Behind the Jersey – Jordan Bax
Jordan Bax is a dedicated and talented player who has fought for every step of his career. Bax has taken an unconventional route to the OHL, and his story is defined by resilience, determination, and earned opportunity.
Bax has come to know his way around North American junior leagues; buckle up. He started his junior career playing in what would be the first of many leagues, the United States Premier Hockey League, in the 2021-22 season when he was 16 years old. He played for two teams in the USPHL before moving on to the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League to play for French River Rapids in 2022-23. The next season, he went to Ontario’s neighbour to join the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Dauphin Kings in 2023-24, but he wasn’t done yet. The next season, he was off to the British Columbia Hockey League, where he played for the Cowichan Valley Capitals in 2024-25.
Bax comes from a small rural town in Ontario called Parkhill, where he grew up on his family farm, where he says, “growing up, you had to make your own fun”. When asked about how he transitioned from small-town farm life to junior hockey and living in cities, he said, “It’s definitely a lot different. But man, I hate traffic. It’s louder and busier. Both have their ups and downs”. Despite where he grew up, Bax has had ample hockey influence and support. He attributes his influence and early success to both his brother and his agent.
“My brother was my biggest influence. He paved a path for me and got me my opportunity in the States (USPHL), and my agent, Chad Lilley. Both of them have done a ton for my career and have helped me out, pushing me forward. They’ve always believed in me”.
Each season, the determined centreman got bigger and better as he played alongside new teammates and in new leagues. At each step, he was focused on moving forward to work towards playing in the OHL. Bax said moving from team to team helped his work ethic, and that in every move he’s started at the bottom and worked his way up. “It’s taught me to respect other leagues. Everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve had my struggles. It hasn’t been easy. I’ve faced a lot of adversity, and it’s been great. It’s taught me a lot.”
Growing up in Parkhill instilled the goal of one day reaching the OHL, as it was close enough to both Sarnia and London, and Bax would attend games regularly. “My parents had tickets to Knights games, and I always dreamed of playing in the OHL. I always said to them I wanted to be an OHL player”.
Bax was invited to the Sarnia Sting training camp in 2025 and went on to play with the team during the preseason. He had no expectations of what would happen with the Sting and remained focused and in the moment. When reflecting on his summer with the Sting, he said, “I would talk to the staff each week, and they would tell me I’m staying another week, and another week, and I didn’t see anything coming”. Camp progressed, and Bax survived each week’s cuts as the team headed towards the regular season.
The story of his signing is best told by Bax himself:
“The day before the regular season, Dylan Seca pulled me into the office with all the staff, and honestly, I thought I was getting sent down. Then they pulled out the contract and my jersey. It was an amazing day. Honestly, it was one of the best days of my life for sure. I was truly blessed”.
After years of hard work and dedication, Bax had finally achieved his lifelong goal of playing in the OHL. All the years of moving, getting to know new teams, cities and provinces, had finally paid off. Bax signed a one-year Standard Player Agreement deal as a free agent.
“I never thought it would be an option. It’s been a dream come true for sure”.
In 36 games played so far this season, the 20-year-old has nine goals and 20 points, and has solidified himself as a physical player who will drop the gloves if his team needs it. He says he doesn’t necessarily look for fights, but, “if the team needs a spark, or if a younger guy gets hit dirty, I’ll definitely step up to the task”. The six-foot-one center plays a hard game and rushes heavily to the net. “I like to be a bit of a pest and get under my opponent’s skin.”
Above all, Bax has been described by coaches, teammates and ownership as a hardworking player with a strong work ethic, and to him, it’s everything. “It’s my identity as a player. It’s how I’m here. That’s how I was born and raised. My parents drilled into me at a young age to work hard, no matter what you’re doing, do everything to your fullest”.
As Bax and the Sting enter the New Year and the second half of the season, he says “we’ve shown how good we can be. We seem to be a really good team for 40-50 minutes most nights, but its a 60 minute game. If we can find our consistency, we’re going to have no problem seeing results”. Bax said his only New Year’s resolutions are to “win games and score more goals”.
