With an intensive training schedule and the sole focus of achieving their goal to take home a gold medal, the little moments athletes experience on their road to the Paralympics can easily blur together.

But for Greg Westlake, who is participating in his fifth Paralympic Winter Games, he’s taking the opportunity to soak in every moment. That’s because the 19-year veteran of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team has announced that he will be retiring at the end of Beijing 2022.

“I’m really happy that I came out ahead of it and said that this was going to be my last one,” Westlake says. “It’s kind of freed me up and allowed me to really just enjoy all the little things.”

The realization that he is nearing the end of his career really sunk in a few days before Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team left for Beijing. After the team’s last practice in Calgary, the gravity of the moment hit the 35-year-old while he was in the dressing room.

“It was my last ice time in Canada,” he says. “The practice ended, and I was just sitting there like ‘I don’t know when I’m going to play hockey in Canada again.’”

Beijing 2022 ties a bow on an accomplished career with Team Canada. Westlake joined the para hockey program in 2003 and has played as a goaltender, a defenceman and a forward. He won gold at his first Paralympic Games in 2006 and has since won two more Paralympic medals: bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018.

At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Westlake was named captain and served in that role for eight years. In IPC World Para Hockey Championship action, he has won three gold medals (2008, 2013, 2017), two silver (2015, 2019) and two bronze (2009, 2012).

On top of those accolades, Westlake was honoured with leading Team Canada into the Opening Ceremony of Beijing 2022 as one of the country’s flag bearers. His eyes are set on winning gold in his final competition, but he also hopes to experience the Games from the perspective of his younger teammates.

“I want to live the Games through some other people's eyes a little bit, you know, the guys who it's their first time walking into an Opening Ceremony,” he says. “I think, for me, that's really fun and exciting. Seeing a 19-, 20-year-old kid just like, ‘Greg, aren't you excited about the opening ceremonies?’ You see that excitement; it makes you young again. It makes you feel like it's your first time and that really excites me.”

As a member of the national team for almost two decades, the Oakville, Ont., native has had the opportunity to be teammates with many para hockey players. As the team evolved, his leadership style also evolved to best serve his teammates. Looking back, Westlake says he was a boisterous, energy guy when he first joined the team, but he has a calmer approach now. He prefers conversations over coffee or being a source of advice.

“Every single team is different,” he says. “They’re going to have new dynamics, new wants and needs and things that it takes for that team to be successful. You got to be a bit of a chameleon, you got to be able to blend into where you’re needed most and do that role to the best of your ability. I try my best to do that.”

For younger players, like Branden Sison and Anton Jacobs-Webb, who looked up to Westlake as a role model, the ability to be teammates with him is an exciting opportunity.

“It's pretty surreal, to be honest,” says Sison, who was inspired watching Westlake on TV at the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver. “You never really think you'll be seeing a guy on TV and then getting the chance to play with him on a line or as a D-pairing or whatever. But he's a really, really amazing player.”

As a teenager, Jacobs-Webb met Westlake at the Cruisers Cup in Brampton, Ont. After playing his games in the junior division, he watched Westlake compete in the elite division and stuck around after the game to have him sign a pair of gloves and take a photo together.

“It was kind of a big moment. I was pretty nervous,” Jacobs-Webb says. “My parents were like, ‘Yeah, go talk to him’ when I didn’t really want to. But I’m really happy I went to talk to him in the end.”

“He was a shy kid,” Westlake says of Jacobs-Webb. “What I enjoyed about meeting him was he was a fan of the sport, like he knew who I was.”

The teammates have come a long way since then, but the impact Westlake had on Jacobs-Webb while he dreamed of wearing the Maple Leaf as a kid remains to this day.

“Of course, we’re teammates, we’ve played together for four years, but there’s still a tiny bit [of me that] can’t get over it. It’s still Greg. I watched pretty much all of his YouTube videos,” Jacobs-Webb says. “He’s got a big name and it’s crazy to play with him.”

On the ice, Westlake is known for his competitive spirit and the way he grinds and battles for pucks. His ability to adapt throughout the years also stands out to his teammates.

“I compare him to LeBron James; he’s well-versed in the sport and he changes his game play throughout the years to adapt to the new style of play that we have,” Sison says. “It’s a very fast style of hockey nowadays. He’s been able to keep up with that throughout the years and change his style of play. Also going from defence to forward, he’s a very versatile player.”

