CANMORE – For Canadians, hockey is their first romance. It’s the sound of skates slicing into fresh ice while pucks hit boards; in the shock and smell of cold, sweat-soaked gear pulled on at an early morning practice. While on snow-covered roads en route to tournaments, young players dream of having their name called to play in the NHL.
For the Bow Valley’s Jacob Bernard-Docker, the dream of having his name called is now over. He was selected 26th overall by Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion at the 2018 NHL entry draft on Friday (June 22).
The emotions are surreal for the Bernard-Docker family. His mother Rolanda, father Thomas, brother Seth and sister Island, were there with him at the draft. When his name was called it was pure joy and elation across each of their faces.
“I had my immediate family with me, and those are the people I want to spend time with. I called my grandparents and thanked them for everything they’ve done for me, but other than that, it was just sharing the experience with my mom, my dad, my brother and sister,” said Bernard-Docker.
Bernard-Docker’s road to the draft began long before Dorion called his name, long before scouts were travelling to Okotoks to watch him play. The road to the draft began in Banff at Middle Springs, as he watched other boys play street hockey when he was three.
The way Rolanda tells it, hockey was the best thing for getting Jacob to settle down as a small child.
“When he was three there were kids on our street who were a couple of years older and already playing in Banff and he used to see the kids pack up their gear and get ready to go into the rink and he used to cry. He used to cry that he couldn’t play,” said Rolanda.
She would have to take Jacob to the old Banff arena and let him watch other kids practice so he would calm down. Although Jacob now plays defence, he used to have a love for the goaltender position as well.
“When he was super young he used to love to play goalie, as all kids do, in the driveway and playing road hockey. He used to wear my oven mitts to bed and pretend that they were gloves, a blocker and a trapper,” said Rolanda with a laugh.
From a young age, Bernard-Docker stood above other kids in terms of talent and work ethic. He was selected to the Brick Invitational Super Novice Tournament in 2010, and from there it was AA or AAA teams.
It’s that level of work ethic and desire to be better that has a ripple effect throughout youth hockey in the Bow Valley beyond just Bernard-Docker. Already, young players are looking up to the defenceman.
“It’s amazing, seeing how a player can be drafted from small town Alberta. Everyone doesn’t expect someone from Canmore to make the NHL draft. It’s good inspiration for us to work hard,” said Finn McLaughlin, a 12-year-old who played for the same Brick team as Bernard-Docker.
“We were driving to Edmonton and listening to the draft ... It means a lot to me to see this. I am proud to be on the same team that Jacob Bernard-Docker played on,” said 10-year-old Will McLaughlin, Finn’s brother and another Brick player.
For father Thomas, it’s something to be proud of that young players are looking toward Jacob as a role model to emulate.
“I think it’s something you would hope for all your sons to be. I’m proud of him. For young kids to think of you as a role model, it’s a pretty special thing to happen. It might be one of the coolest things I’ve heard, actually,” said Thomas.
“We had the kids in hockey early and you just hope that it’s a lifelong passion, not necessarily something they’re going to strive to make a living out of. We were looking for something to get them into, looking for something to get them passionate about. Something that keeps them moving,”
When Bernard-Docker started peewee, his family made the choice to let him join the AA team in Cochrane. From there it was bantam AAA in Airdrie, and a year of midget at the Edge School just outside of Calgary.
“His mom and I have driven a lot of roads for him, his brother and his sister to play hockey, but I don’t think it’s anything we would take back. It’s something we’ve really come to cherish,” said Thomas.
“They’re super proud of me; without them and all their support I wouldn’t be here. All the driving they did for me, and everything they sacrificed, they’re definitely a huge reason I’m where I am in my career right now,” said Jacob.
After the Edge School, the next step was the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Jacob decided to play for the Okotoks Oilers, left home as a teenager and moved in with a billet family.
“I think it’s difficult for any mother to let your child go in those high school years when they could still be living with you,” said Rolanda. “We certainly feel very blessed and fortunate to have had a wonderful, absolutely wonderful, billet mom who took great care of Jacob in Okotoks, and also a coach who we’ve known for years. So yeah, difficult, but at the same time we knew he was in great hands.”
At 17, Jacob had a breakout year, scoring 41 points in 49 games with 20 of those points being goals. He was named AJHL defenceman of the year for his efforts and the NHL took notice.
Although he was picked in the first round, Bernard-Docker doesn’t feel he can let up now. For him, the early selection just means he has more to prove to himself and everyone who’s believed in him along the journey.
“It’s an honour to be selected by Ottawa and it’s an honour to be selected in the first round. Obviously, a lot of guys, a lot of really good players that could be selected in the first round, weren’t. I don’t think it really changes my approach, I think it’s something I should take pride in, but at the same time it doesn’t mean I can stop working,” said Bernard-Docker.
He’s chosen to go to the University of North Dakota next year and continue his education while still developing his hockey, a choice his parents are proud of him for making. There, he joins long-time friend and fellow Ottawa Senators draft pick Jonathan Tychonick on the blue line.
“It’s extremely exciting … You know, when Jonny got selected to the same team, well we’ve been buddies for a long time. Played spring hockey when we were around 10 years old. I’m really looking forward to our experience at UND. I think we are both players that have a different approach to the game, but I think at the same time we’ll definitely strive to make each other better,” said Jacob.
But Rolanda knows the journey isn’t over yet for her son. It’s just one more step on the long road to his dreams, one she believes he’ll accomplish in due time.
“He’s only been drafted, he’s not on the team and he’s not in the NHL, but it’s a big huge step towards a dream he’s always had, and I know many kids have. That dream of playing professional sports and getting to do that as a career ... I guess you can see with a local kid anything is possible if you stick with it and put the work in.”
