Advertisement 1

Loewen learns lessons in rookie season

Article content

Even before COVID-19 forced the suspension of practically all hockey leagues in North America, Jermaine Loewen was already making adjustments to his own life.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

After five seasons with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League, the last of which he served as team captain, Loewen made the leap to the professional ranks during the 2019-20 season. A non-roster training camp invite by the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, Loewen signed with the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves and split his season between them and the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets.

Despite shuffling between the two clubs, Loewen enjoyed his rookie season.

Article content

“I enjoyed the pro experience. There were definitely a lot of ups and downs,” Loewen said by phone from the Chicago area. “Being away from billets was a big adjustment, but I like the lifestyle and I’ve learned a lot just playing in one league. It was hard going up and down sometimes … I was willing to adapt on the fly and hopefully I can take everything I’ve learned and then use it for the off-season.”

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

Drafted in the seventh round, 199th overall by the Dallas Stars in the 2018 NHL Draft, Loewen attended Stars training camp before opting not to sign him to a contract, which led him to return to Kamloops for his final year in junior. Last season, he played 31 games for the Wolves and scored one goal and one assist for two points, but racked up 62 penalty minutes. In Fort Wayne, he scored three goals and an assist for four points in 19 games. He said he is still adapting to the faster pace of the pro game.

“It’s the preparation every day that’s really the biggest thing. You have to carry it with you and apply it,” Loewen added.

On Dec. 7, Loewen scored his first AHL goal with Chicago against the Manitoba Moose at BellMTS Place in front of friends and family, including his parents Stan and Tara.He was also named the First Star of the Game. He described the moment as “unreal.”

“You break everything down and look at it, from the people who came down to support me and watch me. They know who I am as a person and it was big to have that … I’ll never forget that moment,” he said. “It was like fate that day. I’ll have that memory with me.”

Loewen also said he would like to work on the defensive aspect of his game and he hopes to play more games with Chicago next season.

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers