Editor’s Note: this article is part of a 10-part series about this year’s crop of new Vernon Viper players.
Juha Patiently Waits
Viper Vault
Don Klepp Sep 15-2011
Luke Juha will have to wait awhile to pull on a Viper uniform.
The 18-year-old Mississauga native is recovering from a head injury caused by an errant puck while he was working at a hockey camp shortly before leaving for Vernon. In the meantime, he’s very happy with his decision to move from Ontario Jr. “A” hockey to the BCHL.
While playing two seasons with the Burlington Cougars, Luke committed to Clarkson University for this fall. But, as he explains, “Clarkson fired their coaches so I changed my plans and committed to Penn State for their hockey team’s inaugural season in 2012-13. To prepare for the NCAA, I thought I could get the best development in the BCHL. I checked out a few BCHL teams, but the Vipers had the best atmosphere and a winning tradition, and Penn State helped to contact the Vipers.”
He’s delighted with what he’s seen so far. “The guys have been great and there are a lot of really talented players on the Vipers. Our depth is going to be outrageous – we have arguably seven top-four defencemen, a really good goalie, and a strong group of forwards.”
He’s really happy with his billets: “Janice and Carl Lucas are the salt of the earth. They make Renzy (Viper vet Ryan Renz) and me feel right at home. I’ve been here just a week or so, but already I can tell that it’s going to be a great year. And the scenery around here is just gorgeous. The lakes, the rolling hills, you don’t get that in Toronto! I just wake up every morning entranced by the beauty of this valley.”
When he’s well enough to return to the ice, he will be fun to watch. The ScoutingReport.org describes him as “a defenceman with tremendous upside, [who] will not over-complicate the game.” The report also says that Luke “always makes the smart pass” and makes passes “that other players his age would not attempt.”
His numbers support that assessment. In 73 games with Burlington, he scored 15 goals and 64 assists for 79 points.
He agrees that he’s “been known as an offensive defenceman. I like joining the rush after making that good first pass out of the zone. Hopefully, I’ll continue to support the guys on offence without being a defensive liability.” He continues, “The way the game is changing, it’s important to be mobile and to pass quickly and accurately. That’s what I see in the Viper drills and breakout plays, and I love it.”
In his 17-year-old season, Luke was an Ontario Jr. “A” all-star and a member of Team Canada East, which won silver at the 2010 World Jr. “A” Challenge. That experience will help the Vipers compensate for the graduation of such offensive D-men as Steve Weinstein and Malcolm Lyles.
He says he was in great shape before being hit by a puck that flew off a dasher and caught him just below the eye. When he’s able to return to action, he’ll take some time to regain that fitness level, so he will likely miss the opening games of the season. In the meantime, he is busy with classes at Okanagan College.
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