Being a goaltender is in Mitchell Garrett’s DNA. No matter what sport he plays, he always wants to be the last line of defence.

After playing as a catcher in baseball and a goaltender in soccer growing up, the Surrey, B.C., product began playing hockey at 10 years old.

“My dad grew up as a soccer player,” Garrett says. “Telling him that I wanted to switch into hockey was not necessarily the news he wanted to hear.”

Garrett played between the pipes for 12 years, usually in house league or occasionally in rep. After high school, he continued to play recreationally with some of his minor hockey teammates.

“I remember when my accident happened, it was like a month before the new season started,” the 29-year-old says. “So that was a shock to them hearing that I wasn’t going to be able to play for them ever again.”

On July 29, 2017, Garrett was camping when he decided to take a friend’s ATV for a drive. When he didn’t return, a search party found Garrett had crashed on the side of the road.

He was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital and diagnosed with a T4 complete spinal cord injury. Despite his prognosis, Garrett progressed quickly and completed rehabilitation within three months.

“It was a really fast process. I remember everybody telling me this is going much faster than what it’s typically supposed to,” he says. “I really wanted to make myself goal-oriented when I was in rehab because I didn’t want to be there. I just wanted to get going in my life, and I knew it was going to be a major change.”

Throughout the entire process, hockey was always on Garrett’s mind.

“I don’t remember my injury at all. I woke up in the hospital and I’m like, ‘Where am I right now?’ [They told me I’m] in the hospital, and I was like, ‘Oh, well I have a playoff game tonight, I need to go play hockey.’”

Now paralyzed from the chest down after his injury, Garrett immediately shifted his focus to how he could get back on the ice and began researching para hockey.

“I studied [Team Canada goaltender] Dom Larocque. I watched every single interview I could find of him,” he explains. “I remember watching it three or four times over and pausing on the on-ice clips, just really analyzing his setup and trying to figure it out for myself. [He] was a huge inspiration.”

More than nine months after his accident, Garrett returned to the ice and got back in net—this time in a sled.

“It was pretty monumental for me getting back to being a goaltender. My parents were there; my dad was on the ice and my mom was watching,” Garrett recalls. “I remember that skate, I just looked like a fish out of water.

“When I got off the ice, my mom was just like, ‘Is this for you? Do you really want to do this? It looks like you’re struggling out there.’ I just told her eventually it will be smooth, and everything will be good.”

Although he was back on the ice, his new reality did present some challenges for playing para hockey. Without the ability to move anything below his chest, it provided some limitations for being a goaltender again.

“[Other goalies] have their entire core to use and they have their legs and their knees to stand up on. I remember everybody telling me how much of a disadvantage I was at, [but I] never even consider that a disadvantage for a second,” he says. “We’re still playing the same game. We’re still going after the same goal.”

Mitchell with his dad, Ken Garrett.

Garrett set his eyes on his next goal—earning a spot on Canada’s National Para Hockey Team—and got to work. After every ice time, he would look at his sled setup and make adjustments.

“I have a shed at my place and that’s like the tool shed. That’s where all the hard work off the ice goes down, just to ensure I’m in tip-top shape when I’m out there,” he says. “I was consistently tweaking my sled for the longest time; moving it up, moving it down, figuring out where my blades go.”

His home rink, the Langley Sportsplex, provided free ice time so he could practice throughout the year. On the ice, Garrett’s dad Ken joined him to be a shooter for his practices and he became the head coach of British Columbia’s para hockey team.

“I know I wouldn’t be able to do it without him,” Garrett says. “My dad has been an enormous help throughout this entire process, making sure that it’s the most enjoyable for me.”

His hard work on and off the ice began to pay off, and Garrett was invited to participate in his first selection camp with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team ahead of the 2022-23 season.

“It’s always good to have somebody involved that has experience playing the position and the game prior to their accident,” says Russ Herrington, head coach of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team. “That was the one thing that we noticed right away with Mitch was that both glove hands and his ability to track the puck, that was something that transferred over from his previous experience.”

“It didn’t really go as I planned,” Garrett says about selection camp. “To be honest, it wasn’t a great showing for me. I think maybe I was a little starstruck at the camp. [I had never] played with these caliber players and these are players who I’ve wanted to play with for so long.”

After camp concluded, Garrett took the experience to heart and got back to training even harder for his next opportunity.

“I just told myself that I’m starting to trend in the right direction and just to stay on track and continue what I was doing because I noticed that it was working for me,” Garrett says.

Corbyn Smith (left) and Mitchell Garrett celebrate after beating Czechia at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup.

