PICTOU LANDING, N.S. – Wayne and Calvin Denny have never had the chance to play together on the same team.
That’s about to change, now that the brothers from the Pictou Landing First Nations reserve
both made the cut at tryouts for Team Atlantic. They will represent this region at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, to be held early next month in Membertou, Cape Breton.
Wayne is a 16-year-old right-winger going into his third season with the Weeks Major Midget program, while Calvin, 14, is a puck-moving defenceman who last year played with the Major Bantam Bombers. He hopes to catch on with the Major Midget program next fall, where he would again join his brother.
“I’m honoured to be playing with my brother, it should be a good experience for us,” said Wayne, who was on the Team Atlantic roster for the same tournament in 2017, where the team went winless in five games in Vancouver.
That experience should help him the second time around.
“Last year was my first year so I was a little nervous and scared, but as things went on, I was doing a lot better,” he said.
“There was a lot of good, big players up there. It’s fast hockey and very challenging, it tests your skills. I feel more confident this year, so I think I’ll do good.”
The two attended tryouts recently, earning spots on Team Atlantic after four, two-hour tryout sessions in Cape Breton.
“It’s really exciting, it’s cool to be playing with my brother,” Calvin said.
“I look up to him, and it’s gonna be fun to play with my brother – I’ve never had the chance to play on a team with him so I’m looking forward to that.”
