Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – Just two exhibition games into her rookie Canada West season, Shaelyn Hopkins suffered the first injury she's ever had in hockey.

A broken ankle.

Her first semester was gone, as the MacEwan Griffins defenceman was relegated to watching the team's first 16 games from the stands.

"It was a pretty big shocker, but I think it helped me have a different perspective on everything," said Hopkins. "I wouldn't not have (had it happen). I think it really shaped who I am as a player and a person."

A refreshing attitude for such a setback, but Hopkins has embraced the challenge.

"Being a rookie, I knew I needed to put a lot of work in, regardless of if I broke my leg or not," said Hopkins, whose nickname is Hoppy. "Additionally, on top of that, I worked day in, day out with physio, working with Paul (Trevor). It was a tough journey."

Kicking off her rookie season later than expected on Jan. 6 at Calgary, Hopkins has quickly made an impact for the Griffins with steady defensive play that's earned her regular minutes on the blueline.

Shaelyn Hopkins, second from left, lines up with teammates in the starting lineup on Jan. 6 vs. Calgary. It was her Canada West regular season debut (Joel Kingston photo).

"She broke her ankle in the second exhibition game of the year, so I'm sure it wasn't exactly how she planned her first year starting off," said Griffins' interim head coach Chris Leeming. "But she was patient and put all the work in during that time. She's been a great addition to our blueline in our D corps. She sees the ice well, she moves pucks. 

"She's only five feet tall, but she plays a lot bigger than that. She plays physical, she gets into bigger opponents' space and doesn't give up anything easy. I think it's a testament to her character."

Hopkins will lead the Griffins into a weekend home-and-home series against Mount Royal on Friday in Calgary (7 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m., Downtown Community Arena, both Canada West TV).

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"She's really well-rounded," said Leeming. "She can defend really well and takes away time and space from defenders. You don't see too many glaring mistakes as a first year under pressure and she's been able to execute. With possession, she makes good first passes and is able to integrate some deception into her game to create more time and space for herself with the puck to get shots on net, as well. 

"As a first year, she's done a great job, especially not playing in the first half. So, she's only going to get better, in my opinion, as she gets more comfortable and used to the league."

Griffins' interim head coach Chris Leeming describes Hopkins as well-rounded defender, capable of defending and moving the puck efficiently (Joel Kingston photo).

Hopkins actually saw her first action since the injury when MacEwan played in an exhibition tournament over the holidays at the University of Alberta, scoring a goal in her first game.

Ever since returning, she has been a regular blueline partner of Rebecca Thiessen's.

"I think she brings the offensive flair and I kind of sit back on defence," said Hopkins. "I think we complement each other now. We both have that chemistry now since we've been playing together quite a bit, so it's nice."

With the youth of the Griffins' defence (all but one player is in their first or second seasons of eligibility), the potential is there for them to play together for a long time at MacEwan.

"I think it's really nice because we have three or four more years to grow together and get to know one another," said Hopkins. "We have a really strong D corps, so it's going to be good for the coming years as well."

Hopkins came into MacEwan out of the Edmonton Pandas AAA program, fresh off the group that won a provincial title last season. Former Pandas teammates Sydney Olsen, Kali MacDonald and Lindsey Johnson are also her Griffins teammates, so it made the transition to university hockey seamless.

"It was a lot of help," she said. "I worked out with quite a few of the girls in the summer. It's a great group. They're very welcoming. They helped me out a lot when I broke my leg, too. You couldn't ask for a better group of girls."