At the ripe age of 25, Daultan Leveille has already encountered more obstacles in his pursuit of a National Hockey League career than most his age.  Although he hasn’t reached the game’s pinnacle yet, his hockey journey continues within the development leagues, in hopes of one day making his NHL debut.

A native of St. Catharines, Ontario, Leveille thanks his hometown minor hockey program for having a positive impact on his development as a player.

“Growing up and developing through our minor hockey program, St. Catharines had some weaker teams because we weren’t allowed to bring imports in from other areas. Some of the other teams were bringing imports in so they were a lot stronger.  I think it was great being able to play against better teams.”

Although Leveille was drafted by the Ottawa 67’s in the ninth round of the 2006 OHL Priority Draft, he chose to stay close to home, instead playing for the St. Catharines Falcons Junior B team of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.  The eventual recipient of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) Top Prospect Award gives credit to his coaches for helping mentor him and improve various aspects of his game.

“I was fortunate to play [in St. Catharines] all the way up until Junior B with Gary and Trevor Lariviere. They were both incredible coaches who really helped mentor me and helped me learn the parts of the game that I needed to work on.  Being the youngest player on the team my first year really helped me see where I needed to elevate my game to compete with the talented players in the league.”

During his two seasons with St. Catharines, he combined for 101 points in 93 games, including scoring 48 goals.

In was in his second season with the team, however, when Leveille began focusing on college scholarship opportunities, while simultaneously attracting unexpected attention from NHL teams.

“I played in a preseason tournament in Fort Erie, ON and somehow got onto the NHL’s Watchlist.  At the time I didn’t really think anything of it or that is was even possible to be drafted out of Junior B.  Then the mid-season rankings came out and I was positioned somewhere around 100 which is in the 3^rd – 4^th round of the NHL draft.  Toward the end of the year, I was raised a lot higher.  It was a pretty cool feeling how it all transpired the way it did. I owe a lot to the coaching staff, they really kept me grounded and focused on my own game and not worry about the things I can’t control.”

As fate would have it, Leveille would be drafted 29^th overall, in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers.  On a day that many young prospects find long, exhausting, and drawn out in anticipation for their name to be called, a young Daultan remembers his NHL Draft experience as a ‘rollercoaster of emotions.’

“There were a lot of nerves of course. You’re sitting there for quite a while and just watching every pick go by wondering if you’re next or not.  When I did hear my name it was a big sigh of relief.”

Following the Draft, Leveille attended development camps during the summer in Atlanta and noticed a different feel for hockey in the southern city compared to a hockey hotbed like St. Catharines. 

“You notice that there was definitely a different feel and which is how the more southern areas are.  Hockey isn’t the number one sport in Atlanta. Coming from Canada, a lot of people don’t realize that hockey isn’t number one in the US.”

Following the thrill of being a first round NHL draft pick, Leveille chose to attend Michigan State University (MSU) where he recorded 26 goals and 69 points in 131 games over four seasons with the Spartans.  He chose MSU over many other college scholarship opportunities due largely in part to the college’s close proximity to his family.

“I had offers from different schools. Honestly for me, being such a home body and my parents being so involved in my hockey journey, I wanted to attend somewhere close enough that they could come see some games and Michigan State was only a 4 hour drive from home.”

He was attracted to the program’s coaching staff, specifically legendary head coach Rick Comley.  “The big thing that attracted me was coach Comley.  He was an amazing person and coach. I really put a lot of trust in him. Obviously, the facility sells itself with such an amazing campus, but Rick Comley definitely made me feel at home and made me feel like he wanted me. That was the real driving factor behind it, was having a head coach that was really in your corner and I owe a lot to him”.

Leveille once again gives credit to his coaches for helping him refine his game and added that his experience and development under Coach Comley was a key take away from his time in the NCAA.

“Coach Comley was really good at instilling confidence in his players and having his players play with that confidence, to the best of their abilities without worrying about other things. I think that was a big thing he focused on, finding holes in your game that need work with attention to detail. That was the one thing that really helped me over the years.”

Unfortunately, during his senior year Leveille was sidelined with a knee injury which required surgery.  Then, in another twist of events, the Atlanta Thrashers organization relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba along with Daultan’s contractual rights.  After spending three seasons in the NCAA as a Thrashers/Jets prospect, Leveille was not offered a contract from the new Jets’ organization who had not been involved in the original process of scouting or drafting him.

“It’s unfortunate, but everything happens for a reason and that’s what happened.”