When he returned to selection camp in September, his improvements were evident to the coaching staff.

“I think he’s more comfortable in a sled,” Herrington says. “I think he was a little timid [getting to the top of the crease] early on, and now we see him be a little more assertive in his positioning and challenging the shooter.”

After dreaming of making Team Canada for over six years, Garrett finally got the phone call that he would be making his international debut at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup in Quispamsis, New Brunswick.

“That’s one of the best parts of this job is delivering that type of news. We’re really excited to have him here with us,” Herrington says. “Our veterans do such a good job of celebrating opportunities like that because it wasn’t too long ago that they were donning the jersey for the first time.”

“From my family to my friends to my girlfriend, everybody has really played a part in this process,” Garrett says. “That was a really cool moment on the phone (telling my parents I made the team); you could just feel how proud [my dad] was through the phone.

“For my mom, after that first ice time with her being like ‘Is this right for you,’ and then being able to tell her that I made the team—it was a full-circle moment.”

In Quispamsis, Garrett is looking forward to putting on the Maple Leaf for the first time, playing on the international stage and hopefully inspiring more members of the paraplegic community to start playing para hockey.

“I have to hold back my tears every single time I think about it because [playing for Team Canada] is a goal that I’ve had since I was eight,” he says. “Most people consider other sports just because of my disability… I’m very excited to be changing that narrative.”

PARADISE, N.L. – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team finished with the silver medal at the 2019 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup after a tight 2-1 loss to the United States on Saturday night at the Paradise Double Ice Complex.

It is the seventh silver medal for the Canadians (2009, 2012, January 2016, December 2016, 2017, 2018 2019) to go along with five gold (2007, 2008, April 2011, November 2011, 2013) and one bronze (2015).

“I thought it was an amazing game. The atmosphere was electric and [Paradise] put on a tremendous event,” said Canadian captain Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.). “It was a physical and fast game, exactly what we’d expect out of a match-up against the U.S.

“I thought we showed a lot of resilience and a lot of persistence in battling back. We had an unreal third period, so we’re going home proud of the effort we put forth. I think the product on the ice, not only tonight but all week, was outstanding and for our sport that’s exactly what we asked for.”

The Americans struck first midway through the second period and got another six minutes into the third before Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) cut the lead to one just over a minute later with his 189th career goal. Despite several late chances, the Canadians couldn’t find the equalizer.

Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.) was terrific in the Canadian goal, finishing with 19 saves in a crowd-pleasing performance.

“This has been an amazing tournament. I never thought I would get the opportunity to represent my country and province in front of my home crowd,” Said Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.). “Knowing how much work my family and friends have put into this, and to see it go off so well, I am honored that Hockey Canada could come here and we could showcase Newfoundland to the whole world.”

Russia blanks Czechs to win bronze

Russia ensured it left the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup with a medal for the third time in four appearances, earning a 5-0 win over the Czech Republic for bronze. Nikolai Terentev led the way with two goals for the Russians, who also won bronze in 2013 and silver in January 2016. Ilia Volkov, Airat Khamzin and Aleksei Eremin also scored, while Evgenii Plotnikov made nine saves for the shutout 

The 2020 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup will be played in Bridgewater, N.S.

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Twitter.com/HC_Para and Twitter.com/HC_ParaCup.

PARADISE, N.L. – Paradise is set to open its doors to the world as four teams go for gold at the 2019 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, Dec. 1-7.

The Paradise Double Ice Complex will welcome Canada, the Czech Republic, Russia and the United States. Canada has won the tournament, known as the World Sledge Hockey Challenge until 2017, five times, most recently in 2013, while the U.S. is looking for a sixth-consecutive gold medal.

"It is a very exciting time right now; the rink is rebranded, volunteers are ready and we can't wait to see these amazing athletes provide lasting memories for themselves and the fans,” said Don Dyke, chair of the host organizing committee. “This is an event we haven't seen before, and fans shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see the best of the best on the ice, including our own Liam Hickey playing for Team Canada."

In the past, the event has created more than $1 million in local economic impact, with the net proceeds of the event benefiting local minor and para hockey programs in Paradise and the surrounding area.

Full-event ticket packages are on sale for $69 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets. Packages include all six preliminary-round games, both semifinals and the bronze and gold medal games. All preliminary-round games, the semifinals and the bronze medal game will be streamed live at HockeyCanada.ca. The gold medal game will be shown live on TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partner, on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. AT/2 p.m. PT; check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Twitter.com/HC_Para and Twitter.com/HC_ParaCup.

