By Matt Mackinder –
Back in 2008, the Plymouth Whalers drafted Scott Wedgewood with the intention of making him a future No. 1 goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League.
Three years later, Wedgewood is a cornerstone for the Whalers and is playing this season for a contract with the New Jersey Devils, the team that drafted him in the third round of the NHL draft in 2010.
With all that he’s accomplished, there are times Wedgewood has to pinch himself to make sure this is all really happening. After all, he wasn’t even expected to make the team as a 16-year-old rookie in 2008.
“Back when I was drafted (in the seventh round of the OHL draft), it was definitely an exciting time in my life,” said Wedgewood, a 19-year-old native of Brampton, Ont. “I didn’t know too much about the Whalers as they are one of the few teams over the border. When coming to training camp, I had an open mind on things that could happen. I knew being young and the team having two good goalies (Jeremy Smith and Matt Hackett) that it wasn’t going to be easy to stick around in my first season. I ended up getting the opportunity to stay for the season and it was a little different to adjust to the new life.”
New country, new people, new phone; heck, it even meant a new bank account for Wedgewood that year. Chris Terry was Plymouth’s captain that season and took Wedgewood, a player he had known for years as both are from Brampton, under his wing.
“Chris had grown up with one of my brothers playing against each other, but being from the same area helped a lot and the veterans that year also helped with my adjustment,” Wedgewood said. “Everyone in Plymouth made things very easy.”
Now a veteran on a Whalers team with a handful of younger players, Wedgewood is applying what he learned as a rookie to the current rookies and younger players. Last season, Matt Mahalak came in to vie for playing time with Wedgewood and while he struggled in the early going, Wedgewood was always there to keep the Monroe native’s spirits in check.
“Being my fourth year here, I have been through a lot,” said Wedgewood. “One is how I see teammates help each other and be mentors to younger guys. When Matt first came to our team last year, he was a very highly-rated goalie. (Plymouth goalie coach) Stan (Matwijiw) started helping him with the same little things that I went through when I first got to the team and together, Matt and I talked a lot about goals and certain situations and options to help us both out. It was the same type of thing that Hackett and I had done in the past.”
One game that stands out for Wedgewood and one many say is the one that put his name on the map to eventually get drafted was the last game of the 2010 OHL playoffs in the first round against Windsor. Plymouth lost in overtime to drop the series, but Wedgewood made an incredible 70 saves. Not a typo. Seven-zero.
“That game is and probably will stay the best game I will ever play in my career,” said Wedgewood. “That game did so much for me. Being a do-or-die situation for the team and me, the backup goalie starting it (Hackett was serving a suspension), there was already doubts around the league and people counted us out before the game started. That for me was the best thing because it took all expectations and pressure off of me. All I had to do was go out there and play. I still have thoughts about the game and it’s brought to my attention quiet a bit.
“I believe that game definitely opened the eyes of a lot of scouts and people around the league as it was the last time Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall would meet before the NHL entry draft and a lot of scouts and teams were at the game.”
A little more than two months later, New Jersey called his name in Los Angeles. Going into the draft, Wedgewood prepared himself to not even be drafted. He didn’t even make the trek to Hollywood.
“I was hoping to maybe go in the fifth round or not at all because of my limited playing time over the previous years,” admitted Wedgewood. “When I got the call and was told I had been picked by New Jersey, I was shocked, excited, so many emotions that it’s hard to explain. New Jersey was one of my favorite teams growing up. I was a huge Martin Brodeur fan.”
Like most, Wedgewood dreams to play in the NHL. A strong season with the Whalers may make that hope turn to potential reality down the road.
“I have a lot of expectations for myself this season,” Wedgewood said. “I would love to sign a contract with New Jersey, but I’m in no rush to do so. My main focus is to win this year. We have a very skilled team and are a very close group – I think the closest this team has ever been. We all want to win and the goal is to win the Memorial Cup.
“As a team, we’re having a slow start, but once we start clicking and things start falling in place, I have a high expectation level for us.”