Written by: Scott Savard
Headline photo: Scott Savard
Okotoks, AB (February 16, 2026) – Hingham, Massachusetts, home to 2002 Olympic silver medalist and former Calgary Flames forward Tony Amonte, current Seattle Kraken Matty Beniers, former NHLer Brian Boyle, Marty McInnis (former Calgary Flame), along with Okotoks Oilers rookie forward Nate Porter.
The town of Hingham houses just over 24,000 people, as well as one of America’s oldest churches, The Old Ship Church, built in 1681. The scenery in Hingham is vast, with many hiking routes, opportunities to play water sports at Hingham Harbor, and beaches.
“It’s similar to Okotoks, I would say. It’s probably a little bit smaller, but it’s like 30 minutes outside of Boston, just south of the city,” Porter said about his hometown. “It’s on the water too, so that’s a cool element of it. There is a harbour, boats, and stuff, which is cool. I like it, I’ve lived there my entire life basically. I grew up somewhere else until I was two, and then we moved down to Hingham. It’s been nice. A lot of kids play hockey in that area, in that town. There are a lot of surrounding towns, so when I was younger, a lot of kids from my school played hockey. All my friends played hockey, I think that was cool growing up in an area where hockey was so big.”
Naturally, with Hingham being a part of the Greater Boston area, Porter found himself travelling to “Beantown” a lot as a youth and eventually playing in the city with one of their teams.
“So, probably until I was 12 or 13, I played in the Hingham or surrounding towns. Once I switched over to a different club when I was 13, the Boston Jr. Eagles, they had practice in the city of Boston. It was a little bit of a drive, but the team was really good for our age. It was definitely a step up switching over to that team and playing for them, even though it required a little bit more travel,” he added.
With the Bruins playing in proximity to his hometown, the NHL Original Six team had an influence in Porters love for the sport. He explained that while he was quite young when the Bruins won their most recent Stanley Cup back in 2011, he has since gone back to appreciate what it took the Bruins come away with the sport’s most coveted trophy, but also the impact it had on Vancouver who lost to Boston in the final, as the city went into a riot after the loss in game seven.
Being a Bruins fan, Porter has seen some great hockey teams growing up, as the team has made it to the final dance three times in Porter’s lifetime. Two players who made an impact on Porter and the Bruins faithful were Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.
“I always liked watching Marchand growing up. He and Bergeron were two of the biggest players in Boston right at the time. Everyone would tell me to play like Bergeron, but also play like Marchand, too, a little bit. Like, have elements of his game in your game, but then Bergeron, like how good of a person he was off the ice, and how good of a player he was, obviously, too.
While many parents are the ones who get their kids on the ice with skating lessons before letting their kids play the sport, Porter’s journey to putting on the skates was a little different.
“So, it’s a funny story. My mom and dad didn’t play hockey growing up. They obviously grew up in Boston or around the area. They knew (about hockey), but my dad never played, and my mom never played,” Porter explained. “When I was younger, I had a nanny, her name is Jessica, and she talked to my parents when I was really young. I was probably like one, two, or three. She was like, ‘Oh, can I get him into skating?’ because both my parents worked, so she would watch me and my brother all day. I don’t remember how old I was, but I remember she asked my parents if it was ok, because she had grown up playing hockey, and she played hockey. She was like ‘Can I take him skating?’, once I started, I never stopped. I loved it.”
“If I didn’t have her (his nanny Jessica), then I wouldn’t have played hockey. I think she loved it, and she’s like, ‘I think he’ll love it,’ and his brother will love it. I think that’s a funny story about how I started. I always credit starting hockey to her because she’s the reason,” he added about Jessica getting him into hockey.
This may be the first time Porter has played for a team in the Calgary and Okotoks area, but it’s not the first time he has been on a team that has a player who has ties to the area, as he grew up playing with Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla and was coached by his dad, the legendary Jarome Iginla.
