By Matt Remsberg, Special to SI.com, From RISE
Joe Whitney has had plenty of highlight-reel moments during his career at Lawrence Academy. With 83 points to his name during the past two seasons, the speedy playmaker is a threat to make something happen every time the puck's on his stick.
But among the defining moments of Whitney's career is a play you won't find on any stat sheet -- a play indicative of the 5-foot-6, 165-pound senior left wing's approach to the game.
Early in his sophomore season during his first year at Lawrence after transferring from Belmont Hill, Whitney was still battling to earn the respect of a veteran team. As he hopped the boards during a game against Milton Academy, a respect-grabbing opportunity approached in the form of a defenseman with his head down.
As the unsuspecting defender circled his own net to begin a rush, Whitney delivered a hit that would have made Cam Neely proud. The LA bench erupted, and Whitney headed back up ice having endeared himself to his teammates.
"That play kind of put me on the map," says Whitney, who has committed to Boston College and is one of the top prospects in New England. "Coming in as a sophomore, I was looking to do good things and make an impression any way I could."
But don't get the wrong idea. Whitney's check wasn't just an attention-grabbing stunt before he retreated back into playmaker mode. He's known for throwing his body around with reckless abandon in a league where he routinely faces defensemen six inches taller and 50 pounds heavier than him.
"He never backs down, almost to a fault," LA coach Kevin Potter says. "He plays on the edge all the time. My focus this year is I don't want him hitting as much. He's so offensively talented he just needs to worry about offense."
If there's anything Whitney doesn't need to worry about, it's his offensive production. He piled up 28 goals and 28 assists last season to finish fourth in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council. Thanks to quick hands and an even quicker release on his shot, Whitney has the ability to dodge a defender and pick a corner before anyone can lay a hand on him.
He picked up All-NEPSAC East first team honors last year after leading the Spartans to a third-place finish during the regular season and a semifinal appearance in the playoffs. He was named team co-MVP as a junior and entered his senior season 17 points shy of 100 for his career at Lawrence. A true team player, more than half of Whitney's points have come from assists.
"I try to make the players around me better," says Whitney, who has also played for the under-17 and under-18 U.S. Junior Select teams. "I'm fast on my feet and always try to make quick, smart decisions that put pressure on the defense."
Whitney, a Reading native, was so good with the puck that he earned a spot on the Belmont Hill varsity team as an eighth-grader, an extremely rare achievement at a NEPSAC school and even more stunning considering Whitney's size.
The coaches at Belmont Hill weren't the only ones taking notice of Whitney's talent at such an early age. During a trip to the University of New Hampshire during eighth grade, Whitney was told by a UNH coach that he could commit to the college of his choice at any time.
"I didn't really think about it at the time, but then I got in the car and my dad told me, 'I think he was serious,'" Whitney says. "That's the first time I remember hockey being stressful. It was a little overwhelming to find out college coaches were coming to your games and knew about you in eighth grade."
Once Whitney realized college hockey was a realistic goal, there was only one place he could picture himself: Boston College. Whitney grew up spending his Friday and Saturday nights at BC's Conte Forum, attending every Eagles game he could.
The only problem was Boston College didn't seem interested in Whitney at first. But instead of putting pressure on himself every time he took the ice knowing there could be a BC scout in the stands, he continued to play with the same aggressive, electric style that had already helped him achieve so much.
"My coach at Belmont Hill told me to remember to always have fun," Whitney says. "I think part of the reason I made the team in eighth grade was because I seemed to be having fun all the time. They knew I took the game seriously but always stayed loose."
That attitude helped Whitney handle the pressure of waiting for BC to come through with a scholarship offer. And once that offer finally arrived early in his junior season, Whitney didn't think twice about fulfilling one of his lifelong dreams by committing.
And when the opportunity arose to spend this season playing in the United States Hockey League -- a competitive junior league in the Midwest -- it was yet another lifelong dream that kept Whitney at Lawrence for his senior year. He wanted to spend an entire season playing on the same line as his sophomore brother, Steve.
Steve made the varsity squad as a freshman last winter, but the brothers only played a handful of games together because of an injury to the younger Whitney. Faced with the decision of choosing between the USHL and another chance to skate side by side with his brother and best friend, Joe didn't have to think very hard.
"It's more intense in the USHL and probably better preparation for college hockey, but I may never get a chance to play with Steve again," Joe says. "He's going to have a huge year this year, and I don't want to miss it."
The same could be said for Joe's senior season: It's sure to be filled with more highlight-reel moments.
