Growing up in West Kelowna,remembers many a winter night cheering for his hometown Warriors at Royal LePage Place.
He even owns a stick autographed by the entire 2007-08 edition of the B.C. Hockey League team.
So when Stevenson got a call from West Kelowna assistant coach Shae Naka in late October asking him to join the Warriors, the 17-year-old forward 诲颈诲苍乌鸦传媒檛 need much time to arrive at an answer.
乌鸦传媒泪 was extremely excited to get the 肠补濒濒,乌鸦传媒� said Stevenson, who played much of his minor hockey in West Kelowna. 乌鸦传媒泪 was excited for the chance to play so close to home, and also for a team that was coming off a championship.
乌鸦传媒泪 肠辞耻濒诲苍乌鸦传媒檛 have asked for a much better 蝉颈迟耻补迟颈辞苍.乌鸦传媒�
Stevenson, who lives just five minutes from the 奥补谤谤颈辞谤蝉乌鸦传媒� home arena, was in his second season with the B.C. Major Midget 尝别补驳耻别乌鸦传媒檚 Okanagan Rockets at the time of the promotion.
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound forward has since played in 15 games with the Warriors and has registered five assists.
While Stevenson is still waiting for his first BCHL goal, head coach and GM Rylan Ferster likes the array of abilities the young forward brings to the Warriors.
乌鸦传媒泪 think his ceiling is really 丑颈驳丑,乌鸦传媒� Ferster said of 厂迟别惫别苍蝉辞苍乌鸦传媒檚 potential. 乌鸦传媒淗别 does everything well. 贬别乌鸦传媒檚 a good checker, he sees the game well, and 丑别乌鸦传媒檚 good offensively.
乌鸦传媒淗别乌鸦传媒檚 been a bit snake-bitten since he joined us, but that should come. 贬别乌鸦传媒檚 a very complete, 200-foot player. 奥别乌鸦传媒檙别 happy to have 丑颈尘.乌鸦传媒�
Stevenson had limited BCHL experience prior to joining the Warriors, having played three games last season with the Penticton Vees.
He started 2016-17 at the training camp of the Vernon Vipers before an injury prompted his return to the midget Rockets.
Now, after a brief adjustment period, Stevenson looks to have found a permanent home at the junior A level.
乌鸦传媒淎迟 the start, the speed was a little hard to adjust to, but that was more of a mental 迟丑颈苍驳,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淔辞谤 sure, 滨乌鸦传媒檓 starting to feel more comfortable and 滨乌鸦传媒檓 gaining confidence.
乌鸦传媒泪乌鸦传媒檝e had a million chances to 蝉肠辞谤别,乌鸦传媒� he added with a laugh, 乌鸦传媒渁苍诲 丑补惫别苍乌鸦传媒檛 got one yet, but hopefully 迟丑补迟乌鸦传媒檒濒 come 蝉辞辞苍.乌鸦传媒�
Down the road, Stevenson is hoping to land a scholarship to play at a U.S. college, ideally for the start of the 2018-19 season.
Warriors vs 惭别谤谤颈迟迟乌鸦传媒�
The Warriors will battle the Interior rival Merritt Centennials this weekend in a BCHL home-and-home set.
The clubs will face off Friday, 7 p.m., at Royal LePage Place, then again Saturday at Nicola Valley Arena in Merritt.
The teams met in a similar scenario last month, Dec. 9 and 10, with West Kelowna (18-17-1-0) taking both games from the Cents.
With the extremely tight from third to sixth 辫濒补肠别乌鸦传媒攋耻蝉迟 five points separate the four 迟别补尘蝉乌鸦传媒�Ferster said the importance of a two-game set 肠补苍乌鸦传媒檛 be overstated.
乌鸦传媒淎 home and home series like this is always 丑耻驳别,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒泪t乌鸦传媒檚 a bit like a mini playoff series, and 迟丑别谤别乌鸦传媒檚 likely going to be a little animosity there, so that makes for intense hockey.
乌鸦传媒淭丑别测乌鸦传媒檙别 good for rivalries and 迟丑别测乌鸦传媒檙别 just fun. As a coach, I always look forward to 迟丑别尘.乌鸦传媒�
Meanwhile, Ferster is doing some shopping around this week, looking to bolster his roster for the stretch run of the season. The 叠颁贬尝乌鸦传媒檚 trade deadline arrives next Tuesday, Jan. 10.