“Tij is a good kid. I’m glad I got the opportunity to play with him during my U13 and U14 years. I actually went to school with him, too, in Boston. He was in the grade above me, but I got to spend some time with him, and he just loved the game so much. He was a kid that was always on the ice; he had a rink at his house. I remember him just always being on the ice, and he was just very, very focused. You know, part of it was his dad, right? Jarome was a very focused and intense guy. But, I think it was also Tij and how dedicated he was to the game. So, that was cool to play with him. I’m not surprised by how much success he’s having and going super high in the draft. It’s just not surprising to me at all because of how dedicated he was at such a young age,” Porter said about Tij Iginla.
Porter added that while Jade, Tij, and Joe definitely got help from their genetics being the children of Jarome, they also knew how important hard work, dedication, and genuine love of the game were to help them all continue to find success in the sport.
Jarome was known for being one of the nicest players to lace up the skates in the NHL and for the Calgary Flames, but he was also known for his intensity on the ice, which Porter experianced first hand.
“I feel like when I was younger, I almost took it for granted. Obviously, I knew how good a player he was, but seeing him every day at practice and learning from him, it was really cool. Just all the stories he had about the game, how long he played for, and how successful his career was. It was really cool learning from him and getting to play for him. Hearing everything he had to say, and making sure to soak up every minute of it,” he said about Jarome.
Porter continued by explaining that during COVID, he was playing a game with Jarome as his coach and got caught along the boards as he couldn’t get it out of the zone, which led to a whistle inside his zone. He would come off the ice onto the bench, and his team would let one in shortly after. Jarome then gave Porter a stare on the bench and blamed Porter, which he didn’t understand at the time because he wasn’t on the ice for the goal. Porter said that he got fired up after that moment, but as he got older, he understood that Jarome was teaching him about the small details in the game, which he still carries with him to this day. He also added that Jarome is a humble guy and wouldn’t talk about himself unless he was asked. Jarome did do his best to convert Porter and the team to Flames fans, as for Christmas, Jarome gave the team Calgary Flames jerseys.
With many sports available around the Boston area, Porter had opportunities to pursue many different sports, but hockey became his passion at an early age. He said that he has loved the game ever since he got involved and added that there were times when he was too focused on the sport, as it became an obsession, and forced himself to try to focus on other things rather than hockey 24/7.
As for what age it clicked in that he could make something of himself in the sport, he responded by saying, “Probably 12 or 13, maybe even 11. I had a good year, and then like I said, I switched over to the Jr. Eagles when I was 12 or 13, I think it was 2013, and I kind of realized I had a really successful year, my parents and I kind of realized I could do something with it.”
Another key component in Porter’s continual growth and climb in the sport is his parents, Brad and Michelle.
“They mean everything, right? They’ve been so supportive my whole entire journey. Obviously, a lot of travel when I was younger for tournaments, for practice, and my mom and dad spending countless hours at the rink, just supporting me. I owe it all to them for how much they’ve contributed to helping me get to the next level,” Porter said about his parents.
Michelle and Brad have both made the trip to Okotoks multiple times, including this past weekend during the Oilers Parents Weekend.
“They like it, it’s obviously a lot different than home. The biggest thing I have noticed is that when you go outside of Calgary, it’s farmland. If you are in Boston, you’re still in a dense neighbourhood, you know? It’s a lot more spread out here, and I think that’s really cool. I really enjoy it, and the people here are so nice,” he explained.
Another landmark that can be seen around the Okotoks area and not near his hometown of Hingham is mountians.
“The mountains are cool, that’s not something that’s really back at home. Just waking up and then looking out my bedroom window and seeing the mountains in the morning is such a cool thing. It’s just so different, and I really enjoy it so far,” Porter added. “I went skiing with a couple of guys on the team. It was cool to get away from the rink for a little bit. It’s so close, two and a half hours away, and it felt like you were in a different world. It was so cool, I took so many pictures.”
While many players come to the BCHL to try and earn a post-secondary hockey commitment, Porter joined the league already committed to an NCAA Division I team in Army (U.S. Military Academy).
“Last year, I would talk with my coach at high school at prep school, and it was just kind of like, what’s gonna be the best fit for me next year. I think having a commitment helps with that decision a little bit. The Army told me to go to a spot where I can play and develop, and they kind of left it all up to me, but I think we decided the BCHL was a good fit just because of the skilled aspect of it and it’s high end, high-pace. I think that it’s just gonna make me a better player, and I think it has so far,” he explained.
