Jack Barnes is blazing his own hockey trail

Jack Barnes doesn’t feel the need to live up to his father Stu’s legacy with the Tri-City Americans.

When it came to May’s Western Hockey League bantam draft, Jack made it very clear to his dad and the Americans’ brass that if they drafted him, it had to be for his hockey skills, not because his father played for Tri-City and is a part owner of the team.

“When I was talking to Bob (Tory, general manager) and Barclay (Parneta, head scout), I made sure they weren’t drafting me because of the name on the back of my jersey,” Jack said. “I wanted to be drafted for who I am. I didn’t want people to talk about me.”

The Americans selected Jack in the fifth round (104th overall), and Parneta said it was all based on his talent.

“His hockey sense is tremendous,” Parneta said. “You can’t teach hockey sense, and his is tremendous. Being around the game his whole life, he understands it. When you play with or against Jack, you see his ability.”

Now that the draft is over, Jack said it’s an honor to be part of the Americans’ family.

“I think it’s definitely cool if I am fortunate enough to be able to put on an Americans jersey with Barnes on the back,” the 5-foot-10, 160-pound forward said. “It would be nice to play where my dad played, but I’ll have to get a new number (the Americans retired Stu Barnes’ No. 14 in 2000).”

Jack has always played hockey. He tried his hand at baseball, football and soccer, but the rink kept calling him back.

“Hockey is my favorite sport,” Jack said. “I gave up baseball because I was playing so much hockey. I don’t regret it. I love the game.”

Jack, 15, attended his first Americans rookie camp this week. He liked the fact that on the first day, no one linked him to his father.

“If they knew, they didn’t mention it,” Jack said.

Stu was just another proud papa in the stands watching training camp.

“It’s really fun,” he said. “I am proud of him for working hard and achieving this level. It’s a feather in his cap. The biggest thing with Jack is, he is his own person and player. He wants to do this on his own, and I’m proud of him for that. He loves the game and has worked for everything he has.”

Because he is too young to join the Americans this season, Jack will play at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, British Columbia, this season instead of returning to his hometown of Plano, Texas. Stu will be a visiting coach at OHA, in addition to making stops in the Tri-Cities and doing broadcast work for the Dallas Stars.

“It’s cool,” Jack said. “He told me he will give me my space.”

Stu Barnes began his long NHL career with the Winnipeg Jets of old, then moved on to the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins. He was with the Buffalo Sabres when Jack was born in 2000.

“He was traded to the Stars when I was 3 years old,” Jack said. “It was fun watching him play, and watching some of his highlights from the past. It was pretty cool after the games, and we would go into the dressing room and talk to the players. I grew up in the NHL rooms. I’ve always loved the sport.”

And yes, dad was his favorite player until he retired in 2008.

“When he was playing, it was my dad,” Jack said. “Then when Jamie Benn came in as a rookie, it was him. I’ve liked him since.”

It might be that Benn wears the No. 14 that Stu Barnes wore most of his NHL career (he wore No. 41 in Buffalo).

Jack was just a couple of months old when the Americans retired his dad’s number, but he said seeing the banner hanging from the Toyota Center rafters motivates him.

“When I first saw it, that was something to live up to,” Jack said. “My dad told me not to live up to him, but just be myself. I just want to do the best I can. I definitely think he was a good player when he played. I want to put in as much work and be as good as him. We’ll see what the future holds.”

Stu Barnes played just two seasons with Tri-City, but he left a legacy that is talked about today.

He was a Four Broncos Award winner as the WHL’s player of the year (1988-89), and scored 111 goals and had 285 points in 133 games. He still ranks in the top 10 of several team scoring categories.

Stu said it doesn’t feel like 28 years have gone by since the Americans opened their first season in the Tri-Cities.

“Only in the morning when I get out of bed,” Stu joked. “Even when you are young, you want to enjoy it because it goes by too fast. It was nice Jack got to be a part of that when I was playing, and I’m thankful he’ll remember that.”

This story was originally published August 29, 2015 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Jack Barnes is blazing his own hockey trail."