The newest member of the Okotoks Junior A Oilers should be used to changing addresses at this point of his hockey career.
For the second summer in a row 20-year-old forward Cody Michelle has been traded, this time from the Coquitlam Express to the Okotoks Oilers in exchange for future considerations.
“ It was a surprise to me ,” Michelle said on being moved from Coquitlam to Okotoks. “ I just got a call one day from the coach. You can't do too much about it, you've just got to accept it and see how Okotoks is.”
Michelle's first and only season with the British Columbia Hockey League's (BCHL) Express was derailed in a pre-season game. He suffered a broken jaw and missed 20 games after taking a crosscheck to the head from Penticton Vee Logan Johnston in September.
“ It was horrible,” Michelle said. “ I did not expect that at all. I wanted to play, but not opening your mouth for a month is pretty hard on you, it gets to your head.
“ I had to deal with a lot when that happened,” he added. “ I had to wear a full mask for a month after (I returned to the ice) and I was getting a lot of cheap shots with my cage on.”
The 20-year-old said his jaw still feels out of place, but he's become accustomed to the discomfort and it doesn't affect his play on the ice. Michelle returned to the Coquitlam lineup and potted eight goals and 24 points in 40 games in 2011-12, a year after registering 11 goals and 28 points with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks as a BCHL freshman.
“ When I went to Salmon Arm I went with (friends) Taylor Fauchoux and Bryce Gervais,” Michelle said of making the jump to Junior A. “ We didn't know what to expect. It was pretty good in Salmon Arm and then everyone got traded so I was a bit disappointed. It was the first time I got traded.”
Getting used to changing area codes and swapping jerseys is something the Prince Albert, SK product has been forced to deal with since graduating from the Midget AAA ranks as the captain of the Prince Albert Mintos in 2009-10. His last two seasons with the Mintos were played alongside returning Oilers defenceman Jordan Swenson.
“ He's a hard-nosed guy that likes to get in the corners and take the body,” Swenson said of Michelle. “ And at least when I played with him he could usually chip in offensively too.”
Swenson, the Oilers' rookie-of-the-year in 2011-12, said Michelle was the consummate teammate during their stint together with the Mintos.
“ He's a good two-way guy who sticks up for his team no matter what,” Swenson said. “ He'll be a great guy to have around the organization.”
Oilers head coach and general manager James Poole doesn't have the same extended history with Michelle, but has been familiar with the 20-year-old winger since 2008-09.
As head coach of the Midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes, Poole faced off against Michelle and the Mintos at the 2009 Mac's Tournament and was impressed with what he saw.
“ I just respected the way he played in terms of he had size, he played with grit, he had a good skill level and was always making things happen through hard work,” Poole said of Michelle. “ And we want to get more of those guys on our team.”
The Prince Albert product's history of leadership also made him an appealing prospect.
“ He was an assistant captain in Coquitlam, he was a captain in Midget,” Poole said. “ He's a coaches type of player through his leadership, through what he does on the ice.”
Michelle said he takes pride in being a leader his teammates and the coaching staff can rely on.
“ Just to be positive when stuff isn't going the right way, to be focused, get the players focused, all the little things that have to be done in the dressing room, on-ice and off-ice,” Michelle said.
On the ice, the six-foot, 175-pound winger proudly refers to himself as a grinder.
“ I'm using the body a lot and just getting done what the coach wants you to do,” he said. “ And that's my motive.”
The Oilers are optimistic Michelle can continue the recent trend of BCHL players making big strides in Big Rock Country.
Tyler Krause and Connor Hartley, acquired mid-season from the Westside Warriors and Vernon Vipers, respectively, made big impacts in Okotoks last season.
Krause potted 23 goals in 27 games for the Oilers while Hartley showed great promise in a second-line centre role for Okotoks and the Red Deer native is poised to continue his upward trend in 2012-13.
“ It gave us a comfort level, we know it's a quality league in B.C.,” Poole said. “ And more often than not quality players in that league are going to come to Alberta and be successful.”
For more information on the Oilers visit www.okotoksoilers.com.
