By
KEITH DUNLAP
Of
The
No
matter what league an athlete is in, there are always perks to being named to
play in an All-Star game.
Take
Plymouth Whalers forward Chris Terry, for example.
Normally
forced to ride a bus to every away game in the Ontario Hockey League, Terry on
Monday was preparing for a trip to Sault Ste. Marie for Wednesday’s OHL
All-Star game, although the mode of transportation was different than what he’s
used to.
Instead
of making the trip up I-75 in a car or bus, Terry was getting ready to head to
“I
wish we’d do that for every away game,” Terry said.
With
the season he’s had so far, Terry deserves such luxuries.
A
second or third line player his first two years with the Whalers, the 18-year
old Terry has seen his point production skyrocket to where he is now one of the
OHL’s most feared centers.
Entering
Friday’s game at
“It’s
definitely been a surprise,” Terry said.
It
hasn’t been as much of a surprise to Whalers general manager
One
is that Terry was hampered somewhat last year by a knee injury he suffered in
the 2006 OHL playoffs.
Terry
suffered a torn ACL and MCL, which didn’t allow him any time to condition or
further develop his game in the summer following the 2006 season.
Vellucci
said while Terry came back a month ahead of schedule for the 2006-07, he didn’t
get his legs under him until the second half of the season, when he collected
most of his points.
It’s
an assessment Terry agreed with.
“I
had a very slow start to the season,” Terry said. “I think definitely in the
second half of the year I turned it on. I hit my stride again and was able to
hit that level and prove I could be a dominant player.”
Vellucci
also said Terry’s game also has elevated because Terry has had to become a
go-to player for the Whalers after the team lost so many veteran players from
the squad that won the OHL title last season.
It
doesn’t take a math major to figure out that more ice time generally leads to
better stats.
Another
reason for Terry’s increased production is that he is even more motivated to
get better after the Carolina Hurricanes drafted him in the fifth round (132nd
overall) of last year’s NHL draft.
Now
playing for an NHL contract, Vellucci said Terry
dedicated himself to getting in the shape the Hurricanes want him to be in.
“He’s
playing more minutes, he has that extra jump in his skating and he can go kick
into that second or third gear,” Vellucci said. “His
shot has also gotten better.”
A
native of
“I
don’t think I my Dad wanted me to be a (defenseman),” Terry said. “So he talked
to the coach and the next year I was a forward.”
Terry
was eventually drafted by the Whalers in the second round (29th overall) of the
2005 OHL Draft and said he has made a smooth adjustment to living in
“The
dollar menu at McDonalds,” said Terry, adding he hasn’t visited the fast-food
chain recently. “Our McDonalds’ were a little more expensive in
Terry
is somewhat of a rarity in that he also is an avid roller hockey player in the
summer. While some hockey pundits believe playing roller hockey hurts a player
on the ice, Terry said it has enhanced his game.
“It
makes you a smarter hockey player because in roller hockey, you can see the
floor better and it helps you improve your stickhandling,”
Terry said. “You’re able to work on things that help you on the ice.”
Given
the all-star stage Terry was scheduled to be on Wednesday night, it seems
everything he’s done of late has helped him on the ice.
Hopefully
for his sake, there’ll be more plane rides in the future.
Contact
Keith Dunlap at keith.dunlap@oakpress.com