The Cariboo Cougars didn't have to twist Jesse Pomeroy's arm to convince him to play three games back-to-back Sunday at their identification camp at the Elksentre.
The way he's got it figured, extra icetime in May might help him lock up a permanent position on a junior hockey team next season.
The soon-to-be 17-year-old from Prince George has at least three hockey options open to him. He could play junior A for the Spruce Kings, who called him up for six B.C. Hockey League games last season.
He might catch on in the Western Hockey League with the Regina Pats, who added him to their protected list after seeing him play for the Cougars in the Mac's midget tournament in Calgary.
Or he could return for a third season in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League playing defence for Cougars, who are taking a shot at a national championship as host team of the 2017 Telus Cup midget national championship.
"There are so many choices to be made," said Pomeroy, who turns 17 on May 25.
The six-foot, 170-pound Pomeroy will attend the Pats' spring prospects camp at the end of the month and can't wait to show the coaches in Regina what he is capable of on the ice.
"It's exciting, after getting dropped by (the Calgary Hitmen) in my first year of midget, then getting picked up by Regina at Christmas," said Pomeroy. "I started scoring at the Mac's, which surprised me, and that's good. I think my skating really improved since my first year of midget. I got a lot faster and I'm quicker at stops and starts. I also got an inch or two bigger and gained a few pounds."
Normally a defenceman, Pomeroy was moved up to centre Sunday to fill a spot for Team Green in their game against Team Yellow
"This is my third game today and I'm playing forward, so I'm a little tired," Pomeroy said. "I've gotten hit a few times, even the small guys have been rocking me out here, it's good competition.
"I think this team will be pretty good, not just being a walk-on to the Telus Cup but winning our province and beating Alberta. Lots of the guys who came to this camp are so good. I've never seen them before but they're big and strong and they're good."
During one of his scrimmages Saturday, Pomeroy squared off in a fight with Riley Krane, a 16-year-old forward from Dawson Creek, who played last season at the Okanagan Hockey Academy. Krane was drafted by the Pats last year and he also plans to attend the spring camp in Regina.
"It was pretty even," said Pomeroy, about the fight. "We talked after, it was a good experience."
In 40 regular-season games in 2015-16, Pomeroy scored five goals and 17 assists for 22 points and had 74 penalty minutes. He led the Cougars in playoff scoring with a goal and six assists in seven games, helping his team make it to the playoff final.
He gained the trust of the Cougars' coaching staff with his ability to control the play in all areas of the ice and eat up big minutes in every game while only rarely making costly mistakes.
"He had a great Mac's tournament and Regina listed him and they've been talking positive about him the whole year and they're looking forward to him going to the spring camp and he's obviously got some things going with the Spruce Kings as well," said Cougars head coach and general manager Trevor Sprague.
"He's got a bright future in junior hockey, no matter where he decides to go, and I think the best thing is he holds the cards and he's the one who gets to decide if he plays in the WHL or in junior A."
The three-day camp attracted 105 players, about 40 of whom will be invited to the Cougars' training camp in August.
"With the forwards and defence I'm ecstatic with what we got," said Sprague. "The (13) goalies haven't stepped up to be a Number 1 guy yet. They've all been talked to today that they have to be better and I think that's a good challenge.
"We need a goaltender who can go up against the top teams in each province and stop pucks when we break down against those teams."
Effective next season, the B.C. major midget league has changed its regional restrictions on team rosters. Each of the 11 teams will be allowed to bring in as many as eight players from outside of that team's jurisdictional boundaries.
"This gives an opportunity for guys who don't make the top-40, so they're able to move around a bit," said Sprague. "I like to stick to the northern guys, but at the end of the day it gives other kids some options to go play at a higher level and if they make the team, for us as a northern team, we get another kid developed for the following year, unless he's 17."
Sprague acknowledges the rule change could result in a talent drain from northern B.C., but he remains optimistic most midget-aged players will choose to remain closer to home, especially next season, when they have the chance to play for the Telus Cup hosts.
"Down the road it might hurt us, but that just means we have to be better recruiters and talk to our players and their parents a little more," Sprague said.
"There's a lot of loyalty in the north and we're not too worried about it."
