William Renaud/Ottawa 67’s
Nathan Todd has earned a spot on this season’s roster for the Ottawa 67’s.In the familiar red, white and black striped jersey, Nathan Todd steps from the rubber matting and onto the ice. For Todd it’s a familiar motion – he’s repeated it countless times in hockey arenas across Eastern Ontario.
Only this time is different. Todd is stepping onto the ice in front of more than 4,700 screaming fans as a member of the Ottawa 67’s.
On Oct. 10, the 18-year-old right-winger took another pivotal step in his quest to become a professional hockey player when he and his teammates dressed for their home opener at the newly renovated TD Place Stadium.
The 67’s won the game 4-3 over the Niagara IceDogs and one of Todd’s oldest dreams came true.
“When I was younger, I remember coming to watch them play all the time on Friday nights,” Todd says.“Ever since I saw my first 67’s game, I’ve dreamed of playing for them.”
Todd’s hockey career started about 12 years ago in his hometown of Kemptville. It was a rocky start to what has become a long and dedicated journey.
“When I was five, my dad put the skates on me and apparently I absolutely hated it,” says Todd. “But I took the year off and when I was six, I strapped them back on and have never looked back.”
Over the next 10 years, Todd played minor hockey for four seasons with the Kemptville Panthers, six seasons with the AA division Rideau St. Lawrence Kings and one season with AAA division Upper Canada Cyclones.
At 16, he made the step from minor hockey to the Canadian Central Hockey League, earning a spot on the 2012-13 team roster for the Brockville Braves.
Todd worked with Braves head coach Matt Ward to develop his skills and improve his point production. In his second season, Todd doubled his points from the previous year, bagging 38 goals and 41 assists in 60 games.
As well as being the Braves’ top scorer last season, Todd evolved into a team leader, says Ward.
“He hates to lose and he is going to work equally as hard no matter what the score is.”
Standing at six-foot-two and weighing in at 187 pounds, Todd is a long and lean hockey player. What Todd lacks in size he makes up for in work ethic.
Ottawa 67’s head coach Jeff Brown says Todd is “a hard working, honest hockey player who has fit right in the locker room. He comes to practice everyday like a professional ready to work and ready to learn.”
Brown says Todd’s greatest asset is his character.
“He is the type of player that can play in all positions. He can kill penalties, play on the power play and he can defend,” Brown says.
Todd’s transition from the CCHL to the OHL has been challenging. In his first seven games, he mustered only one assist and a plus minus rating of minus 4.
Ward says one of Todd’s biggest challenges is himself.
“Once he gets that first goal he will get a bunch – I am fully confident that he will,” he says.
Todd has just two seasons to prove himself in the OHL before he must take the next step in his hockey career.
Liam Widdowfield, who has known Todd since novice hockey, says: “He’s got the drive and he has the heart to play. I can’t see him doing anything else.”
When asked about his ambitions, Todd says he wants to turn to professional hockey.
Todd “has a goal in mind that he wants to go as far as he can with hockey, and it is quite a story already,” says Ward. “He is a good example to any younger kid that if you want something bad enough, you can go out and get it.”