Yaniv Perets has been recognized for his mobility in and out of the crease and confidence to play the puck. He is currently playing his third season for the Boston Jr. Bruins and has committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2020-2021 season.
Yaniv had an interesting start to his career, “I actually started playing street hockey at first, I used to [play] goalie all the time. I was 2 or 3 years old with a player helmet on, still with a pacifier in my mouth.” A few years later he laced up skates for the first time, “I started on the ice as a player, so I can learn how to skate. Later that year I switched to goalie full time.”
Originally from Quebec, Yaniv made a big decision to move to the States when he was just 16 years old. “Leaving the house at a young age was not always easy but I am lucky to have a great support group. The Junior Bruins, as well, have been awesome and set me up with great host families. I’ve always felt at home here in Boston and always will.” He speaks about why he decided to make the move, “I thought playing junior [hockey] at a young age could only help. I learned a lot that year. . . and developed my game to match the junior level. Junior hockey to midget hockey is a major step so being able to adapt to that a young age was extremely important. I believed it was the best move for myself to become the best player I can be.”
Taking us through his recruitment, “Throughout the process I did speak and visit a couple other schools. A lot went into the decision for finding the right fit. Which school would have the best education and hockey combined. I also looked at what kind of campus and facilities these schools have. I also took the advice from my coach Mike Anderson and my advisor Jonathan Lachance and we all agreed that it was the best fit.
Talking about his final decision to go to Quinnipiac, “Firstly I loved the campus, when I visited the school over the summer, I thought the facilities were unbelievable. Quinnipiac is also one of the best programs in the nation and has a rich history of moving players on to the next level. I thought it was the best option for myself and my family to further my education and hockey career.”
Yaniv spoke on how he stays motivated and driven to continue to develop, “As a goalie, I’ve always believed that one can improve every aspect of [their] game. So I try and work on everything. I feel that every day can be a challenge. Every day is a battle to get a little better.” He continues, “Control what you can control. I think that’s the best piece of advice I’ve gotten. I work a lot on my technique and being mentally tough. I believe those could be seen as some of my best on-ice skills.”
So far this season with the Boston Jr. Bruins, Yaniv has a GAA of 1.84 and a save percentage of .947.