Just over eight months after its heartbreaking overtime loss to the United States in the gold medal game at the Paralympics, Canada’s National Para Hockey Team gets a new season underway this week at the 2018 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup.

But the Team Canada that takes the ice in London will look much different than the one that came within 37.8 seconds of a gold medal in PyeongChang.

Six players from the Paralympic roster are gone, taking time away from the game to nurse injuries and explore their options outside of the game, and there are some notable names among the half-dozen.

The list includes captain Greg Westlake, top defencemen Steve Arsenault, Brad Bowden and Adam Dixon, and forwards Ben Delaney and Bryan Sholomicki; those six players combined for 13 goals and 39 points in South Korea, numbers that will not be easily replaced.

But the absences mean opportunity for six Team Canada rookies making their debuts in London, and head coach Ken Babey likes what those players will bring to the ice.

“I think we’re going to be faster, and I think we’re going to have a lot more energy because of the youth, and hopefully that bodes well for us,” Babey says. “We may be inexperienced at times, but overall we’re still the Canadian team that we have been, and over time we’re going to be stronger than ever.”

And it’s not as if the Canadians are lacking firepower or leadership. The top five scorers from the Paralympics – led by Tyler McGregor and Liam Hickey – are back, and there is plenty of veteran know-how to go around.

“I think the veterans are the key,” Babey says. “Coaches can talk and show things, but it’s really the veteran players that do it in a variety of ways, like being friends, socializing, showing it on the ice, explaining things peer-to-peer, and I think that has a more powerful impact than anything else.

“Our guys have done a really good job, and they’ve responded to that and we’ll see this week how we go. The real test is going to be when you get under pressure and get in some battles, and we’ll see how we do. I like our chances and I like the way the guys have come along.”

They have also benefitted from international experience with Canada’s National Para Hockey Development Team. All six new faces – Alexis Auclair, Rod Crane, Cody Dolan, Anton Jacobs-Webb, Micah Kovacevich and Garrett Riley – have played with the development side, and know the expectations that come with wearing the Maple Leaf.

And despite a new-look roster, those expectations haven’t changed.

“If you play hockey for Canada and your goal is anything but trying to win every single game, then you’re not a Canadian hockey player,” says Billy Bridges, who enters his 21st season with the national team as the all-time leader in games played (219), goals, (183), assists (200) and points (383). “We do appreciate that there is a process and that we do have new players, but veteran or rookie, we need to take pride in our effort.”

The 2018-19 season marks the beginning of a new four-year Paralympic cycle, with sights set directly on Beijing and the 2022 Games, so what better time to reimagine Team Canada?

There may be 1,188 days to go until the Opening Ceremony in China, but the work starts now.

“Right from the get-go, we’ve placed an emphasis on the next four years of developing para hockey in Canada and that starts with this team here,” says Bridges. “It’s special to feed off the energy [of the rookies] and redefine the culture on our team. The guys who aren’t with us this year are impossible shoes to fill, and I hope these guys realize that now is the time for them to establish their own identity as players.”

LONDON, Ont. – Looking to build off its Paralympic silver medal, Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will be in London, Ont., for the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, Dec. 2-8, 2018.

The Western Fair Sports Centre will host Canada, Korea and the United States – the three para hockey medallists from the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games - as they compete for the gold medal in a tournament that dates back to 2007 as the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. The Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup is one in a series of international tournaments that showcase the best of the world’s para hockey athletes.

The schedule for the tournament includes six preliminary-round games from Dec. 2-7, and the gold medal game on Saturday, Dec. 8. Fans will be able to take advantage of the best pricing option with the full-tournament package, which include all seven games for only $45.

“London is very fortunate to have been chosen to hold the prestigious Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup,” said Todd Sargeant, chair of the local host organizing committee. “The sport has grown since London first hosted in 2011 and the games will be even faster, more fierce and action-packed than before. We believe that this event will increase para hockey interest and the legacy from the tournament will improve the sport locally for the London Blizzard.”

“These athletes are incredibly dedicated to their team and to their sport, and it shows when they get on the ice,” said Scott Smith, president and COO of Hockey Canada. “This tournament is not only a way to showcase the very best in para hockey, but a way to let Canadians see how much the sport positively impacts a community.”

“We are thrilled to have been selected to host the newly-rebranded Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup in London this December,” said Tony Foresi, chair of the Ontario Hockey Federation Board of Directors. “The event will positively impact the community well beyond the games on the ice with revenue used to increase community awareness and make the sport accessible to as many individuals as possible. “It’s absolutely outstanding how the residents of London and surrounding area come out to support these great events, knowing well that they are aiding in the opportunity for youth to participate in the great game of hockey.”