A unique aspect of Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team is the mix of veterans and rookies—Sison and Jacobs-Webb are among seven players making their Paralympic debuts in Beijing. With a veteran like Westlake closing the book on his para hockey career, it symbolizes a passing of the torch to the next generation.

“I don’t want to say goodbye to them just yet because they’re that valuable to us and to the team. But the next generation is coming, and we’re looking pretty strong,” Sison says. “I think they’ll be very proud of the direction that [Canada’s National Para Hockey Team] is going. I think they’re leaving it in good hands, and they’ll be happy with the results that we’re going to bring in the future.”

“I think it’s a great opportunity for us,” Jacobs-Webb adds. “We get a bit of mentorship, we get to follow their leadership and we get to learn a lot from them. By the time they’re gone, I think we’re going to be pretty well set. We have a good core.”

“The biggest difference I see is more and more guys have the ability to make a living being an athlete representing their country and train full-time. That was something that in the past, it just wasn’t there,” he says. “When we can get to the point where every single guy on the team, this is what they do, that will be great.”

Another goal for Westlake is for para hockey to gain more exposure and garner more fans to continue to push the sport forward.

“I can only speak from my experience; I can’t speak for everyone. But as a kid growing up with two artificial legs, I never saw anybody that looked like me on TV. I never saw anybody in a prominent hockey role that looked like me,” Westlake says. “It was hard for me to have these goals and ambitions and dreams in hockey because I just didn’t think it was possible.

“When you look at 10 to 15 years down the road, I see more games on TV for us, not just one a year. I see way more advocacy, just more representation.”

Right now, Westlake is focused on finishing his career on a golden note in Beijing. After the Paralympics are done and his playing career is complete, he hopes to stay involved in the hockey world.

“I don’t know exactly what that is yet, but I love player development. I love scouting. I love the management side,” he says. “As it pertains to this program—anything, anytime. It’s a yes for me all day.”

His time wearing the Maple Leaf on his sweater may be complete, but his legacy in para hockey and his passion for the sport will live on.

“I just love the game. I love the team. It’s been my favourite thing since I was three years old and I get emotional talking about it,” he says. “I hope people know that in the times when it wasn’t the biggest sport in the world, I was there trying to do my best to promote it and trying to leave it in a better place than I found it.

“I just have a lot of love for the program. And I hope people know that.”

The collision looked normal enough. But as the bodies cleared and the play moved on, Garrett Riley was still lying on his side in the neutral zone. Athletic therapist Michael Lenart was on the ice and over to Riley as soon as the whistle sounded. He immediately called for medical support. Within seconds, Dr. Roy Diklich was at Riley’s side and signalling for an ambulance.

Riley’s right leg – his only leg – was badly broken.

Riley is no stranger to hospitals. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 15 and had his left knee replaced with a prosthetic joint to try and save the rest of his leg. Seven years later, an infection took hold and Riley became septic, leading to an above-knee amputation when he was 22. Since that operation in 2017, he has dealt with issues surrounding his residual limb, including extreme pain requiring a handful of additional surgeries.

Things got so bad the rapidly rising young para hockey star had to step away from the game after the 2018-19 season, just a year into his national team career. The Brantford, Ont., native worried that might be the end of his hockey journey, but the pain wouldn’t relent.

“I’ve had three surgeries in the last two-and-a-half years on my residual limb to try and fix the pain that I have constantly, every day,” Riley explains. “And unfortunately, none of the surgeries have really worked so it was a big setback in my career.”

In August 2021, Riley had a further resection of his residual limb just weeks before Canada’s National Para Hockey Team selection camp. He was already feeling like an underdog going in, having been away from the program for two years, and physically wasn’t at his best. But head coach Ken Babey didn’t see it that way. He saw a young player with raw talent back in the fold. Babey was excited about the prospect.

We were hoping Garrett would show up at selection camp ready to play this season and he did,” Babey says. “He made the roster and was really starting to come along [early in the year].”

Coming out of camp, Riley felt good about the season. The first hurdle on the way to 2022 Paralympic Winter Games was cleared, training was going well and the season schedule was shaping up nicely, including an early season trip to St. Louis for a two-game series against the United States.

