The Campbell River Storm have acquired 2000-born left handed defenseman Jake Boxer for the 2019/20 Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League season.
Boxer, originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin, spend the last several seasons with his highschool team at Bay Port High, according to a Storm press release. Over four seasons with Bay Port, Boxer played in 93 games tallying 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points and 56 penalty minutes. Boxer had his most productive seasons in his junior and senior year. Two seasons ago, Boxer tallied nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 24 games. However, Boxer bettered his numbers this past season, tallying eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points in 24 games, leading his team in scoring.
“Jake is a tenacious defender with the ability to find the net when it matters most,” says Bay Port High Pirates coach Bill LaBelle. “(He’s) a hard working blue collar play who can always be depended on for an honest effort.”
Boxer is currently training with a local power skating coach in Green Bay and will report to the Storm for ID camp on July 26 and return to Campbell River in late August as he prepares for main camp at the end of the month.
“Waking up every morning being able to do something I love with a group of guys that have the same passion for the game,” said Boxer when asked what most excited him about playing for the Storm. “I try to model my game after Victor Hedman because his ability to see the ice and his grit in the corners makes it a difficult task for opposing teams making him such a great player who leads by example.
Boxer made it clear when asked what his goal for the season was: “To have a ring on my finger at the end of the year.”
Storm coach Lee Stone said, “Boxer’s style of play will endear him to Storm fans because of his competitive nature and flair for he offensive side of the game. He is a hard working, driven player that leads by example and will be a great influence on some of our younger players.”
