'We think we have best goalie in the OHL:' Brett Brochu to anchor Knights net as season opens
Coming off the high of winning a gold medal for Canada’s World Junior team, Brett Brochu was hoping to start his professional career this season.
However that will be put on hold for at least one more season.
“I would say it's not it's definitely not disappointment to be a London Knight,” says Brochu, 20, ahead of Friday night’s season-opening game against the Owen Sound Attack.
Brochu, of Belle River, Ont., was sent back to London, Ont. for an overage season after a tryout with the Vancouver Canucks.London Knights goalie Brett Brochu takes a break from the net in practice on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
“It is my last chance and I think it's my last chance to win for the guys as a London Knight night so I'm really looking forward to this year,” says Brochu, who went undrafted in the NHL draft this summer.
“It’s awesome to be here and no matter what it's a great experience every time I get to get to step on the ice here.”
He was named OHL goaltender of the year ago after posting a 29-11-2 record with a 2.75 goals against average and two shutouts a year ago.
With a lot of uncertainty as to who will put the puck in the net this year with a number of forwards having moved on, head coach Dale Hunter is thrilled to know he has security in goal.
“We always hope that he will get a contract, but we have had a lot of overage goalies that come here and they play well and they get a contract and then move up to the next level,” says Hunter.
“So we just hope that we need them to have a big year for us and he needs it to get a contract, so it's a double whammy for us.”
It would not be a surprise to see him play the majority of the team’s games this season, although it won’t be all of them.
“We’ve got some young goalies here,” says Hunter.
“They're going to get their chances as we have a lot of three-in- threes (three games in three days over a weekend). We got a few of them so they got to play, as Brett can't play three in a row. So they have to play some games, so it gives them a good chance like, like Brochu had when he was 17.”
Brochu tells CTV News that the only stat he cares about is wins. He wants personal stats, but during the season, he doesn’t look at his numbers.
“Obviously I want to win so I think that's the biggest thing that I'm looking forward to this year is having a good chance at winning the league,” says Brochu.
“I know what I need to work on and there's a lot of things that I can get better at.”
When asked what he felt he needed to improve, he kept tight-lipped.
“I just think stopping more pucks as that's my job,” says Brochu.
“It's simple, but we can’t go into a lot of details here as I don't want to give away too many secrets of weaknesses.”
Judging by his play since his arrival in London, there aren’t many weaknesses for opponents to discover.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.