The name on the back of his 麻豆社国产Wolf Pack jersey may read "Drago," but Mico Dragutinovic isn't looking to knock out Rocky Balboa in a smoky Soviet arena.
The 18-year-old Serbian-born forward might throw a few punches for the Wolf Pack but he's expected to produce on the score sheet and he hasn't disappointed in that respect.
Dragutinovic has 10 points in nine games since joining the team and head coach Matt Samson is pleased with the new acquisition.
"We really like him," Samson said of the Surrey native. "He's a big kid who's really skilled and fits into the mould of this team well."
Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds, Dragutinovic casts an imposing shadow on the opposition but his love for the game of hockey shone through at an early age.
"My cousin and uncle got me interested in hockey," he said. "They told my dad about the game and I first started skating when I was three and played hockey at five."
The aforementioned cousin is none other than Milan Lucic, who starred on the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Vancouver Giants before becoming a solid player with the Boston Bruins. He said that Lucic has been a big help in furthering his hockey career.
"He gives me advice and we also train together in the summer," he said of Lucic. "He always seems to help me out with the little details of the game and where I need to improve."
Dragutinovic's game evolved to the point where he played with the Delta Ice Hawks of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL) as a 16-year-old but suffered a tremendous setback in the summer of 2009.
During a pre-season game with Delta, Dragutinovic had his back ankle tendon sliced apart by an opposing player's skate in a collision. As a result, he spent most of the season mending and rehabilitating his severed Achilles. According to Dragutinovic, it was a long and sometimes difficult process to get back to full health.
"It was more of a mental thing with me," he said of dealing with the injury. "I wanted to be out there scoring big goals and making big plays, so the injury was a major speed bump for my playing career."
After rehabbing for most of the 2009-'10 season, Dragutinovic earned a tryout with his cousin's old team, the Vancouver Giants. He said the experience with the club was nothing but positive.
"I thought it went pretty well and I got some good feedback from the coaches," he said. "I just wasn't totally ready and everything was new to me, but I enjoyed it."
Dragutinovic was picked up by the Port Moody Black Panthers before the start of the PIJHL season and was then dealt to 麻豆社国产in exchange for Trevor Kang on Oct. 26. He said he's really enjoyed his time so far with the Wolf Pack.
"I remember when, as a Panther, we played the Wolf Pack in Whistler," he said. "It was a great game and they seemed like a fun group of guys and I was right."
Drautinovic was immediately placed on a line with Squamish's leading scorer, Konrad Sander, and the two developed instant chemistry.
"I really enjoy playing with Konrad," he said. "We get along great and he's a fun guy in the room."
Despite his personal success, the Wolf Pack are mired in a lengthy losing streak, a streak that Dragutinovic hopes ends in the near future.
"My goal is to help this team win games," he said. "We just have to get over the hump. There are some little things that we need to do to improve and I think we can do it. I'm not someone who gives up and if all the guys key in, we can still make the playoffs and be a dangerous team."
For now, Dragutinovic will have to continue to work hard and hope the team somehow manages to find someone with the ability to stitch his entire name on the back of his jersey.
For more information on the team, visit www.squamishwolfpack.com.