From mini-sticks to major junior

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“Growing up, I always went to Hitmen games – can’t say I like that team now, but growing up I loved watching them,” Folstrom laughed. “So to play there, and play where the Flames play, it was probably one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had.”

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Now 18, Folstrom is far removed from the nervous 15-year-old who made his WHL debut on the road in Regina. Entering his third season in Kelowna, the veteran forward is stepping into a leadership role for a Rockets locker room that has gone through a lot of changes.

The journey required him to change how he played. Like many top players coming out of minor hockey, Folstrom arrived in the WHL used to dominating with raw skill. Major junior hockey provided a quick reality check.

“Being 15, it’s not easy playing in this league,” Folstrom admitted. “When you’re 16, you don’t get to be the skill guy. You have to learn to block shots, take a hit to make a play, all of those kinds of things.

“As much as points weren’t coming at 16, I think in the long run I learned so much. I have a more complete 200-foot game now. I can kill penalties; I can be gritty.”

With his defensive game now locked in, Folstrom is ready to let his scoring instincts take over again. Playing on a line with Ryan Oothoudt and Dawson Gerwing, his goal this season is simple: play with confidence and find the back of the net.

“I know for sure I have it,” Folstrom said of his scoring touch. “For me, it’s just not forcing or rushing plays. It’s about being confident with that puck control in the offensive zone, really gelling with those guys, and finding the back of the net.”

Folstrom recently crossed off a major teenage milestone by finishing high school. He had to handle a lot of online courses because the Rockets spend so much time travelling on the road. He is the first to admit that opening a laptop in a hotel room after a long road trip isn’t easy.

“I would like to say I worked [homework] on the road every time, but I can’t say I did,” Folstrom smiled. “My parents were on top of me when I was younger, but as I got older, they told me, ‘It’s on you. You’re growing up.’ I fell behind a few times, but I picked it up and finished it, so I can’t complain.”

That maturity is now being passed down. Folstrom shares a billet home with 15-year-old rookie Madden Daneault, who is currently experiencing the same high-pressure situation Folstrom did three years ago.

When they aren’t at the rink, the duo usually relaxes by playing mini-sticks or jumping on the trampoline with their two younger billet brothers. Because Daneault only has his learner’s license, Folstrom has officially taken on the role of big-brother chauffeur.

“Me and him have been whipping around, listening to tunes, talking. It’s been fun,” Folstrom said.

And if the rookie tries to give him driving advice from the passenger seat?

“I think you would hear it from me if he ever said something like that,” Folstrom laughed.

Driving is a point of pride for Folstrom, who learned to drive a full-size Ford F-150 at age 16. Though he now drives a smaller Jeep Cherokee, trying to park a massive truck in downtown Kelowna proved to be the ultimate training ground.

“It’s definitely not easy to park in downtown scenarios,” Folstrom said. “But it taught me a lot, and now I can park anywhere.”

For all the milestones that come with growing up – the driver’s licences, the high school diplomas, and the billet house friendships – the arena remains the ultimate anchor.

When asked about his favourite hockey memory so far, Folstrom doesn’t hesitate. His mind immediately goes back to his 16-year-old self in front of a roaring Kelowna home-opener crowd, flying down the left wing against the Portland Winterhawks and scoring his first career WHL goal.

“I’m not too flashy. When I score, I just put the hands in the air, hug the boys, go for a flyby,” Folstrom said. “It feels unreal. Most of the time you don’t even fully realize that you just scored, and then once the lights get flickering and everyone starts cheering, it’s a pretty cool experience.”

It is a feeling he intends to recreate often this year. The daily grind of major junior hockey can be tough, but for the kid who fell in love with a mini-stick before he could fully walk, the arena is still the best place to be.

“The best part is you get to come to the rink every day,” Folstrom said.

“I get to go on the ice, do something I love, work out, and hang out with my best buddies. That’s probably the coolest thing.”