All preliminary games will be streamed live at HockeyCanada.ca, while the gold medal game will be shown on TSN/RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.com/HC_ParaCup.

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Canada’s National Sledge Team finished with silver at the 2017 World Sledge Hockey Challenge after a 3-2 loss to the United States in the gold medal game Saturday night.

In the 11-year history of the tournament, Canada has now won five gold medals, five silver and one bronze.

“Our guys made a valiant effort. Any chances we had, we either missed or [U.S. goaltender Steve] Cash shut us down,” said Team Canada head coach, Ken Babey (Saskatoon, Sask.). “We just got off to a flat start and turned too many pucks over early in the game; it’s a tough thing to do when you’re playing a U.S. team that has good speed and fire power and that was the turning point.”

The United States had taken a three-goal lead before Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) connected with Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.) to capitalize on a two-man advantage and put Canada on the board midway through the second period.

Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.) added a second Canadian goal off a McGregor set-up with 10 minutes to go in the third to aid in the comeback attempt. Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.) finished with 11 saves in the Canadian goal.

“Anytime you put yourselves down three it’s tough to get back, especially against a team like that,” McGregor said. “We showed a bit of resilience trying to come back. We had a good third, but trying to come from behind the eight-ball like that is pretty tough. It’s frustrating because we know we’re better than that. We certainly have a lot of motivation to get as good as we can and continue building for Korea [and the Paralympic Winter Games].”

Earlier in the day, Korea doubled up Italy 6-3 in the bronze medal game, medalling for the second time in three years.

The four-team tournament provided edge-of-your-seat action for fans taking in 10 games over five days at MacLauchlan Arena. Team Canada immersed itself in the community with local school presentations, visiting the seniors’ active living centre, as well as meet-and-greets with minor hockey teams.

More than 2,800 school kids packed the arena throughout the week to cheer on the athletes through the local school progam. The World Sledge Hockey Challenge will also leave a lasting legacy in the area as proceeds from the event will go back into the community to be re-invested into the growth of sledge hockey.

The World Sledge Hockey Challenge is the latest stop on Team Canada’s road to PyeongChang and the 2018 Paralympics. The tournament follows the three-game series against Korea in Gangneung, South Korea last month. Action continues in February with a two-game series against the United States ahead of the Games.

For more information on the Hockey Canada and Canada’s sledge hockey programs, visit HockeyCanada.ca and follow along via social media at Facebook and Twitter.

Luke Pierce’s year has been a whirlwind, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

In June, Pierce was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League. Already signed up to serve as an assistant coach with Canada Red at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, he added more Hockey Canada responsibilities when he joined Canada’s National Sledge Team an assistant.

“The coaching journey is never linear. You never really know where it is going to take you,” Pierce says. “When Shawn [Bullock, senior manager of hockey operations and men’s national teams with Hockey Canada] first threw the idea by me, it was out of left field, but I took some time to talk to some people that have done it.

“Right from day one, it seemed like something I really wanted to do. I think as trying as my time was in Kootenay, this was a great reset button.”

The Merritt, B.C., product has spent eight seasons behind the bench, joining the coaching ranks as soon as he finished his university career with the Royal Military College in 2009.

Pierce was general manager and head coach of his hometown Merritt Centennials of the B.C. Hockey League for six years and head coach of the Ice for two before being replaced after the team was sold this summer.

“I think the greatest part about coaching is constantly learning,” he says. “The moment you stop making mistakes and stop learning is when you are done. I loved my time in Merritt, but it was certainly time to move on. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity in Kootenay.”

Now it’s on to para hockey, and a new challenge – helping get Team Canada ready for the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

“This was a cool opportunity and I am excited,” Pierce says. “My timing couldn’t have been better … these guys have been slugging away at this for four years and I got to slide right in at the time when we are headed for glory.”

Pierce will serve as assistant under head coach Ken Babey, who has been with Team Canada since 2015. The 2017 World Sledge Hockey Challenge will be the first time the two have been behind the bench together, but Babey believes Pierce will be a great fit.

“Luke is a former player and a good communicator, passionate about the game and team orientated – those are all things that we are looking for in a coach that works on our staff and our team,” says Babey. “He is also within the age group of some of our players, so I think he can help with bridging the gap in communication and working with the players on an individual basis.”

The learning curve has been steep for Pierce; he has had to absorb a lot in a short period of time to get ready for Charlottetown. Para hockey is especially different from the stand-up game from a tactical perspective, not to mention understanding the personalities of the players, and the culture of the team.

