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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Meet the Chiefs 2015-16: #27 Presten Kopeck

March 3, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


SPOKANE, Wash. - Perhaps no one knows better than Spokane Chiefs forward Presten Kopeck that hockey life is uncertain, but he's an optimist about the lessons he's learned from that experience.

Kopeck has played four seasons in the Western Hockey League, mostly with Portland and Red Deer, but he'll finish his WHL career with the Chiefs, whom he joined in January just before the trade deadline. Officially, he was acquired from Kootenay, but he never suited up for the Ice, having been traded to that club only 24 hours earlier.

"It came out of nowhere," Kopeck said of the trades. "I guess you never expect it, but as a player you can only control how you play, not the decisions that management makes. The longer you're in the league, the more you realize that (trades are) just business. The more you mature, the more you understand."

A year ago, Kopeck recorded 21 goals and 27 assists for Red Deer, and he now has 10 goals and 22 assists - 5 goals and 9 assists with Spokane - this season.

He was a member of the Portland Winterhawks when they participated in the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup Saskatoon, but he'd been injured in Game 3 of the Western Conference Championship series. That injury kept him out of the lineup as Portland went on to become the tournament runner-up.

Kopeck says if had to end his WHL career anywhere but Red Deer, which hosts the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup this May, he's happy it's in Spokane. He's been excited about the facility, the fans, the coaches, and especially his new teammates.

"The time just flies by, but I think that being in the league helps you grow up in a hurry. Life throws obstacles at you and the WHL prepares you to handle them."

Kopeck grew up in Saskatchewan and says he's a farm boy at heart. He enjoys the outdoors in his time off the ice. Like most players, he hopes to play professionally after the WHL, but if that doesn't happen, he'll take advantage of his WHL education package, which provides a year of tuition, fees, and books for every season a player is on a WHL roster. Using his four years of earned scholarship, he plans to study agricultural science at university.

"Looking back, I guess the biggest lesson I've learned from my WHL career is to never take anything for granted, and I don't think I ever did," he said.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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