William Hazell-Penaluna had a feeling his name might come up at the Pacific Junior Hockey League’s trade deadline. But he was shocked when he learned his Grandview Steelers had dealt him to his hometown team, the Port Moody Panthers — the very team that had cut him after one game in Sept., 2016.
Better yet, the player he was traded for — Cameron Judson — is the player who had beat him out for that roster position.
It was the first time Hazell-Penaluna had ever been cut from a team in his hockey career and the sting helped fuel his drive to lead his Port Moody Midget A1 team to a provincial championship.
“It was definitely an eye-opener for me,” Hazell-Penaluna said. “It showed me I needed to step my game up a bit.”
When Hazell-Penaluna signed with the Steelers at the beginning of this season, he and Judson became friendly rivals.
“I want to outplay him, but he’s definitely a good young player,” Hazell-Penaluna said of Judson.
In fact both players were thriving with their PJHL teams when they were traded for each other.
Hazell-Penaluna has 19 points in 28 games for the Steelers and Judson had comparable numbers with the Panthers. Both have been selected to play in the league’s prospects game next Monday at the MSA Arena in Abbotsford.
Hazell-Panaluma, who attends grade 12 at Heritage Woods secondary school, said getting traded for the guy who beat him out has given a jolt of confidence to his hockey aspirations.
“I knew a team wanted me,” Hazell-Penaluna said. “This is where I belong.”
For the immediate future, those aspirations are to help the Panthers push for a playoff spot. Long term, the 17-year-old has his sights set on the BC Hockey League as a path to a scholarship to play and study at an NCAA school in the United States.
Hazell-Penaluna’s off to a good start on all accounts. He scored twice in his first game for the Panthers, and he’s since added another goal and an assist.
Hazell-Penaluna said the transition has been helped by having some teammates he played with on his championship Midget team, including his linemate, Jaxan Lepp.
“It was awesome to see on the board that we’re on the same line,” Hazell-Penaluna said. “We have chemistry.”
Hazell-Penaluna hopes that chemistry will eventually propel the Panthers to similar success the teammates enjoyed at the Midget level.
“To be a hometown kid playing for the hometown team, it adds a ton to your experience playing junior hockey,” Hazell-Penaluna said.
But always with an eye on his rival, he said.
“I want to make sure Port Moody wins the trade.”
