The 19-year-old Fall River native is hopeful that, when his junior career is over, he'll be able to make the jump to playing university hockey either in Canada or the U.S.
“I want to keep playing hockey as long as I can,” Bruce said. “I’d like to play college or university hockey.”
He is currently enrolled as a part-time business student at Acadia, so he already has his foot in the door on the academic side, but it might be difficult.
“(The Axemen) would be a tough team to make. There are probably other (university) teams that would be more realistic,” he admits.
He also has hopes of playing NCAA D-1 hockey in the U.S.
“I’d like to play D-1. Maybe I’ll get the chance. Coach (Nick) Greenough has some great connections.”
Fourth-round pick
Bruce has been playing hockey for as long as he can remember – “I was probably five or six when I started playing,” he says – and spent most of his minor hockey career in Bedford. It wasn’t until midget AAA that he started playing in Cole Harbour.
Bruce is currently in his second full year with the junior Wildcats. He was a fourth-round pick by the team in the 2013 MHL draft.
“I played a handful of games as an affiliated player during my 17-year-old year," he said, but the majority of the 2013-2014 season was spent with Cole Harbour.
Bruce's performance last year mirrored that of the team.
“I started off slow but picked up as I went along and finished strong. I was happy. I had a good year,” he says.
His stats reflect that - Bruce was the MHL rookie of the month for February 2015.
This year, Bruce has been playing on a line with Drake Batherson and Jack Patterson.
“We’ve clicked as a line, and are playing well together,” he said. “We’re also close off the ice, and that’s important, too.”
'Two-way player'
In junior, Bruce gained a reputation as “an offensive guy,” but he has “worked hard on my defence the past two years. I’m trying to become more of a two-way player. That’s important at this level, and at the next level.”
He said he feels fortunate to have had Nick Greenough as a coach. “He’s a great guy and a great coach,” and a good fit for the kind of team the Wildcats have.
For his part, Greenough termed Bruce “a great player. He’s offensive-minded, but I’m seeing him making great strides in his growth as a two-way player. He’d like to make it to the next level, and I hope he gets the opportunity.”
Next year, Bruce will be 20 and in his final year in junior.
“I’d like to spend it here,” he said. “I love it here in the Valley.”
The current Wildcats “are a pretty tight group," he adds.
"We were last year, and we are again this year. We’re buddies off the ice, too. A lot of us attend Acadia, take some of our classes together, work out together in the gym.”
Bruce is pleased with the efforts being made to promote the MHL as more of a stepping-stone to college or university hockey.
“Things like the Eastern Canada Cup, which I’ll still be eligible for next year, are great.”
Bruce said he has “no regrets” about ending up playing hockey in Berwick.
“It’s a great place to play, one of the best. You can go to school and play hockey, too."
Did you know?
Born in Bedford Sept. 2, 1996, Nick Bruce, a six-foot winger, is one of the ‘go-to’ offensive players on the Valley Wildcats. Entering play Nov. 14, his seven goals were second on the team behind Jeremy Butterworth’s 11, and his 16 points were third behind Butterworth (22) and John Deacon (20).
By the numbers
17 - number of goals Nick Bruce had in his first full season with Valley in 2014-2015,
45 - points earned in 2014-2015
46 - games played last season.
7 - regular season goals in 2015-2016
16 - points earned in his first 17 games this season.
The 19-year-old Fall River native is hopeful that, when his junior career is over, he'll be able to make the jump to playing university hockey either in Canada or the U.S.
“I want to keep playing hockey as long as I can,” Bruce said. “I’d like to play college or university hockey.”
He is currently enrolled as a part-time business student at Acadia, so he already has his foot in the door on the academic side, but it might be difficult.
“(The Axemen) would be a tough team to make. There are probably other (university) teams that would be more realistic,” he admits.
He also has hopes of playing NCAA D-1 hockey in the U.S.
“I’d like to play D-1. Maybe I’ll get the chance. Coach (Nick) Greenough has some great connections.”
Fourth-round pick
Bruce has been playing hockey for as long as he can remember – “I was probably five or six when I started playing,” he says – and spent most of his minor hockey career in Bedford. It wasn’t until midget AAA that he started playing in Cole Harbour.
Bruce is currently in his second full year with the junior Wildcats. He was a fourth-round pick by the team in the 2013 MHL draft.
“I played a handful of games as an affiliated player during my 17-year-old year," he said, but the majority of the 2013-2014 season was spent with Cole Harbour.
Bruce's performance last year mirrored that of the team.
“I started off slow but picked up as I went along and finished strong. I was happy. I had a good year,” he says.
His stats reflect that - Bruce was the MHL rookie of the month for February 2015.
This year, Bruce has been playing on a line with Drake Batherson and Jack Patterson.
“We’ve clicked as a line, and are playing well together,” he said. “We’re also close off the ice, and that’s important, too.”
'Two-way player'
In junior, Bruce gained a reputation as “an offensive guy,” but he has “worked hard on my defence the past two years. I’m trying to become more of a two-way player. That’s important at this level, and at the next level.”
He said he feels fortunate to have had Nick Greenough as a coach. “He’s a great guy and a great coach,” and a good fit for the kind of team the Wildcats have.
For his part, Greenough termed Bruce “a great player. He’s offensive-minded, but I’m seeing him making great strides in his growth as a two-way player. He’d like to make it to the next level, and I hope he gets the opportunity.”
Next year, Bruce will be 20 and in his final year in junior.
“I’d like to spend it here,” he said. “I love it here in the Valley.”
The current Wildcats “are a pretty tight group," he adds.
"We were last year, and we are again this year. We’re buddies off the ice, too. A lot of us attend Acadia, take some of our classes together, work out together in the gym.”
Bruce is pleased with the efforts being made to promote the MHL as more of a stepping-stone to college or university hockey.
“Things like the Eastern Canada Cup, which I’ll still be eligible for next year, are great.”
Bruce said he has “no regrets” about ending up playing hockey in Berwick.
“It’s a great place to play, one of the best. You can go to school and play hockey, too."
Did you know?
Born in Bedford Sept. 2, 1996, Nick Bruce, a six-foot winger, is one of the ‘go-to’ offensive players on the Valley Wildcats. Entering play Nov. 14, his seven goals were second on the team behind Jeremy Butterworth’s 11, and his 16 points were third behind Butterworth (22) and John Deacon (20).
By the numbers
17 - number of goals Nick Bruce had in his first full season with Valley in 2014-2015,
45 - points earned in 2014-2015
46 - games played last season.
7 - regular season goals in 2015-2016
16 - points earned in his first 17 games this season.