The trip started well, but busy. Two practices a day to open the week meant long days at the arena and spending time together as a team. There was also the curiosity of the rink itself – the games were going to be outdoors. But when the team arrived in St. Louis, the ice hadn’t even been started. Each and every day the team would arrive and check on the progress.

Everyone was surprised when the ice was ready for puck drop on Oct. 29, and the excitement was palpable. Fans started arriving, including a family of four originally from north of the border, all dressed proudly in the red and white. Riley was anxious to get back on the ice wearing the Maple Leaf, but all the nerves drifted away in warmup.

Canada’s game was physical from puck drop, which is hardly a surprise given this was the first meeting between these two rivals since the 2021 IPC World Para Hockey Championship gold medal game, where the Canadians did not walk away with the top prize. Riley wasn’t on that roster, but the whole team felt it was important to make its presence known early.

It was his second shift in the first period, just barely enough time into the game to work up a sweat. Riley was skating through the neutral zone when U.S. forward Brody Roybal headed for a loose puck. There was no way to beat the American there, so Riley planned to finish the check. As did Canadian defenceman Adam Dixon. Roybal saw Dixon coming and stopped short. Riley hit the boards straight on and stopped dead, just as Dixon’s sled hit him. No one knows how Riley’s leg came out of the strap, but it took the full force of the hit, breaking both the bones in his calf.

I remember I had my eyes closed when they were trying to get me out of my sled and onto the stretcher and I just remember someone grabbing my hand,” Riley recalls.  “It was (equipment manager) A.J. Murley and I will always be grateful for him in that moment.”

Diklich rode with him in the ambulance to the hospital and spoke to the St. Louis care team. As an emergency room physician himself, Diklich has seen his fair share of bad breaks. He was there when they tried to remove Riley’s equipment but had to sedate the forward to do so. And once it was off, it was evident why. Riley had a compound fracture; the tibia had broken through the skin. A difficult injury for anyone to deal with, let someone with only one leg.

Riley was in surgery within eight hours. He had a rod installed to support the tibia and was feeling strong enough to attempt walking the next day. That proved to be too much, and plans to get Riley home on a commercial flight were dropped. Team coordinator Mitchell Furlotte waited for a few days with Riley in St. Louis until a medical flight could be arranged.

But getting home wasn’t the hardest part of this journey. Riley’s injury happened just 127 days from the start of the Beijing Games. A typical recovery from a compound fracture is about two or three months, but that is a long time for a high-performance athlete, who trains six days a week in the gym or on the ice, to be out of action, especially in a Paralympic year. So, Riley decided right away not to be down that long and that his injury would not stop him from making the team, not after everything he had been through over the last two years.

"It was definitely in my mind at first that I was done for the season,” Riley says. “But then I just thought I was done with laying around not doing anything, so if something goes wrong it goes wrong, but at that point, I just needed to push myself and get back out there.”

Two weeks after the collision, Riley was back at the gym. Arm workouts only, but focused on keeping up everything he had gained over the year. He was in constant contact with team support staff and even worked with some trainers he knew from his Team Ontario experience. Grinding it out in the gym alone for over a month was hard on Riley, but he kept his mind on the goal and built a little each day.

Then an infection took hold.

It started off small enough, but for Riley even that brought back memories from his teenage cancer and the infection that ultimately cost him his left leg. It was a tense two weeks, with everyone in Riley’s life watching and waiting to see if he could fight it off. Suddenly, returning to hockey wasn’t the priority anymore. Saving his one remaining leg was all that mattered.

I just kept doing things that I was in control of and able to do to help me get along and get to the point that I needed to be,” Riley says.

He rejoined the national team in Calgary in December for a training camp (which was in place of the cancelled Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup), though he still wasn’t cleared to be on the ice. During practices, strength and conditioning coach Bryan Yu would bring a cardio machine rinkside so Riley could watch. For the first time in six weeks, he really felt like a part of the team.

But there was still the matter of getting him on the ice. The orthopedic doctor in Ontario took a much more conservative approach than Riley would have liked, but given the extent of the injury and the infection, there wasn’t much of a choice. Even with the protection of the sled, getting back into full training, especially contact, before the injury was sufficiently healed could have detrimental long-term effects. Plus, Riley still used his leg for balance while skating, which he noticed still caused pain when he was finally medically cleared to return to practice.

