As aggressive a game as he plays on the ice, Lloydminster’s Aiden Foster has a decidedly different reputation off the ice.
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That’s the word from Foster’s teammates with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars.
Josh Ravensbergen, the top-ranked goaltender for this week’s NHL draft, considers the draft-eligible Foster one of his close friends.
“I didn’t have a car my first year (in Prince George), so he drove probably 10 minutes out of his way, every day, to come pick me up for practice,” Ravensbergen said of Foster. “I think that was really the start of (our friendship). Just a really nice thing to do.
“He’d pick me up and we were able to spend a lot of time in the car together and grow closer. It just shows the kind of character he has, going out of his way and giving guys rides. This year, too, he had to drive some of the rookies around when they got called up for playoffs and they didn’t have a car. He’ll do things like that. It shows he’s a good teammate and cares about you.”
During his two years as a forward with the Cougars, Foster has repeatedly stood up for his teammates with his physical play. In the process, he’s become a feared and respected fighter across the WHL.
“I think people on every team know who he is and probably don’t want to pick a fight with him,” Ravensbergen said. “But I think he’s grown his awareness and people know who he is and that he’s feisty, which is a good thing. They definitely look out for when he’s on the ice.
“It’s really good having someone in front of you who has your back. As a goalie, you’re not hit as much, but I’m sure the other players really appreciated that (presence), having somebody there that’ll stick up for you. Just a good team player.”
‘SUPER GRITTY PLAYER’
Ravensbergen is a first-round prospect who interviewed with 26 teams during the NHL draft combine this month in Buffalo. Multiple teams asked him about Foster, and Ravensbergen told those scouts that they would be wise to select such “a super gritty player” and likeable teammate.
“He’s a great guy,” Ravensbergen said from a Burnaby, B.C., goalie camp.
Another high-profile Cougar — Washington Capitals’ prospect Terik Parascak — has also developed a tight friendship with Foster. Knowing him personally as a teammate, and as a roommate on the road, Parascak sees two sides of Foster.
“He’s really nice and a great kid off the ice,” said Parascak, a first-round pick last year. “I enjoy spending time with Aiden. Then, you get on the ice with him and you see that other side of him. It’s like two completely different personalities. It’s pretty funny. I just love the way he plays on the ice, and love him off the ice, too.
“Our team, we tend to go to Earls quite a bit after practice and we spend a lot of time eating out together. Aiden is a guy that’s always there, always doing stuff with the guys, and loves spending time with everybody. He’s definitely a very well-liked guy throughout the group. He’s a big part of our team. A lot of energy.”
Foster, 18, attributes his energetic ways to a sports-filled upbringing. Along with hockey, he played elite baseball up until he was 16. He’s still spotted around Lloyd ballparks as an umpire.
“I love baseball,” he said. “Playing with all my great buddies, we had a tight group growing up. We were fortunate enough to go to Florida, probably one of my most funnest times in my life. A week in Disney World, playing in a baseball tournament with teams from all over. An unreal experience.
“I tried to play everything growing up. I played volleyball and basketball in school. I started to golf when I was really young. My grandpa got me into it. I golf as much as I can in the summertime and got into pickleball with the friends last summer. Just any kind of game to stay competitive and to have fun in the summer also.”
Ravensbergen, the six-foot-five, 190-pound goaltender from North Vancouver, can appreciate Foster’s love of sports and the outdoors. They were among the Cougars who liked to play pickup basketball at the rec centre in Prince George.
Growing up, Ravensbergen embraced snowboarding and biking, though he’s curbed his adventures lately to guard against injury.
After making the Cougars as a walk-on two years ago, he made great strides in short order and has gone from undrafted WHL goalie to first-round NHL draft candidate.
As the seven-round NHL draft looms, Ravensbergen’s story resonates with Foster.
“It’s always cool if you get picked,” Ravensbergen said. “But if you don’t get picked, it’s not the end of the world, either.”
Regardless of what happens this week, Foster’s summer involves regular workouts in Wainwright under Adam Huxley and in the company of pro, junior and university hockey players.
“I was always one of the taller, lanky kids growing up,” he said. “Now, it’s more about putting on muscle.”
HOCKEY-PLAYING SISTERS
Foster is the oldest of three siblings. Both of his sisters, 15-year-old Alivia and 11-year-old Avery, also play hockey.
Aiden watched Avery’s team while home for the Christmas break, and he was back in Lloyd this spring in time to see Alivia’s Steelers host the Esso Cup national U18 girls’ championship in the swan song for the Centennial Civic Centre.
“It’s fun to watch them,” he said. “I mean, they support me the whole time. To come home and watch them and see what they’re doing, it’s awesome.”
Foster and his family will keep a close eye on the televised draft proceedings this Friday and Saturday. While he’s rated 89th among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings, Foster knows there aren’t any certainties in the draft process.
“Hearing my name called at the draft would be the biggest accomplishment of my career and life,” he said. “It would be such an honour and I’d just be so down to earth, humbled, to hear my name. Just so joyed and thankful to everyone who has helped me get to this point, my family and friends, so I’m looking forward to seeing what shakes out.
“At the end of the day, if nothing happens, hopefully I’ll still get to go to a pro camp. It doesn’t matter. You can still get there. Everything happens for a reason. I’ve got my own road to what I want to do.”
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