By Mark Janzen /
It was going to be just another August day for Michael Boivin. Jump on the bus near his home in Tsawwassen. Arrive in downtown Vancouver to train at Groundwork Athletics. As Boivin says, “work his a-- off.” And then jump back on the bus, flip on a little U2 on his iPod and make his way home.
It was going to be just another August day, that is, until Scott Owen, coach of the Colorado College Tigers, called his cel phone.
A few weeks previous and about 4,000 kilometres away, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed USHL defenceman John Moore to a three-year entry-level contract. The 21st overall selection in the 2009 Draft was planning on going to Colorado College but now suddenly plans had changed. And now, the Tigers had a major hole to fill.
Enter Nanaimo Clippers defenceman Michael Boivin. He of the 12 goals and 19 assists in 57 games last season. He of the 6- 1, 190-pound variety who was planning on patrolling the Clippers blueline as their ace defenceman this year. He of the recently granted full-ride scholarship.
“I was surprised a little bit [to get offered a scholarship for this year] but obviously my goal was to get to this level,” Boivin said. “I had a really strong summer on and off the ice and I felt I was ready to make the jump and it was exciting.”
Exciting for both team and player.
“He’s somebody that is relatively young and still has a top end where he is going to improve and he has some offensive potential,” Owen said. “We kind of figured the whole thing matched up very well and [also] the fact that he’s a very good student.
“We think he’ll establish himself as a regular guy for us after the first few months and then, as he develops, he’s going to be an absolute mainstay for us and we think he’s going to have a great four-year career.”
Rather lofty praise for a guy who hadn’t even taken a regular shift in the BCHL until last year.
But if his skill and development match his work ethic, Owen’s statement should prove accurate.
For the past three years, Boivin has worked out at Groundwork Athletics doing everything from weekly treks up the Grouse Grind to resistance training on the beaches of Spanish Banks.
Sure, the first time he trained at Groundwork his face turned green and he nearly got a case of the upchucks, but since then, he’s become a finely tuned athletic machine thanks in large part to his unwavering drive to succeed.
“We thought he was dialed in, conscientious and somebody we thought would be a real good fit at Colorado College,” Owen said. “I think it was his overall skill, his strong stick, combined with his skating. He’s still relatively young for college which means he has the potential.”
Potential? Yes. But if you ask Boivin, he’s ready to contribute now.
“They told me they want me in the five, six spot to start, [but] the main reason they picked me was my offensive side of the game and my movement. They’re going to look for me to get in the powerplay and I want to start helping them out right away in that situation.” |