BY SCOTT
HADDOW
Sudbury boy and Brampton Battalion forward Justin Levac is
flexing his muscles this year in the OHL, and he hopes it will
turn into a successful season.
There's plenty at stake for the youngster from Garson. It's his
second year in the OHL, and not only is his club looking for
him to contribute more, but NHL scouts will have their eyes
fixed on him constantly since it's his draft year.
As a raw rookie fresh out of Valley East AAA midget hockey,
Levac was slightly overwhelmed during his first season last
year. As a 16-year-old, he managed just two goals and five
points in 24 games. He was also spending extra time on the
shuttle bus between Brampton and their farm squad.
His rookie experience really opened Levac's eyes.
"It was a tough year, but a real learning experience," said
the six-foot-one forward. "I just practiced really hard and
tried to improve my game in every aspect. Coming out of Valley
East, where I was one of the biggest, strongest and fastest
players, was a big change. I was at the bottom of the food
chain in the OHL and I had to work my way up."
Coming into his second season, Levac knew he would have
ample opportunity to prove his worth. Brampton lost their top
two scorers - Wojtek Wolski and Luch Aquino - to graduation,
and the spotlight shifted slightly to the Garson native.
He worked hard in the summer doing dry land training to pack
muscle onto his legs.
"I really trained my lower body hard," said the 193-pound
winger. "I wanted to improve my first three steps to make
myself a better skater. It's what I needed to do. I definitely
want to score a lot more this season. With Wolski and Aquino
gone, younger players, such as myself, have to step up. The
team is counting on me to do that. If I keep my feet moving and
put the puck in the net, it should be a good year for me."
The Brampton brass has big plans for the big winger.
"Justin is a guy who can move up our ladder," said head
coach Stan Butler. "Last year, he learned the ropes and
benefitted from it. We want him to be a major contributor. He
has to work hard in the corners and play tough along the
walls."
Levac is relishing the bigger challenge.
"I like it," said the 17-year-old. "The challenge just makes
me want to work harder. I feel a bit of pressure, but I don't
mind it."
In his first five games of the 2006-07 season, Levac recorded one goal and three points.
