Jordan Perrier’s 67’s dream comes true
On Thursday afternoon, the Ottawa 67’s received a commitment from 2024 third-round OHL Priority Selection pick, Jordan Perrier.
The Carp native has spent the last three seasons with the Ottawa Valley Titans, most recently in the U16 age group, where he wore the alternate captaincy. In 29 regular season games last year, Perrier potted 16 goals and 44 points, before a spectacular playoff performance, adding another seven goals and 15 points in 11 games.
Perrier’s line with the Titans was something to be reckoned with, playing with Carter Stevens and Braydon Lindsay, who became OHL draft picks by the Guelph Storm and Owen Sound Attack respectively.
“It was an awesome experience,” Perrier said. “It was a great group of guys. We learned to connect with one another and where each other was on the ice, and everything just flowed.”
Hearing his name called on the opening night of the draft, Perrier didn’t have to wait long for his OHL dreams to come to fruition.
“It’s an unreal experience,” Perrier said. “Getting drafted, especially by your hometown team, is a surreal feeling. It’s a dream come true, to be honest.”
Hitting the ice at training camp this past week, Perrier has been thrust into a different universe as compared to his time playing minor hockey in Ottawa. The amount of resources available to him have increased exponentially, as have the expectations, but so far, the experience hasn’t been too much to handle.
“It’s a change in pace, for sure,” Perrier said. “You definitely have less time, and less area to move around on the ice, but I feel like I’m adjusting to it pretty well, so it shouldn’t be a worry.”
As he has been able to his entire hockey career, Perrier believes in his skating ability to get him out of tight situations, already falling back on it when the going has gotten tough.
“The major thing is my speed,” Perrier said. “Obviously, the OHL is super fast, but I feel like coming in, I have that speed, and that’s a big benefit for sure.”
Perrier says he models his game after New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal, naturally. The way he uses his speed to his advantage is something the 16-year-old idolizes, and hopes to emulate in the OHL, but it’s going to take time to get there.
To do that, he believes he needs to put his trust in those around him, and be a student of the game.
“I have to trust the coaching, listen to everything they say, and go from there,” Perrier said.
Now with a chance to actualize his dreams, Perrier has a chance to stop and smell the flowers for a few days, and reflect back on simpler times when he fell in love with the game.
“My Dad put me in hockey when I was younger,” Perrier said. “I loved the sport from a young age, and never stopped touching a hockey stick.”
