15-year-old goalkeeper Matthew Hutchison adds his own long hockey history with his first BCHL win

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Matthew Hutchison was five years old when he first appeared in InGoal Magazine testing children’s gear.

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All these years later, he finds ways to look more and more cozy in goalkeeper gear day by day.

Hutchison, who celebrated his 15th birthday on Oct. 7, debuted in the BC Hockey League regular season on Sunday as a minor to Cowichan Valley Capitals (2-7-0-0) and was named the first star of the game next. 51 saved a trip to a 4-2 victory over Vernon Vipers (3-3-1-1) at the Cowichan Community Center.

Nanaimo’s ties to InGoal stem from the fact that he is the son of David Hutchison, who founded the online publication in 2009. Former Shawnigan Lake teacher, senior Hutchison himself was a “mediocre goalkeeper” with “a very, very small cup of coffee with McGill,” during his college years .

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He joined forces with journalist Kevin Woodley on a bespoke product since the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and they’ve built InGoal so far that they routinely have stories featuring the game’s best reel stops. For example, Tuesday’s InGoal Twitter feed had links to tips from Roberto Luongo, Thatcher Demko, and Carey Price.

Hutchison Jr. admits that he has benefited from the kind of access and insight that most young people don’t get. InGoal has even asked him to interview pro goalkeepers over the years in connection with equipment assessments.

He started playing hockey at the age of four, knew his father’s goalkeeping history, and says playing it “felt like I should do it.”

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“I’ve met so many men and it’s meant so much to me,” Hutchison said. “And to see what my dad is doing with the players on the website… I wouldn’t be here without my dad and all the other InGoals.”

James Gaertner, assistant coach for Cowichan Valley, who has also worked personally with Hutchison for years, quickly assures that Hutchinson’s “love of the position is his own.

“He’s been driven. I see him two or three times a week. He’s trying to get better all the time,” Gaertner said of Hutchison, who weighs 6 feet 2,160 pounds. “You can’t pretend to bother, you can’t pretend to buy in.”

Gaertner has coached the goalkeeper for 17 years and claims Hutchison is one of the best he has seen at this age. And Gaertner has worked with Dylan Garand, Kamloops Blazers ’netminder, who will compete for Team Canada’s novice in the world’s juniors this winter, and Vegas Golden Knights farm handman Dylan Ferguson.

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“He’s calm and in good shape and has a very strong technical foundation,” Gaertner said. “At the same time, he doesn’t rely too much on that technical basis. When it’s time to fight in the play, he fights.

“I’d get used to hearing his name.”

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BCHL is something Hutchison has been used to for years. His family has regularly selected Nanaimo Clippers players. This season, in fact, they are playing Clippers goalkeeper Cooper Black.

Social media features a picture of six-year-old Hutchison on ice in full equipment for the national anthem of the Capitals match as a minor seventh man in hockey. And Hutchison actually went to the Clippers training camp at the age of 12, helping there fill out the lists.

– I remember the first goal I scored. That was bad. But I settled down after that, Hutchison said.

His full-time team this season is under the age of 18 North Island Silvertips, based in Nanaimo. He had several offers to become an invited or affiliate player on the BCHL team and he chose Cowichan Valley. There is an obvious connection to Gaertner.

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The Capitals gave him the start of the pre-season against his hometown of Clippers 28. September, and he defeated 32 fights in a 4-2 victory that night.

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Due to the injury, Cowichan Valley brought Hutchison back on Friday. They then told him he would start on Sunday.

“My goal for as long as I can remember was to play in the league when I was 15,” Hutchison said. “I’ve never been as excited to get to the ice rink as I was that day. It finally happened. “

He speaks to his Cowichan Valley teammates and says the Capitals have made him feel immediately welcome.

“It’s the best group of friends,” he said. – I go to the locker room and I feel like I can ask anyone anything. Everyone has been great. ”

Hutchison will have to decide at some point whether he wants to continue on the BCHL and go the NCAA route or move on to the WHL path. Hutchison is eligible for a WHL draft next month. He claims he is not yet aware of the matter.

“We’re focusing on this now,” he said. “I don’t go too far myself.”

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Twitter: @SteveEwen