[1]Connor Hicks, the Belleville Bulls’ backup goaltender, stands at the top of his crease awaiting shots at practice. Photo by William Proulx
By William Proulx [2]
BELLEVILLE – Hockey is one of the fastest sports on the planet – and nobody knows that more than a goaltender.
This week, QNet News took a close-up look at the Belleville Bulls [3]‘ new back-up goaltender, Connor Hicks [4].
Hicks is entering his first Ontario Hockey League [5] season with the Bulls, and at 17, he couldn’t be more thrilled.
“Everything is so much faster. It’s a big difference but it’s fun,” said Hicks.
The Bulls selected Hicks in the seventh round, 130th overall, in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection draft. [6]
The 6-3 190-pound Hicks is a native of Kanata, Ont. [7], and played the majority of his minor hockey in the Ottawa [8] area. Last season, he played in Junior B for the Metcalfe Jets [9].
A crowded crease kept Hicks out of the Bulls lineup for the 2013-14 season, but a trade on Aug. 14 that sent former Bull Michael Giugovaz [10] to the London Knights [11] made space for the young goaltender. Prior to the trade, the Bulls opted to sign Hicks, ensuring that he would play behind veteran goaltender Charlie Graham [12] this season – which prompted the Giugovaz move.
Up to now, Hicks has played two games in the young OHL season. His first was a 7-3 loss to Bulls rival the Peterborough Petes [13], in which he made 33 saves. Hicks’s first win came on Oct. 19, when he backstopped the Bulls to a 3-2 win over the Sarnia Sting – making an outstanding 50 saves while doing so.
“It was fantastic. The guys helped me out a lot – they kept all the shots to the outside. So it was pretty easy to make the saves. It felt great,” said Hicks of his first OHL win.
Asked if he did anything differently going into the game, Hicks jokingly replied, “No, I just ate pasta before the game.”
Although it’s quite early in the season, the Bulls say they’ve been impressed with how hard Hicks has worked.
Assistant coach Jake Grimes [14]said he believes that the 17-year-old has adjusted well to the speed of the OHL. “As a young goaltender, it’s difficult, but Connor has done well so far,” said Grimes.
Starting goalie Charlie Graham, who is in his fourth season with the Bulls and has played alongside former Bulls goalies such as Malcolm Subban [15], Jason Da Silva [16] and Giugovaz, said that he and Hicks “both work really hard in practice, and push each other to be the best.”
Hicks is still a young goaltender and will have a long time to prove his worth to the team. Through a 68-game season, the Bulls will definitely be giving Graham a break in net, leaving it up to Hicks to help steer them into the postseason.