Vipers High On Hetnik:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Vipers high on Hetnik

By Graeme Corbett - Vernon Morning Star

Published: August 19, 2011

Word of mouth can sometimes be as persuasive as anything a hockey scout can say. That was the case for defenceman Marc Hetnik Jr., the newest member of the Vernon Vipers.

Hetnik, 19, is good friends with former Vipers Mike Collins and Garrett Noonan; the trio played high school hockey together with the Catholic Memorial Knights, a preparatory school in West Roxbury, near Boston.

After listening to them talk about Vernon’s junior A program, and seeing them move on to play NCAA Division 1 – Collins is with the Merrimack Warriors and Noonan with the Boston University Terriers, and was drafted by the Nashville Predators in this year’s NHL Entry Draft – he started giving the B.C. Hockey League some serious thought.

“They couldn’t say enough about how much they enjoyed themselves out there, how good the hockey was and how good the overall experience was. Just hearing that over and over again, I was anxious just to get the opportunity,” said Hetnik, a Brookline, Mass. product committed to the Terriers for the 2012-13 season.

His father, also Marc, played with BU’s 1978 national championship team that went 30-2 and beat arch-rival Boston College Eagles in the championship game, the only time the two schools have met in an NCAA final.

“I got some good genes, I guess,” grinned Hetnik, who was pretty much glued to the television during the Bruins’ run to the Stanley Cup this spring.

“It was unbelievable. Everyone watched every minute of every game. You got 10 or 12 phone calls every night, people asking ‘Where are you watching the game?’

“Once they did win, the parade was unbelievable. It was a great series.”

A natural athlete, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Hetnik was captain of three different sports teams at Catholic Memorial – hockey, golf and lacrosse.

“Hockey was always my passion,” said Hetnik, a point-per-game blueliner for the Knights, earning Catholic Conference all-star honors.

“I like to have the puck on my stick. I like to get the puck moving and make plays... just playing overall smart hockey and making everything easier on everyone else.

“I’m looking forward to making my presence known out there. I want to get crackin’.”

Vipers’ head coach Jason Williamson has yet to see Hetnik play, but likes what he’s heard.

“He comes highly recommended from a number of different people we trust out east. He’s supposed to be one of the higher end guys in Massachusetts, and our program has a good reputation out there.”

Hetnik will continue to work at Dexter Southfield School in Brookline before flying to Vernon at the end of August to report for main camp.