David Chisholm already knows what he wants to do when his days playing junior hockey are over.
The Current River Storm captain is a fourth-year nursing student at both Lakehead University and Confederation College, which he acknowledges will be a challenging occupation.
“It takes a lot of time. I would like to get on the ice as much as I can [but] my family is in health care field," Chisholm said. "So, I feel like I need to live up to the [family name] and prove what I got here.”
Chisholm, along with fellow defencemen Jonah DesRosiers and Steve Skerritt, are in their last year of junior hockey. The Lakehead Junior Hockey League allows four players on each roster that have turned or are turning 22 years old.
When he was younger, Chisholm looked elsewhere to play hockey after not being able to crack the Thunder Bay Kings program.
“I searched outwards and found a nice program in Banff, Alta. That’s where I [began to build] a lot of my fundamentals as a player,” said Chisholm. “[I’m now] back home, [going to] school now and I'm just trying to teach the younger guys how to carry themselves and just be solid [players].”
Chisholm spent the 2017-2018 season with the Banff Hockey Academy before moving onto the Okanagan Hockey Ontario Prep program between 2018 and 2020.
He came back to Northwestern Ontario, suiting up in a single game with the Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Junior Hockey League in the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020-2021 campaign.
He picked up an interference penalty during the second period of the Dec. 5, 2020, contest at the Fort William Gardens that ended in a 6-5 overtime win for the Walleye over the North Stars.
Chisholm had a positive experience with the Fighting Walleye organization, but made the decision to focus on his studies and walk away from the game for the 2021-2022 season.
“It really took a toll [on me],” reflected Chisholm. “Hockey is what I love to do every single day of my life, and it helps me balance myself. When I had to just fully focus on school, I felt like [that was the best decision for me]. I felt like I didn't have a choice, [school] really got so busy.”
As of Tuesday, Chisholm has played in 30 career regular season games with the Storm franchise, which joined the LJHL in 2022-2023.
Even though his workplace will be in health care, Chisholm would be interested in getting behind the bench.
“If [Head Coach Robbie Untinen] and his staff need anything next year, I'm here and I [would be] willing to do whatever they need [me to do].”