Two months to the day from the accident – Dec. 29 – Riley was back on the ice. It was a hub skate in Toronto with three other Ontario-based team members. He worked by himself for a while, getting comfortable in the sled and with his leg, before joining the rest of the players in drills. It was a great day and as word of his return spread through the team, so too did some added energy.

“Being a part of his journey to just getting in a sled, not even really thinking it meant he was going to be competitive again or positioning himself to make the team was pretty special,” says Lenart.  “But the reality is he had missed a big chunk of training time, and at this level any time you miss is time that your teammates and competitors are getting that you’re not.”

Would there be enough time?

Riley quickly had the same realization; those two months recovering had played havoc with his fitness and timing. If he wanted a shot at the Paralympic roster, he was going to need more ice time, more specific training and more coaching, but options were limited at home in Ontario. Babey suggested Riley come to Calgary early in January to work with him and the Alberta-based players, but also to have focused sessions with Yu and the support staff.

It was a big ask. The team was already planning a month-long centralization bubble leading into the Paralympics and this would add another three weeks away from home – over nine weeks away in total if Riley made the final roster. But that was the goal; for the past year Riley had thought of little else than wearing the Maple Leaf in Beijing. Three extra weeks was not going to deter him from trying everything he could to be at his best when the coaches made their calls in early February to name the roster.

Twenty players had been selected to Canada’s National Para Hockey Team in September, but only 17 would be going to the Games. Riley knew the odds were good, but that didn’t help his nerves on the day the call finally came.

“That Zoom call was really emotional,” Babey says. “The way he fought his way back, I think he earned a lot of respect from his fellow players, and I know from the coaching staff and support staff.”

In that moment, everything Riley had been through in his life was rewarded. Cancer, an amputation, chronic pain, surgery after surgery, a broken leg; it had all been leading to the point where he would have a chance to live out a childhood dream and represent his country.

Garrett Riley was a Paralympian.

Photo Credit: Angela Burger/Paralympic.ca

TV: CBC | Stream: CBC.ca

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team opens the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games with the most heated rivalry in the game – Canada versus the United States. These teams have met in the last two IPC World Para Hockey Championship gold medal games and played in a thrilling extra-time final at the 2018 Paralympics. The U.S. is the three-time defending Paralympic gold medallist, while Canada’s only title came in 2006.

LAST GAME

In another COVID-ravaged season, neither of these teams have had much game play this year. Canada last saw action in the finale of a four-game series against South Korea in November in Bridgewater, N.S. In that game, Billy Bridges had a hat trick and Anton Jacobs-Webb earned four assists in an 11-0 win. Canada finished that series with four wins, outscoring the Koreans 31-1.

For the U.S., it’s been even longer without a game. It last saw competitive action in at the end of October 2021 in a two-game series against the Canadians in St. Louis. The Americans took the finale 4-1, getting goals from four different players and a pair of assists from Declan Farmer.

LAST MEETING

As mentioned above, the teams last met in St. Louis just over three months ago; Canada took the opener by a 4-2 count thanks to two-point efforts from Liam Hickey and Zach Lavin before the U.S. won the finale.

WHAT TO WATCH

The Canadians have seven Paralympic rookies on the roster, while the three most veteran players boast 15 Games appearances between them (Billy Bridges – 6, Greg Westlake – 5, Adam Dixon – 4). Opening up with what should be a physical matchup in the biggest game of the prelims is a sure-fire way of getting the nerves out in a real hurry.

For the U.S., the biggest question mark comes in goal; Steve Cash, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist and two-time world champion, announced his surprise retirement just days before the Canada-U.S. series last fall. That leaves long-time backup Jen Lee as the new No. 1. He played both games in the St. Louis series, stopping 14 of 18 shots, but Beijing will be a bigger challenge.

A LOOK BACK

It’s the 106th meeting between the North American rivals and the fifth time on the sport’s biggest stage.

Canada has yet to defeat the U.S. at the Paralympics, going 0-3-1 with the tie dating back to 1998. The last meeting, four years ago in PyeongChang, is the one remembered the most; the Canadians were 48 seconds from their first Paralympic title since 2006 before Declan Farmer tied the game and then won it in overtime, leaving Canada with a 2-1 loss and a silver medal.

The Canadians and Americans have also met in each of the last five world championship finals. Canada’s most recent world title came in 2017, when Tyler McGregor scored twice and Brad Bowden added a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win in Gangneung, South Korea.

