BONNYVILLE – When Brinson Pasichnuk was just four-years-old, he dreamed of playing in the NHL. That dream is now becoming a reality.
The Bonnyville-native has been in discussions with NHL teams to join their rosters. While he can't announce which one yet, the former Bonnyville Pontiac already knows which team he'll be making his NHL debut with.
“I’ve talked to quite a few and I’ve decided who I’m going to sign with,” he told the Bonnyville Nouvelle. “I’ve just got to keep it quiet for now because it’s not official yet. In the very near future, there will be a contract signed.”
After so many years of striving to reach his goal, Pasichnuk is left speechless now that it's so close to coming to fruition.
“It’s hard to explain because you already dream it and you always think you can achieve it, but there’s also the side of you that almost makes it seem like a fantasy. Being in the position that I am right now is crazy, I don’t know if it’s set in yet that I could very well be playing in the NHL in the near future.”
He added, “All I can say is I’m so grateful to God. He’s given me these opportunities and chances to get to the next level and fulfill my dream.”
Like many young hockey players across the country, Pasichnuk’s had a love for the sport for as long as he can remember.
“It’s more than just a game to me, it’s a part of me,” he expressed. “I’ve met so many incredible people through the sport, it’s brought me to so many incredible places, and I just love it. I always said ‘the day I stop loving the game is the day I quit playing.’”
The defencemen honed his craft in local rinks throughout his minor hockey career, before going to play for the Cold Lake Freeze AA bantam team.
It was during this time that Pasichnuk said he had a turning point when a coach took a chance on him to play in the Alberta Cup, a provincial tournament for bantam-age players.
“I came to tryout for the team and I didn’t really think I was going to make it. He gave me a shot because he said he saw something in me. Even since then, I think I’ve gained the confidence to try and keep getting better every single day and it’s gotten me here.”
During his time on the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs, Pasichnuk was ranked in the NHL Central Scouting Players To Watch List in 2015.
Although his fourth and final year with the Arizona State University Sun Devils was cut short due to the coronavirus, the six-foot, 185-pound player recorded 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points overall in 36 games.
Pasichnuk offered some words of wisdom to local hockey players that are striving to make it to the NHL one day.
“Keep working. I’m the most normal person in the world, I’m not special or anything like that. It can happen, you just have to work hard every single day, don’t ever give up on your dreams if that’s your dream, and just be grateful you get to go to the rink and play the game you love and see where it takes you.”
