Photo credit: Tim Bates/OJHL Images
Mason Snell and his teammates made it all the way to final game of the Canadian Junior Hockey League season. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t end in a victory as the Wellington Dukes dropped a 4-2 game to the Chilliwack Chiefs in the RBC Cup final May 20.
“Watching those guys celebrate and seeing the fans go wild, you know you were that close to winning something special,” Snell said. “It really does suck. I felt like I always had that in the back of my head all summer while I was training so that we can all come here and try to win something special for the city of Penticton.”
The 2000-born defenceman enters his third season of junior hockey looking for another championship before he hits the NCAA ranks at Penn State University next season.
Upon learning Snell’s father, Chris, had a 12-year professional hockey career, including 34 NHL games, it’s not surprising how much of an impact his father has had on his career.
“I definitely got into hockey because of my dad,” Snell said. “He was a defenceman too so having him there to help me and give me pointers on how to play the position has been a big help for me.”
Chris has been a scout in the Winnipeg Jets organization since the 2011-12 season.
While Snell is now an established defenceman, he didn’t make the transition to the backend until just a few short seasons ago.
“I didn’t start playing defence until minor bantam,” Snell explained. “I was always a forward growing up, but it wasn’t really working out for me. I played a few games on defence and I really liked it. When you’re a forward there’s always players all around you. As a defenceman I can see where everyone is, and I find that a lot easier to make plays.”
The late change in position clearly didn’t hamper Snell’s development, as he garnered interest from both the Ontario Hockey League and NCAA as the years progressed. After being drafted 54thoverall by the North Bay Batallion in 2016, Snell didn’t want to jump to a rash decision on his future.
“To be honest, I never really thought about the NCAA as a kid,” Snell admitted. “Growing up in the Oshawa area, the Generals are right there, and you grow up watching them. Everyone always talks about the OHL and that draft is a big moment for kids in Ontario. I didn’t start thinking about the NCAA until my first year in Whitby.”
After speaking to Penn State during the OJHL showcase, Snell took a visit to the campus a few weeks later and committed shortly after. It was officially announced December 6, 2016.
After a rookie season with Whitby which saw Snell score three goals with 13 assists in 45 games, Snell began the following season with Whitby before a move was made in late October.
Moved to the Dukes, Snell skated in 30 regular season games with five goals and 11 assists. He also represented Team Canada East at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Truro, Nova Scotia.
Heading into the OJHL playoffs as the second seed in the North East Conference, the Dukes fought through two seven-game series before beating Aurora in five to advance to the league final. The Dukes finished it off in dramatic fashion, winning game six against Georgetown in overtime to claim the Buckland Cup.
“If you have the chance to win a series like that, you want to do it,” Snell said. “Game seven is never a for sure thing that you’re going to win and we wanted to make sure it was over then. Winning it like that was really cool.”
Following the OJHL championship, the Dukes advanced to the Dudley Hewitt Cup, which features champions from the OJHL, SIJHL and NOJHL along with a host to determine who advances to the RBC Cup.
Snell says after winning the OJHL league title, there was never any doubt the Dukes would make it to Chilliwack.
“I think we all had in our heads that we were the team there that was going to win it,” he said. “We all really wanted to get to Chilliwack because that’s a once in a lifetime experience.”
Sure enough, the Dukes defeated the Thunder Bay North Stars 6-3 in the semi-final before a 7-4 triumph over the Dryden Ice Dogs to secure their spot in Chilliwack.
Considering the OJHL doesn’t draw the same level of fan support as leagues out west, the adjustment to the spotlight and big crowds could be a little overwhelming to players who aren’t used to it. Luckily for Snell, he had experienced that at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge and was able to help his teammates.
“I think it was a lot easier for me to adjust than maybe some of my teammates,” Snell said. “But really none of that matters. All we have to do is perform on the ice whether there’s three people in the stands or 3,000.”
After winning just one game during the round robin, a 3-2 overtime win against the Steinbach Pistons, the Dukes had the unenviable task of matching up against the Wenatchee Wild in the semi-final.
Perhaps a mismatch on paper, the Dukes pulled off the huge upset with a 2-1 victory, despite being outshot 51-14.
“That was definitely the most exhausting game I’ve ever played in,” Snell said with a laugh.” Our goalie, Jonah Capriotti, stood on his head and I have no other reason why we won that game. We saw him playing like that and tried to help him out as much as we could.”
Snell’s rights were moved from the Dukes to the Powell River Kings, before the Vees reached a deal a month later to bring him to Penticton. A move that kick-started his excitement for a new season.
“In Junior ‘A’, where ever you go, everyone knows the Penticton Vees,” Snell said. “They’ve never not had a good team in recent years and this is a place where a lot of guys want to play. It’s a special atmosphere and a special place and I’m looking forward to getting started. I want to be an uplifting guy in the room and on the bench. I really care about my defensive zone, I think that’s something I pride myself in.”
Snell and his teammates hit for the first time as a team today, as training camps around the BCHL get underway.
