Having spent the last two seasons in the storied Shattuck St. Mary's hockey program in Minnesota, Dante Hahn admits to having withdrawals from his former dorm experiences.
Back in his native Victoria, the 17-year-old forward - who is attempting to crack the Victoria Grizzlies lineup - is making up for the missed relationships courtesy of two of the three Fitzgerald triplets.
"Yeah, that's been fun, too," Hahn said of living back at home where his parents, Robert and Dana, have taken in Gerry and Leo Fitzgerald as billets. "We're basically always together.
"They're my ride because I'm not driving yet. I'm still having trouble telling them apart," laughed Hahn who has been called the replacement triplet for Myles, who is living elsewhere.
"Yeah, I guess I am, sort of," Hahn chuckled. "Myles is by himself now. He doesn't have his own car so we have to pick him up wherever we go."
Now, the Grizzlies are hoping Hahn picks up on the veteran Fitzgerald triplets' tendencies and work ethic on the ice as he attempts to enter his rookie year in the sa国际传媒 Hockey League.
He is not expected to be in the lineup tonight when the Grizzlies host the Cowichan Valley Capitals at Juan de Fuca Arena at 7 p.m. in their first pre-season test (admission is by donation with all proceeds going to the Victoria Adoptables animal shelter). But it's not because he's not in their plans.
"He's a young, gifted player that has an obvious skill set that is attractive," Grizzlies general manager and head coach Bill Bestwick said of Hahn. "If he has the ability to translate that to the next level, which he hasn't proven yet, then he'll be a heck of a Junior A hockey player.
"We'll see," said Bestwick. "He's going to be given every opportunity to demonstrate that he's fully capable of playing Junior A at our level."
The biggest difference is Hahn will need to adjust to playing against older players, rather than toiling with similar-aged players at Shattuck St. Mary's, where he had 65 points in 95 games.
"It's a big jump for any 17-year-old to play with 18-, 19-and 20-year-olds," said Bestwick. "There's that whole adjustment, that whole transition. The speed is elevated.
"The thing with Dante is he's a good skater and he has good skills. He understands the game well and his hockey intelligence is good. I think he has all the intangibles required. Now, he has to put them all together when there are people checking you. It's harder to play at this level than where he came from."
Which isn't lost on the nearly six-foot-one, 190-pounder.
"Every time you go up a level it gets more physical. I expect that, but I'm still hoping to have a big year," said Hahn, who will be attending Grade 12 at Spectrum.
"Shattuck St. Mary's was awesome, a great experience. Especially since you're living in a dorm with your whole team with you all the time. You get to know everyone and you bond a lot."
He's still getting a taste of that, thanks to two of the three Fitzgeralds.
"When we found out we were getting two of them [as billeted players] we asked for the third one, too. They said, no, so it's a little sad," said Hahn, who returned to Victoria in hopes of attracting an NCAA scholarship, like his good friend Nolan De Jong, the Grizzlies' defenceman who helped coax him into returning.
"I just wanted to take it to the next step. I want to get to college quicker and I thought that the BCHL would be that step," said Hahn, who played with the Saanich Braves Bantam A team prior to heading to Minnesota.
