The road has never been an easy one for Prince George Spruce Kings defenceman Wes McLeod.
In the minor hockey ranks, McLeod flew under the radar. While he continued to hold out hope that he would one day accomplish his goal of making the National Hockey League, there came a point when he was playing the game to pass the time instead of to chase his dreams.
“I never played at the high-end levels, because of the money situation. Playing hockey is getting pretty pricey, and I was fine with my parents telling me that, so I just continued to play AAA,” he says. “At the time, I was just doing it just to keep myself busy and have fun. I’ve always wanted to make it to the NHL, but I never really thought too much of it.”
McLeod was already looking ahead to a career as a fireman or police officer – not as a hockey player – when Ed Dempsey, the Spruce Kings head coach, spotted McLeod and invited him to Prince George for a tryout in 2007.
“Wes is a prototypical modern day D-man,” says Dempsey of his blueliner, who is fifth at his position in league scoring with 29 points through 27 games this season. “He’s an outstanding skater, both forwards, backwards, laterally, and he’s a very good distributor of the puck. He’s got an excellent shot with a quick release.”
“Obviously he’s very gifted offensively, but because he’s such a tremendous skater, he’s also a very good defender.”
For a player who was once an unknown commodity, McLeod has accomplished more than most prospects his age. He’s developed into one of the BCHL’s top defencemen, competed in last season's All-Star game, and recently made his international debut at the World Junior A Challenge in November when he helped Team Canada West capture a silver medal in Summerside, P.E.I.
“That experience was once-in-a-lifetime — It was overwhelming,” McLeod remembers. “I definitely stepped up my game as a hockey player, and it’s good to have that type of experience playing at that calibre. I took lots from it and am just trying to step up my game that much more.”
Adds Dempsey: “He’s very confident in his abilities and that’s what makes him such a great player. He looked at that as just another step in his development.”
The next step for McLeod is the NCAA, where he will build upon the opportunities the BCHL has offered him during his time in what he calls “the best junior A league in the nation.” It’s led the Kamloops native to the University of Alaska-Anchorage, where he committed last season and is looking forward to watching his career continue to grow.
“The scouts are looking for the good first pass, hard hitting, and I’m more than willing to do it,” he says. “It’s coming to the rink every morning to play your hardest to get to the next level.”
With his BCHL experience, and the NCAA scholarship from Alaska, McLeod believes he’s “getting that much closer to my goal.” So does Dempsey.
“Wes is pretty focused, as far as going to college and using the four years at Alaska – not only to get a degree but also to develop himself even more as a player and take a shot at pro hockey afterwards.”
Ultimately, success in college will rest on McLeod’s skating, the strong point of his game.
“I can get into the play as quickly as I can and also get back fast with my backward skating,” he says. “I think my skating is definitely going to take me far in hockey.”
Perhaps the only downfall of his career to this point is the fact he wasn’t drafted into the NHL – despite being ranked by Central Scouting for most of last season according to Dempsey. But it’s just another bump in the road for McLeod, who knows all about overcoming adversity.
“It was tough not getting drafted, [but] if I keep working on and doing the little things right, I think sooner or later down the road – whether it’s five to ten years from now – I’m hoping [to achieve] the goal of every hockey player: make it to the NHL,” says McLeod
According to his head coach, McLeod has the potential to play in the world’s best league with his skating ability and vision on the ice.
“I think he can for sure play in the National Hockey League,” says Dempsey. “As with anything else, it’s up to Wes, [but] he’s got all the tools physically. Now he’s got to train himself to be mentally strong and use the tremendous talent that he has to his advantage. But if he continues on with his work ethic and his focus, he’s going to have a chance to play at a very high level of hockey.”
But even if McLeod falls short of reaching the ultimate hockey destination, he’s come a long way from his minor hockey days in Kamloops and will always be able to reflect on the unique experiences and fond memories from his three seasons in the BCHL.
