WALPOLE – The Brockville Braves had two entries in New England Pro-Am Hockey’s 2017 Sr. Chowder Cup. Both playing in the College Open Division, the results of CD Brockville Black and CD Brockville Red were a combined and respectable 3-3-0 with 23 goals scored.
The Braves have had proven developmental success on the ice – defenseman Cameron Crotty, selected in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, is a Brockville product – and part of the impetus for the trip to the Chowder Cup was as an opportunity for their players to see how they stand to the competition. According to team president and general manager Dustin Traylen, however, that developmental path is multifaceted.
As a member of the Central Canadian Hockey League, for the Braves – as well as all CCHL teams – it is not just about developing as a hockey player, but developing with the specific focus of moving on to the NCAA level.
VIDEO: Chris Henes speaks with Dustin Traylen of the Brockville Braves about the programs focus on exposure to educational avenues.
Following the success of the Brockville program, Traylen has is starting a new venture starting this coming season, the Saint-Lazare Revolution of the Quebec Junior Hockey League. The Revolution are currently the exclusive junior team in Quebec to heavily promote NCAA recruitment.
As with the Brave, Traylen and Revolution assistant general manager Justin Orleans – whose Orleans Express took the top prize at the 2015 Sr. Chowder Cup – reinforce that Quebec hockey players who aspire to play NCAA hockey should not feel forced out of the province. They now have a platform within Quebec where college coaches and scouts can see what they have to offer as Traylen and Orleans aim to grow the pervasiveness of NCAA hockey and college recruitment within Quebec, all while building a powerhouse team for the years to come.
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