McKinley more than just a player

By Gary Ahuja - Langley Times - May 09, 2008

For aspiring hockey players, the annual bantam Western Hockey League draft is a big step forward in their burgeoning careers.

But for Dylan McKinley, last year was a difficult time.

The 16-year-old had big plans heading into his bantam draft season with the Langley AAA Eagles, but a bout of mononucleosis provided a stumbling block.

“It was tough,” McKinley said on Tuesday afternoon.

“I thought I had a really good start to the year.

“Then of course, the mono came down (and) I was out for a couple of months.”

McKinley eventually returned to the line-up but felt he was not near the level he was prior to the illness.

When the draft came, the Chilliwack Bruins snapped up the winger in the third round, 48th overall.

And while many players are drafted — 248 were selected in 2007 — McKinley’s absence from the game may have dropped him down a couple of rounds.

That was no problem at all for the Bruins management who saw enough in McKinley’s shortened season to be impressed.

“We really liked a lot of what we saw of him in bantam,” said Bruins general manager Darrell May. “He plays the style we like, an aggressive game.”

After last year’s draft, May had called McKinley “a first round talent” and said he was pleasantly surprised the winger was still available when Chilliwack’s third-round pick came along.

With the draft held in Calgary, the fate of hundreds of 14 and 15-year-old boys is left to watching for their name to pop up on the screen as they follow the draft on the Internet.

McKinley found out in a phone call and he calls that “one of the most exciting moments I have ever had.”

And by being drafted by the Bruins, Chilliwack is a lot closer to home than any of the other teams.

Being drafted is only one step as not every player makes the jump to the WHL.

McKinley attended training camp with the Bruins last summer as a 15-year-old, to get a taste of the experience. And his play left May impressed.

“We are really excited,” May said, adding that the goal for McKinley, like most players his age, is to add some weight and muscle to his slight frame.

He described his winger as a speedy and tenacious players with a hockey sense and a strong work ethic.

“He sees the ice well and moves the puck well,” May said.

“He goes hard to the net and hard into the corners. We think he’s going to be everything we look for in a Bruins player.”

His coach for two years with Langley said the Bruins are getting more than just a good hockey player.

Eagles coach Danny Franco said that near the end of this past season, McKinley began helping out at practices, working with the younger bantam players.

All of this was done at McKinley’s request.

This past season, McKinley skated for the Valley West Hawks of the Major Midget Hockey League.

McKinley suited up in 35 of the team’s 40 games and finished with 13 goals and 13 assists, a disappointing season numbers-wise for what he had hoped.

“I didn’t really put the points up that I wanted to,” McKinley admitted, adding that he was given an opportunity to play a prominent offensive role on a line with centre Kevin Sundher, another Bruins bantam draft pick, who went seventh overall.

Despite plenty of scoring chances, McKinley just could not find his finish around the net.

Next up for the winger is a summer full of working out and trying to put some weight and muscle on his slender frame.

McKinley, who is working out with trainer Tim Preston, said hitting the gym is made easier when there is a core group of fellow players to train with, which he thankfully has.

The goal is to attend camp with the Bruins this August and hopefully land a roster spot. If not, McKinley will look at either his junior A or junior B options for next hockey season. He also could return to the Hawks.

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McKinley more than just a player

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