Brock Palmer is the Kimberley Dynamiters all-time points leader with 237 points in 141 regular season Kootenay International Junior Hockey League games. He added another 62 points in 45 playoff games.Â
Palmer is in his second season with the Vancouver Island University Mariners in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League. The former KIJHL MVP is enjoying another solid season with the Mariners with 13 goals and 20 points in nine games. Last season he was named the Rookie of the Year with 10 goals and 18 points in 12 games.
The Coaldale, Alberta product talked about his season in a Q&A, which has been edited.
KIJHL: What was your first season in the BCIHL like?
BP: It was awesome. Due to the COVID-19 year, we didn’t really have too many games and it was good to get adjusted to juggling school and hockey. It was an awesome league, I really enjoyed it.
KIJHL: What made you decide to attend VIU and play hockey there?
BP: I just wanted to be in Vancouver Island. I heard many good things about it, and I’m very glad I chose VIU. I originally reached out to UVic as well, but was too late to get in. I’m very happy with VIU and I love it there. Some of my teammates from Kimberley were playing out on Vancouver Island so that helped me go out there too.
KIJHL: How did you feel that you played?Â
BP: I thought I played well and put up some fairly good numbers. I thought our team did really well. It was awesome.
KIJHL: What do you think helped you have the successful season that you enjoyed?
BP: I think it’s being a part of a good program with a good group of guys. As soon as I got there, they made me feel at home and right off the bat I was able to fit in with the line and get right after it.
KIJHL: How would you say your time in the KIJHL played a role in your success?
BP:Â It was an awesome three years for me in the KIJHL and it really helped me develop a lot as a player. That definitely helped me go into the BCIHL.
KIJHL: In what areas are you a better player from last season?
BP: I think just size as I’ve put on weight working out at the gym. I’m 5-9, 170 pounds. I’ve also developed a bit more puck sense and I’ve been scoring more goals this year than the previous year.
KIJHL: Are you finding that added strength is helping you?
BP: Yeah, I think so. It’s helped me not get knocked off the puck as much as I used to.
KIJHL: As a team, is winning the BCIHL championship the only thing the group is thinking about?
BP: Yeah, definitely. It was exciting beating SFU in our first game of the year. It definitely reassures us that they are a very beatable team and we can definitely beat them this year.
KIJHL: What did you learn about that playoff experience last year?
BP: It was definitely shorter than all my experiences in the KIJHL. The KIJHL is quite the battle to get to the finals and win. For the BCIHL, it was just a one-weekend tournament. Every game really matters. The finals was just a one-game take all. That was just a really big game.Â
KIJHL: What did it mean for you to be named the Rookie of the Year?
BP: That was a great accomplishment. It was great to get recognized by the league for that and there were lots of good rookies so getting named for that was awesome.
At the end of the interview, Palmer thanked the Mariners, Dynamiters and the KIJHL for helping him. He credited the three for where he is now.
