When I arrived at the Bayshore to interview Jake Crawford, he was one of handful of remaining players on the ice after an optional team skate before the Attack’s Erie road trip. Fresh from the ice and with his trademark smile in place, we picked a spot in the stands to talk about taking on a leadership role in only his second year in the league, about the no-quit attitude that’s fueling this team and about staring down the NHL draft while trying to focus on the season at hand. Crawford has quickly become a crowd favourite at the Bayshore for his relentless work ethic and his non- stop energy on the ice. He plays far beyond his size and his age, a style of hockey that fits perfectly on this young Attack roster. Read on to learn more about #16.

The Attack are a young team and in just your second year in the OHL you’ve been given a leadership role. What did it mean to you when you were given that A this season?

Yeah, it’s amazing. It’s a huge honour to be named an assistant captain. The guys names that I’m up beside like Hookey and Smith and Petrovski, it’s just a great leadership group. We hold our guys accountable. But at the end of the day, it’s not what’s on your jersey, it’s how you carry yourself and how you play. Everyone on this team leads and everyone’s an important part of this team. I kind of manage the younger guys a bit and let the older guys do their thing with the older guys. It’s been awesome so far.

In your minor hockey career, did you wear a letter before?

Yes, I wore it all through minor hockey in Barrie.

What role do you think an Assistant Captain should play?

For me personally, I’m a younger guy, so I don’t have as much of a voice in the room, but I just set an example with how I play. I go out on the ice and I work hard and that’s how I lead.

You definitely play hard. It was noticeable last year but perhaps even more this year.

Thanks. I appreciate that.

How would you describe the season so far?

It’s been good so far. We’ve had wins and we’ve had losses, but we take every loss with a grain of salt and we have a short, short memory. It’s a 68 game season and this is a young team like you said. So it’s all learning still for some of these guys. As we approach the halfway point in the season, we have to keep the focus on our work ethic. It has to stay at a certain level if we are going to start to pulling off more wins.

You spent your first year in a bit of a chaotic coaching situation. What are your thoughts about the current coaching staff?

This year it’s so much better. Our coaches pride themselves on having an open door policy. Anytime we have any questions or any concerns, we can go to them and talk about it. This years coaching staff has been a really big jump from last year for sure.

What are some of the most positive changes you’ve experienced so far?

The most positive change is probably their attitude towards the game. They know we’re a young team and they’re just all about learning and growth which is huge for us.

The win/loss numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story for this Attack team. This has been described as a no-quit lineup. What do you think is driving that approach for this roster?

I think our coaches take pride in that no-quit style of play. They know it’s not going to be an easy task for a younger team. So like I said before, it’s always about work ethic. We’re going to go out there and play our hearts out for 60 minutes, and at the end of the game, the score is what it is. We’re going to make sure we left all of our hearts out there.

You’re in your NHL draft year. How much is that on your mind when you hit the ice?

Yeah, it’s definitely there. There’s a lot of pressure this year for me and the other draft eligible guys on our team. You try not to think about it but it’s always going to be there in the back of your head. I am just taking it game by game and day by day. That’s all I can do.

Has anyone given you any advice on handling all of that?

I live with Carter George, so yeah I have some good insight.  We had a long talk last night actually. He’ll sit there and talk to me for 30 minutes about it with no hesitation. He’s a really good guy to go to for help and he’s been there every step of the way.

You are billet brothers with Carter George and Elliott Arnett. What’s your funniest story from your billet house with those two?

I don’t know if any of them are usable but there are definitely some funny moments.  

Who’s room is the tidiest?

Well, definitely not Elliot (laughs). I’d say Carter has the cleanest room and then me.

Who is the best cook?

Our billet parents are really good cooks but I’d say either me or Carter. Carter is always making breakfast in the morning.

Who is ready to leave the house first on game day?

Me and Carter again. We’re always ready to go. Those are actually some of the funniest stories. We’ve had to come back to the house because we didn’t even know Elliot was home (laughs).

When you first moved to Owen Sound what was your first impression of the city and the rink?

My first impressions was that it feels like home to me. It’s not a big city and there are not a lot of distractions. I love my billets and it’s just a great place to play in my opinion.

What are some of your favourite things about playing here now?

The fans, obviously. We have the best fans in the league and the loudest fans. I love it when the Bayshore gets bumping on a Saturday night.

Let’s rewind to the very beginning. Tell us how you got your start in hockey?

My dad’s side of the family have always been huge into hockey. They are a huge hockey family. So  they kind of just pushed me into starting. I was little bit timid at the start. I cried the first time on skates. But just like my dad, I fell in love with game, obviously, and it’s been fun ever since.

Your family is very supportive. I can recall last year your mom driving from Saginaw to a tournament in Kingston to watch your brother the next morning. What does that family support mean?

It’s unbelievable how much they support me. They are there every step of the way. If I’m losing track a little bit, I give them a call and my mom puts me back on tracks and my dad does the same. They’re always driving up to support me which is an unbelievable feeling.

And now on to the hard hitting stuff…

What kind of music do you listen to pre-game?

Definitely rap.

What’s one talent you wish you had?

Carter George says I’m bad at pickleball. So I wish I was good at that.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Living with Carter I get a lot of good advice and last year living with Cedrick Guindon, he gave me some of the best advice in my first year. He was always telling me to stick with it and not to get too down on yourself. Looking back on it, I didn’t give up. I stuck with it last year, when I was maybe not playing as much and Cedrick helped me a lot with that.

Which NHL player do you most want to be like or admire?

Jonathan Toews when he was in the NHL. He was my favorite player growing up and he was a great leader. So I’d most like to be like him.

What’s your favourite pre-game meal?

My billet dad makes a mean pre-game stir fry so I’ll say that.

What’s your favourite post-game meal?

Definitely lasagna.

Thanks Jake and good luck with the rest of the season.

Thanks.