable using use him as a big guy on the left side to make sure pucks get out . So he ’ s very responsible .” Nachbaur was born in Winnipeg but grew up in Cross Lake . He started playing at age five on the outdoor rinks and played all his minor hockey in the North . “ Yeah , I started on the outdoor rinks in Cross Lake ,” he said with a laugh . “ I kept playing all my minor hockey in Cross Lake and then I moved to the city to play for the Winnipeg Warriors . “ I came down by myself and lived with my Auntie . At the start it was hard . Obviously the hockey was a lot different . There was a lot more puck movement . In Cross Lake , I just took the puck and went to the net . When I got here to play with the Warriors , it was a lot more about team . That was good for me . “ In my bantam year , OCN was looking at me before my season even started so I ’ ve been trying hard to get to OCN and I ’ m happy that I ’ m here . By his own admission , jumping from Triple A Midget to the MJHL was a big step , but he ’ s starting to adapt to a faster game against
bigger , older players . “ It was a big adjustment moving from midget to the MJ ,” he said frankly . “ There are bigger guys , faster guys and older guys . The league has a lot more skill . Playing against men out there is really tough some nights and I ’ ve had to adjust and it ’ s been a big adjustment , but I ’ m getting used to the speed and I ’ m comfortable out there now . I like it . He ’ s now in Grade 11 at Margaret Barbour
Collegiate in
The Pas and he admits that because NCAA Division 1 schools have become interested in him , he ’ s going to have to work harder on his marks . Colgate University in Hamilton , N . Y ., a Division 1 school that just brought in former Steinbach Pistons star Tyler Penner this season , talked with Coach Hedley after the final game of the MJHL Showcase back in December . However , Nachbaur decided on the Western Hockey League . “ I was thinking about one of the two – school or the Dub ,” he said . “ I talked to my parents about it and I weighed my pros and cons and the Dub was a better choice for me . Right now , though , I ’ m really not looking past this season . I ’ m just trying to help the Blizzard win .” n
78 GAME ON 2016 - 17 ROSTER DEADLINE EDITION