Presented by Prestige Hotels & Resorts
+++
Story by Alessio Cusano
For Callum Tung, his rise from Junior B to professional hockey has been meteoric.
In 2021-22, the Port Moody, B.C. product had a strong season for the Port Alberni Bombers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL), then played a limited amount of games the following year split between Junior B hockey in the Lower Mainland and affiliate games with the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
Tung then played 38 games in the BCHL as a 20-year-old rookie in 2023-24 and posted an impressive .917 save percentage, 2.80 goals-against average and three shutouts. As a result, he earned a scholarship to play NCAA Division I hockey at the University of Connecticut.
As a freshman in college last season, he had a 10-4-1 record in 15 games with a.933 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against. After his college season, he signed an NHL contract with the New York Rangers and appeared in two games for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, earning his first pro victory on April 12.
When it was all said and done, Tung went from playing Junior B to an NHL contract in just two years.
“It’s been quite a journey for me,” he said. “It hasn’t been the most normal route that professional players have taken and it’s been one filled with ups and downs, but I’m just super grateful to be in the position I am right now.”
Including his time as an affiliate, as well as postseason games, the 2003-born netminder played in 62 contests in the BCHL. He says his time in the league helped him get ready for the move to UConn on and off the ice.
“Callum is a low-maintenance guy to coach and a really good teammate,” said Bulldogs head coach and general manager Joe Martin. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without many of his saves. He just does his thing, always working and improving in a quiet way.”
“I think the BCHL is one of the top developmental leagues in Canada,” he said. “My time in Alberni really helped me prepare for Connecticut and just playing at the next level of Division I hockey. The coaching staff there was amazing with extra work after practices, workouts throughout the week, just the consistency of the schedule and also being able to take classes. I think they did a great job with balancing it all.”
Once at UConn, like every player moving up a level, some adjustment was needed. Although balancing hockey and school the first semester was tough at first, he quickly caught on and got more comfortable as the year went on, which helped his play on the ice.
For freshmen goalies, it is rare to come in and play right away, but that is exactly what happened for Tung. His strong play was a big reason why UConn was able to make the NCAA national tournament for the first time ever.
“It was a historic season for the UConn program,” he said. “Just being a part of that was a dream come true. I came in and expected to have a really fun, good year in my first year in college and that’s exactly what I got, both on a team and personal level.”
At the National Championship Tournament, the Huskies defeated Quinnipiac in round one, before falling to Penn State in overtime in the second round.
Although the loss was a disappointment, he signed his NHL deal with the Rangers in the following days and eventually fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing professional hockey.
“It all happened very quickly,” said Tung. “Once we got eliminated from the tournament, I was deciding if I was going to sign right away or if I was going to go back for another year. Ultimately, for my career, I made the decision to sign the contract, which was a dream come true for me and my family.”
On April 6, Tung made his AHL debut for the Hartford Wolf Pack against one of the top teams in the league, the Hershey Bears.
“Obviously, I was a little bit nervous, but I had a ton of fun,” he said. “Unfortunately, my family wasn’t able to come out, but they were watching at home. It was just a super cool moment overall.”
Reflecting back on the past few year, Tung credits a few people for helping him along the way. He has worked with goalie coach Matt Korchmar for the past seven years. Korchmar has not only been an influence on Tung’s development as a player, but as a person as well. Tung also credits his parents for their sacrifices. According to him, none of his success happens without them.
“I’m just enjoying the process,” he said. “Hockey’s a journey. It’s a grind, filled with highs and lows and you have to trust your process and take each day at a time. If you believe in yourself and work hard enough, you’re going to make it to where you need to be.”
