After plans to attend Union College fell through last month, former Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiac and 2010-11 AJHL Goaltender of the Year Julien Laplante has been accepted to attend Providence College, starting this fall.
“It's exciting,” said Laplante. “It's nice to go where the coaches recruited you and where you are wanted. It will be a great opportunity.”
Laplante's hockey path took a sudden turn when it was revealed to first-year Union head coach Rick Bennett that as a 16 year old, Laplante had played 20 minutes of an exhibition game for the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
The coach decided to part ways with Laplante on July 13, as any player who has played in a professional league, which pays its players, is ineligible to play NCAA Division I hockey.
In Laplante's case, he remains ineligible to play for one season, but can attend Providence and practise all season, eventually regaining eligibility next season, where he has a good chance to take over the starting goalie position, he said.
“It was a meaningless game that became meaningful,” Laplante said, referring to his 20 minutes at the helm in Portland.
As a 16 year old growing up in Sherwood Park, he said he was unaware playing in the WHL would affect his college eligibility and he jumped at the opportunity to play for Portland.
“I was very misinformed early on about the college route. It seemed like the (WHL) was the only way. It was such a rush to go out and get drafted.”
He said he doesn't regret the path he took because “everything happens for a reason.”
“In the end, I can't really regret that I chose to play, because I had no idea what would come of it.”
Laplante said he wants to do what he can to help inform younger players of the different options before they finish minor hockey and have to make that crucial decision of which league to play in: Major Junior, or Junior A – which leaves players eligible to play college-level NCAA Division I hockey.
“It can be hard to find out about the two routes,” he explained. “The college route is such a good option.”
One coach always encouraging players to pursue post-secondary education is Pontiacs head coach and general manager Chad Mercier. Laplante said his former coach has helped him through many tough situations, including this one.
“He's been there every step of the way and helped me out a lot. I've learned so much from him.”
Once at Providence, Laplante will be reunited with the coaches who originally recruited him to Union.
This past spring, head coach Nate Leaman and assistant coach Ben Barr left Union to take on the head and assistant coaching positions at Providence.
The pair had originally recruited Laplante and planned to have him as their starting goalie at Union, but will now evaluate him as a possible starter for Providence for the 2012-13 season.
“Obviously I want to play right away,” said Laplante. “But it's not like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.”
