From gas jockey and retired jock, to playing a regular shift in the Western Hockey League, Taylor Orser's career path has come full circle this season.
Orser was working at a Turbo gas station in Prince George when the Cougars called on Halloween Day asking if he wanted to play for them.
It was no trick, and it's certainly been a treat for Orser.
"I thought the dream was over for me to play, and then I got the call to come up and ever since then it's just been an honour to play," said Orser. "I thought hockey was over for me and had a month-and-a-half off when I got the call. It was a pretty easy decision."
Orser started out this season with Portland but did not play in a game. The Winter Hawks sent him to Drumheller of the Alberta Junior Hockey League but after six games at right wing with the Dragons, he decided to hang up his gear and returned to his family home in Prince George.
"I love playing at home and love the opportunity to play in the WHL, it's something I've wanted to do since I started playing, " said Orser, a native of Langley who spent two seasons in the BCHL with Surrey and Alberni Valley.
"We just recently moved to Prince George so this is home now. My parents wanted to downsize on a house and move to a new city and it's working out, they're loving it. My brother had moved up and all my (two other) siblings lived up here, so I think they wanted to be closer to the family still."
Orser is one of five Cougars whose families are in Prince George. That list includes goalie Alex Wright, defencemen Garrett Thiessen and Daniel Gibb, and forwards Brett Connolly and Spencer Asuchak.
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