Curtis Gary: S64 VHL Draft Profile

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With the season 64 VHL draft being held on Tuesday, December 18th, it’s time to take a last minute look at another prospect who thinks he ready to take the next step in his VHL career.

 

                              Curtis Gary
                          Position: Center
                             Height: 5’11”
                           Weight: 180lbs

 

                        S63 Stats (VHLM)
                         Regular Season:

      GP: 72   G: 12   A: 29   PTS: 41   +/-: +7
                              Playoffs:

      GP: 11   G: 8   A: 9   PTS: 17   +/-: +9

 

When season 63 got underway for the VHLM the name Curtis Gary was just another name in the sea of rookies, and to be honest by the end of the season his name still wasn’t really known. But this has not discouraged Curtis Gary one bit. “I was drafted late in the season 63 VHLM draft and started the season with a long scoring slump. It got really hard to keep my mental focus on the long term goals. I wanted things to change immediately”, Gary said. “I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned this season is that ‘good things come to those who wait’. I needed patience to keep my mind focused on the little details in my game.”

 

It took all seventy-two regular season games for Curtis Gary to really show his worth as a player in the VHLM. Gary would make up one of three key forwards on the second line of the Saskatoon Wild, which helped drive the depth scoring and pushed the Wild into the playoffs. By the end of the regular season Gary saw his game peaking at the right moment. “I felt great, I felt like I was very comfortable in my play. I had great line mates (Mark Gebauer and Kyson Blake) who gave 110% effort every night, if one wasn’t scoring another picked up the slack, it was a great combo.”

 

Then came the VHLM playoffs. Gary expected to keep the same role he had played during the regular season as a depth scorer, but through the first seven games (all against Halifax) Gary recorded 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) good enough to lead not just his team in scoring, but also the league (in goals and points). In the final round an interesting challenge faced Gary and the Wild, the underdog Ottawa Lynx. Through the four game sweep Gary recorded 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) along with the VHLM championship.

 

All in all it wasn’t a bad rookie for a young Curtis Gary, 41 points in 72 regular season games and 17 points in 11 playoff games. Gary finished the playoffs on top in goals and points on the way to his first VHLM championship.

 

When asked what he would bring to a VHL team, if they chose him in the season 64 draft, Gary had this to say: “I’m not gonna give you the same gibberish answers everyone else with a big ego gives you, I’m no superpower filled man I’m just a normal human being who loves hockey, scores goals, wins faceoffs, and has a VHLM championship. I’m here to get better every day, every week, every season.”

 

Special Season 63 Stat: Curtis Gary was sixth in the league in faceoff percentage for the regular season at 54.88%, taking well over a thousand attempts.

 

543 words
Dec. 17-23