At 5’8” and 158 pounds, Brant Romaniuk is a skilled forward for the North Bay U16 AAA Trappers.
The 2007 birth year forward is a key offensive contributor on his club that plays in the older Great North U18 AAA Hockey League.
Through his first 18 games in the Great North U18 League, Romaniuk has netted 14 goals along with 6 assists for 20 points.
"I am an offensive player that brings a lot of energy to the game. I see the ice well and I try to make the right play whether it is a shot or a pass," explained Romaniuk
A product of Timmins, he models his game after a skilled multiple Stanley Cup winner Nikita Kucherov, but wears the number 88 in honour of another small skilled NHL superstar named Patrick Kane.
"He sees the ice well," remarked Romaniuk about Kucherov.
"He has a good shot and a little bit of an edge to him which I like because I have that too and he moves the puck well."
Despite playing against older competition, Romaniuk has been able to get behind defenders and create breakaway opportunities.
"I think my defence sees me when I scream for the pass and I think my speed and acceleration are also what leads to my breakaways and nice goals," he said.
Former Battalion star Zach Bratina is coaching skills with the U16 AAA Trappers. He likes the potential that Romaniuk has.
"Brant is one of the most skilled players I have had the opportunity to work with in the past year," admitted the former OHL first-round draft selection.
"I have worked with hundreds of players in North Bay and something that really stands out with Brant is his commitment and eagerness to learn, Any time I break down a skill, he is the first to ask questions and the first to work at it until he perfects it so as a skills coach it is an absolute pleasure working with a guy like Brant."
Romaniuk believes that skills training has helped bring his game to the next level.
"We work on a lot of skills, cutbacks, deception moves so I like to work on that and put that into the game," said Romaniuk about Bratina.
"I also have a personal trainer I have been working with for the past few years. We work on strength and conditioning as well I have synthetic ice in my house where I can work on my shot."
Bratina says he has helped Romaniuk improve his edge work on his skates to allow for quicker stops and starts.
"Being able to separate by those first three strides and Brant is the type of player who the puck really follows around the ice and you know when Brant is on the ice, something good is going to happen and like you said he gets breakaway after breakaway," said Bratina.
"He also creates a lot of opportunities coming out of the corners. He is the type of player when he gets these opportunities he knows how to finish and that is not something found in a lot of 16-year-olds, but he has got a gift to score goals."
Romaniuk, who is an affiliate with his hometown Timmins Rock of the NOJHL, has this message for OHL scouts.
"I work hard in practice and in games. I am very coachable and I like to do whatever I can to make my team successful."
Romaniuk is also one of the 43 top 2007 birth year hockey players from Northern Ontario selected to take part in the Team NOHA selection camp taking place in February.
Those selected will compete as Team NOHA at the highly scouted OHL Cup event which takes place in Toronto prior to the OHL Priority Selection.
