Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

First year forward centres top line

A night rookie Ethan Neutens won’t soon forget

Dec 30, 2022 | 6:00 AM

It was a pinch me, I’m dreaming moment for Kelowna Rockets rookie Ethan Neutens.

The 17-year-old was centering the number one line, Wednesday night, with 20-year-old Carson Golder on his right side and leading scorer Andrew Cristall flanked to his left.

With a depleted lineup against the Kamloops Blazers, the tenth-round WHL Prospects selection was afforded the luxury that few first-year players are ever given.

“It is pretty special”, Neutens told RocketFAN prior to Wednesday’s face-off. “I think it [the opportunity] is a product of hard work and consistency over the last four months.”

With Andrew Cristall just six points shy of Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard for the WHL scoring lead, Neutens knows he is playing with a line-mate that could be chosen in the first round of June’s NHL Draft.

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“He is a special player”, Neutens eyes lighting up. “You give him the puck and he does what he does. Whether he is against four guys or one, he gets the puck to you”.

The likable Neutens, who seems far more mature than his birth certificate would show, knows that chasing the puck down and getting it into the hands of Carson Golder is his main objective.

“He [Golder] is a speedster with the puck”, Neutens said. “With our without it, he can fly. I get the puck to him when I can and he does what he does.”

Neutens isn’t fooling himself. He knows it is only an experiment as head coach Kris Mallette tinkers with the lines with three of the teams top forwards, Colton Dach, Gabriel Szturc and Adam Kydd, absent from the lineup.

“Is it intimidating playing with these guys? I try not to think about it. You go out on the ice and do what you can and try to produce.”

Yet to score his first career WHL goal, Neutens admits he wants to get that monkey off his back.

“It was tough to generate offense at the start of the season”, Neutens said honestly. “You are fighting with being at the bottom of the lineup, but I’ve had a lot of good chances. I’ve probably hit more crossbars and posts than I can count on my two hands, so hopefully these numbers pick up soon.”

Neutens calls Cochrane, Alberta home, but was actually born in Oakville, Ontario before his family moved out west when he was six.

“I started hockey with the Cochrane Rockies and then I played with the Bow Valley Timberwolves. I played in Airdrie for midget and then went to Edge Hockey Academy in Calgary before playing here.”

Did Neutens expect to make the team this season, considering he was virtually unknown coming into training camp?

“I was super confident. Not to sound cocky of anything, but I believed in my ability I could make the team and eventually be an impact player. Historically, I have been more of a play maker, but I hope I bring a big, strong game through the middle of the ice.”

What makes Neutens an attractive prospects is his size. At 6’3, and already 190 pounds, he is the second tallest forward and third heaviest skater on the team.

“Putting on that Rockets jersey is an honour, honestly”, Neutens continued.

“It is a special thing to do every night and not a lot of people get to do it, so I am just proud to say I am a part of this organization.”

Neutens and the Rockets host the Seattle Thunderbirds this evening at Prospera Place.

104-7 – The Lizard – has the pre-game show at 6:35 pm or you can stream the game right here by clicking the ‘Listen Live’ button at the right side of the page.