Hockey has been in Fabian and Daniel Walsh鈥檚 bloodline for as long as they can remember. Their father, a former draft pick of the QMJHL, instilled the love of the game in his sons at a young age, and both started playing organized hockey once they reached age four.
鈥淏asically as soon as we learned how to walk, we learned how to skate,鈥� says Fabian, the older of the two brothers.
For Daniel, putting the skates on was inevitable.
鈥淚 never fought it,鈥� says Daniel. 鈥淲e both loved it and it was just that he [their father] grew up playing it so we were going to play it too.鈥�
Due to a two-year age gap, the brothers, who were born and raised in Ontario, rarely got the opportunity to play on the same team growing up, aside from a year-and-a-half with the Cumberland Grads of the Canadian Junior Hockey League 鈥� a time that both cherished.
鈥淚f something goes wrong and he [Daniel] gets hurt it鈥檚 a bit of a different experience, and I鈥檓 kind of experiencing all of those things again now [with Dalhousie], but not a lot of people get to play at a high level with their brother so it鈥檚 something that I鈥檒l cherish forever,鈥� says Fabian.
Brotherly bond
While both brothers started the 2011-12 season with the Grads, the two briefly ended up on separate paths, as Fabian was traded to the Kanata Stallions where he was a solid contributor offensively for two seasons. Daniel plied his trade in the OHL with the Ottawa 67s until the end of the 2012-13 campaign.
As the 2013-14 season reached closer and his junior eligibility was running out, Fabian knew he had a decision to make. He had considered playing for the Carleton Ravens of the OUA, but also knew he wanted to get out of Ottawa and start fresh. That鈥檚 when Dalhousie鈥檚 head coach Chris Donnelly came calling.
Donnelly has a scout and former Dalhousie hockey player named Joel Brown, who lives near Kanata, where Fabian was playing at the time. He was able to connect the two, and after meeting with Donnelly in Ottawa, the older brother decided that Dalhousie was the right fit.
The move has worked out for the best, as Fabian, who was originally pencilled in as a third or fourth line player, has improved in each of his three years with the club. He鈥檚 currently an alternate captain and led the team in scoring last season with 24 points.
Meanwhile, in the back of Daniel鈥檚 mind, a move to the Maritimes had also started to become a reality. He made the trek for the 2013-14 season, playing two seasons in the Maritime Hockey League (MHL) before joining the Tigers last year.
鈥淔abian going to Dal was the reason I came out here, because he was playing with guys who had been in the MHL,鈥� said Daniel.
鈥淚t was pretty much set in stone in my head that I was going to come to Dal after anyways,鈥� he adds. 鈥淔abian was here and I knew that we鈥檇 get the chance to play together again for a couple years at least.鈥�
Looking ahead
While the brothers鈥� individual journeys to Halifax were slightly different, they鈥檝e ultimately found themselves on the same path yet again 鈥� this time in search of an AUS conference title.
There鈥檚 no doubt that the chemistry is there between the two of them, and with a full year together with the Tigers, their head coach is optimistic that they鈥檒l provide the scoring punch needed to complement a strong defensive unit and solid play in net for the 2016-17 campaign.
鈥淲e鈥檝e made a lot of strides defensively in terms of keeping goals down, and now as we look towards more offensive players, both these kids could certainly fit the bill,鈥� says Donnelly.
The Tigers begin the 2016-17 regular season hosting StFX on Friday, October 7 at 7:00pm at the Halifax Forum.