“My biggest concern was if it was a different game, but I have been surprised with how little it does vary. Obviously, there are some things that are different about it, but the game stays the game,” said Pierce.

“I was shocked at how incredible these athletes are and the pace of the game that they play at and their skill level. It has been good for me to try and find new ways to help them because they are already masters at their sport. I am trying to bring little things that we can add to create wrinkles for other teams.”

Pierce also won’t hesitate to lean on his previous international experience; he was an assistant with Canada West at the 2014 World Junior A Challenge in addition to his U17 position this season.

In northern B.C. last month, Pierce helped Red to a silver-medal finish.

“The U17s was a great experience. Short-term tournaments are all about peaking at the right time, staying patient and building towards that final goal,” he says. “For me and this role, I can focus on those little things that might go unnoticed. Ken has a great handle on the rest of the stuff and I will do whatever I can to support so we peak at the right moment.”

And when this para hockey ride is over?

Pierce isn’t sure where he will end up next, but he isn’t too worried. The hockey world is a small one, and when this chapter ends, he’s excited for a new one to begin.

“Right now, this has been a great dose of reality. What these guys have done and what they have overcome is inspiring,” he says. “I am going to enjoy the hell out of this. If something comes along next, which I am sure it will, I will be a bit more grounded.”

The plan was carved out in Saskatoon hotel rooms and hockey rinks early last summer.

As Canada’s National Sledge Team came together at the annual Hockey Canada Foundation gala and was honoured for its gold medal at the 2017 IPC World Para Hockey Championship, the braintrust was hard at work.

The trip wasn’t only about celebrating. Head coach Ken Babey and his staff laid the groundwork for the season ahead, with the goal of getting Team Canada back on top at the Paralympic Winter Games.

“We put our guys through fitness testing during that weekend where we celebrated our world championship win,” says Babey. “We started early in terms of the physical preparation and getting our guys into our fitness program and plan, with the hope that we do peak in March 2018.

“I met with all of the resources provided to us through Hockey Canada and Canadian Sport Institute. We used all of the resources we can to build a plan that we think focuses on peaking at certain times. One of those is the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. The big one, of course, is the Paralympics.”

The plan has been to get together every month from September through to the Games in March. It started with the September Showcase, which brought together 30 players and Korea’s national team for a week of practices and games.

The event also served as selection camp for the 2017-18 season, with 20 players chosen to be part of the Paralympic pool leading into PyeongChang.

“Our season plan was to have more hybrid camps, where you have a mixture of training on the ice and off the ice, but also some games mixed in.” says Babey. “We started with the showcase where Canada split teams and we brought in Korea, with each team playing four games and we picked our national team from those games. We [also] mixed in some practice and off-ice training.

“It was the same thing with the three-game series in Korea [in early November]. We trained two times a day on the ice and also a weight session in between. So it put the guys through the paces and we mixed in some games.”

The Canadians have been perfect against the Paralympic hosts this season, winning all four games at the September Showcase before a three-game sweep of the Koreans in Gangneung last month.

The season schedule was created with the goal of the team playing its best at the Paralympics, which open March 8 in South Korea. Part of that is getting acclimatized, which is why players and staff spent just over a week in Asia in early November.

“I believe that trip will serve our team significant benefits when we go over there again in March,” says Canadian forward Tyler McGregor. “It was a quick trip. We were there for nine days and when you include travel and how many practices and workouts and games we packed in, it was a very difficult week both physically and mentally.

“It was a challenge for our team to rise to the occasion. It was all about making that environment the most challenging it could be so that when we go back in March, the experience seems a lot easier. There will be a little more pressure but we will be used to the food, the different culture [and] the facilities.”

The schedule continues this week as Canada welcomes Italy, Korea and the United States for the 2017 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown, P.E.I., the second year in a row the city will play host.

McGregor says Canada has unfinished business, both at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge and the Paralympics. Although the Canadians are the defending world champions, the U.S. owns the most recent WSHC and Paralympic golds, more often than not going through Canada to get them.

“We can’t wait. Our team looks great right now,” says McGregor of heading to Charlottetown. “We’ve been training hard the past few months, coming off of our showcase in September and just having the opportunity to go to Korea within the past month. We look good, we’re in great shape [and] we continue to get better.

“The special thing about the World Sledge Hockey Challenge is it’s the only short competition that we get to play before we go over to Korea in March. We have some of the best teams in the world coming over. Going into Charlottetown, where we were last year, we’re excited to turn the page on last year’s result and hopefully leave there with the gold medal and make the most of the opportunity to play some tough competition.”