At 5’3” and 130 lbs Joey Strada doesn’t look like a hockey player. He certainly doesn’t look like a division one talent…until the puck drops. The fast, cerebral playmaker displays an up-tempo game with slick hands and quick feet.
For Strada, who grew up in Scottsdale, AZ, ice hockey was not the state pastime, nor was it easily accessible. However, he began playing roller hockey at 5 years old and fell in love with the game. He then joined the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes travel ice hockey team the following season and stayed on with them until he was 15. At the age of 15, Joey decided that in order to maximize his potential he would need to head to the east coast and play in a more competitive environment.
“I had a couple east coast teams asking me to come try out for their team that season. I had heard a lot about the Skipjacks program so my dad and I decided to take a trip out there and see what they had to offer. Their rink was awesome, I loved it there. I loved their players and coaches. I knew I would get a lot more exposure being out east as well.”
Strada played on one of the top lines his first season in the USPHL alongside BC commit Patrick Giles and Tampa, FL native Joseph Baez. Strada led the Skipjacks in points that year. While he experienced some interest from NCAA programs throughout the season, it wasn’t until the National Development Camp in Buffalo, NY where Strada was given the opportunity to show what he could do among the country’s best.
“I had a couple east coast colleges reach out to me throughout my season with the Skipjacks. However, after going to National Camp in Buffalo, NY for the second year in a row, I had a lot of other schools starting to talk to me. I had interest from UNH, RPI, UMass and Arizona State.”
While Strada had been on many coaches radars for most of the year, leading a talented U16 Skipjacks team in scoring and demonstrating next level speed and quickness. However, a talented prospect can get away with a lot in that league and the question was not only his size but how his game would translate against better players. Those questions were answered in Buffalo where Joey led the camp with a 5-4-9 line in 5 games and earned a spot on the All Star team. Against all odds, the small Arizona native proved that he could not be defined by his size or his birthplace but rather by his skill, speed and production.
After the camp Strada returned home with interest from several leading colleges; but they were all playing catch up to Arizona State who had shown interest before the camp.
“I did some research on all the schools and talked to a couple coaches. After my season was over and I got home ASU asked me to come to campus with my mom. We went and were amazed at the campus, the facilities, the coaches and the whole experience in general. I began to think how cool it would be to come home and play D1 hockey in my hometown and be able to have family and friends see me play during my college years.”
He took his time, weighed his options but ultimately decided to stay in state and commit to the Sun Devils. It was a dream come true for the undersized Arizona native.
“ASU was always on my list of colleges and once they went D1, I was super excited. Coach Powers and Coach Hicks are awesome people and great coaches. They made me feel welcome and comfortable.”
Strada admitted that one of the key factors in his decision was how the coaching staff appreciated his style and approach to the game and wanted players like him on their roster. While that’s common conversation between a school and their recruit, it’s actually quite rare when that recruit is 5’3”.
“I have been told by many coaches that I was good but too small. My parents told me all along to never let that bring me down and to tell you the truth it hasn’t, it actually makes me stronger and pushes me to go even harder.”
With Strada the Arizona fans will get one of their own. The 2016 Recruiting Class only landed two american born players so the excitement behind a hometown talent like Strada could not only help the Sun Devils on the ice, but off it as well. When asked to describe himself as a player Joey makes comparisons to Patrick Kane in that he is skilled, fast, crafty and able to create scoring chances on the power play. He’ll need to improve his power and strength game but that didn’t seem to hurt him at the National Development Camp where we ranked him a “B+” and a Top 25 forward at the camp.
He enters the season on the 30-man roster for the Waterloo Blackhawks but also had an opportunity in the NAHL. “I made the NAHL Aberdeen Wings and the USHL Waterloo Blackhawks. I decided on the Waterloo Blackhawks and am living in Waterloo and going to high school and getting ready for the start of the season. I’d like to stay in the USHL until college.”
The speedster is the second forward committed for the Recruiting Class of 2019, and the second major recruit from in-state to verbal to ASU. This verbal will propel Arizona State into the Top 5 for 2019 Recruiting Class Rankings.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/ Hickling Images
