into the process of how to get there and he’ s maturing.”

Kagan was a good Bantam and a terrific member of the Monarchs City Midgets. In 2015-16, he had 26 goals and 44 points in 35 games with the Monarchs and Omaha seemed like a good option. But when things didn’ t work out, he was able to return home, sign up at RHA and if things continue on the current path, his dream of playing NCAA Division 1 hockey could come to fruition.

“ I was about four when I started playing Timbits at Tuxedo,” he recalled.“ I played all my house league hockey at Tuxedo and then I played with the Rangers for a few years, then a year of Hawks Bantam Triple A, then Monarchs then I went to Nebraska and played for the Omaha Lancers. While at Omaha, I just thought that playing here would be a better opportunity. I just thought I could do more with RHA.”

If you ask Smith, there is no doubt that playing Midget Prep with RHA has made Kagan a better player. An already skilled player is slowly but surely becoming a talented all-around player.

“ Josh came in a little late in the year and has a lot of skill,” said Smith.“ He has very good vision, sees the ice well

and has a good shot. He’ s a goal scorer. He can find the net. He’ s really found a way to develop his game this year. He’ s working hard and he’ s becoming way better away from the puck and is becoming a more reliable player.

“ Before, he was kind of one dimensional. With the puck he worked hard and he got excited and wanted to score. He was great with the puck. But as soon as he didn’ t have the puck, it was kind of‘ Well, what do I do now?’ But he’ s learned to be a 200-foot player and he’ s come a long way with that. Because of that, he’ s starting to attract some attention to himself.”

Kagan would not disagree.“ I just feel like I’ ve become a better player here,” he said.“ I do a lot of things better now. A lot of the little things that I wasn’ t really good at, I’ m starting to do better now.”

Kagan’ s goals are quite clear in his own mind. He

might be only 17, but knows exactly what he wants to do.

“ I’ m hoping to play Jr. A somewhere, either in the MJHL or maybe the BCHL,” he said.“ Right now, my goal is to play college hockey. I want to get noticed more in the States and hopefully I can play at the NCAA level someday.

“ I need to get bigger and stronger and play at a faster pace. The game just gets so much faster as you get older. At the higher levels, I just need to elevate my game and play at a higher pace. But here at RHA I feel I’ m doing that. I know I’ m getting better.

A good student, Kagan is in Grade 12 at Shaftesbury Collegiate so he could go off and play junior hockey next season as if he were a professional. However, he has thought about taking some university courses to get a head start on a U. S. College opportunity.

“ Next year, I’ m going to

see what’ s in store,” he said.“ I want to play Jr. A hockey, but if I could also take some university courses, I’ d certainly try to do that.”

Like so many improving teenaged players, Kagan is now totally committed to his future in the game. And why not? The game is pretty much his life.

“ My dad Jamie, is the most influential person in my life. While I was growing up, he just loved hockey and he got me involved in the sport and I have two younger brother and he’ s getting them involved in the game. Hockey is just something my family does.“ When I’ m not playing hockey, I try to do anything that’ s hockey related. I go to the outdoor rink to play and I love to watch hockey. I used to play other sports, but the more hockey I played, the busier I got with the game. It’ s all hockey, hockey, hockey. My whole life is hockey.” ❍