This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:Published: September 03, 2009
Sawyer Mick and the Vernon Vipers have a chance for a do-over. Recently released from the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winter Hawks, the 17-year-old Vernon product needed a place to play. The defending Royal Bank Cup champion Vipers were at the top of his list.
Mick was a late cut from Viper camp last year, so it would have been understandable if had he chosen to play elsewhere. He did play a few B.C. Hockey League games as an affiliate with the Salmon Arm SilverBacks.
However, Mick just shrugs when asked about the turmoil he has endured this week.
“Everything happens for a reason. Of all the choices, Vernon just felt the best to me.
“In Portland, I had a very good camp, but over the summer they did a whole lot of recruiting and they had to release me.”
Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner is thrilled to have another go-around with Mick. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound forward will certainly add some size to the Vipers.
“He said he doesn’t want to play in the B.C. Hockey League – he wants to play for the Vernon Vipers,” said Ferner. “When you hear those types of things, then you know you’ve got a special kid.
“He’s exactly what we want in the organization. We told him to look at this as an opportunity, and what you do with it is completely up to you.
“He has potential to be not only a very good player in this league, but if things continue to work out and develop, that pro option is certainly going to be there.”
Mick started last season with the Chase Chiefs of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, posting 12-9-21 and 38 penalty minutes in 18 games. He then got the call to join the Winter Hawks where he collected another 13 points and 13 PIMs in 48 games.
He and Jonathan Milhouse played together for a stint with the Winter Hawks before Milhouse departed for the Victoria Grizzles.
“He was one of the first guys I got to know on the team,” said Milhouse.
“He’s always been a hard worker and works as hard as he can every shift. He’ll go out there and throw the body around and just do the little things to help out.”
Added the Vipers’ Bryce Kakoske, who played minor hockey with Mick: “He’s always been a good player, and he’s just been getting better and better these last few years. I think he’s grown in the last few years too.
“It’s always nice to get another hometown kid, especially when he’s coming back from the Dub. He’ll be a great addition to our team.”
Mick will be sporting No. 22 for the Vipers, the same number worn by his brother Troy when he set all kinds of scoring records with the Winter Hawks in the ‘80s.
“I was pretty pumped about that,” smiled Mick, who also wore No. 22 in Portland.
Added Ferner: “He deserves that, but he’s probably going to have to take Drew George (rookie who had No. 22) out for lunch for that, but he’s fine with that too.”
Despite missing all but the Vipers final preseason game, Mick doesn’t expect it will be much of an adjustment getting in sync with his teammates. He knows most of them already.
“I know all the guys, I’ve been through the system since I was 15, and I kind of know what (Ferner) and the other coaching staff want out of me and other players.
“It’s just a matter of getting into the team, working hard every day and helping the team again.”
“I like to take the body, and put the puck in the net once in a while. I’m not scared to go in the dirty areas and make plays.”
Like his teammates, Mick already has the thought of returning to the RBC, but knows it’s still a long way off.
“The thing I’m looking forward to is going for a national championship again. It’s sort of in the back of their minds now and it’s what they’re working towards.
“We’re going to have an obvious challenge day in and day out because we are the champions, but I think our team can rise to that fairly easily because we’re hard working.”
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