As their mistakes are often magnified with the puck finding the back of the net, sometimes it takes a while for young defencemen to find their footing in junior hockey.
Flin Flon Bombers blueliner Curtis Roach, 18, has definitely developed quickly.
After 20 regular season games with the Bombers and a stint in the Western Hockey League last season, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Roach has emerged as an important component of the team’s back end.
Roach is counted on defensively. Offensively, he is second among Flin Flon defencemen in points on the season.
“He is a skilled, smart, puck-moving defenceman,” Flin Flon assistant coach Garry Childerhose said.
Roach has earned the trust of the Bombers coaching staff at both ends of the ice this season.
“We always feel safe putting Roachy out there. … He rarely makes mistakes,” Childerhose said.
Last season Roach posted five points in 20 regular season games with Flin Flon. This season he has nearly four times that many points, 18 (1G, 17A) in 28 games.
“I think that getting the opportunity to play with such a skilled group of guys is a big part of it,” Roach said of his increased point production, “but also listening to our coaches and finding a way to get shots through from the point has also been a big part of it.”
Childerhose praised Roach’s shot, vision and ability to capitalize on the opportunities he has been given.
On the back end, Roach is fundamentally sound, the assistant coach said.
“I take a lot of pride in my defensive part of the game,” Roach said. “It’s always nice when you can shut down the other team’s top scorers and like Coach [Reagan] always says, ‘Defence wins championships.’ And that’s one thing not only me, but our whole team, takes pride in this year.”
Last season Roach said he had to adjust to the speed of junior hockey. It meant he had to make quick decisions.
His adjustment to the SJHL was likely aided by the time he spent with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders. Roach saw action in seven games with the Raiders before being reassigned in January. He had earned a spot on the WHL club as a walk-on.
Roach feels his game benefitted from being around guys such as Josh Morrissey. The standout defenceman was a 2013 first-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets and currently plays for their top farm team, the Manitoba Moose, in the AHL.
“He taught me a lot of things not only on the ice, but also off the ice,” Roach said. “Even though I only got to play a handful of games, the coaching staff and group of guys we had had a big part in the player I have become.”
Since joining the Bombers, Roach has embraced the opportunity to play in front of the Whitney Forum faithful.
“I think the best part of playing for the Bombers would have to be the atmosphere in the rink night in and night out,” he said. “We didn’t have the best start to the season and even when we were losing our fans came and supported us no matter what.”
