Whitby’s Joe Nieuwendyk is on the road to success in the world of hockey.
Nieuwendyk is entering his third season at Cornell University in New York State on Nov. 14.
Last season, Nieuwendyk led with 54 seasonal points to the Eastern Colleges Athletic crown and then on to the national championship playoffs. The Cornell team won the E.C.A.C. but came up just short to lose in the quarter-finals of the national championships.
As a result of Nieuwendyk’s skills in the playoffs he received honors such as the E.C.A.C. first team all-star, All-American-star and he is candidate for the Hobey Baker award as most valuable player in U.S. College hockey, and it will be awarded at the end of the season.
Nieuwendyk has also played for the Canadian National Junior team at the former junior world championships in Hamilton, Ont. He received a first star honor in the game against Sweden.
“I think Joe got a lot of experience playing with the junior team,” said Gord Nieuwendyk, Joe’s father. After Nieuwendyk finishes this season at Cornell University he has the option of going to play with the Calgary Flames or to play with the Canadian Olympic team.
“The Flames tell me they have a spot on the team for me but I’m not too sure,” said Nieuwendyk. “I don’t want to end up on Calgary’s farm team. That’s why I am sort of considering playing Olympic hockey instead.”
Nieuwendyk is studying business at Cornell and he finishes this year. He is soon at the point where he must make his decision on where to play.
Nieuwendyk started his career in Whitby where he played minor hockey and later moved on to play some minor hockey in Pickering.
