Making it count in his last year

Stingers men’s hockey captain Olivier Hinse has big goals for his final season Alexander Cole, Sports editor

Stingers men’s hockey captain Olivier Hinse has big goals for his final season

When the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team was eliminated from the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) playoffs last year, team captain Olivier Hinse had a big decision to make. Hinse had one year of eligibility left, but he was also graduating. Some believed he would no longer be a Stinger—this was not the case.

Hinse opted to enroll in a year-long certificate program, allowing him to play out his final year of eligibility with Concordia.

“I think school-wise, it was a great opportunity to get a graduate certificate in business administration,” Hinse said.

One of Hinse’s passions is children. Hinse did his undergrad in child studies, and hopes to use his graduate certificate in business administration to open up a centre for kids. Hinse said he knows how to help kids develop and grow, but learning the business side of things will help him in his career.

“Hockey-wise, I think we’re going to have a great group of guys this year. Knowing we have talent coming up and Concordia being my home, it’s why I came back,” Hinse said.

The Stingers finished last season with a record of 10-12-6, which placed them seventh out of nine teams in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec. Hinse believes the team’s fortune will change this year, and that the Stingers have a great chance of being a top-tier team.

“We have to go all the way,” Hinse said. “We have a great goalie, so I think our hopes are high and we’re going to go all the way.”

Hinse added that the team’s main issue in the past has been finishing on plays. He said the team used to lack consistency, but he hopes that bringing so many new players onto the team this year and introducing them to the system can change that.

This season, Hinse will be without one of his favourite linemates from last year—forward Jessyko Bernard. Last season was Bernard’s final one with the team, and now Hinse will be playing on a brand new line with newcomers Philippe Sanche and Anthony Deluca. Hinse said he is confident in the chemistry he is already building with his new linemates.

“[Bernard] was great and we had a lot of chemistry together,” Hinse said. “Every year, you lose guys and new guys come in. I know that my linemates right now, Deluca and Sanche, will do a great job of getting me the puck, and I can feed them as well, so we’ll all score.”

This season is Hinse’s third as captain of the team, something that he is extremely proud of. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

Beyond this season, Hinse said he would love to keep playing hockey, and if he was ever given the opportunity to go pro, he would. For now, his main priority is hockey.

“I’m almost 26 so I’m thinking of my ‘plan B,’ but right now I’m still focusing on my ‘plan A,’” Hinse said.

Hinse’s final season will also mark his third year as captain of the team. He said his philosophy when it comes to being a captain is simple: create an atmosphere that’s inclusive.

“The key to [being captain] is making sure you create a sense of family and respect,” Hinse said. “Being captain of the Stingers is a great thing, and I’m so proud that it’s my third year.”

According to Hinse, his biggest take-away from his time with the Stingers and the CIS is that players create their own chances. When Hinse joined the team in his first year, he admitted that he was coming off of a disappointing season in the QMJHL. Looking for a fresh start, Hinse said he wanted to go all out with the team and come out of the gate strong.

Hinse added that the CIS doesn’t get as much coverage as it should, and he hopes that, moving forward, people will begin to realize how high the level of hockey is.

“I’m always going to remember that the CIS should be more known around the world. It’s the second greatest league in Canada, right after the NHL,” said Hinse.

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