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03/23/2017 12:00 AMGreat ice hockey teams aren’t just filled with goal scorers. Every hockey squad needs players who fill various roles for the betterment of their team. Senior captain Kiley Degrand was that athlete for the Blades.
“I haven’t always been the biggest goal scorer. Instead, I’m more of a play-maker and I get more assists. I like being in that role,” says Kiley. “I think a lot of it has to do with chemistry and knowing the girls you play with. When you know their style of play, you’re able to set up a play so they can score a goal.”
Aside from her passing abilities, one of Kiley’s greatest assets was that she never shied away from mixing it up in the corners, along the side boards, or in front of the net. Blades’ Head Coach John Peschell loves the gritty style that Kiley brought to the ice.
“She did all the dirty work. If she’s not doing that, the others on her line aren’t scoring,” Peschell says. “We ran a cycle, and she ran it the best out of everybody. She’s a very smart player, which is why she was our top penalty killer and on one of our power play lines. It’s due to her awareness.”
Kiley didn’t become a hard-nosed hockey player overnight. However, after seeing her older teammates play that way for the past few years, Kiley made sure to bring an edge to the team for her senior season.
“It became more of my role this season...My decision to be grittier came from losing games in the past and learning from those mistakes,” Kiley says. “Those losses made me realize we had to be tougher in front of the net.”
Kiley enjoyed playing the both the power play and the penalty kill with the Blades. She liked getting some extra ice time and excelled in those situations.
“I love the penalty kill. We were also successful on the power play this year. I like being a part of both and learning both systems in practice,” she says. “My toughness helps with blocking shots because I’m not afraid to get in the way of the puck. I love how it’s a desperate situation. We’re down a player, so you have to be desperate to kill the penalty.”
Kiley was also one of the Blades’ captains this year and she felt honored to hold that role. Kiley feels that all her years of experience as a hockey player helped her lead the Blades well during her recent senior season.
“I enjoyed it a lot. It was an honor to be chosen by my teammates and I was proud to lead them this season,” says Kiley. “I think over the years, the more game experience helped me for this role. I always enjoyed playing with girls that were better than me so I could push myself.”
Kiley is now getting ready for her fourth season with the North Haven girls’ lacrosse team. While she believes that her hockey career is likely finished, Kiley knows that she will never forget her time on the ice with the Amity-North Haven-Cheshire hockey squad. One of Kiley’s fondest memories was when the Blades won the SCC/SWC Division II title last year. This winter, the team got back to the conference final by playing some solid hockey down the stretch.
“I love the big games. The crowds both years were amazing. It was exciting to play in those big games like that,” Kiley says. “The coaches told us we’d never play another game in front of a crowd that size, so we really appreciated the support.”