Texas' Baker Makes Most Of Second Pro Opportunity

[CatterFan]

http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=9345

Texas' Baker Makes Most Of Second Pro Opportunity

Technically, Kevin Baker is not a rookie, but the 27-year-old forward for the Texas Wildcatters still takes a ribbing from his teammates because he is fresh out of college.

Baker played the previous three seasons at Canada’s Acadia University located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, scoring 47 points (24 goals, 23 assists) in 28 games last season as a senior. But he already had two years in the professional ranks under his belt, having been drafted in 1999 by the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and making his pro debut in 2000 with the American Hockey League’s Lowell Lock Monsters, so he had a non-traditional route back to the ECHL.

“That’s the good thing about Canadian university hockey is that you can regain your amateur status, you just have to sit out a season and kind of redshirt,†said Wildcatters head coach Malcolm Cameron, who coached at Acadia and also played there. “I actually tried to recruit Kevin to Acadia out of junior hockey the first time before he turned pro, and then he went back to play for my old linemate who is now the coach at Acadia, Darren Burns, so it’s a tight circle.â€

In 2001-02, Baker played 46 games with the AHL’s Saint John Flames and scored 20 points (13 goals, 7 assists), then finished the season with the ECHL’s Johnstown Chiefs, scoring six goals and picking up 10 assists in 18 games and adding four goals and an assist in five playoff games.

For some reason, the AHL teams and ECHL teams did not come calling early enough in 2002-03, so Baker decided he wanted to plan his future after hockey by going back to school. Burns and Acadia gave him the chance to get his education and continue to play hockey.

"It was actually a last-minute thing. I was hoping to play pro again but there was no interest, no tryouts, and I just thought there's life after hockey and I had a chance to go back to college and still play another three years,'' Baker said after Friday morning's practice in preparation for that night's game against the Florida Everblades. "So it was either go now or forget it, and I just made the decision and have no regrets at all. Now I'm back playing for Malcolm, which is just networking within the game, and it's going well.''

Going well would be an understatement for Baker and the Wildcatters, as they own the American Conference's best record at 12-3-2, including 8-1-2 in their last 11 games. Baker leads the ECHL in goals scored with 16 and was second in points with 28, having recorded a hat trick in Tuesday night's 6-5 win over Florida.

Upon his return to the pros, Baker noticed some subtle changes in the speed of the game as compared to college, but the new rules favoring skilled players were a welcome surprise for the Kingston, Ontario native. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Baker's combination of speed, skill and toughness have helped Cameron's team get off to the best start in franchise history.

"Kevin's had a great rookie season for us and we don't anticipate having him for all 72 games, we know he's certainly going to get some looks in the 'A' again and he's deserving of the chance,'' Cameron said. "Houston already has shown interest after seeing the success Joel Ward -- another CIS player -- had up there last year.

"He has worked well with his linemates and it's how he competes. It's not just the goals he scores and the points he puts up, it's how he scores. He scores pretty goals and he scores ugly goals, he's a good defensive player and plays on all our penalty kills. Kevin's the guy I always put out there in the last minute to protect a lead and he's a huge asset.''

Baker said the first few days of training camp were an adjustment period for him, especially since he didn't know anybody except for goaltender Matt Yeats, and he hadn't seen him since rookie training camp with the Kings seven years ago.

But two weeks of training camp and some early road trips made thing easier.

"It's cohesion,'' Baker said. "You get used to playing with guys and you start working well together. Malcolm's a big part of why I chose to come here. He's successful, gets guys to buy into the system and he moves players up.''

Which is where Baker is trying to go -- again.

[KFDM COOP]

Good article.

[hockeyfan]

Go Bakes!

[DenisGScott]

and notice not even written by a local reporter either, maybe someone here should hire him

[CatterFan]

things must be really slow in florida when one of their reporters writes about someone on our team and not about the blades...

[hockeyfan]

Andy Kent always does a great job with the hockey coverage.

His hockey stories are great, and he makes sure to cover both teams in a non-homerish way.