Hockey: Hansen beats the 7th Man

Kevin Hansen is back on the ice.

After spending three years at the University of Windsor, Ontario, where he earned a degree in communications, Hansen is now ready to concentrate on hockey and try to go further.

When he first went to Augusta in the East Coast League, the team signed two older players just before training camp, so there was no room for Hansen.

He then decided to play hockey for the Odessa Jackalopes in the American CHL, where he now plays forward and defense.

His season is going so well that he recently received the 7th Man Award for two games in a row.

"It's basically for going "above and beyond" as it says on my plaque. I didn't expect an award when I came here. It was very nice," Hansen said.

The team also won the Governor's Cup, which is for the CHL team with the most points. They won their conference and were also division champions in the regular season.

Although the season is going great, Hansen still wants to improve his play.

"More offence, a little more point production," he said. "I seem to have a lot of chances but don't put them away all the time."

Not surprisingly, Hansen wants to play as long as he can. However, his long-term goal would be to stay in the sports field and use his communication degree.

"Once I see hockey is going to come to an end, down the road, I'll start thinking about (broadcasting)," he said. "Hockey is a good sport because you make good connections along the way."

When looking at his hockey experience today, he recalls how he came within a hair of having his hockey career cancelled.

After he was drafted by the OHL in 1995 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, his father was driving him to a game against Sudbury.

"When you drive there, it's a two-lane highway, it's all rock. It's brutal," Hansen recalls.

Coming from a city like Buffalo, his father didn't like the feeling of a deserted island.

"Where am I bringing you? I am dropping my 17-year-old son off in this place. I don't even know where that is," Hansen remembers his father saying. "You know, it stuck in my mind," Hansen said, "because it was just me and my dad in the car, taking me away from home for the first time and he was just like 'Where am I bringing you? What is that?'

"I was very afraid we would just turn around and he would say 'You're staying home,' but he settled down after we got there."

Fortunately for him, he then had the chance to play in Sudbury, but even more exciting, he had one of his greatest hockey moments when he went to the Detroit Red Wings training camp.

"First time I stepped on the ice, there was (Steve) Yzerman and all these guys. I never thought I was going to be in that position and I was skating with NHL stars," he recalled.

Although Hansen still has a long way to go to be back on ice with his NHL favorites, his goal may be reachable.

"Just (to) keep playing hockey. The next step is the American (Hockey) League," he said.

Let's not forget that Hansen was in the top 10 for OUA scoring and was leading the University of Windsor Lancers. After only eight games, he had recorded fifteen points on five goals and 10 assists.