FRASER, Mich. – Justin Renzi joined the Metro Jets halfway through the current season and made an immediate impact.
He began the season playing for a Canadian junior league and was traded, prompting a phone call to a familiar face.
“The first thing I did was call (Jets forward) Jhuwon Davis,” said Renzi, a 19-year-old Canton native. “I have always been keeping up with the Jets having buddies playing there and when the time came right, I got my chance to try out with the team and was offered a spot.
“I knew a lot about the Jets program before coming here having friends like Matt Schaumburger and Jhuwon in the program. They filled me in on just about everything they did daily, and I knew right away it was where I wanted to play.”
Renzi said his time with the Jets has been nothing short of amazing.
“The season has been going great so far,” Renzi said. “Overall as a team, we’ve been working hard every day in the gym, on the ice and in video to get better each day. You don’t get to say every day that you’re a top team in the country, but with that being said, we don’t take that for granted. We use that as fuel and it makes us want to work harder for the end game, which is another national championship.”
Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville has been impressed with Renzi’s versatility and the ability on any forward line and in any situation.
“Every season, we get calls from players who aren’t satisfied on the other side of the border,” said Quenneville. “Unfortunately, we don’t have room for all of them, but fortunately, the hockey world is small, and ‘Renz’ was well spoken for. Whether it was Jhuwon who helped recommend him or (Jets assistant coach) Randy (Wilson) who worked with his Belle Tire team last year, we knew he would fit right in here.
“He’s been a huge piece to the puzzle this year and contributed in many ways. He plays with a little edge, which we needed at the time, and he also brings good skills and a cerebral approach to the game. People have taken notice of him and we can only see that continue for him here.”
Growing up, Renzi played for his hometown Canton Crush, coached by his father.
“I wouldn’t be here today without him,” Renzi said. “The first time I can remember being on skates was at three years old. My dad was a high school coach at the time, and I would always go to his games with a plastic hockey stick and ball and my mom says that I would be entertained the whole game. I started with figure skating just so I could learn how to skate. I did that for about half a year and then got into the little hockey players programs.”
And as the years went by, Renzi’s game developed to be junior hockey-ready.
“My long-term goals for hockey are to play NCAA hockey,” Renzi said. “Ever since I learned about college hockey, it has been a dream of mine. Just have to continue to work on and off the ice and dreams will come true. I want to go to school to become a nurse. I think being able to help people every day is a great thing and it is something I’ve been really interested in.”
First things first, and the Jets are in the chase for a USPHL Premier Division regular-season championship.
“The Jets organization is a class-act program,” said Renzi. “Anything good you hear about it is true. From the coaching staff, to the facility that we have and the players, everything’s ran like an NHL team here. We practice early in the morning, which gives us the rest of the day to either do school work or get a part-time job. The Jets have a winning and hard-working culture, but we also know when to have fun with it.
“When you’re on a team that is winning, there is no such thing as not having fun. Coach Q does a great job of bringing in top talent and I’m really happy I came here.”
