Alex Ochitwa has been a scoring machine for the Osoyoos Coyotes since joining the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League club from the Merritt Centennials for his first junior B game Oct. 20.
A graduate of the Prince George Cougars major midget program, Ochitwa began his Coyotes career on a five-game point streak that included a hat-trick performance in his second game and a four-point outing in his third. Through 10 games, he has 11 goals and 16 points.
“It’s definitely a little bit different, coming down a level,” says Ochitwa. “I was hoping to come down and start getting some confidence and help the team. I feel that’s what I came here to do – try to put up some points and help the team get some wins.”
Ochitwa joined the Coyotes with his confidence shaken, coming out of a difficult situation in Merritt, where he had to play a more defensive style on a team struggling to win. After generating six points in 18 games in the B.C. Hockey League’s Chilliwack hub last spring, he was released by the Cents two games into this season. He played two more BCHL games with the West Kelowna Warriors before the Coyotes latched on to him.
Since entering the KIJHL, Ochitwa has been learning how to produce more on the ice and regain confidence in his skills. He arrived in Osoyoos and found a couple of familiar faces on the Coyotes – his former Cariboo Cougar teammates Jack Henderson and Ethan Floris, whom he knows well.
“They had nothing but good things to say about the program,” said Ochitwa. “And then I talked to (head coach) Carter Rigby and we had a few good conversations. That’s really what made me make my decision.”
Rigby loves having Ochitwa, who he says “has been amazing for us.”
“He’s a kid that gives Jack Henderson someone to play with,” added Rigby. “They’ve grown up playing together too. Everybody looks at the goals and the assists, but he does so many little things well away from the puck. He is on the PK, he wins one-on-one battles. He’s not a very vocal leader, but he does the right things in practice. He works his bag off.”
Rigby says Ochitwa protects the puck well and likes his offensive talents. In 2019-20, his final season with the Cougars, Ohitwa put up 23 goals and 54 points in 30 games. In his rookie season he had 35 points in 40 games.
Rigby believes the 19-year-old deserves another shot at the BCHL and is convinced the five-foot-six, 160-pound Prince George native has the fitness, strength and skill to excel at higher levels of hockey.
“I think the game has changed a ton,” said Rigby. ”You can be smaller and play, but if there is one thing, I’ve talked with Alex about and it’s the speed. He’s a quick kid, but when you are talking about the BCHL, and arguably the best junior A hockey league in North America, and especially now where you can pull from anywhere, you have got to be the best of the best to play in the BCHL. It’s just going to have to be foot speed.”
Rigby wants to see Ochitwa gain that extra stride or two in order to generate offensive chances and produce at that level. There is interest in him from junior A organizations from the AJHL and SJHL, but it’s a matter of what is best for Ochitwa, Rigby says.
For now he will continue to enjoy having Ochitwa and his production to help the Coyotes pile up victories. They currently rank first in the Bill Ohlhausen Division with a 13-2-1-2 record.
