FRASER, Mich. - The Metro Jets traveled to Virginia for a USPHL showcase, took a bronze medal in a prestigious international tournament in China while representing Team USA, and then hosted their own league showcase at Fraser Hockeyland.

While that might sound like a busy season to some, it was actually just the first three weeks in October for the Jets.

“A busy October for the Jets was an understatement, but one thing we pride our organization on are the opportunities and experiences we provide our players,” said Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville. “Having the opportunity to represent your country is an honor and I’m proud of our guys for playing against some national teams, ultimately winning bronze for a second straight year. Our Jets program also prides itself on playing in more showcases than most and it’s an important opportunity to expose our players more. We are lucky that our players get these chances, but we want to stay focused on the process of development, exposure and execution.

“At the moment, everyone is getting stronger, players have been getting called up to the NAHL and NCDC, and we look forward to playing more in-division games for the next few weeks before our next showcase in Chicago.”

Opening up the month at the invite-only USPHL South Hampton Roads Whalers Showcase, the Jets arrived back home only to head off to China and play in the Ambassador Cup tournament, an event that saw the club win a bronze medal for the second consecutive season.

Then from Oct. 11-13, the Jets staged the USPHL Detroit Showcase on home ice. The Great Lakes Division teams dominated the Midwest teams, going 23-4 at the showcase.

After all that, both the Jets and MJDP teams got back to in-conference action as the month wrapped up.

“Throughout the three-week chaos of playing 16 games in two different states and two different countries, the guys were really focused on getting rest and adjusting and readjusting to the different time zones,” Jets defenseman Justin Song said. “Making rest a priority, I think we remained energized and ready to play every game.

“China was even better the second time around. The second-year guys knew what to expect and how to prepare on and off the ice. The culture is so different, and it’s really cool to see the difference in lifestyles.”

Jets captain Brodie Thornton echoed his teammate’s sentiments.

“It’s been hard from the Virginia showcase to China to our home showcase,” said Thornton. “The team has been able to keep up with so much hockey because of our preparation before and after practices, which includes getting our muscles ready for those long weekends on the road. We stay focused not only on our games but on recovery, which fuels the team during the game.

China was an unbelievable experience and would love to go again. From sightseeing and playing hockey with competitive teams, it was a life-changing experience. Off the ice, it was amazing to see their way of life. Playing against other countries on the ice was a surreal experience.”

Moving forward, the Jets have a tough league schedule with many challenges, but one Thornton feels will only benefit the team.

“The team’s expectations are to keep growing as a group, and to use the confidence we have from previous games into future games,” said Thornton.