Pats equipment manager gets world junior call

Gord Cochran is getting a chance to live out his world junior dream.

The Regina Pats equipment manager is a part of the Team Canada staff during the junior hockey showcase in Halifax and Moncton.

“It’s huge. It’s been my goal for a long time. Everybody back home at Christmas watches the world juniors. I was fortunate enough to watch one of my friends play in 2007,” Cochran said.

“Just being from a small town in B.C., it was surreal. To be here now, I’ve got to pinch myself sometimes because it’s so surreal. I’m here but it’s also a huge honour and I’m looking forward to getting going here.

“It was pretty surreal. I’m pretty excited. I was with my brother and a couple of our real close friends and we were on the way to the golf course. I got the call from Hockey Canada, so it was a pretty special moment obviously. It was something I’ve been working towards for a while.”

The friend he got to watch is Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, who won gold with Team Canada in 2007.

“We all knew he was really good growing up. I was able to play with him until bantam AAA and then he went off to play juniors,” Cochran said. “It was one of my greatest hockey memories for sure just how good he played and the whole team in general.”

Now the hard work the 36-year-old Cochran has put in will give him his own opportunity to help Canada bring home a gold medal.

The Williams Lake, B.C., product first got started by working at his local Source for Sports when he was 16. He then got into the BCHL and joined the Pats in the 2014-15 WHL season.

“I think the biggest thing is all the behind-the-scenes stuff,” he said. “When you go watch a hockey game, you don’t know 90 per cent of the stuff that gets done. Our job starts late spring/early summer where you have to order in everything for everyone and make sure it has the right specs. Nowadays everything is so specific per player, you really have to be dialled in on your details.

“Once the season starts, you’re basically fine-tuning that stuff during camp and then your exhibition season (it’s) the same thing. During the season it’s making sure everything is in tiptop shape and ready to go. There’s a lot more to it than just sharpening skates and hanging the jerseys in the guys’ stalls.”

This year’s tournament features someone who Cochran has got to know over the past few seasons: Pats forward Connor Bedard.

“He was one of the first guys I called once I found out. He was pretty excited too. It’s nice to have him here. There’s some familiarity there. I get to watch him every day so I’m already spoiled and then to be out here with him, it’s pretty cool,” Cochran said. “It’s exciting to get to watch him on this stage.”

After falling 5-2 to Czechia on Monday, Bedard and Team Canada return to action Wednesday against Germany. The game is to start at 5:30 p.m., and can be heard live on 980 CJME and 650 CKOM.