Porter earned the commitment from the Army with his competitive spirit, which came naturally growing up with his younger brother Danny.
“It definitely creates a competitive aspect in the house. I remember when we were younger, we’d always play, like, mini sticks or knee hockey, we’d always end up fighting, and my dad would have to take it away from us because we just would always fight each other. I think it’s definitely good. Obviously, I try to be a good influence and a good role model for him. I think that having him made me focus on that, making me a better person, because I have to be a positive influence for him,” Porter said about his brother, Danny.
Porter would joke by saying that having his brother always trying to catch up to him has made him better, because he can’t let Danny get the upper hand. He added that it’s nice to have a brother who enjoys hockey as much as he does, as they both love to spend time at the rink together and have grown a strong bond because of it.
“We’ve always been super close, and I really think as he’s grown up, he’s really become a mature kid. He’s really, really smart in school. I see things about him that I can take into my own life, and he’s a very responsible kid. He’s doing really well in school right now, and I’m really proud of him. I’m happy that we’re so close. We play golf in the summer, skate in the summer, and we spend the entire summer together. It’s always been tough moving away and not being able to see him, but I text him every day, call him on the phone. It’s really cool having a special relationship with him,” he said about his bond with Danny.
With him joining the Army to play NCAA Division I hockey once his junior career comes to a close, Porter is also signing up to serve for his country, which isn’t a decision he took lightly.
“A lot of kids that I know, I talk to them, they’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if I want to do that. It’s definitely a lot, and a big commitment; it can be tough, and it’s definitely a little nerve-wracking, but the idea of serving my country and having that influence is really special to me. To be honest, before I visited, I was kind of surprised that they were showing interest in me, and then once I started talking to the coaches, I realized how much of an unbelievable institution it is. The first minute I was on campus, there was no doubt in my mind that I didn’t want to play hockey at Army. As soon as I was there, that was the most certain thing. It was never a doubt in my mind,” Porter said about his commitment.
Another contributing factor to his decision was that his dad, Brad, had been a member of the U.S. Navy.
“Yeah, I think that’s also part of it, too. My dad was in the Navy, and that military aspect is big for my family. He’s someone I want to emulate a lot in my life, and if I can be like him when I grow up, then I’d be really happy. I think carrying on that part, and the two would be really special,” he added.
Porter has shown resilience this season as he suffered a tough hit earlier in the season, which had him out of the lineup to recover. While some players may stay away from the dangerous areas of the ice after taking a hit like that, Porter still throws his weight around and gets in scrums as he shows a level of fearlessness. He explained that he took the hit as a learning lesson rather than a deterrent to his style of play.
“I missed a week of games, missed a week of practice, and it kind of sets you back a little bit, just like any injury, but I think especially the head injury, because it can, it’s a little scary, right? I was fortunate enough that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and I learned from it. I learned I gotta be able to protect myself a little bit better. It’s a fast league, and that can just happen out of nowhere. So I gotta be ready for that, and I think, something like that, you gotta roll, and you get going, and you get more comfortable, you get your confidence up. Something like that happens, it can definitely hurt. That a little bit hurt the confidence, right? But I think recovering from that is just gonna make me stronger and make me better in the long run. I’m happy it happened earlier in the year, rather than later in the year. So build off it, and keep working, keep trying to get better every day,” Porter said.
When asked what his younger self would say if he travelled to the past and told him that he would be playing hockey for a Canadian junior team, Porter said he would think it’s the coolest thing ever and be incredibly proud because that’s all he wanted to do, play hockey, when he was younger. As for the young fans in the crowd at Viking Rentals Centre, Porter sees his younger self in each fan. He said he remembers going to games and idolizing the players, trying to figure out how they could flip the puck up in the air, and now he gets to be that influence.
“Yeah, this is cool being an influence and a role model on younger kids, and I always work on being the best version of myself for younger kids, so they can look up to me,” he added.
As for the Green Army as a whole, Porter is grateful for the community for accepting him and paying their hard-earned money to watch him and the team play.
