Forward who made a save
Prospect Jake Chiasson and former junior teammates prevented a tragedy in 2022
The Ottawa Senators knew they were getting a good allaround hockey player in Jake Chiasson when they made a trade with the Edmonton Oilers a couple of months ago.
But they got more than just a good hockey player; they got a guy who has shown he's also got plenty of character, a hero who helped save a guy's life.
The hockey stuff is obvious; described as a player who can do a bit of everything, he's a former fourth-round draft pick of the Oilers. If he puts it together, if he continues to work hard and do the “little things” NHL folks talk about, he has a chance to be an NHL player.
The character stuff, the off-ice stuff ... let's go back to December of 2022.
Chiasson was one of four Brandon Wheat Kings who stepped in to talk to a man who was contemplating jumping from a bridge and killing himself.
The story: Wheat Kings Calder Anderson and Nolan Ritchie were in a car with Chiasson and Ben Thornton when they spotted a man standing on a lamp post on the edge of a bridge, dangerously close to falling toward the railway tracks far below. They drove ahead a bit, did a U-turn and returned.
They pulled up a few feet away from the man and asked if he was OK. He told the players things weren't going well. He was thinking about jumping. As the players continued to talk to the man, estimated to be between the age of 25 and 30, Chiasson called 911. Police arrived about five minutes later and pulled the man to safety.
“I remember it pretty vividly,” said Chiasson before departing for the Prospects Challenge, a sixteam competition in Buffalo this weekend. “It was a tough situation, something you hope nobody goes through. But, it happens. I remember thinking you never know what people are going through.
“Sometimes a simple hello or conversation can make a difference. I think that's all that person needed. We didn't want to bring too much of a spotlight to ourselves, but we're so grateful we could help.”
The good news: The Wheat Kings players got a follow-up letter from Brandon's mayor a couple of months later; it said the man was in a better situation.
“That was probably the best news I could have gotten,” said Chiasson. “A lot of people have hard times, where they're not feeling great. There are people who are struggling and going through a lot in life. It's important someone comes along and picks you up. It can be hard to dig out of those battles on your own.
“Our parents are proud of us (for helping), but we're thankful for what they taught us (to be compassionate) as well.”
So, how about the hockey?
From Abbotsford, B.C., the 6-foot-2 Chiasson was selected by the Oilers in the fourth round (116th overall) of the 2021 NHL draft.
He spent his first professional season with the Oilers' organization in 2023-24 and played all but one of his 69 regular-season games with Edmonton's ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets; he had 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists). He was held scoreless over one AHL contest with Bakersfield.
The Senators liked what they saw; they dealt forward Roby Jarventie and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Oilers to get Chiasson and forward Xavier Bourgault.
“He's a hockey player, he's a rink rat,” said Belleville Senators head coach David Bell. “He loves the game, he knows the game, he already knows the organization. He's going to be a utility knife. He told me, `I can play centre, I can play left wing, I can play right wing.' He knows what his identity is; he's a checker, he's an energy guy. If he plays to his strengths, he could be an asset.”
Looking back on the day he found out he had been dealt to Ottawa, Chiasson said: “It was a pretty regular morning for me. I got a call from Edmonton management explaining the situation, saying there was something in the works. Shortly after, I got the call to confirm it was true. Everyone will tell you trades are weird, but they can also be exciting. You get flooded with emotions.
“I was excited for this opportunity. I know Ottawa's trending in the right direction as an organization. It's a great spot, a great opportunity for me. It comes along with bit of anxiety. I hadn't been
(to Ottawa) before. So, new city, new staff, a lot of new names. But that's the fun part of it. It's a business, you roll with the tide.”
What kind of a hockey player did the Senators get?
“I take pride in being someone that can play up and down the lineup,” said Chiasson.
“For me, it's about being a player that can be trusted in both zones. When I came up through junior, I think every year I played a new position.
“As much as that's tough at times, it really benefits you as a player.
I just want to show the coaching staff here and in Belleville they can trust me in any situation.
“It's about doing a lot of the little things. It's pretty cliche, but when you do the little things right, everything else follows. I'm a keepit-simple type of player. I understand my role of who I need to come in here and be. I need to be a player that can be hard to play against.
“It's something every team needs and wants — depth throughout the lineup that's hard to play against.
If I can bring that to the team, I will benefit, and, most importantly, the team will benefit.”
I remember thinking you never know what people are going through. Sometimes a simple hello or conversation can make a difference. Jake Chiasson