Nathan Preston excited for new home, new opportunity
Nathan Preston received an unexpected Christmas gift last year; a Scholarship and Development Agreement with the Prince Albert Raiders.
After joining Prince Albert for a week of practice about a month earlier, Preston returned to his Kootenay International Junior Hockey League team in British Columbia not expecting much to come of it.
“I had the KIJHL Prospects Game in Kamloops and a few days afterwards they called me and asked if I could come join them for a week,” Preston said. “I didn’t really think much of it after the week I spent there, but then right around Christmas they called me again and said they wanted to sign me and bring me up for the remainder of the season.”
Preston caught the Raiders’ eye thanks to his play with the Princeton Posse of the KIJHL over the first half of the season, posting a 12-3 record with a .920 save percentage and a 2.47 goals against average.
The KIJHL was recently “rebranded” as an official Junior ‘A’ league, and while Preston says the quality of the league has gotten better, it was a sizable jump heading to the WHL.
“I think the KIJHL is getting better, and playing in those games really helped me prepare for it, but it was definitely a big jump going to the WHL,” he said. “The shots and things like that were a huge difference, the travel schedule as well. I’m grateful I got to have that experience before heading to Tri-City.”
Preston joined the Raiders after the Christmas break and remained there until the end of the season, but only got into four games with the Raiders down the stretch as Max Hildebrand shouldered the load for the Raiders, who were in a hard playoff race until the final weekend of the regular season.
Finding out about the trade from Raiders general manager Curtis Hunt, Preston said he was excited at the thought of a new opportunity.
“I would say there was a lot of excitement,” Preston said.” “I didn’t get a ton of games in Prince Albert, but I certainly enjoyed my time there. I learned a lot about balancing my schedule and the pace of practices while I was there. Getting on the ice for an hour and a half or two hours a day with players like that helped me develop as a goalie so much. You get a first-hand look at how guys at this level are able to change the angle of their shots to make it more deceptive. I really loved how it felt to be out there and learning every day.”
Aside from the two players he was acquired with the trade, Terrell Goldsmith and Grady Martin, Preston says he doesn’t really know anyone else on the Americans current roster.
Interestingly enough, he says his parents have friends in the Tri-Cities and when he was younger he came down to the area and was able to get a tour of the Toyota Center, including the locker room.
Looking to crack the WHL full time next year, Preston has been putting in the work in his hometown of Penticton, B.C. over the summer.
“I’ve been on the ice four or five times a week and training a lot in the gym,” he said. “I can’t wait to get down there. I’ve been down to the States plenty of times before and I just love it there. I’m excited to make my way down for camp and not be so far away from home.”
