It’s a price the stocky five-foot-eight forward is willing to pay in his desire to some day earn a berth on an American or Canadian college hockey team.
Chaulk just wrapped up a seesaw season with the Brockville Tikis of the Central Canada Hockey League 2 where the team missed out on earning a playoff berth.
It’s been a season of growth and learning for Chaulk.
He figures he learned a lot about being a good puck protector and how important it is to be physically prepared for tough battles against guys older and bigger than him.
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He plays the game at a high speed and he likes to crash and bang.
He plays much bigger than his 170-pound frame, but he also learned that you have a lot of support from your teammates at the junior level but still have to be accountable for what you say and do on the ice.
“If you’re going to run your mouth in junior hockey you’re going to have to back it up with a fight or something,” he said.
He’s pursuing a kinesiology degree while honing his skills in Brockville and plans to be on the ice several times a week in a spring hockey setup in Brockville until he returns home to Deer Lake in early July.
No matter how big they come or how hard they hit, Chaulk is in for the long haul.
He’s only interested in forging ahead with one thing in mind — being a college hockey player sooner rather than later.
Players are only signed to one-year deals, so his status for next year is up in the air. He plans to attend a few tryouts for a number of CCHL teams in July so he will have a better handle on what’s next once he’s been through that summer grind.
