Gill thrilled to take on bigger role for Phoenix
A season that promises to be filled with a lot of success got off to a perfect start this past weekend.
The Sherbrooke Phoenix, ranked ninth in the Kia CHL Top-10 preseason rankings, registered back-to-back home wins over Gatineau and Chicoutimi where Justin Gill led the charge with three goals over the two games.
“We’re not looking too far ahead but obviously there’s very high expectations and we want to bring the cup back to Sherbrooke,” Gill said. “It’s going to be weekend by weekend. We had a great opening weekend and now there’s a big one ahead for our first trip of the season.”
The Phoenix are in Rouyn-Noranda and Val d’Or this weekend where they will aim to build on their solid start.
A year ago, Gill scored 20 goals. There’s no set goal this year, perse, but he understands he has a bigger role after the departures of Xavier Parent and Julien Anctil, who combined for 174 points in 2021-22.
“As a 19-year-old in the league, you want to have a good year and be dominant,” he said. “I want to have an offensive impact for my team and help us win games. We had a great first weekend and we’re looking forward to this season.”
Sherbrooke will get a significant asset back this weekend as the Minnesota Wild reassigned star defenceman David Spacek back to the CHL although they are expected to still be without Joshua Roy and Tyson Hinds, who remain in camp with the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks respectively. Cole Huckins, who the team acquired in the offseason from Acadie-Bathurst, is also expected to be in the lineup after he was returned from Calgary Flames camp earlier in the week.
Furthermore, the Phoenix are also powered by Ethan Gauthier, a top prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft and former first overall selection in the QMJHL Draft (2021).
“The thing with Ethan is he can shoot the puck,” Gill said. “He can pass it. He has good skills. He’s not a small guy, he likes to hit and he’s great on the forecheck and on the wall as well. I think there’s a bright career ahead for him and we’re looking forward to working together this year.”
All in all, the Phoenix are not short of starpower where general manager and head coach Stéphane Julien has built a deep squad.
And Gill is a big part of that. Despite being undrafted, the Montreal native was an invite to the Vancouver Canucks’ rookie camp where he had the opportunity to work with the Sedin twins.
“Every aspect they [taught] me I want to bring back here and display it on the ice,” Gill said. “It was so great, I had never met them, so just to talk to them was very special.”
With a larger responsibility this year, Gill knows what he must do. He knows it. The Sedins told him. His own coaching staff has encouraged him to do it; shoot the puck more.
“Since the start of my junior career, I’ve been told to shoot a lot more so I think I have worked on that aspect during the summer,” Gill said. “Since I got back from NHL camp, I got some good words and was told to keep going, keep grinding and keep shooting.
“So, I tried to bring back the game I played there and to shoot more on net.”
Through two games, so far, so good.