Two P.E.I. athletes have achieved the dream of thousands of young hockey players after getting picked in this year’s NHL draft.
Cam Squires and Luke Coughlin, both from Charlottetown, were selected Thursday on the second day of the draft.
The New Jersey Devils selected Squires with the 122nd overall pick. Coughlin went 191st to the Florida Panthers.
They will join an exclusive club of hockey players from P.E.I who have had a chance to represent the Island in the NHL.
Squires was at the draft in Nashville with his family.
The right winger, who plays for the Cape Breton Eagles in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, said being there felt surreal.
“As soon as I heard ‘From Cape Breton, Cam Squires,’ I smiled and it lit up my face, and a bit of relief just came off my shoulders,” he said. “It was probably the happiest moment of my life and one that I’ll not forget.
“To hear my name called at the NHL draft was something that I’ve dreamed of as a kid and worked for every day, and now that it’s here, it’s all setting in.”
Squires celebrated the moment with his parents and two brothers, who he said have supported him throughout his hockey journey.
While Squires was in Nashville, Coughlin watched the draft from his living room. The defenceman for the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic said hearing the news was a whirlwind experience for him, too.
“I’m feeling very good,” Coughlin said. “It has been an exciting last 48 hours. When I heard my name being called it was a dream come true, it was so exciting.”
He also had support pouring in from family and friends across the Island.
Playing with ‘best buddies’
Both players said they’ve had to work hard to get to where they are now.
Squires said his love for hockey began like it did for most Canadians — playing in his driveway and in outdoor rinks with his friends.
Part of why he loved playing the sport growing up was because he loved his teammates, he said.
“I played with my best buddies every day, and the love for the game is a big part of that,” he said. “Being able to go to the rink with 15 or 20 of your best friends and just go out there and play was so fortunate for me.”
One of those friends was Coughlin. They played on the same team and different teams growing up.
Squires said he was thrilled to learn that one of his “best buddies” also was drafted.
“He’s professional, and he put in the time and made a lot of sacrifices and hard work to get to where he has,” he said. “To see him go as well … I was really excited and happy for him and it’s so well deserved.”
Coughlin said that relationship got off to a rocky start when they met as rivals.
“We weren’t good buddies at first, that’s for sure, because I was a Sherwood Falcon and he was a Charlottetown Abbie,” he said. “There was lots of times where we were battling it out on the ice … as we were opponents.
“But … as we got older we ended up combining those two teams and becoming the Central Attack. So, we spent two great years together on the same team, behind the same bench.”
‘Never let failures hold you down’
Getting to this point wasn’t easy for Coughlin. He had two major injuries over the past two seasons that both cost him three months.
He said facing that sort of adversity only fuelled his goal to get into the NHL.
“[You’ve got to] set goals for yourself, work hard and be determined to achieve those goals,” Coughlin said. “Do everything in your power, work your hardest to achieve those goals and never let failures hold you down.”
Coughlin said he was excited when he found out Squires had also been drafted.
“He’s such an amazing player. I’m so happy for him to be selected,” he said.
Only ’day one’
Squires said getting drafted will change his life forever — and that his love for hockey will continue to grow more.
“Every time I put on the skates, my love for the game is still there and continues to grow fonder and fonder. Dedication and hard work is a big part of that,” he said.
He said as huge of an achievement as this is, he said it’s only the beginning of what’s to come.
“I look at it as Day 1, so now I got to get back to work. It’s nothing set in stone, so you’ve got to continue to get better and work at your game.”
Coughlin agrees.
“It’s really amazing to now look back and see all the work that I put in but to also know that … this is just another stepping stone in my career and there’s definitely lots more work to be put in.”