Clark Hiebert has come a long way to continue his hockey career, but he has no regrets.
Niether do the Victoria 颅Grizzlies, who brought the 颅veteran defenceman east from Ontario where he spent time with the Guelph Storm of the major-junior Ontario Hockey League.
And it hasn鈥檛 taken long for the blue-liner, who turned 20 this week, to earn rave reviews from the sa国际传媒 Hockey League club.
Hiebert took part in his first two preseason games last weekend against the Cowichan Valley Capitals and promptly put up three goals and two assists in the home-and-home exhibition set.
鈥淗e鈥檒l be one of the top defencemen in the league, I think,鈥� said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon.
鈥淐lark brings a ton of 颅maturity and confidence and is a real leader on the ice and in the locker-room.鈥�
Grizzlies fans will have to wait a little bit longer to get a closer look at Hiebert, however. The Oakville, Ont., native won鈥檛 dress for tonight鈥檚 or 颅Saturday鈥檚 preseason tilts against the Nanaimo Clippers as he heads to 颅Chicago to take part in the American Hockey League鈥檚 Wolves prospects camp.
鈥淐hicago sent me an invitation so I鈥檓 pretty excited about going and, if nothing else, it should be a good learning experience and help me out for next year if I want go the pro route,鈥� Hiebert said after Grizzlies practice on Wednesday at The Q Centre.
Hiebert鈥檚 hockey career, up until now, has been spent in Ontario. After two years of 颅Junior A with Milton and 颅Burlington, the 6-foot-3, 205 pound blue-liner jumped to the OHL after Guelph selected him in the 2017 OHL draft. He put up two goals and six assists in 38 games with the Storm in the pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 OHL 颅season. But after the pandemic forced him out of hockey games last season, Hiebert was looking for a change and jumped at a chance to head west.
鈥淎fter spending a year at home, with no games, I just wanted a change and to go a little further away from home,鈥� Hiebert said. 鈥淪o when the Victoria opportunity came up, I thought it was perfect. They鈥檙e known to be one of the best Junior A club鈥檚 in sa国际传媒 and the BCHL is the top league, in my mind, so I thought it was perfect for me, and so far, so good. I haven鈥檛 looked back and I鈥檓 loving it here.鈥�
And he loves the look of the Grizzlies, who will face the 颅Clippers tonight in Nanaimo and Saturday night at The Q Centre as the clubs wrap up the 颅preseason.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great looking team,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very deep up front with four lines that can score and have a lot of speed, and we鈥檙e big and skilled at the back end so I鈥檓 really excited for the season.鈥�
LOOSE PUCKS: The Grizzlies open the BCHL regular season Oct. 8 when the Alberni Valley Bulldogs pay a visit to The Q Centre. The Clippers hit the road for their season opener, taking on the Powell River Kings on Oct. 8 at Hap Parker Arena.