“I think it’s really special having that privilege to play in front of people, in front of a community that cares so much, like Okotoks. It’s special. I can’t take that for granted. I’m very, very grateful for how much support we’ve had this year. Just people coming to the games, people cheering. It’s really special, and I think having that privilege and having an opportunity, it fuels us and makes us a better team, and makes us play harder. I’m grateful for it, and to anyone that’s thinking about coming to games or comes to the games, it means the world, and I promise to work as hard on the ice as ever,” Porter said.
10 Questions with Nate Porter:
What is your go-to cheat meal?
“I like Chick-fil-A. There’s a couple of Chick-fil-A’s where I live, and there’s not really that many here. So I’m gonna go with Chick-fil-A back home. Just a chicken sandwich and fries. Maybe some nuggets and then maybe a shake. In Okotoks, I like Dairy Queen after a long game or a long week of practice. A little Dairy Queen blizzard. Any blizzard’s good.”
Favourite sport other than hockey?
“Golf, 100 per cent, without a doubt.”
What is your favourite movie and TV show?
“My favourite show is Breaking Bad. That’s my favourite show. I think that’s the coolest show I’ve ever watched. Shutter Island was a good one. I really like the mystery thrillers. I think a classic is a Miracle, it’s one of my favourites. No Country for Old Men, those three are top-tier movies.”
Favourite player and team growing up?
“The team would be the Bruins. I liked Marchand and Bergeron. Then I also liked the Blackhawks, too, after Kane and Jonathan Toews. Those are my two guys growing up. (Kane and Toews) just had an impact on me growing up, and I always wanted to play like them and be like them when I was older. ”
What is your guilty pleasure song?
“Bulletproof by La Roux.”
Who was your celebrity crush growing up?
“Margot Robbie. (From The Wolf of Wall Street, not Barbie).”
If you could relive any day of your life, what day would you choose?
“I think last year in the New Orleans prep school finals, not the semifinals, we beat Rivers, and ended up losing the finals, but the day before, we won. The rink had probably 2000 people. There were only, like, 1000 seats. So it made the atmosphere so cool, and getting ready and playing in that game was probably one of the best days of my life. Having that experience to play in front of that many people was such a cool environment. It was so loud, and then winning that game against the team, they’re a really good team, we just, we really played well, and I think winning that game, obviously, we lost in the finals, but the anticipation of being able to play in the finals, it was really special. So I’m gonna go with that day. That was fun.”
Would you rather travel to the past or the future?
“I would say you go past. I think the future is a little scary sometimes. But I’m going to go past because I think it’d be cool to see how things went down. I’d go before I was born to see what it’s like in the 80s, the 90s. Not as much technology around or whatever, right? You can see what it was like growing up without a phone or growing up in a different part of the country, maybe even like the 1800s.”
If you could meet anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?
“Jesus Christ. I just think being able to talk to Jesus face to face, it would be special. I would ask what I could do to become the best version of myself and be the best person for other people.”
Where in the world would you go if I could snap my fingers and get you there right now?
“The Bahamas”
Bonus:
Who has the worst stick tape job on the team?
” I would say Grady (Gustafson), not a lot of effort in his tape job. It’s not bad, it’s just not a lot of effort. It looks kind of messy.”
Do you prefer using white or black stick tape?
“So I usually use grip tape on the top, and then I’ve been using white in the blade recently. I kind of have been going back, like, I used black in the beginning of the year, but I’ve been using white, so mostly white. I feel like I just kind of used white more than black in the past.”
Who would be your emergency contact on the team?
“Honestly, I will have to take Grady, because there have been times this year where I’ve needed help with something, and he’s the first one I call, and he actually answers his phone right away.”
Best advice you’ve ever got from your parents?
“My mom always says that, I mean, it’s kind of a little cliche, but nothing worth having comes easy. I feel like that’s kind of stayed with me for a little bit. If you want something, it’s not gonna be easy, and if it’s worth having, it wasn’t easy to get. So, I think that’s something that’s always stuck with me. I kind of want to live my life by, and I want to emulate how hard she works. Nothing in life worth having comes easy.”
The Okotoks Oilers are a not-for-profit, community-run junior hockey franchise competing in the BCHL and operating out of Viking Rentals Centre. For more information, visit okotoksoilers.com or follow the Oilers on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
