The whirling dervish of the Westside Warriors has to pack on the ice bags after every game, his relatively small body battered from a night of bashing against boards and bigger opponents. But Max French wouldn’t have it any other way.
The 17-year-old from West Kelowna is a crowd favourite, and not just because he’s playing junior hockey in his hometown. Fans gravitate to players – like Warriors captain Trevor Bailey and French – who may be small in stature but are huge in heart.
“Normally, I have to go home and throw on the ice pack,” explains French. “I’ve always played my sports like that; always been involved in contact. I’ve always wanted to hit somebody.”
“The biggest muscle on Max French’s body is his heart,” said Warriors coach Darren Yopyk. “Max is instant energy and when he’s playing well he’s battling and getting to pucks.”
French is listed at five feet, nine inches and 170 pounds but he looks smaller and plays bigger. For most of the season he’s played on an energy line with fellow youngsters Dru Morrison and Colton Sissons. French has 11 points this season on six goals and five assists in 36 games played.
Unlike many coaches in junior hockey who play the heck out of two lines of older players, Yopyk generally rolls his four lines, which gives players like French a chance to improve and contribute.
“I appreciate that a lot,” said French. “It’s good to get out there and It’s fun to contribute.”
The young line did just that on the road earlier this season against the No. 1 team in the nation, the defending champion Vernon Vipers. French and Morrison did some work down low and Sissons one-timed a French pass to tie the game 1-1, a contest the Warriors won 2-1 in overtime.
“That was pretty thrilling,” said French.
There can be pressure on a player who skates for his hometown junior hockey team. French said he likes playing close to home in the same facility where he starred as a minor hockey player.
“When all your friends and family are there to watch you, there’s a lot of pressure to do well,” said French. You want to exceed their expectations.”
And with a bit of a wry smile: “And you get to hear what your parents have to say after the game and that’s always nice.”
Yopyk would like to see more Westside Minor Hockey Association players don the Warriors uniform.
“As an organization it’s our goal to keep the best local players here and I think Max is a good example of that,” said Yopyk.
Most Junior A players have faced tough choices as 16-year-olds: accept an invitation to try out and play major junior or try the Junior A route, Max is no different.
“When you’re growing up, you look at the close teams like the Rockets and that becomes an dream to play for them, but as I got older and understood things, I leaned toward the junior A route.”
The choice became easier when Gary Gelinas relocated the Langley franchise to West Kelowna.
“As soon as they came here, that was my dream, to play with the Warriors and then move on to the university route,” said French.
Max’s older brother Tyler also plays in the league with the Quesnel Millionaires. The brothers played together when Max was in his first year of midget with the Okanagan Rockets.
What would such a high-energy guy do for work if it wasn’t hockey?
“I’ve put a lot of thought into that but I haven’t really come up with an answer,” said French. “But probably something focused around business.”
If that's the case, watch out for bodychecks in the boardroom.