All-time record: Canada leads 59-45-1
Canada goals: 223
United States goals: 184

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) have announced that Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.), a two-time Paralympic medallist, will wear the ‘C’ for Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

PyeongChang 2018 silver medallists James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.), Tyrone Henry (Ottawa, Ont.) and Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.) will serve alongside McGregor as alternate captains. Dunn and Hickey will alternate wearing the ‘A’ throughout the tournament.

“I am honoured to participate in my third Paralympics, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as captain on a team with so many great leaders that are worthy of this accomplishment,” said McGregor. “James, Tyrone and Liam are exceptional players and leaders that are deserving of this honour. While our season has been one of perseverance, our entire team is excited to compete in Beijing and continue to work towards our goal of winning a gold medal for Canada.”

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team announced its 17-player roster on Feb. 15, and has been participating in a month-long training camp in Calgary ahead of the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. Canada will kick of the tournament on March 5 against the United States, and will also play RPC on March 6 and Korea on March 8 to round out preliminary-round action.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alta. – Seventeen players will be taking the ice at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games next month with podium goals as the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Hockey Canada announced Canada’s Para ice hockey roster on Tuesday.

Canada’s roster includes two goaltenders, five defencemen and 10 forwards:

• Goaltenders: Adam Kingsmill (Smithers, B.C.) and Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.);

• Defencemen: Rob Armstrong (Erin, Ont.), Rod Crane (Clarksburg, Ont.), Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.), Tyrone Henry (Ottawa, Ont.) and Branden Sison (Edmonton, Alta.);

• Forwards: Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.), Ben Delaney (Ottawa, Ont.), James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.), Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.), Anton Jacobs-Webb (Gatineau, Que.), Zach Lavin (Essex, Ont.), Antoine Lehoux (Thetford Mines, Que.), Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.), Garrett Riley (Brantford, Ont.) and Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.)

“The 17 players named to Team Canada have shown unwavering perseverance, dedication and commitment as part of the selection process, and we are excited to cheer them on at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games,” said Hockey Canada CEO, Tom Renney (Cranbrook, B.C.). “Whether they are returning to the Paralympics or competing in their first Games, we hope that each athlete is proud to wear the Maple Leaf and be part of a team that inspires Canadians across the country.”

“We are thrilled to announce the athletes who will represent Team Canada in para ice hockey at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games,” said Marshall Starkman (Thornhill, Ont.), manager of hockey operations. “This team has worked tirelessly through incredible circumstances in their preparation to compete in Beijing, and they look forward to representing our country with pride and honour.”

Canada is returning 10 members of the 2018 Paralympic squad that won silver: Armstrong, Bridges, Delaney, Dixon, Dunn, Henry, Hickey, Larocque, McGregor and Westlake.

Bridges and Westlake are the most experienced veterans of the team with Bridges set for his sixth Paralympic Winter Games appearance and Westlake readying for his fifth. Right behind them is Dixon heading for his fourth, with Delaney, Larocque and McGregor playing in their third Games. Hickey will also be at his third Games, but second as a Para ice hockey player after competing in the 2016 Summer Games in wheelchair basketball. 

“Any chance to wear the Maple Leaf is very special, and it is an honour to be a part of this team and to compete for a gold medal in Beijing,” said McGregor. “We hope that any young Canadian watching our team will be inspired and see an opportunity to get in a sled on the ice and chase their dreams.”

“Representing Canada at the Paralympics is a tremendous privilege,” said Larocque. “This group has become extremely close during the last four years in preparation of the Games, and we cannot wait to start the tournament on March 5.”

Seven athletes will be making their Paralympic debuts: Crane, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Lavin, Lehoux, Riley and Sison.

Canada will be looking to return to the top step of the Paralympic podium for the first time since 2006. In the ensuing years, the country has claimed a bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018. The Canadians are currently ranked No. 2 in the world behind the United States, most recently winning the silver medal at both the 2019 and 2021 world championships, as well as the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

“Today’s announcement is an exciting moment for our athletes and staff as we countdown to puck drop in Beijing,” said head coach Ken Babey (Saskatoon, Sask.). “Our team has one goal in mind and that is to bring home a gold medal, and we are confident this group will make Canadians proud from coast to coast to coast.”

