When CTV News met James Scantlebury, he was happy to lace up his skates and hit the ice solo, even if it was just for a few minutes.
At 16 years old, he carries himself in a way that’s not like most teenagers.
He is kind and humble. So much so that you would have no idea he is about to experience one of the biggest events of his life in a matter of months.
“It’s been nice,” he said. “I mean, just soaking it all in, trying to be in the moment, trying to stay in the moment and just have fun with it.”
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Scantlebury could potentially be the first overall pick at the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft in Quebec City on June 6 and 7.
It’s a dream he’s had since he started playing hockey at two years old. His dad, Leo Scantlebury, got him into the sport.
“We bought him the little trainer thing you push around, and he just started crying and going crazy. And I’m going, ‘What’s wrong James? What’s wrong?' He didn’t want that. He wanted a hockey stick,” said the high school coach from Montreal’s South Shore.
The site Elite Prospects has Scantelbury going in the top 30 in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft as well.
Scantlebury is a five foot nine inch tall centre. He played hockey in his hometown of Chateauguay, Que. and with Arsenal Lac St-Louis.
The Grade 10 student has now been with the Bishop Kearney Selects U16 program for two years. He recorded 64 goals and 66 assists last season and led the team to the New York State championship.
His former minor hockey coach, Luca Ciampini, says kids like Scantlebury don’t come around often.
“He’s a full package player. He’s a he’s got all the skill attributes, but mainly it’s his it’s his compete level and drive to win,” said Ciampini.
“I always had confidence myself, but I just wanted to play and have fun and I just worked hard because that’s what I love and I still do it to this day. So that’s just how it was,” said Scantlebury.
Some of his earliest memories are watching hockey with his dad. When Scantlebury was younger, he looked up to Jerome Iginla and wanted to wear number 12 because of him.
“He was just like a Black face that I could look up to and see myself in a little bit and see that like, they could play to,” said Scantlebury. “It kind of like, got me going and say, ‘I could really be in the NHL one day.’”
He says it’s “pretty special” that he now has young kids come up to him.
“Obviously, that’s a bigger compliment than anything else in the world to see, like I’m inspiring maybe younger kids than me,” said Scantlebury.
Scantlebury’s dad says he’s always been proud of his son but says he finds this whole experience crazy. So crazy, that he gets choked up thinking about it.
“I never thought he would get this far, and it’s beautiful, sorry,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes.
Both of Scantlebury’s parents are teachers. He says seeing them go to work every day and make sacrifices for him and his siblings is what inspires him to be better at the rink.
“They have their own lives and sacrificed a lot for me, so I just want to do my best and work as hard as I can for them,” he said.
The prospect says he’s focusing on that instead of the hype around the draft, but you can guarantee that when that day comes, his dad will be in the crowd cheering him on.
