Former Bandits player lights it up for Jr. Sens

“Being a 20-year-old and playing Jr. ‘C’ for a year, I didn’t know how I was going to do,” says Newell, who tore up the Eastern Ontario Jr. ‘C’ circuit last year, earning league MVP honours and averaging better than a goal per contest. “But it’s been great. It’s gone way better than I thought.”

Newell began his Central Junior ‘A’ Hockey League career as an Ottawa Jr. Senator four seasons ago, but was traded to the Cumberland Grads part way through his rookie year. Newell didn’t get along well with former coach Mark Grady, which is what prompted him to have some fun in Jr. ‘C’ playing alongside his brother, Adam, last season.

“I really liked it down there, but it just wasn’t enough hockey,” the Navan native explains. “I like playing more than just twice a week.”

So Newell called Jr. Sens coach Mike Ruest to ask if he could attend tryouts, and managed to earn a spot with the club.

“It was all based on his training camp,” Ruest notes, adding he wasn’t about to take a 20-year-old if he wasn’t able to play on one of the top two lines. “He could have played men’s league as far as I was concerned, but he showed he belonged, so I’m willing to give that a chance any time.”

The adjustment of getting back to playing hockey five or six nights a week was difficult for Newell at first.

“I was hacking up lungs,” smiles Newell, who enjoyed a four-point night in a 5-0 win over his former Grads team last week. “But after a little while, I got into the routine and got back in shape, so it’s good now.”

Ruest admits he never expected Newell would provide him with something like the 17 goals and 23 assists in 28 games that he has.

“Being a little bit of an unknown, I didn’t know what he could provide to this hockey team,” the Orléans resident says. “He’s rising all the time and not showing any signs of slowing down.”

Ruest believes Newell is a strong candidate to play college hockey next year since his name certainly jumps out on the stats page. Newell says the NCAA is his top goal right now, although another good option could be with Carleton University, where he currently studies law and psychology.

“Had he been able to stick as an 18- or 17-year-old and play at this level, with his talent and his size, he’d get a scholarship,” Ruest notes. “But we’re working towards that end.”