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Colebrook 'Heart and Soul' of Predators this Season

By Zulfi Sheikh, 04/16/23, 9:45AM EDT

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North Central captain led by example

Note: This profile was written before the OHL Draft.

Devun Colebrook didn’t just spring to action on the ice when an eight-game losing streak threatened to derail his North Central Predators’ strong 14-7 start to the OMHA's Eastern AAA Hockey League season.
 
The 16-year-old captain also did some homework on how to help his team emerge from its funk.
 
“I talked to coaches, parents, the team, and we came up with this concept of hating to lose,” he said. “I found a couple articles online of NHL teams that just hated to lose, and they ended up being very successful, and so we tried to bring that concept into our team, and I think it worked out.”
 
That’s just one of the ways in which Colebrook demonstrates the maturity and poise of a veteran hockey player, traits that make him an intriguing prospect for the upcoming Ontario Hockey League draft.
 
His season stats – eight goals and 19 assists in 42 games – may not jump off the page, but his contributions extend well beyond the scoresheet.
 
Predators coach Tom Pethick describes him as the heart and soul of the team, with a work ethic second to none, and it’s that determination and selflessness that may carry him to the next level.
 
“I’m not the kind of guy to go down and toe drag through three guys and put it bar down without using anyone else,” Colebrook explained. “If I have a shot and my teammate’s wide-open back door, I’ll pass it back because I know it’s a team game and one player can’t do it all.”
 
To that end, he’s not worried about changing his game to impress scouts, choosing to remain “a team player” who enjoys “using the other guys on the ice. It’s a five-guy game and if the scouts are watching…a guy who’s a team player will be more useful at the next level.”
 
Colebrook’s approach to hockey comes as no surprise to his family. 
 
They’ve seen his work ethic and leadership for years and know it’s a part of who he is.
 
“I think he’s always stood out because no matter what the score or the game is, he always works as hard as he possibly can,” said older brother Tyler. “It’s just something in him. No matter what it is, he always puts 100 per cent into everything and if you’re a leader that’s what you want.”
 
Helping him shine is the joy he finds while playing. He truly loves the game and understands that the reward he gets on the ice is directly correlated to his level of effort. The end for him isn’t just in getting to the next level but continuing “to play for a lot of my life, whether that’s in the OHL or the NHL at some point…even if it’s beer league.”
 
His team-first captaincy of the Predators has him on track for much more than that.
 
“If you’re a leader your job isn’t to go out there and score four goals, that’s not how I lead by example,” said Colebrook. “You could try it, but that’s a really hard way to lead, so do what you do well and hopefully your teammates follow and do what they can do to benefit the team.”


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zulfi Sheikh is a student in the Sport Journalism post-grad program at Centennial College. Follow him on Twitter @zulfi_sheikh