Former Orillia Terrier Michael Greco has had a long and winding road to finally realize his dream of playing professional hockey. Now, finally, he can say he’s made it.
The 21-year-old gritty defenceman earned 32 points in just 27 games when he played for the Orillia Terriers rep team back in 2014-15, a team that lost in the Ontario Hockey Federation championship.
After being cut from the North Central Predators during his minor midget year, the then 15-year-old believed he was at a dead-end in his hockey career.
“It kind of messed up my plans. I was hoping to get drafted to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and that wasn’t going to happen,” Greco remembers.
Greco thought his hockey career was behind him, until the Penetang Kings of the Georgian Bay Mid-Ontario Junior 'C' Hockey League came calling.
“I was super hesitant because I thought my dreams were kind of crushed after being cut and not drafted. I didn’t really want to play hockey anymore,” Greco said.
After being talked into it by his parents, Greco decided to give the game of hockey one more shot. In 38 games that season in Penetang, the stay-at-home defenceman potted four goals and added seven assists, but, more importantly, he rediscovered his love of the game.
The next year, Greco decided to leave home for the first time in his life and play for the Ancaster Avalanche, a Junior 'B' team in of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
“That’s when it kind of hit me that I was moving up in the junior hockey ranks and the dream to play pro hockey was still a possibility. I still had a chance to make the OHL,” Greco recalls believing.
After another successful season where he recorded 13 points in 36 games, off the ice, he got into the best shape of his career. The OHL’s Barrie Colts offered Greco the opportunity he dreamt of — a tryout at their main training camp.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t make it. It was a little late in my hockey career to play in the OHL, but it was a cool experience,” he said
Not long after, Greco found himself playing with the Junior 'A' Burlington Cougars of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. During the playoffs Greco attracted interest from collegiate teams from all over North America. However, Greco suffered a concussion and took a step back from the game once again.
“It was kind of looking like the end of my hockey career to be honest,” Greco recalled.
Greco begin to transition to coaching the minor midget team in Orillia. That is when the phone rang once again.
The Bradford Bulls of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League offered Greco a chance to play again.
“I missed hockey, so I decided to just play. It was fun, it got me back in shape, and I put up a good amount of points,” Greco said.
Greco’s 24 points in 15 games caught the eye of a professional team from across the pond; the Ånge IK of the Sweden Division 2 League showed interest in signing Greco.
He trained all summer long here in Orillia, preparing to play on a bigger European ice surface with faster and more skilled players.
After additional scouting, the Ånge IK offered Greco a contract, which he signed. Just a few weeks later, he was on a plane headed for his new home in Sweden.
“It’s funny how things work. I thought hockey was out of my life completely or on its way out the door and all of a sudden it found its way back and it revived everything,” Greco said.
“Seeing things actually pan out to how I wanted them five or six years ago, some things take longer than others but it’s cool to see my plan, the plan that I hoped for is happening.”
Greco’s short-term goal for the upcoming season is to adapt to the European style of play and contribute to his team's success. Long-term, Greco is still in his never-ending pursuit to get to the next level.
“I’ve moved up every year I’ve played hockey, so I want to see if I can keep that trend going. I want to try and play the best hockey I can so if I can get up to Division 1 this year or next year I’m going to do so and hopefully, keep moving up each year after that,” he explained.
Greco says he encourages young people who have fallen short of their dreams to stick with it and keep grinding. Where there is a will, there’s a way, he said.
