MANITOBA JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Justin Nachbaur :
Heading Toward the WHL
Justin Nachbaur wasn ’ t all that well-known when he left his home way up north in Cross Lake and moved to the big city as a 14-year-old . However , in one year with the Triple A City Bantam Winnipeg Warriors , he improved so much that he found himself on junior hockey ’ s radar . He recently signed with the WHL ’ s Prince Albert Raiders and his career is on the fast track .
By Scott Taylor Photos Bruce Fedyck
76 GAME ON 2016 - 17 ROSTER DEADLINE EDITION
When he was 14-years-old , Justin Nachbaur was a good bantam hockey player in Cross Lake , Man . He ’ d scored eight goals and had 17 points in 22 games with the Norman Triple A Bantam Wolves , but he and his parents knew that if was ever going to be able to start living his hockey dream , he would probably have to leave home and play the game in the big city . So in the fall of 2014 , as a Grade 9 student , he said good-bye to his parents and moved in with his auntie in Winnipeg . To his credit , he went on to earn a spot with the Triple A City Bantam Winnipeg Warriors as a 14-year-old , and gave it everything he had in hopes that he might eventually get to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League or even beyond . It was a big step for a teenager from the North , but it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to his hockey career . Before the start of that Bantam season , the OCN Blizzard of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League showed an interest in his size , speed and skills . At the end of the season , he was selected by the Western Hockey League ’ s Prince Albert Raiders in the seventh round ( 142nd overall ) of the WHL Bantam draft . As a Midget , he played the 2015-16 season with the Norman Northstars of the Manitoba Triple A Midget Hockey League and scored 14 goals and 23 points in 30 games . At the end of the year , he was selected to play for Team Manitoba , had a big role in the APTN television program Hit the Ice and signed to play with the MJHL ’ s OCN Blizzard . His career was definitely moving forward . This season , however , it ’ s all starting to blossom . He ’ s made a nice transition to the best junior league in the province , he ’ s had plenty of interest from the Raiders and even a couple of NCAA Division 1 schools have come a calling . For Justin Nachbaur , some big decisions had to be made and it appears as if he ’ s made them . “ He was drafted by Prince Albert and I ’ ve talked to Curtis Hunt , the general manager in P . A . and they have definitely been interested in the kid for a while ,” said Blizzard head coach Doug Hedley .