With many of the team’s strongest players graduating this spring, an Orleans-raised Ontario Hockey League (OHL) player will don a Carleton Ravens jersey this fall after being recruited to help the men’s hockey team make up for losing many veterans.
Joey West, formerly the captain of the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, was a notable recruit because of his leadership and work ethic, Ravens head coach Marty Johnston said.
“He’s sort of a model student athlete that we’re looking for,” Johnston said.
“His schooling background is very good and he’s obviously a very highly skilled player. That factor really adds to our lineup on the ice.”
West spent five seasons with the Petes and finished his major junior career with 44 goals and 98 assists for a total of 142 points, while also setting a Petes franchise record playing in 326 games.
In his final year with Peterborough, West ended the season with 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points in 68 games, a career-best for the now 21-year-old player.
West told GoRavens he chose to come to Carleton as the team is in “good hands and moving forward.”
“I’ve heard great things about the program and I have a couple of friends on the team who spoke very highly of the school and the hockey,” West said in a GoRavens article. “I’ve heard only good things about Marty and I could tell when I met him that he was extremely passionate.”
Johnston said that with many of the Ravens’ stronger players, including the team’s top scorer and captain Brandon MacLean, graduating this spring, new players such as West will bring important skills to the team.
“On the ice I think his skating will be something that will be really difficult for the other teams’ defenses to handle,” Johnston said.
Petes head coach Mike Pelino said recruiting West was a wise decision for the Ravens.
“He sees the ice very well and he’s a very intelligent player with good hockey sense,” Pelino said. “He’s extremely hard working and dedicated, and he’s definitely a team-first guy. He’s basically what every coach wants in a hockey player.”
