Islanders’ Cody Donaghey off to strong start for final junior season
Cody Donaghey did not meet his own expectations at the Ottawa Senators rookie camp.
He hasn’t let it derail his season. In fact, he’s thriving in his fifth and final year in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
“It’s a little bit of adversity,” the Charlottetown Islanders defenceman said before Wednesday’s practice. “At the end of the day, it just builds character and helps you in the long run.”
Entering Wednesday’s action, Donaghey was 15th in league scoring and was tied for the lead among defencemen with 23 points.
“I’m clearly happy about that,” the St. John’s, N.L., native said. “It’s good to see the production is coming and staying consistent. I trained really hard this summer, so it’s good to see that hard work paying off.”
Donaghey has done a lot of his handiwork on the power play, where he has scored four goals and assisted on seven more. It has helped the Isles to the fourth-ranked power-play percentage at 28 per cent.
“We knew we were getting a guy that had some offensive gifts to him,” head coach Jim Hulton said. “I don’t think we fully appreciated to what degree, but he’s been terrific.”
Hulton said Donaghey had good vision, moves the puck well and has a one-timer reminiscent of Alexis Vanier, who played for the squad last season.
But he’s far from just an offensive defenceman. Hulton said Donaghey has shown a willingness to listen and learn to improve his play away from the puck, including boxing out in front of the net and being efficient moving the puck.
Donaghey was acquired in an off-season deal from Moncton. He was joining his fifth team in five QMJHL seasons.
He knew Islanders forward Kameron Kielly from two tours with Team Atlantic at the under-17 championship.
The two have stayed in touch ever since, and it was in August he received a call from his new teammate following the trade.
“I didn’t even know. I looked down (at my phone), and he was calling me already,” Kielly recalled.
He said Donaghey has been a great addition to the team on the ice and in the dressing room.
“He’s producing. He has great numbers, but the main thing is he’s a veteran presence,” Kielly said, noting he can be a calming influence. “He has the ability to brush things off and not dwell on a mistake.”
Donaghey also knew a couple of other hockey players in Charlottetown. Marcus Power and Kurt Etchegary are St. John’s natives playing for the UPEI Panthers. Donaghey and Etchegary were teammates with the Quebec Remparts, while Donaghey and Power grew up about 10 homes apart.
“We definitely had our battles in street hockey over the years. It’s great he’s in the city as well,” Donaghey said of Power.
“It’s always nice to have a couple of familiar faces around when you come to a new city.”
Donaghey has a positive outlook and works daily with the coaching staff to try to improve his game with the goal of turning pro next season after a major junior career that started in Rouyn-Noranda and included stops in Quebec, Halifax and Moncton before Charlottetown.
Donaghey said he likes to be able to contribute offensively, but he is more concerned with helping the team win. He looks around the dressing room and sees the potential for a long playoff run.
“I’m glad to have a chance to have a shot to win here,” he said. “I think we have a chance to do something special.”
Written by Jason Malloy
