Owen Conrad | Happy to play in Charlottetown

By Kyle Cotton

Nine-year-old Owen Conrad lined up for the face-off as his novice hockey team was tied with the opponent. 

They were in a race for the Nova Scotia provincial championship. If they lost, his team would have been eliminated. 

His centreman won the face-off and the puck came to Conrad. 

He was able to manoeuvre his way around his opponent’s defence and score. Conrad’s goal sent his team onto the next round.

Now, at 16-years-old, he’s scoring back-to-back overtime winners with the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Charlottetown Islanders.

When Conrad was playing hockey at a bantam level, he started to pick up on the fact that he could play in the QMJHL.

“My parents started saying I may have a shot at the Q but then I started to get calls from people too so that’s when I realized it could happen,” he said.

Conrad was selected 20th overall in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft. He travelled from his home in Pictou County, N.S. to Sherbrooke, Quebec to attend the event.

“It’s the first time I’ve been around that many people but it was a great experience and really fun overall,” Conrad said.

Just three months later, in front of 10,000 fans in Halifax, he suited up for the Isles for the first time.

Charlottetown led 2-1 late in the third period when the Halifax Mooseheads pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker.

While Conrad was defending his net, he spun and fired the puck 200’ the other way, right in the Halifax empty net for his first career goal.

Being from Pictou County, N.S. meant that his first game was the closest he’d get to home while playing in the Q.

“It was in Halifax, the closest to my house. It was a really big moment for me, a good moment. It was pretty special.”

Despite the intensity of the Q, Conrad’s biggest adjustment was off the ice.

“It’s a new place on your own for the first time,” he said. “It took me a little bit to adjust but it’s going good now, especially now being in the second half of the season.”

The whole Islanders coaching staff helped him.

“Honestly, all the coaching staff and training staff have helped. Of course Jim (Hulton) is an incredible guy, an incredible coach, he really made sure I was comfortable,” he said.

He is thankful for all that head coach Jim Hulton has taught him.

“He’s taught me the intensity of it all. Coming from U18 and U15, it’s definitely not as intense and the Q is definitely that next step,” he said. “He’s taught me to be more intense, more urgent in all aspects of the game.”

Hulton knew Conrad would be great from the moment he drafted him.

“We knew when we drafted Owen (Conrad) that we thought we had a steal. We had him listed as one of the top two defencemen in the draft,” Hulton said. “He certainly hasn’t disappointed. He’s got patience with the puck that’s hard to teach. He’s got a built in patience and poise and everything that he needs to work on is more just age and experience. He’s certainly a nice find at 16-years-old.”

He likes that Conrad has bought into becoming a full defenceman.

“He now understands at 6 ‘2”, 200 lbs you have to be able to defend first. I think he’s put a lot of time and work into that aspect of his game and it’s going to hold him in good stead in the future,” said Hulton. “He’s a cornerstone piece in our franchise moving forward.”

Conrad says “it feels great” to be such a big part of the Islanders organisation moving forward.

“It feels really cool being here. I’m just trying to get better and better and be the biggest part that I can,” said Conrad.

Despite knowing there is a chance he will be drafted into the National Hockey League next year, he’s focusing on the present.

“It definitely crosses the mind but right now I’m just trying to be the best I can and worry about that later since that’s next year,” he said.

Fans can catch Conrad and the Islanders hitting the ice next Friday, Jan. 19 as they host the Shawinigan Cataractes in a rematch of the 2022 QMJHL finals. Puck drop at the Eastlink Centre is at 7 p.m.