Monday, August 29, 2011

Popek to Play for AIC

Press Release

Jason Popek was preparing to start his post-secondary scholastic career at Brock University in a few weeks when he got the call from Springfield, Mass.

Now, after playing two years with the Burlington Jr. A Cougars in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, the 21-year-old power forward will head east to American International College with a full Division 1 hockey scholarship.

The Yellow Jackets were looking for a power forward; at six-foot-three and 200 lbs., Popek fit the bill.

The St. Jean de Brebeuf high school grad leaves Sept. 1.

Popek, a productive winger for the Cougars the past two years, will play the same position for coach Gary Wright in Springfield.

Popek visited the school last month and liked what he saw.

“They said they need a power forward for the first or second line,” said Popek.

“So that really interested me.”

Popek played under coach Dan Currie last year when he scored 65 points in 40 regular-season games and added 14 more in 10 playoff games.

Currie was also Popek’s coach four years ago with the Stoney Creek Warriors, who went on to reach the Sutherland Cup finals a year later. Popek was coached by another former NHLer that year, Ric Natress.

“I had a lot of fun the past two years (with the Cougars), the guys were good and the coaches were great (Currie last year and Mark Jooris the year before),” said Popek, a Hamilton native who played his rep hockey there.

Last season he was positioned mainly on the right side, centred by Chris Carr with Tyler Wiseman on the left wing, although he and Wiseman would switch at times.

“He’s such a coachable kid, he’ll play where ever you need him,” said Currie, the former NHLer who’s now an associate coach with the Georgetown Raiders.

“He’s got unbelievable hands, some of the best in the league, and he’s faster than a lot of people think. He’s got a long, smooth stride, one of the fastest on the team last year.”

Long term, Popek hopes to play a higher level of hockey following university, but the main goal is gaining a good education.

At AIC, he’ll take a variety of business courses.

AIC, which plays in the Atlantic Hockey Association, will open the 2011-12 season with an out-of-conference weekend series at Michigan Tech on Oct. 7-8. The team hasn’t had much success in the win column in recent years, but coach Wright has five additions, including Popek, which might turn things around in a hurry.

“We are excited about the recruits who will be joining our team,” said Wright on the Yellow Jackets website.

“Many of these individuals possess the ability to provide us with instant help. The fact that this class joins perhaps our strongest group of returnees in years gives us a keen sense of hope for the upcoming season.”

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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