Taking strides can mean a lot of different things in the world of sports, and in life. When athletes start participating in a sport that intrigues them, it seems only the very best get rewarded. On June 23rd, a local talent turned his first strides on an ice surface into the makings of a pro career when Kapuskasing native Alain Goulet was selected in the sixth round, 159th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins.

The 6'1", 186-pound Goulet was a 14th round draft pick of the Sudbury Wolves in 2004. The first year he appeared at training camp, the on-ice experience was somewhat hindered by the usual nerves of playing at a higher level. “My first tryout didn’t go as well as I wanted,” Goulet admitted. “I guess I was a bit intimidated.”

Despite that, he said the Wolves staff did a great job in making him and his family feel comfortable, showing them their rooms and giving them Wolves jerseys. The Goulets stayed in contact with the OHL club ever since he was drafted. Although he did well in his second look, Goulet’s health stopped him from playing his best. The defenseman had a heart problem which he had to get under control before he could continue playing.

Through it all, the farthest thing from his mind was quitting. Goulet would forego the OHL, despite keeping in touch with a team that already had an impressive troika on the blueline in the form of Rangers draft pick Marc Staal, Jonathan D’Aversa (recently signed by the Penguins) and Adam McQuaid, a 2nd round NHL pick whose rights were traded to the Bruins in June.

Instead, Goulet played a final year with the Kapuskasing Midget AAA team before heading to Ottawa the following season, making the jump to the Junior “A” level. This past year, Goulet was a member of the Aurora Tigers team that won the Royal Bank Cup. “I learned so much,” said Goulet of his time with Aurora. “The team game, shooting. I learned to use more of my players on what was a great team. Growing up, minor hockey was a lot different.”

Goulet said he kept close tabs on the miracle run the Wolves had last season, even as he was deciding what would follow his stop in Aurora. “(The Wolves’ management) have been contacting me more aggressively this year,” he said. “I was thinking hard about going, but in the end I wanted to concentrate on my schooling.”

Goulet was offered a hockey scholarship to the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he will be attending Business Management classes for the next four years. “NCAA is closer in age, but both leagues are competitive,” said Goulet, who turns 19 on September 22. “I’m happy with my decision to play NCAA.”

With a Royal Bank Cup championship and a confirmed scholarship on his resume, things could not get much better. But the best, it seemed, was yet to come. “I didn’t really care who drafted me,” said Goulet, ranked 190th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. On day two of this year’s draft, the Goulets were pleasantly surprised when Alain was selected early in the sixth round.

“I wasn’t expecting to be drafted until the last round. I was hearing a lot of good things from people, so I was excited. I was really happy to be drafted.” The family watched the draft online as names came up, and then Goulet saw his next to an Original Six team with a good history of defensemen.

Ray Bourque and Bobby Orr are just a few of the big names that made their mark manning the Boston blueline. The rushing defensemen isn’t aiming to fill the skates of those players however, knowing he’ll have to prove himself. “I just want to do my best to be a great defensemen,” he said. “I’d like to be well-rounded and have a more three-dimensional game by the time I get to the NHL. I always try to play hard and be a leader, with or without a letter on my jersey.”

Boston could be a good fit for Goulet, who will potentially play with a certain Sudbury defenseman once the four years of U.S. schooling are done. “I’m anxious to play with him (McQuaid),” said Goulet excitedly. “The Bruins are rebuilding right now, which I heard is a good thing for a younger player. I want to make the city proud of me, and achieve my dream of playing in the NHL.”

Goulet’s dreams are closer than ever to becoming a reality, and it all started with a stride, albeit a shaky one, he made on a frozen pond when he was four years old.