A California kid with hockey roots

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But long before he was playing junior hockey, his biggest hockey influence was right at home.

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His father, Kelly Sorensen, played college hockey at Ferris State and was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings. He later played professional hockey before retiring.

“He’s been my coach, my mentor, my whole life,” Dane said. “Definitely teaching me how to play the right way, you know, on the mental side too. I learned a lot from him.”

That influence started when Dane was growing up in Los Angeles.

While hockey is not the first sport most people think of when they think about Southern California, it was the sport Dane knew best.

“Just growing up in a hockey house,” Sorensen said. “It’s just where I ended up.”

His father helped make hockey part of everyday life, and Dane eventually developed into a player good enough to leave California and chase his hockey career across North America.

He spent several years playing with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings before moving on to Shattuck-St. Mary’s, one of the top hockey development programs in the United States.

Last season was another big step.

Sorensen started with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL before joining the Brooks Bandits in the BCHL late in the season.

Brooks went on to win the BCHL championship.

“Great group of guys,” Sorensen said. “We ended up squeaking out a championship. Great group of dudes and great memories.”

Now he gets a chance to play in the WHL after making the move to Kelowna.

Sorensen said the decision came down to the opportunity in front of him.

“Just felt like the right move,” he said. “A bit of a rule change and, you know, took advantage of the opportunity.”

He also liked what he saw from the Rockets.

Sorensen said he watched Kelowna games before making the move, including playoff games and the 2026 Memorial Cup.

“Kelowna is an awesome city,” he said. “Great facilities, great rink, and excited to win in these colors.”

He has already made a strong impression during training camp, even though he is new to the league.

Sorensen said the Rockets have made the transition easy.

“Coaches, players, they’ve all been so welcoming,” he said. “The leadership group, the returning players from last year, just great guys.”

He also likes the way the team is coming together.

“You can tell in the locker room when it’s gonna click and, you know, when it’s gonna feel good,” he said.

For Sorensen, the goal now is to become the kind of defenceman his coaches can count on every night.

“We’re preaching relentlessness, dependability,” he said. “Just never giving up in practice and in the games.”

He knows the WHL will be another step up.

Sorensen has played against plenty of talented players in the USHL and BCHL, but expects the WHL to have a different style.

“It’s high intensity,” he said. “Looks to be a little bit more run-and-gun than the USHL and the BCHL.”

That is the next challenge for the California kid who grew up in a hockey house.

His father showed him the game, taught him how to play it and helped him deal with the mental side of it.

Now Dane Sorensen gets to take everything he learned from his dad and try to build his own career in Kelowna.