Canada will play in Group A alongside the U.S., RPC and Korea. The top two teams from the round-robin will automatically move into the semifinals, with the bottom two teams playing in the quarterfinals. Canada’s preliminary schedule is as follows: 

March 5 – Canada vs. United States (12:05 a.m. ET/March 4 - 9:05 p.m. PT)
March 6 – Canada vs. RPC (March 5 - 8:35 p.m. ET/5:35 p.m. PT)
March 8 – Canada vs. Korea (12:05 a.m. ET/March 7 - 9:05 p.m. PT)

The rest of the schedule will see the quarterfinals on March 9, semifinals on March 11, the bronze medal game on March 12 and gold medal game on March 13.

“A huge congratulations to all 17 Para ice players who have been selected to play for Canada in Beijing,” said Josh Dueck, chef de mission, Beijing 2022 Canadian Paralympic Team. “Hockey is a sport synonymous with Canada, and this is a team that has achieved a lot of success and will definitely make the country proud at the Games. I know how hard each and every member of the squad has been working to be ready for these Games, and I have no doubt there will be plenty of exciting moments to cheer for during what will be a riveting para ice hockey tournament in Beijing. Let’s go, Canada!”

The Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games will take place March 4-13, 2022 in China. Canada is expecting to send a team of approximately 50 athletes, and audiences across the country will be able to follow all the action live through coverage from the Canadian Paralympic Media Consortium, including broadcast partners CBC/Radio-Canada, AMI and Sportsnet, and digital partners Twitter, Facebook and MXZN.  

View the complete list of athletes currently named to the Canadian Paralympic Team here. The Canadian Paralympic Committee will announce the official full team set to compete closer to the Games.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

As a former member of the Régiment de la Chaudière of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve, it means honouring our veterans, those who have given so much in the pursuit of our freedom. I have always been proud to wear the uniform and participate in Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Remembrance Day means a little bit more to me."

It was on route to one of those ceremonies, on Nov. 11, 2012, that my life changed forever.

I was with my regiment, travelling to the cenotaph in Beauceville, Que., when the bus we were on skidded and flipped. I was thrown through a window and my right leg was trapped underneath the bus.

I was transported to the Saint-François d’Assise Hospital in Quebec City, where my leg was amputated above the knee.

Life would never be the same, but the accident led me down a new path, to para hockey.

Without Nov. 11, 2012. I wouldn’t be where I am today – working towards making my Paralympic dream a reality with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team.

Finding my way

I started skating when I was three years old. I played minor hockey in my hometown of Thetford Mines, Que., and for my high school team. Then I quit.

I had other plans for my life. I joined the Régiment de la Chaudière when I was 16 years old. My long-term plan was to work as a driller and blaster in the private sector and stay in the Reserve part-time. I wanted to go on overseas missions.

Nov. 11, 2012 changed that.

Before my accident, I loved to wakeboard, water ski, downhill ski … any sports, really. I just loved to be outside. I'm not a video gamer.

After my accident, I was scared because I didn't know if I was going to be able to play sports again.

During my recovery in the hospital, I heard about para hockey. But I had absolutely no interests in para sports. To me, they weren't sports.

But when I got home, I went online and watched videos of Paralympic athletes. I saw them running, skiing, swimming. It motivated me – my life was not over!

I told myself that my new reality wouldn't be that bad. Two weeks later, I started rehab at the Centre François-Charron to learn how to walk with a prosthesis. I had high hopes going into rehab, but I learned quickly that moving ahead wouldn’t be as easy as I thought.

Inspiration from new friends

In the early days of my rehab, I met Gaétan "Boutch" Bouchard, a former combat engineer who had suffered a similar injury to mine during a mission in Afghanistan. Boutch invited me to play para hockey with veterans at CFB Valcartier. Meeting people who had the same disability as me really changed my perspective and showed me what I could achieve in the game.

That was also where I met my good friend and Team Canada teammate, Dominic Larocque.

• A First Father's Day
  Antoine Lehoux and Dominic Larocque are veterans in every sense of the word, but when it comes to their new babies, they’re still rookies, balancing family life and Team Canada duties

Dom was and is a hero and mentor to me. He is a former corporal from Valcartier who lost a leg in Afghanistan. We both had our accident at 19 years old and had the same type of amputation.

In 2013, I was learning the basics of para hockey with Dom, who was preparing for his first Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. (He was a forward then. Now he’s the best goaltender in the world.) He was cruising around me on the ice at high speed while I was struggling to just move forward on my sled without falling on my side.

