A normal Christmas present for a 2-year-old is likely a toy or some clothes. For Heartlanders forward Keltie Jeri-Leon, a pair of ice skates sufficed. The prized footwear kickstarted his hockey journey.
Jeri-Leon grew up in Kelowna, British Columbia, a province in Canada located above Washington and near Vancouver. As a kid, Jeri-Leon wasted no time in putting those skates to use thanks to the ice rink his dad built for him in the backyard.
“Whenever it got dark outside, we would switch from the frozen lake to our backyard ice rink and play games against our neighbors under the lights,” Jeri-Leon said.
After spending some time playing junior hockey in Canada, Jeri-Leon made the move to the Western Hockey League and played for the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Washington. For his first time living in the U.S., the forward met friends that he still keeps in touch with to this day.
“They were like a second family to me, and they treated me very similar to my parents,” Jeri-Leon said. “It also wasn’t too far from home, so my parents were able to drive to some of my games, which helped the transition.”
After two seasons with the Americans, Jeri-Leon was then traded to the Seattle Thunderbirds, where he spent two and a half seasons. It was during his time in the city where the rumblings of an NHL franchise coming to Seattle were starting to ramp up, which only created a more electric atmosphere for the WHL squad. Jeri-Leon remembered sellouts at almost every game.
“I have a lot of love for Seattle, it has a really special place in my heart,” Jeri-Leon said. “Being in a large city like that was really cool, and there were a lot of things to do when my family visited.”
Jeri-Leon finished his junior hockey career during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made things complicated when looking for a pro contract. After waiting as long as he could, he signed a professional tryout contract with the Providence Bruins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Boston Bruins. The forward skated in their preseason games and felt that playing for their affiliate, the ECHL’s Maine Mariners, was his best shot to play in the AHL.
Throughout his whole career, the forward has been no stranger to switching teams and moving to different parts of the country, seeing action with five different ECHL squads. To some, a life on the go can be tiring. For Jeri-Leon, he finds it exciting to see different places.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is playing hockey,” Jeri-Leon said. “It’s all about finding the best opportunities to work your way up and further your career.”
Although he has been traded multiple times, Jeri-Leon distinctly remembers when he was traded from Savannah to Iowa in the middle of last season. He arrived early to practice but was pulled off the ice by Savannah’s video coach, who told him about the sudden trip up north.
“I packed up my things, and I’ve loved my time here ever since,” Jeri-Leon said.
It’s now been a year since Jeri-Leon was traded to Iowa, and the forward sees himself as a leader in the locker room with all the experience he’s garnered over the years.
“Just being a good voice in the locker room, trying to be a role model, and leading by example vocally every single day in practice is what I try to bring to this team,” Jeri-Leon said.
The journeyman boasts the stats to back up his vocal leadership. The forward ranks third on the team in both goals and points.
Although his hockey journey has been far from a straight line, Jeri-Leon says if he learned anything about himself over his career, it’s that he’s mentally strong.
“I’ve faced a lot of adversity, but my family has been a great support system for me throughout the years,” Jeri-Leon said. “No matter what’s been thrown at me, I’ve put my head down and worked. But at the same time, it’s been really fun, and I hope to play pro hockey for many more years.”