Five Woodbury Natives Playing In North American Hockey League

At this time last year, Jason Eddy thought his competitive hockey career was over.

Eddy was playing junior college baseball in Iowa when he got a call from his brother, who convinced him to give hockey one more try.

Turns out David Eddy—a junior forward for the St. Cloud State Huskies—knew what he was talking about, and his brother Jason was able to secure a roster spot with the North American Hockey League's Wichita Falls Wildcats.

“He's just kind of getting back in,” Wildcats coach Paul Baxter said. “He's a big strong kid, and he's going to be good.”

At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, Eddy has a specific role with the Wildcats.

“I'm supposed to play the body and play 'big'-style hockey,” he said. “I got in my first fight (a few weeks ago) in an exhibition game.”

Eddy is one of five players with Woodbury connections currently playing in the NAHL.

Two other Woodbury natives, Mike Mezzano and Kelvin Walz, are playing for Minot, a first-year expansion team.

Mezzano spent last season playing juniors in Canada, while Walz was a senior at , where is dad, former Minnesota Wild star Wes Walz, was an assistant coach.

Both got rave reviews from Minot Minotauros coach Ben Johnson.

“(Mezzano) is a veteran defenseman and a big-time fixture in our lineup. He was the first player we ever drafted,” Johnson said. “(Walz) is a small guy, but he plays very big.”

Walz said the most challenging aspect of junior hockey has been the increased speed of the game.

“It's a lot faster than high school hockey,” Walz said. “Other than that the transition has been pretty good so far.”

Like Walz, Loren French is also adjusting to his first season in juniors. French, who is originally from St. Cloud but moved to Woodbury in eighth grade, said he's enjoying his home-away-from-home of Aberdeen so far.

“It's a nice town, a small community, and a good organization so far,” French said of his experience in Aberdeen and with the Wings.

Like a lot of players, French said being away from home for the first time has been harder on his mom than it's been on him.

“My mom, I get frequent texts. I think it's tough for her, but she's supportive,” he said.

Jonathan Gehrt is playing even closer to home than French, Walz or Mezzano: He's back in Austin for his second season with the Bruins.

“I try to motivate the younger kids, and have a little more of a leadership role,” Gehrt said of his role in his second season in the league.

Austin coach Chris Tok said Gehrt is one of the better skaters in the league.

He's a great skater, a Division I skater,” Tok said. “His teammates like him.

“He had a little setback this summer with mono, but once he figures some things out he's got a chance at playing D-I because of his feet.”

The North American Hockey League, now in its 36th season, is the largest USA Hockey-sanctioned Junior A circuit with 28 teams. Traditionally, the Combat Hockey/NAHL Showcase Tournament attracts more than 5,000 people in overall attendance, including more than 200 college and professional scouts.

The Janesville Jets were crowned champions of this year's Showcase. Like Janesville, the Fresno Monsters and Fairbanks Ice Dogs went 4-0 in the tournament, with the Jets winning on tie-breaker criteria.