This sport was a challenge, and it was one I wanted to conquer.

My new passion

I invested myself heavily into para hockey; it gave me a purpose in my new life. I didn't have a girlfriend at that time. I had nothing but para hockey. I put all my energy into it and in March 2015, I was selected by Hockey Canada for a three-game development series against the United States.

I made my first appearance with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team at the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, and played at my first world championship in 2019. There’s nothing like wearing the Maple Leaf.

In 2018, I appeared in a TV commercial about aspiring Paralympians. Shortly after, I received a message from a young Quebecer named Jean-François Huneault. He was a goaltender who wanted to try para hockey and asked me for advice. Whatever I said must have worked – he has been attending national team camps for a few years now.

When I look at him, I see myself. He wants to play for Team Canada so bad and he gives everything, just like I did.

Dom gave back to me, I give back to J-F and I’m sure he will do it for someone else.

These days, my focus is on making the Paralympic roster for the Beijing Games. I train once or twice a day, six days a week, and I’m on the road with our 20-player roster, travelling across Canada, to the U.S. or, soon, to the Czech Republic for competitions.

I really want to make this team and win gold in China.

Beyond the game

My story and my Paralympic dream wouldn’t be what they are without Remembrance Day. But despite all that day signifies in my life, it still pales in comparison to what Nov. 11 is truly about.

It is about the Canadians who sacrificed their lives for our freedoms, our values, our country.

It is about the veterans who made it home, but did so with life-changing physical or mental challenges.

For me, Remembrance Day is about honouring those people.

Thank you to all those who serve, and have served.

GANGNEUNG, South Korea – Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team skated to a silver medal following a 2-1 overtime loss to the United States in the gold medal game Sunday afternoon in Gangneung.

The Canadians took an early lead on a goal by veteran Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) at 12:06 of the first period, and held on to the lead until the Americans tied it up in the dying seconds of the third frame to force overtime. Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.) faced 16 shots – four more than his U.S. counterpart – but the United States skated to gold as Declan Farmer found the back of the net at 3:30 of overtime. The full game story and stats can be found at HockeyCanada.ca.

“Our guys were tremendous. They battled hard. They took Canada’s para hockey program to a silver medal. I’m very proud of our team, and I’m very lucky to be part of such a great group of young men and such a great organization [as Hockey Canada],” said head coach Ken Babey (Saskatoon, Sask.) whose disappointment over Sunday’s loss wasn’t overshadowed by the prospects he sees for the program leading into 2022. “The veteran players showed a lot of experience, and they bought into the system and the style of play. We’ve taken the style of play to a whole new level, and Canada should be proud of that and our team is proud of that. We have a lot of young players coming up, and through this experience, we’ll be better. Our fortunes are looking pretty good for the next quadrennial.”

Canada dominated its opponents through the preliminary round and semifinal play where they outscored Sweden, Italy, Norway, and Korea 42-0 while allowing only 13 shots on goal. Canada ends the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games with a record of 4-1.

“This whole build has been fantastic. It’s not the result we wanted tonight, but I think it’s important to take a step back and realize that in high-performance sport, the difference can be inches, millimetres, a millisecond, and that can determine the outcome, and that can determine and shape your experience of a [Paralympic] Games,” said team captain Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.), one of three players who won gold in 2006, and bronze in 2014. He said that while silver isn’t the colour of medal the team had hoped for, a Paralympic Games medal of any colour is special and holds a lot of power. “I’ve been fortunate to go to a lot of galas, a lot of golf tournaments, a lot of hospitals, and people don’t care that it’s gold, silver, or bronze, they care that you stuck to something, persevered, and you were able to accomplish something not many people do in their life. I think over time we’ll take this silver medal back home and hopefully inspire a whole new generation of Paralympians, Olympians, [or] just high-performing people that say hey, bad things are coming, but we’re going to work hard and we’re going to come out the other side [and be] okay.”

Canada’s lone para hockey gold medal came in Turin in 2006 where three members of this year’s team – Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont.), Bridges, and Westlake – finished atop the podium. Canada has also won Paralympic silver in Nagano, Japan (1998) as well as a pair of bronze medals in Lillehammer, Norway (1994), and Sochi, Russia (2014).

