Dunlap joins long list of Alaska players to play for the Green and White
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Leaf program writer George Millar has been treating KIJHL fans with an inside look of players on the Green and White for years.
Now Millar has graciously accepted an offer to give that same insight to readers of The Nelson Daily.
Today Millar looks at forward Aaron Dunlap who joins a long list of great Leaf players from Alaska.
Aaron Dunlap, who answers to “Lapper” and “Dunnie,” hails from Anchorage, Alaska.
He came to Nelson via a BC-wide elite training camp. When the 18-year-old was cut from the squad, former Leaf Nik Newman, who also attended the camp, suggested Nelson as an alternative option.
“Lapper” skates at right wing on a line with Bryce Nielsen.
James Sorrey has centred the American wingers for the last two weeks.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Dunlap names his parents, brother and grandpa as the most important people in his hockey development. Dunlap credits his parents and his grandpa, as well as his grandma, who is now deceased, for helping his philosophy and general approach to life.
Dunlap’s best hockey experience occurred a few years ago when his team had an undefeated season and went to the US Nationals.
His worst was last year, when his midget team was expected to win the Nationals, but ran into penalty trouble — a biased ref is Dunlap’s evaluation — in the regional finals and lost to a team they had previously beaten.
Away from the rink, Aaron works out and hangs out with the guys. His favourite foods are tacos and sushi.
His TV choices are Modern Family and The Office. His movie selections are Finding Nemo and Anchor Man. Will Farrell gets the nod as favourite actor. Rappers M&M and L’il Wayne provide his listening pleasure, though he admits to liking some country sounds as well.
The San Jose Sharks are his favourite NHL team, and Joe Thornton is his favourite player.
Dunlap, with nine goals and eight assists, has set goals for this year to improve his play so he can move up to an A-level next year, and to have fun while he plays.
Five years from now he hopes to be playing NCAA Division 1 hockey with the University of Alaska. In ten years, he expects to be a firefighter and a family man.
Part of Dunlap’s pre-game ritual includes sharing some suchi with Nielsen and Damin Devlin, and listening to L’l Wayne.
His dressing for games always begins with his socks. He will tell you that he’s a nice guy and approachable, and that he likes to have fun.
