Former Battlefords North Stars captain Michael Statchuk had multiple options after his junior hockey career came to an end, but has decided to pursue his education at Red Deer College.
Statchuk said after weighing all his options, he felt Red Deer made the most sense.
“They started talking to me just after the season,” he said from his hometown of Wadena. “[NCAA Div 3] were all possibility but I felt financially for me and my family Red Deer had a good offer, tuition is a good price so I couldn’t pass it up.”
Statchuk is working for his dad in Wadena for the summer, loading seeds and chemicals for Crop Production Services.
Now that he’ll be attending classes as well as playing hockey, Statchuk says the added workload is going to take a toll.
“I’m looking into agriculture right now, so it’s going to be a lot of science classes,” he said. “It’s going to be tough but I’m definitely willing to do it.”
Statchuk will be joing North Stars teammate Nick Fountain at Red Deer, and says he’s looking forward to staying teammates with the North Stars playoff MVP.
“Me and Nick have a really good relationship so it’ll be good to play with him again,” Statchuk said. “Our plan is to actually room together, so that will be a lot of fun.”
Statchuk had a three-year junior ‘A’ career that began out west in Vernon, BC. He says he looks back on his time in the British Columbia Hockey League fondly.
“My brother played in Salmon Arm and I just kind of followed in his footsteps, I guess you could say,” Statchuk explained. “I had the opportunity to do it so I went and saw some of the country.”
Michael’s brother Travis played for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks for two years before attending Ohio State University for four seasons.
Statchuk’s Vernon Vipers hosted the RBC Cup in 2014 and while they didn’t win the ultimate prize, he says that experience highlights his time in the BCHL.
“One hundred per cent. Our playoff run going to the BCHL finals too,” he said. “But definitely the RBC Cup is something that I’ll always remember, it was a great experience.”
After that season Statchuk was looking to play closer to home saying, “I guess you could say that,” with a laugh when asked if he asked to be traded to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Major junior was also an option for Statchuk, as he was a fifth round pick of the Saskatoon Blades in 2009.
“They always wanted me to play some exhibition games, but my brother was going the NCAA route and at that stage of my life that route was the way I wanted to go because education is very important to our family,” he explained. “I know the Blades were hosting the Memorial Cup the next season so I would have been the seventh or eighth defenceman, in and out of the lineup so I decided to go back to Prince Albert to continue my development.”
Statchuk spent the 2011-12 season with the Prince Albert Minto’s Midget AAA team, ultimately being named defenceman of the year.
When Statchuk looks at his time spent in the Battlefords, he says it was the people that made it so great.
“Getting to see your 21 or 22 best friends everyday, the community involvement we had and the support they gave us was just outstanding,” he said.
Statchuk was named captain after Ryne Keller was traded to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, and says seeing a close friend leave is never easy.
“Of course it’s tough. Hockey’s a business and things like that happen, but you stay in touch with those guys through texting or phone calls so you stay good friends no matter what,” he said.
While Statchuk may not be attending a Division 1 school like his brother or some of his teammates, he says the game of hockey has given him everything he could ask for.
“Right now I have an opportunity to go to school and get some of my tuition paid for,” he explained. “I get to continue playing the game I love, so as far as that goes it’s everything I wanted when I was a kid and I’m very happy about it.”
The North Stars loss is Red Deer College's gain as they're getting a good hockey player, but an even better person.