The 2012-13 season proved especially difficult for Leveille.  Not only was he returning from knee surgery while attempting to break into the professional ranks, an NHL lockout was in full effect, which led to players on NHL entry level contracts being permissibly assigned to the American Hockey League (AHL), creating a domino effect of player movement and shuffling between other professional leagues, with jobs and roster spots at a premium. 

As an unrestricted free agent, Leveille signed a one-year, two way deal with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, but was subsequently released from the Bulldogs’ training camp and assigned to the San Francisco Bulls of the ECHL. After only six games with the Bulls, Leveille was reassigned to the Bulldogs’ ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers where he posted seven points in 25 games.

“For me, my first year of pro was a bit tougher than maybe most people because I had sat out pretty much my entire senior year coming back from knee surgery, so when I was back, it was even harder I guess from that standpoint. I signed with Hamilton and knew that with the NHL lockout, there was a good chance I would start the year in the ECHL.  San Francisco was a new team and paperwork fell through and stuff happened where it did not get filed properly and I ended up having to play with the Bulldogs’ affiliate in Wheeling. They weren’t expecting me and a couple things happened that I just had to wait out until the lockout ended to get my shot in Hamilton.”

As Leveille processed an eventful and travel filled first professional season, he accepted the way the North American professional hockey system works and embraced the fact that opportunities can sometimes simply be a result of  being in the right place, at the right time.

“It was definitely a whirlwind of a first year being pro.  It’s not like college where you know where you are for four years and that’s that. I was happy to eventually get my opportunity in Hamilton.  The one thing you have to realize is that it’s not always how well you are playing, it’s also about being at the right place at the right time and I think that makes a big difference.”

Despite this, Leveille could not help but feel slightly frustrated with his progress within North America’s hockey infrastructure.  During the 2014-15 season, he travelled many time zones away from home to play with the Dragon de Rouen of the Ligue Magnus in France. Not only did Leveille record 17 points and finish an impressive plus 8 in 26 games, he also noted that his trip overseas was exactly what the hockey doctor ordered.

“It was an amazing experience, the organization was first class and I truly loved it. I think I was mentally a little frustrated with my progress in North American and I needed to get away and re-establish my game and reinstill the confidence in myself. I thought it would be a good year to play solid minutes and after surgery the team in France gave me that opportunity.”

Leveille says that his time spent playing in France was a sort of ‘working vacation’, where he felt no pressure to carry the team or to impress anyone. He could simply focus on himself and his game.

“I was going to a team that was established and very productive. They told me not to worry, that it’s not like the whole team is riding on your shoulders.  Knowing that made it a good transition, made me enjoy the game again, made me really get away from the politics of North American hockey, and really define my game again which was the big thing.”

Coming back to North America last season, Leveille signed with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators and despite only appearing in five games before being assigned to their ECHL affiliate, the Evansville Icemen, he believes it was a step in the right direction towards the NHL.

“My goal, being a high draft pick, is to play in the National Hockey League and I’m confident I can do that, it’s just a matter of getting the right opportunity. I thought I had it with Binghamton this past year, they signed me pretty quick upon me leaving France so I was happy about that, but I just tried to make the best of my situation and help Evansville do really well.  I knew they were a struggling team and I was going to do my best to help them.  I think we had some good moments throughout the season.  I was able to set some Evansville franchise records in a season, so on a personal level, I was very happy with that.”

Leveille is currently in the midst of completing his degree in Sport Psychology at MSU through the Professional Hockey Players’ Association’s Career Enhancement Program and their relationship with Athabasca University. He is set to graduate in July of 2016 and gives credit to the PHPA for helping him achieve his academic objectives.  He also as thanks the union for being there for him.

“Having someone in your corner that you know is going to bat for you is definitely a big help. I know that when I really wanted to complete my degree, I didn’t know how to go about getting it done and how courses would be transferred and all that.  All I had to do was talk to (PHPA Career Enhancement Program Coordinator) Larry Downes who then spoke to my academic advisors in the States and arranged everything to get my stuff done.  It was fantastic.”

During this off-season, Leveille is mainly focusing on preparing for next season but also makes time for school work and family.

“Just training and preparing for next season and during the summer getting a lot of my course work finalized. It’s also been a very family based summer, I spend a lot of time with my family.”

Going forward, Leveille hopes to take his talents to an American Hockey League (AHL) team this coming season and intends on being a mainstay with the team to showcase his capabilities and potential.

“For this season my goal is to hook on with an AHL team and stay there all season, unless an NHL Club comes calling. I want to show that I can play in the American League and work my way up from there.”