Hickey Wins Gold at the Spengler Cup
Local product and former Leduc Jr. Athletic Club dman Brandon Hickey played for Team Canada over the Christmas Holiday break from his studies at Boston University. Team Canada went 4-0 winning the Gold medal over Switzerland the final 3-0. Hickey played all 4 games and had 2 assists and was +3.
Hickey who is the captain of the Boston University Terriers will join Dylan Sikura and Jeremy Davis from Northeastern University, and Jake Evans from Notre Dame in a final opportunity to show.
Hickey who is the son of Darren and Carol Hickey of Leduc has had quite the decorated career for a young man born in 1996. The 6’ 2” defenseman was drafted in the 4th round, 81st overall by the Tri City Americans in the 2011 Bantam Draft after playing a year of Bantam AA in Leduc after not making the local Bantam AAA team.
He played at home when the Leduc Jr. Athletic Club hosted the 2012 TELUS Cup losing to the Saskatoon Contacts in the bronze medal game and then played with the Spruce Grove Saints in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
He suited up for Team Canada West in the World Jr. A Challenge bringing home a bronze medal in 2014.
Hickey was then drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 3rd Round, 64th overall in 2014 and has since been traded to the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona has until August 15th to sign Hickey or he becomes an unrestricted free agent, not unlike Justin Schultz was when he bolted the Anaheim Ducks for the Edmonton Oilers.
This will be the smooth skating local product’s third opportunity to don the maple leaf for Canada after having been selected to play at the World Junior A challenge in the Maritimes as a member of the Spruce Grove Saints and then manning the blue line for the Team Canada National Jr Team in 2016.
Hickey has stayed true to his roots over the years making tough decisions along the way in his hockey career. He stayed home to play Bantam AA in Leduc when he was a late release from the local Bantam AAA team. He decided to take the college route after his selection by the Tri City Americans of the Western Hockey League despite numerous offers to suit up for the Washington team over his time with the Spruce Grove Saints in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He has chosen to finish his College Career despite opportunities to turn pro with the Calgary Flames and now the Arizona Coyotes.
Team Canada general manager Sean Burke likes what he sees and Hickey has been beating the odds all his young career. Traditionally, players who play in the Spengler Cup are players playing in Europe as
professionals hoping to reignite their hockey careers or playing overseas after their playing days in Canada are complete.
If the KHL chooses not to release players to play in the Olympics, “chances” will be even better for Hickey. Hickey has three classes to complete to attain his Business degree majoring in finance. The captain of the Boston University Terriers has had a lot of “chances” over the years and he has accepted these “chances” as they come. Chances are, whatever happens, he will take this chance in stride, make a decision and not look back.
Here’s to hoping that Brandon has another tough decision to make after Christmas.
