Ice sledge hockey: Five future faces

The Sochi 2014 Paralympics exposed five young athletes to watch over the next few years in ice sledge hockey. 24 Mar 2014
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Declan Farmer and Brody Roybal

The USA's Brody Roybal and Declan Farmer stop for a quick chat on the ice during their semi-final match against Canada at Sochi 2014.

ⒸGetty Images
By IPC

Joining Declan Farmer on the USA’s first line in Sochi was 15-year-old Brody Roybal, who scored two goals in his first-ever Paralympic game to help lead the Americans to a 5-1 victory over the Italians.

1. Declan Farmer (USA)

At just 16 years old, the quick forward was crucial to the USA’s gold-medal success in Sochi, playing over 87 minutes on the ice while scoring three goals and recording two assists in the tournament. Farmer was the main reason the USA were able to defeat top-seeded Canada in the semi-finals, as he put on a three-point performance, scoring twice in a five-minute period early in the game.

2. Magnus Bogle (Norway)

Making his debut at 18, Bogle saw as much time as his veteran teammates in Norway’s fourth-place finish and should be one to watch over the next Paralympic cycle. In Sochi, he notched one goal and one assist in more than 78 minutes on the ice.

3. Nikolay Terentyev (Russia)

While Terentyev, 17, played in just four of Russia’s five games at the Paralympics, he was the host nation’s youngest team member and showed signs of explosiveness as he recorded four shots on goal. Just a few months prior, at the December’s World Sledge Hockey Challenge, he finished the tournament with five goals and five assists.

4. Tyler McGregor (Canada)

Nobody has more energy on the ice than this rising 20-year-old forward from Canada. Playing in all five games at the Paralympics, McGregor racked up three assists and has been deemed by his veteran teammates as one to keep your eyes on over the next few seasons.

5. Brody Roybal (USA)

Joining Farmer on the USA’s first line in Sochi was this 15-year-old from Chicago, who scored two goals in his first-ever Paralympic game to help lead the Americans to a 5-1 victory over the Italians. If he continues to up his game like Farmer, the pair could make for a dangerous first line for the USA for years to come.