Pee Wee A Travel Hockey

The following season Devin became a Pee Wee A netminder and the #1 goalie for the Blizzard. The original goalie left and the backup goalie only lasted a month before changing teams, leaving Devin as the only netminder for the team. They had also progressed to a #2 division ranking, playing higher level teams throughout the season. It was a stellar year for the Blizzard and they won the Glass City Tournament, the South Bend Indiana tournament, MAHA District 5 runner ups and the LC Howe Division Championship in Lansing. To get to the championship required winning the quarterfinals and semifinals, all of which went into shootouts. Devin did not allow a single goal in the quarter and semi's and when the championship game went to a shootout his record remained clean and he again did not allow a single goal. He was awarded the MVP award at the championship game for his stellar performance.

Squirt AA Travel Hockey

In the fall of 2005, "The Dominator II" was asked to try out for the 95 Squirt AA travel team. Having had some issues with the previous travel team it was decided to play him in his own age bracket and he became one of the goalies for the 95 BC Blizzard team. With new goalie pads and a regulation goalie mask (this time the dog face was a paint job), Devin was ready to give the existing goalie a run for his money, which he did in quick fashion. Though most of the parents on this new team considered him the backup goalie, it wasnt long before his skills and netminding ability surpassed the #1 goalie in G.A and Save %. Devin's father continued to coach him on the ice during this time. His second year as a Squirt, Devin went to his first goalie camp and also attended a two day camp for the Saginaw Spirit. It was at this camp that the Spirit goalie coach first saw him and determined that he was "phenomenal" in his goal tending abilities. He felt Devin was good enough to be in AAA hockey and recommended that this be pursued. Given the fact that Devin was only 11 years old and the AAA teams were so far away it was decided that he would continue to play AA travel hockey. That year the team took MAHA district runner up and first place in LC Division 5 with both netminders. They went all the way to the Division 5 Championship game at Joe Louis Arena; however, with the other goalie in net ended up losing to the opposing team.

House hockey to Travel

After playing in house hockey for a year and a half, with his goalie skills improving through the coaching of his father, Devin was asked to try out for the 94 travel team in BC. Having been told by his hockey aunty that you only go travel when invited, the decision was made to join the team and, though he would be playing up a year , this also allowed him to be on the same team as his brother. This was also the first time he had to share the net with a second goalie, so from the very start, he worked very hard to be #1. With used equipment and an old fashioned goalie mask (that had a taped on picture of a dog face), Devin's travel career had begun. Though the team did not fare well through that first season, the amount of shots on goal were extremely high and Devin's goalie skills continued to improve. He became known as "the dominator II" after his idol Dominic Hasek. Through his natural talent and athletisism and with his father coaching him on the ice, he became one of the best goalies in the BC area at the Squirt level. Following the winter season, he also played spring travel and 3 on 3 in the summer, so it became a year round endeavor and his passion for the sport continued to grow.

Devin becomes a goalie!

The purpose of rotating players in the net was to give all the kids a chance to try netminding as well as improving all the kids skating ability, including future goalies. This also allowed the little kids to determine where they may eventually want to play. But once Devin discovered the equipment the goalie is required to wear, he decided then and there that was the position he wanted to play. With borrowed equipment, regular skates and a players helmet, he got his wish when the team went to a tournament in Mt. Pleasant in 2002 and he was able to netmind two of the three periods. It was the beginning of his goalie career at the age of 6 and interestingly enough, he seemed to have a knack for it.

How It Began......

Devin first put on ice skates in 2001 at the age of 5 1/2. Because his grandmother was such a hockey nut and one of the Detroit Red Wings biggest fans, it was decided that he and his brother would learn to skate for recreation. After two sessions in the learn to skate program, his balance and skating improving and no longer requiring a walker for support, Devin wanted to learn to play hockey. Starting out as a mite player, his tendency was to be in front of the net all the time, even to the point of getting in the way of the player acting as goalie. And though he was not the most coordinated player, Devin's hockey career had begun.