TJ Brodie: Living the NHL Dream

TJ Brodie - Photo Copyright Aaron Bell/OHL Images

When the estimated ratio of minor hockey players advancing to the NHL is less than 1 in 30,000, the odds would appear to be stacked against young hockey players in Chatham-Kent. That fact hasn’t stopped a recent stream of Chatham-Kent residents heading to the professional ranks, including Dresden’s TJ Brodie.

Brodie made the NHL’s Calgary Flames out of training camp this season and played the first three games of the year in the National Hockey League before being sent down to the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat.

“It was a dream come true,” said Brodie about his time in the NHL this past season. “I didn’t know what to expect out of training camp. Being a kid you always hope to play in the NHL, and having the opportunity to play a few games was a great experience.”

Most young players need time in the AHL to develop the finer points of their game, something Brodie stated was a crucial development step for him this season, that will help him to stick in the NHL next season.

“Little things like stick position, patience with the puck, and when to make the first move on your opponent were big for me,” Brodie told CKSN earlier this week. “I have to play every shift the same and be more consistent.”

Consistency and adapting to the constant grind are things that almost every young hockey player struggles with as they transition from college or junior to professional hockey. Brodie pointed to the excellent coaching he received this season in Abbotsford as a huge boost to his game,

“Every little thing counts at the pro level, and the coaching you get is much more in depth. They pick your game apart and then rebuild it. There’s not one thing they didn’t mention and help me with this year.”

Brodie finished his season with a high ankle sprain, although prior to that, he didn’t disappoint in his rookie pro season playing a crucial role in the Abbotsford Heat lineup and even being selected to participate in the AHL All-Star game,

“The All-Star game was a good experience. To be able to play with the best guys from around the league, some that have been in the NHL, was great for me as a rookie.”

Although playing in the NHL was a dream come true for Brodie, he wasn’t the only one celebrating his successes this season, as his proud parents Jay and Lynn  Brodie will attest to, and they all know the long road to a professional hockey career has just begun.

“Lots of miles,” said Jay Brodie in reference to the journey, and literal miles his family has travelled to get TJ to this point in his career. “It’s what every parent hopes their kids can do, and not many get to do it.”

That sentiment was echoed by TJ’s mother Lynn, “It’s hard to believe. This year was kind of like living in a dream. I remember in the kids in kindergarten talking about careers, and they’d all say that when they grow up they want to play in the NHL. Now he’s doing it.”

As one of the Calgary Flames coveted top prospects, and after completing a successful season in which Brodie showcased his free skating, offensive style, while also developing his defensive game, it seems as though TJ Brodie, and his family will be living the NHL dream for many seasons to come.