The addition of Canada’s silver medal adds to the record medal haul for the Canadian contingent at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, surpassing the 2010 record of 19 medals in Vancouver. 

Canada’s para hockey team is set to return home on Tuesday, March 20, with arrivals in Vancouver on AC64 at 11:40 a.m. (Arsenault, Gemmell), and in Toronto on AC62 at 4:50 p.m. (Armstrong, Bowden, Bridges, Cozzolino, Delaney, Dixon, Dunn, Henry, Hickey, Larocque, McGregor, Sholomicki, Smith, Watson and Westlake).

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, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Sledge.

TORONTO, Ont. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), announced the 17 players nominated to represent Team Canada at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, March 9-18.

Canada’s roster includes two goaltenders, six defencemen, and nine forwards:

• Goaltenders: Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.) and Corbin Watson (Kingsville, Ont.);
• Defencemen: Rob Armstrong (Erin, Ont.),Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, Alta.), Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont.), Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.), James Gemmell (Quesnel, B.C.) and Tyrone Henry (Ottawa);
• Forwards: Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.),Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, Ont.), Ben Delaney (Ottawa), James Dunn (Wallacetown, Ont.), Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.), Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.), Bryan Sholomicki (Winnipeg), Corbyn Smith (Monkton, Ont.) and Greg Westlake (Toronto)

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team also features 10 players (Arsenault, Bowden, Bridges, Delaney, Dixon, Gemmell, Larocque, McGregor, Watson and Westlake) who brought home the bronze medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia; three players (Bowden, Bridges and Westlake) who captured Canada’s first Paralympic gold medal at the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Italy; and 16 players (Armstrong, Arsenault, Bowden, Bridges, Cozzolino, Delaney, Dixon, Gemmell, Henry, Hickey, Larocque, McGregor, Sholomicki, Smith, Watson and Westlake) who won the gold medal at the 2017 IPC World Para Hockey Championship in Gangneung, South Korea.

“It has been a long season of training, regional camps and international competition, but it has brought us to today where we can move on to the next stage with the 17 players we have chosen to represent Canada,” said head coach Ken Babey (Saskatoon, Sask.). “It was not an easy decision; our players have pushed each other all year to put us in the best possible position to win a gold medal. We’re excited to get to PyeongChang, put on the Team Canada jersey, and represent our country with pride.”

The nominated players were selected by Hockey Canada management and coaching staff led by Babey.

“The opportunity to put on the Canadian jersey to represent your country at the Paralympics is one of great honour and pride,” said Hockey Canada CEO, Tom Renney. “Some of these athletes are getting to represent their country at their fourth Paralympic Games, and the pride they have today is no different than the first time they had a chance to play for their country on the world stage.

“The passion they have for the game and the chance to grow the sport of para hockey will be on the display from the first moment they get on the ice in PyeongChang. We are proud of their talent and the way they inspire the next generation of aspiring Paralympians.”

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team will be in search of its first gold medal at the Paralympic Winter Games since sitting atop the podium in 2006, beginning with the first puck-drop against Sweden on Saturday, March 10.

“Congratulations to all of the para ice hockey players nominated to the 2018 Canadian Paralympic Team,” said Todd Nicholson, Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. “I know how it feels to have the opportunity to line up on the ice alongside your teammates on the biggest stage for the sport. It is a huge accomplishment, and each athlete should be immensely proud. This is a strong para ice hockey team and I hope all Canadians get behind them. I can’t wait to support the team in PyeongChang.”

Paralympic hockey action opens on Friday, March 9 and closes on Saturday, March 17 at the Gangneung Hockey Centre. Canada is competing in Group A with Italy, Norway and Sweden.

“Hockey being Canada’s national winter sport, I have no doubt all eyes will be on the Canadian para ice hockey team in PyeongChang,” said the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “I look forward to seeing these inspiring athletes dominate on the ice. Go Canada!”

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the CPC’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Federations. The Canadian Paralympic Committee will officially name the Canadian Paralympic Team later this month.

Hockey Canada also named the four players who will make up its leadership group at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. Greg Westlake will once again wear the ‘C’, and will be supported by Dixon, McGregor and Sholomicki.

“These four players were named to our leadership group last season and continue to set the example on-and-off the ice for our group,” said Babey. “This is a confident group and we know they’ll be successful in leading our team into PyeongChang.”

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, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Sledge.