 Rookie forward Chris Terry is this week's player in “Breaking the Ice with…” The feature will be a season long series on plymouthwhalers.com and showcase a different Whaler each week so we can get to know them better.
Selected in the 2nd round (29th overall) in the 2005 OHL Draft by Plymouth, Terry is still just 16 years old. Saving some of his best performances for the big stage, Terry has been clutch in shootouts by notching 3 game-clinching goals. He has also represented his country Dec. 28-Jan. 4 in Regina, Saskatchewan, playing for Team Ontario at the World Under-17 Tournament. The Brampton, Ontario, native took a few minutes before practice to help us break the ice. » On the best advice he has been given… “Never give up and always keep trying.” » On how he started playing hockey… “When I was about age 4 I began skating up at my cottage. I played in a house league in the town where my cottage is, which was about 2 hours away. So every weekend, my parents would drive me up to the cottage and I’d play a Saturday game and that was it.” » On his youth hockey highlight… “Winning the bronze medal at the OHL Cup last year.” » On his most memorable goal… “This year when I scored the shootout goal against London (11/12).” » On his best moment in a Whalers uniform… “The win against Kitchener when we won 3-0 at Kitchener (10/21). It was a team effort and to go into Kitchener and to win and get a shutout was huge.”  » On the championships he has won…
“The Carnation Cup, city championships, minor hockey tournaments, nothing too big.” » On being a rookie… “I think I’m having a pretty good year. I’ve really picked it up after Christmas break. Next year, I think I have to focus more on defense and try to get on the penalty kill and power play.” » On who has influenced him in hockey… “My parents, but more my dad than my mom.” » On playing for Team Ontario at the U-17s… “It was a lot of fun. We had a great team, just didn’t come to play in the big games. It was really fun with the guys we had. It was a great experience to represent my province and play for my country. It was a blast out there.” » On his typical day… “I go to high school every day. Class starts at 7:15 and goes until 2:10. I take 6 classes, come to practice, work out, and then go home. Then I do whatever; usually just spend some time with the boys.” » On being named Academic Player of the Month in October… “It was a good honor to be named, especially so early in the year in my first year. It was really nice to be named that." » On his favorite class… “Probably gym just because I play a lot of sports so it’s an easy class.” » On his most embarrassing hockey moment… “This year, I flew in from my Under-17 Tournament and we were playing in Barrie that night and we were short a lot of guys due to injuries. (Mike) Vellucci had called me and told me to come, drive up and get ready to play. My flight was late, so I got dressed in the car and I missed warm-ups, I arrived right at game time, and went out on the ice and played.”  » On adjusting to billets…
“It has been a real good experience. My billets have really helped, they are really nice and they do a lot for me. It has really made the move a lot easier.” » On his pre-game routine… “Wake up around 12 o’clock, sit around the house and watch a little TV, maybe go out for a little bit and walk around. I eat 3 o’clock. I usually don’t go back to bed; I don’t like pre-game naps. I just hang around the house and then go to the rink.” » On living with Tom Sestito… “It’s fun, I don’t have anything bad to say about him like he did about me. He’s a good guy.” » On the player he tries to model his game after… “Martin St. Louis just because neither of us are that tall.” » On if there is anything behind his jersey number… ”I wore 7 all my life and when I came here, they were unsure if (John) Mitchell was going to come back so I didn’t get it that way. Then (Jared) Boll was an older guy, so he got it. It was between 20 and 29 and Dan Collins told me to take 20 because it was a better number so I just took that.” » On living up to the last #20 James Wisniewski… “I really didn’t know who he was before coming here. A couple guys had mentioned it, just poking a little fun at me about that and having big shoes to fill. I didn’t feel any pressure because I didn’t know what kind of player he was or anything.” » On his nicknames… “I’ve got a couple nicknames. One is Ter-Bear, just the guys came up with that one. The other one is Chocolate Bar because when I first came here, my billets had a wide selection of food and I chose to eat chocolate bars a lot, so the boys called me that.” » On his superstitions… “I have very little things that can’t really be explained. Like with certain guys, the way the order of the tape goes, like who uses the clear tape first, just between me, (Andrew) Fournier, and Teapot (Tom Sestito).” » On the toughest player he has played against… “John Tavares, he’s strong, he’s always on the puck, and he’s got great moves.” » On what he'd do if he didn't play hockey… “I’m interested in being a player agent, if not hockey some other sport.”  » On what he thinks during shootouts…
“The three I have scored, I didn’t think about what I was going to do before I picked up the puck. I don’t have a pre-set move at all. I just go in and try to do the best I can.” » On his funniest teammate… “I’d go with Ryan Stephenson. He’s so funny with the little things he does.” » On what he brings to the team… “Goal scoring, play making, and just a guy that brings it every night.” » On the craziest thing that has happened on the road… “Probably getting stuck in an elevator in Erie and also at Under-17s we got stuck in an elevator with more guys in there, but for not as long.” » On the person he would most like to meet… “Wayne Gretzky just because of what a great player and ambassador for the game he is.” » On his dream goal… “It would probably be against London with a break out of the zone, their defense pinches and we get a two-on-one. Me and Vig (John Vigilante) go down and do a little passing play and score.” » On what one thing he could not live without… "Hockey."  » On his dream vacation…
“I’d like to go Hawaii. I’ve been to a lot of hot areas in the U.S. like Florida and Myrtle Beach. I’ve never been to Hawaii so I think I’d enjoy going there.” » On the rule changes in hockey… “I’ve liked them so far. It opens up the game a little bit more and there are a lot more offensive chances. I think it has really helped the game and allowed the fans to get into the game more with the goal scoring.” » On what TV show he would be on… “Laguna Beach or the O.C. and just one of the guys that hangs around the girls. I don’t know; I don’t really watch a lot of reality TV.” » On what other five players he would want on the ice with him… “My goalie would probably be Martin Brodeur. My two defenseman would be Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom. My two forwards would be Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.” -Natalie Shaver, March 16th, 2006- -- Other Players' "Breaking the Ice" Features -- | 
