Hank Levy sat out the 2020-21 season due to not be able to cross the Canadian border, but that won’t be the case this season after the 2002-born goaltender signed earlier this month with the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild.

Levy last played for the Colorado Thunderbirds’ 18U AAA team in 2019-20 and posted an 8-2-0 record with a 1.64 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.

“The opportunity in Wenatchee came for me from them watching a lot of my games during my time with the Thunderbirds as well as attending their two-week orientation camp in May and doing well at that,” said Levy. “What appeals to me about the team and league are the amount of players that move on to play NCAA Division I college hockey and pro hockey.

“I know a handful of guys from the orientation camp I did in Wenatchee back in May but the only one I knew before that was David Hejduk, who played for the Thunderbirds the same years I was there.”

Wenatchee head coach Chris Clark touched on what Levy will bring to the Wild this season.

“Hank came to us during our extended training camp and did a great job,” Clark said. “He is a goaltender we have been watching for some time dating back to his years with the Colorado Thunderbirds program. He is a highly competitive goaltender who is technically solid as well. He carries himself in a very professional manner off the ice. We look forward to working with Hank as he, too, makes the jump to junior hockey here in Wenatchee.”

The Wild’s director of scouting, Leigh Mendelson, called Levy “a goaltender who has a very calm demeanor, while at the same time being competitive and relentless in goal.”

“Hank tracks pucks well and gives himself a chance to stop the puck with good consistency,” Mendelson added. “We are looking forward to helping his transition to junior hockey and development into an NCAA recruit in the future.”

Levy noted that he expects to be an impact player in Wenatchee this season.

“I can do that by working as hard as I can every single day and giving my team a chance to win our games,” said Levy.

Levy got his start playing hockey because of his father Jeff Levy, who played NCAA D-I hockey at the University of New Hampshire and professionally after that.

“In his last years of pro hockey, I was able to watch him play and fell in love with it myself,” said the younger Levy. “He is my role model.”

With the Thunderbirds, Levy said two coaches helped him realize that he had the talent to take his game to the next level.

“I played for the Thunderbirds for most of my youth hockey and the coaches that have made the biggest positive impact during my time with the Thunderbirds were Angelo Ricci and Scott Smith,” said Levy.

Going forward, Levy has goals in mind that are not only reasonable but well within reach.

“My short-term goals are to take one day at a time and to have a great season this year,” Levy said. “My long-term goals are to play Division I college hockey and pro hockey.”

The Wild start the 2021-22 BCHL regular season on Saturday, October 9 with a 7 p.m. PDT game in Penticton.

— Matt Mackinder

(September 30, 2021)