John travels to the 2012 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Saskatoon and begins his scouting process. He hopes to find the best Aboriginal talent for a hockey camp in Gatineau. With more than two hundred players to choose from, picking the top fifteen will prove to be a challenge.
NHLers Mark Stone and Ryan Garbutt join the coaching team to motivate and inspire the players as they tackle a full day of physical and mental training with expert guests.
Unaware that a pro scout has come to watch them, the players start the day off with the wrong attitude. A fiery speech from John Chabot wakes them up, and the boys cap off the day with a one-of-a-kind obstacle race.
The first week of official training culminates with the first showcase game against an elite team of young Indigenous players from across Manitoba.
The official Hit The Ice team begins to train in earnest with two intense skates. The day ends with a contest of strength at a nearby park.
The players are joined by NHL pros Cody McLeod and Cody McCormick for some high-intensity drills followed by an outdoor activity that will put their racing - and engineering - skills to the test.
While injury forces a star forward to make a difficult decision, the coaches focus on penalty-killing and power play drills. The players then test their brainpower in a difficult puzzle-solving adventure game.
All the different players arrive in the Gatineau area. Not sure what to expect, the players are immediately thrust into the Hit The Ice experience and specifically the rigours of an elite hockey development program. For the coaching staff it's important that everyone understands from the get go what is expected.
After starting the day with a weak practice, the boys show some much-needed focus, a quality that comes in handy during an end-of-day competition combining tag and archery.
The final day of training is devoted to low-intensity drills and a once-in-a-lifetime session with Florida Panthers coach Gerard Gallant.
For the first time ever, Hit The Ice holds open tryouts and players from across Canada their way to Winnipeg to try and earn a spot. With only a few sessions to catch the coaches' attention, the players know that the pressure is on.
The players are joined by NHL pros Cody McLeod and Cody McCormick for some high-intensity drills followed by an outdoor activity that will put their racing - and engineering - skills to the test.
The invited players, and the successful walk-on applicants, arrive at camp. Off-ice sessions and a few practices are on the agenda as the coaches begin their evaluation of the 30 players.
There is only one practice left before the players give their all in the on-ice testing but an old injury could put one prospect's camp in jeopardy. A group of players get their feet wet when they experience dragon boat racing for the first time.
Monday morning rolls around, the time has come to get things going. The first day will see the players get a taste of their first on-ice practice. A surprise is in store for those thinking it would be a leisurely skate and many of the players will see that being a top prospect is much more than just being good on the ice. The coaching staff gets to see the actual talent of the team and more importantly their work ethic.
The first scrimmage arrives and the players are eager to show what they've got. One of the players decides that his only option is to go home, and a Hit The Ice alumnus returns to share his wisdom and talk about his NHL experience.
Following the first scrimmage, some players are feeling more pressure than others. With the final cuts looming, no one wants to disappoint. But, some simply haven't done enough to show their worth. For these unlucky few, this will be their last day at camp.
The 2017 roster is set. Coach John hosts his first real practice and the players get a sense of his style. After a few days' effort, the group finally gets some time to relax at the beach and enjoy a somewhat home-cooked meal.
The invited players, and the successful walk-on applicants, arrive at camp. Off-ice sessions and a few practices are on the agenda as the coaches begin their evaluation of the 30 players.
On their day off, the players get away from the rink and participate in a team-building event, battling it out in a medieval-style tournament. The day is marred by an unfortunate incident as tensions boil over between some of the players.
Coach John is forced to deal with an unruly player's behavior. Alfie comes back to help out the goalies in their preparation and a surprise visit to camp sets the group ablaze.
For the second off-ice workout the players travel to a different locale where they are initiated to training like a pro. First hand, they witness how true professionals' train. Their morning experience lures them into a false sense of security that brings the head coach to call a few players out and announce that not everyone will be playing in the final game.
The boys get the chance to develop their personal skills with J.P. Vigier in a series of unique drills and exercises. After a long day's work, the boys look forward to a good stretch. However, their yoga session proves to be slightly unorthodox, as a few four-legged friends join the fray.
NHL'er Mark Stone returns to help out, and brings goalie Calvin Pickard with him. The professional players share the in's and outs of pro-life. Team Stone takes on Team Pickard in a friendly game of paintball.
Team Hit The Ice is ready to face Team Made in Manitoba in an official showcase game. It's the first chance for the players to prove themselves and demonstrate what they have learned in training.
Feeling good about their win, the team returns from a well-deserved weekend off with youthful energy. Indigenous NHL'er Brandon Montour and Joe Cramarossa drop in for a visit.
Coach John meets a few players to chat about their future plans and hockey hopes. Following a hard morning practice, the players participate in a scavenger hunt around Winnipeg to discover some of the city's landmarks.
The last bit of scheming and planning unfolds as the coaches prepare for the final game. Confidence is at an all-time high and the team is ready for a second faceoff with their opponents. On the eve of the game, the team gathers one last time to recognize the hard work of a few players.
After more than three weeks of practice and training, Team Hit The Ice plays the second and final showcase game before a crowd of family, friends and fans. The boys play for each other and make good on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
John travels to the 2012 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Saskatoon and begins his scouting process. He hopes to find the best Aboriginal talent for a hockey camp in Gatineau. With more than two hundred players to choose from, picking the top fifteen will prove to be a challenge.
Your reminder has been scheduled.
There was a problem on our end. Please try again later.