Innisfail Eagles forward Brendan Baumgartner is making an impact on the ice right from the get-go.
“He's a skilled player with a real desire to play to win,” said Brian Sutter, the Eagles head coach. “Baumgartner came to the Eagles with good character, good speed and good skill.”
The 25-year-old Edmonton-born Baumgartner has made many stops on his hockey road, which has led him to Innisfail under the tutelage of coach Sutter.
“I came out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League after playing for the Melfort Mustangs and Fort Frances Junior Sabres from 2007 to 2009,” said Baumgartner. “My next stop was with the Selkirk Steelers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and I spent a year at the University of Alberta playing in the Alberta Collegiate Athletic Conference.”
In the 2011-12 season, he played with the Mississippi River Kings of the Southern Professional Hockey League, the Brooklyn Aviators and the 1000 Islands Privateers, which led him to the Chinook Hockey League and the National In-line Hockey League Canadian team.
During the 2013-14 season, Baumgartner was the fourth leading scorer in the Chinook Hockey League with 11 goals and 16 assists in 22 games as part of the Stony Plain Eagles.
“Last summer, I broke my neck while playing in Sylvan Lake and wore a neck brace for three months while I healed,” said the player. “Battling back from a major injury, I still wanted to play competitive hockey, not beer league hockey.”
As part of the Canadian National In-line Hockey Team he travelled internationally throughout Europe, representing Canada while conditioning and building skills for two years.
“When Brian called me up I told him I wanted to play hockey as long as I can,” said Baumgartner. “When you have an opportunity to play under an ex-NHL coach like Brian, you take it. When he tells you to do something, it's because he has done it himself. With the Eagles and Brian, it's hockey first, and fun later.”
Baumgartner added Sutter motivates him to play better, game after game.
“With Brendan, like any skilled player, you have to do the little things well,” said Sutter. “I've played with the Joey Mullens and other Hall of Famers who did that and I see that same desire in Brendan. No matter who you are, or what league you are in, you still have to play hard, and he does.”
Baumgartner sees the Eagles season to date as an opportunity to play with a winning team despite the early record.
“We've had some unlucky puck bounces, which cost us goals and games,” said Baumgartner. “This is primarily a new team, and we are all learning how each other plays in different situations. One thing for sure, we have to play a full 60 minutes every game.”
Coach Sutter agreed and added that the 2014-15 Eagles are probably the youngest team in the league and still in every game.
“As the season goes on, our young guys will step up to the puck and start winning games when we need to,” said Sutter.
Meanwhile, the team practises team drills, skating and scrimmages, just like professional NHL players and teams do. In Sutter's mind, each player is an opportunity away from the big leagues.
