Between the Lines
Edition 10
January 17, 2007
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has traditionally been a league dominated by 18 and 19 year old players. Sure, there have been exceptions such as Sidney Crosby with Rimouski and Pat LaFontaine with the old Verdun Juniors back in the 1980’s but, for the most part, NHL drafted players, playing in their final year or two of major junior eligibility have generally ruled the roost. The same scenario applies to our very own St. John’s Fog Devils, where highly-touted, QMJHL first-round players such as Luke Adam and Jean-Simon Allard have come in as 16 year old rookies one year removed from Midget, and experienced the 70 game rollercoaster that is a full QMJHL season. Both went through the ups and downs that characterizes most QMJHL rookie seasons, before eventually coming into their own as quality, skilled, everyday players. The adjustment level for players at the major junior level ultimately takes time, and some adapt more quickly than others. Fortunately for St. John’s, this season has seen the emergence of rookie defenceman Alex Wall as a steady, consistent player that provides the team with a solid option on the blueline and a player that can log quality minutes when called upon – something that cannot be said about many first year players in the league.
Wall, a native of Mt. Pearl, was selected 81st overall in the 2006 QMJHL Draft and attended his first training camp as a 15 year old.
“My first training camp [as a 15 year old], I was just going in to get a feel for the league and what it’s like to play at that level [major junior]. I went back to Midget because I wasn’t ready for the league but learned what I had to do to make the team the next year. I went to my second training camp with the intention of making the team. I was better prepared and knew what to expect.”
Surprisingly, Wall didn’t even have to wait a full season to get a taste of major junior action as the team, experiencing a shortage on defence, called him up last winter for one game.
“I was really nervous last year before the game because it’s definitely a step up from Midget. It was an amazing experience though and all the guys helped me out with my nerves and what to expect. It also helped for this year as well because I already had a game under my belt and I knew what to expect when the season started.”
Wall, along with fellow Midget AAA teammates Chris Thorne and Vincent Paiement, made the team out of training camp this season – perhaps an indication of the strength of the St. John’s Midget AAA program.
“We had a really good team last year in Midget. We went to the Atlantics and to the Nationals, as well. I have two good friends in Thorne and Vince [Paiement] so the time we spent together in AAA has definitely helped ease the transition from Midget to major junior. We all trained together in the off-season to get ready for camp so we all know each other pretty well.”
Quietly going about his business, Wall has suited up in all but one game this season and to date has 10 points in 45 games. His progression made Fog Devils 2006 first-rounder William Beaudoin a regular in the press box during the first half of the season and resulted in Beaudoin becoming expendable at the trade deadline. Not eligible for the NHL draft until 2009, Wall knows he has a few things to work on in order to become a more complete player.
“I definitely need to work on my shot and my release. I try to watch T.J. [Brennan] because he is good in both those areas. I also need to get physically stronger but hopefully that will come with time. I see myself as an offensive defenceman but this year I’ve really been focusing on being defensively responsible as a rookie because I know the offensive will come. I’ll try to add more offense over time but my focus now is being reliable in my own end and keeping it simple”, admits Wall. “I try not to think about being drafted or anything yet because it’s so far away, so I just try to take it all one game at a time.”
Blessed with poise and the ability to make a good first pass out of the defensive zone, Wall’s steady rookie campaign may be lost on the casual hockey fan. In a league where young defenceman are prone to making costly defensive errors, the 5”11 rookie has generally avoided that characterization in his first full major junior season. Having turned only 17 at the beginning of November, Wall has much time left in his major junior career. If his current progression is any indication, his time in St. John’s with the Fog Devils will be fruitful, resulting hopefully in his name being called in June 2009 by an NHL club.
Dan Reid is in his second year with the St. John's Fog Devils. Any comments or feedback regarding "Between the Lines" can be directed to dan@fogdevils.com.
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