Rising hockey star Drake Batherson received a hero’s welcome as he made an appearance in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley Sunday afternoon.
Batherson dropped the puck at a local game at the Apple Dome in Berwick, N.S. and signed autographs for scores of fans.
The 19-year-old Team Canada forward played a key role in Canada’s 3-1 win over Sweden in the gold medal game at the World Junior Hockey Championships Friday night in Buffalo, N.Y.
Batherson made a name for himself by scoring a hat trick during the semi-final win over the Czech Republic on Thursday. During the gold medal game, he tallied his first assist of the 2018 tournament.
The New Minas, N.S. native also led all Canadian scorers with seven goals in seven games, and is the first Nova Scotian to win world junior gold since Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand 10 years ago.
While his performance has made him a household name, Batherson says he doesn’t let that go to his head.
“My buddies have been giving me a little bit of grief about, you know, I’ve been all over social media … but it doesn’t really change me as a person to be honest, I’m just the same old Drake Batherson, playing the game I love and that’s what I’m going to continue to do,” says Batherson.
Batherson will soon be heading to Quebecas he was traded from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles to Blainville-Boisbriand Armada during the world juniors.
The trade will reunite the Ottawa Senators prospect with Canadian world junior general manager Joel Bouchard.
