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.