**1249 Words - 50/50 Split between @KenitohMenara and @TheManSoldTheWorld **

“Making it in the SHL means a lot to me. My friends from American never made it due to life stuff. My brother passed before he could ever make it. So, now I bear the torch and can’t wait to lead a new generation of SHL players.”

Born in Abbotsford, British Columbia, James “Jimmy” Yzerman learned quickly the value of hard work. Growing up in a poor family with very few prospects in life, due to the high crime nature of Abbotsford, Jimmy had two options for getting out of the city. Fall into crime alongside so many young people in Abbotsford and live his life dodging the law… or he could play hockey and prove the world wrong. It was not as clear cut a choice to make as chances for hockey, even in the birthplace of the sport like canada, were few and far between in this part of british columbia. Taking inspiration from a friend who played hockey, Shelby Schmackers who was playing for the Anchorage Armada at the time, Jimmy took to the ice and tried his hand at skating.

The road for Jimmy was never easy. He couldn’t focus entirely on hockey because he was constantly called away to help out his struggling family with odd jobs and ways to make money. Temptations to fall into the life of crime surrounded Jimmy on a daily basis, constant taunting from bullies about how he would never make it to the pros due to his size, how he should give up and stop embarrassing himself. In these, his darkest times, his older brother Avery was his biggest supporter.

“Avery was always there for me when I needed him” Jimmy said as he sat down with the Charter for this interview. “Where I grew up, you found friends and supporters, stuck together and went about your business. He was always there for me, cheering me on and helping me out.”

Thanks to his brother, James could keep his head down and keep skating. His work started to pay off when the Abbotsford Pilots, his local team, came calling. Now with a professional coach and trainers, Jimmy’s talents started to shine. He is neither the biggest or the strongest player but he is one of the most well rounded players you will ever watch play. His speed, IQ, precision and passing are sights to behold and make him a nightmare for opposing teams. His natural athleticism and speech made him an effective leader in the locker room. It was this experience that made him realize that he was not only good at hockey, but he could make it to the pros.

This was only bolstered when Team Canada called him up for tryouts and he was invited to the Under-16 tournament. When he looked upon that red and black jersey with his name on it for the first time, Jimmy Yzerman… a boy with no hope from Abbotsford was on top of the world… but like many things in life, it all came crashing down with one phone call:

“I was with team canada… and I got a phone call from the Abbotsford police… they said that my brother got… involved in a… shootout… and he…” Jimmy couldn’t finish the sentence with us and we did not press him further on the subject, considering it is still such a difficult thing for him to process. He did mention that it was around about this time as well that his mentor and friend Shelby was suffering from deep depression. He couldn’t continue his hockey training and his promising career was snuffed out in an instant.

Jimmy told us about how this lead him to wonder if he should give up. His two biggest inspirations in life were gone… then he realized something. If he gave up now, everything he worked for and everything his friends and brother had cheered him towards would disappear forever. He couldn’t allow that, not after everything he had been through. Playing with renewed vigour, he took home the MVP award from the U16 tournament, proving all his hard work was paying off.

However, on draft night, another setback faced Yzerman:

“I missed this past weekend’s draft simply because I had to help out at home. And, because of the way I’ve come up, I’ve mostly been my own agent. Couldn’t afford a plane to go to the draft, so I stayed home and helped out my brother and mom. I watched the draft on TV, didn’t see my name get called, and went to bed. Then, my phone blew up the next morning; friends and family offering their condolences and advice. Then the Armada called.”

GM of the Armada, Max Brannigan, wanted to take Yzerman during the draft, but due to a delayed medical report, he couldn’t take that risk. Once the report had finally got to him, he immediately picked up his phone and called Yzerman to offer him a free agent contract. He had seen enough of Jimmy to know that he was an incredibly talented young center that he could mould into another great addition to his young team. Jimmy told us in detail about what that contract meant to him:

“When I received the contract offer from the Armada...I was overcome with emotion. It meant I finally had a chance to do what I love for a living, and prove that a hockey kid could make it out of Abbotsford without getting involved in “the life.” I didn’t have to sell crack or heroin to be able to afford hockey gear, or to put food on the table at home. It meant I had a chance to fulfill the dream my brother had but never could. It was a second chance. And I’m taking it”.

As a free agent, Jimmy joined Santtu Rasanen as the second free agent signed by the Armada in two years and Santtu told us how he also had high hopes for the young Yzerman.

“I see a lot of what drove me to succeed in Jimmy.” Santtu said, “He’s got a real good head on his shoulders and he’s a hard worker. The GM likes those kind of guys because he knows where you are drafted means very little. You gotta work hard for what you have and Jimmy has the right attitude.”

It is GM Brannagan that Jimmy Yzerman has already grown rather attached to:

“I look up to Brannagan, who we at Anchorage affectionately call Ass, who believed in me enough to offer me a contract after I went undrafted. He’s been a great help acclimating to the Alaska environment and locker room. Thanks Ass!”

It goes to show everyone that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what your start is in life. If you are willing to work hard, train hard and bust your butt night in and night out, you can achieve personal victories and professional success. Jimmy wants to be the next great Center in Anchorage and with his attitude and style, he might just be a diamond in the rough:

“This season, I want to contribute as much as a center like myself can for the Armada: assists, goals, stuff the stat sheet, etc. I want to do whatever it takes to win that’s in the legal limits of hockey. I’m just a well rounded center that can contribute in all aspects of the game on every line and hopefully lead a team to a championship.”

❤️❤️❤️

"I have the best poke check in the nation, all thanks to Marc-Andre Fleury."

Shelby Schmackers || D || Anchorage Armada
Name: Shelby Schmackers
Age: 18
Height: 6'0
Weight: 205
Number: 20
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