Coming off a successful season with the Airdrie Xtreme AAA bantam team,  Cochrane hockey player Ethan Neutens is looking forward to a chance to lace up for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets.

Neutens, who turned 15 last month, was among the players completing outdoor spring training with the P3 Sports high school hockey academy. Like all other players, he looks forward to the day arenas are reopened.

Recently, Neutens was named top forward of the Extreme for the 2020-21 season.

In his first year of bantams, he played for the AA Bow Valley Timberwolves.

Head coach Tyson Soloski says Neutens is a solid two-way player who's work ethic is the key to his success. He said he was am impact players for the Timberwolves, and proved to be the same with the Extreme.

"On the ice, he's an extremely hard-working kid and really good at both ends of the rink," says Soloski. "He can play against top players, and he can also score goals, put up points, and be creative on the offense side of things."

"I think his main attribute is his work ethic and his attitude to get better. He shows up every single day, whether it's a practice of a game or a tryout. He puts in the work, and we saw that throughout the year.

"I'm glad he got rewarded with being drafted this year and being named our top forward."

Neutens has played hockey since he was four, first in the Hamilton, ON area, then in Cochrane for the last seven or eight years.

He enjoyed his time with the Xtreme.

"I started the season a little rough but I got on track," says Neutens. "The coaches helped me, and all my teammates were really nice guys. They all helped me become a better person and a better player."

Neutens wore an 'A' for the Xtreme. In 31 regular-season games, he posted 23 points, and in three post-season games added two more.

It was when he played for the AC Avalanche at the Sutter Cup South that he met a scout from the Kelowna Rockets. 

"He watched me play my game and said he liked how I played. He didn't phone me much before the draft, so when they picked me I was a little surprised."

In April, Neutens tuned into the WHL draft for six hours with a fellow hockey player.

"I was sitting in front of the computer to see if one of our names popped up. Luckily, my name popped up and I was really excited."

Now he'll continue to work out and prepare for the day the club holds its rookie camp in the fall.

"Then I'll go to the main camp, and hopefully get better and better from there."

Making major junior hockey leagues is something he has always dreamed of, even as a young skater.

"Everybody who plays minor hockey wants to make the WHL, NHL, and everything. So, it's great that I was able to become part of the organization."