Adam Beukeboom has taken the SJHL by storm since his recent debut between the pipes for the Flin Flon Bombers.
In four games prior to this past weekend’s action, the red-hot netminder had earned three wins, two shutouts and an otherworldly save-percentage of 0.976.
“You’ve got to have a good team in front of you to put up good stats,” said Beukeboom, 20. “I’ll just say, it’s easy to play behind these guys.”
Since his first start for the Bombers on Nov. 15, Beukeboom and his stellar play have left fans with one question: Where did this guy come from?
Beukeboom has bounced around a few teams in his junior hockey career, including a stint with the WHL’s Regina Pats at age 17, the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons at 18 and, before joining the Bombers, the AJHL’s Grand Prairie Storm.
Now in his final season of junior hockey, Beukeboom says his transition to Flin Flon has been a good one.
“Everything is awesome,” he said after a practice last week. “As far as our schedule goes, it
allows me to just do my thing and allows me to be a hockey player.”
More important for Beukeboom is sitting comfortably with a good team.
“Before I got [to Flin Flon], I was playing well, but the team was struggling,” he said. “And being a goalie, there is no such thing as a personal stat, I don’t think. Everything is a team stat.”
Having joined his fair share of teams over the past four seasons, Beukeboom has made an easy adjustment to the Bombers.
“I’ve learned a lot about how to fit into a new team and [make] an immediate impact,” he said. “Bottom line, it just comes down to, you’re playing hockey and that’s why you’re there. You go out and perform on the ice and practice for the games.”
Beukeboom naturally puts pressure on himself to excel and says Flin Flon fans don’t let players forget what’s at stake.
“Honestly, I’ve never felt as much pressure to play well as a team from the community,” he said, with a half grin. “But I love it. I think it’s an expectation and it’s one that we can live up to because we are a good team and we do have the capability.
“It’s more pressure when you’re talking to people around the community. There’s this expectation for us to do well and I like it.”
But the goaltender says a player will crack under pressure if he thinks about all the expectations while on the ice.
“If you’re thinking about it, that’s when it’s going to get to you,” Beukeboom said.
A native of Sundre, Alberta, Beukeboom would love to reach the NHL but has goals to accomplish in the meantime.
“It’s just a matter of getting there,” he said. “My ultimate goal is that I would love to play in the NHL, but as of right now, it’s to play pro.”
After his junior career ends after this season, Beukeboom hopes to have the opportunity to continue in the sport.
“I’m at a point where I will take any way that will open a door for me,” he said. “I just need an opportunity. Once I get that opportunity, it’s just a matter of running with it.
“I hope that after this year I get that opportunity, but if not…I’ll go to school and get it from there.”
Beukeboom is a familiar hockey name, as Jeff Beukeboom played for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers. Both the former NHL blueliner and one-time NHLer Joe Nieuwendyk are second cousins to the Flin Flon goalie.
“I’ve never met a Beukeboom I wasn’t related to,” said the netminder.
“The name hasn’t really done anything for me yet. I think I picked the wrong position.”
