MEET THE CHIEFS 2015-16: #18 CURTIS MISKE
(by Joe Everson / Spokane Chiefs Education Advisor)
If there’s one thing that Curtis Miske has learned during his career with the Spokane Chiefs, it’s that patience is a virtue.
Progress toward his hockey goals has come steadily for Miske, who as an 18-year-old with the Chiefs is making his mark in a manner that shows bigger things on the horizon.
Miske, a second round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft, came to Spokane’s 2013 annual preseason camp with high hopes but was derailed by a hip flexor injury and spent the season instead with Leduc in the Alberta Midget Hockey League. He led the league in scoring and was named to the AMHL All-Star Team.
He scored 12 points in 56 games as a WHL rookie in 2014-15 – three of those earned with a hat trick versus Tri-City on February 28, 2015 – and has already surpassed those statistics this season, with 10 goals and 15 assists in 48 games.
“As a younger player,” Miske said, “I was always a skill guy, not involved in a lot of board battles and spending most of my time on the perimeter. I’ve learned to be more aggressive on both sides of the puck.
“I’m getting more minutes this season and playing a bigger role,” he added, “and of course that’s helped me a lot. It’s a confidence boost to know that coaches trust you to be there in all situations. You don’t have to be as conscious of making a mistake when you know you’re going to get lots of chances.”
Miske has added three inches and 35 pounds since he was drafted, which makes him more of a presence on the ice, but has also presented some challenges.
“As I’ve gotten bigger, it’s been harder to be quick, so I’ve had to learn to position myself better. Lots of my offseason training is designed to improve my quickness, agility and speed, and also to increase my strength and stamina.”
He’s goal-oriented off the ice as well. Having recently completed his third Athabasca University online course, he’s already working on a fourth, and hopes to complete the equivalent of a full academic year of credits by the time his WHL career is over. Eventually, his plan is to earn a degree in Business Management and put it to use in a career which combines business and athletics.
Miske’s parents, Don and Darla, are self-employed as wholesale apparel suppliers, and his older brother is in his fourth year at the University of Alberta. He’s Curtis’s off-season rival in golf, street hockey, tennis, and basketball.
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Spokane Chiefs Education Advisor Joe Everson works with all Chiefs players, from those still in high school to those pursuing a post-secondary education or preparing to do so following their WHL career. Throughout this season, Everson will profile individual Chiefs to provide insight into their lives, their preparation and their goals for the future.
