Article content continued

On Monday, he was invited to Canada’s selection camp for the world junior championships, hoping to put behind him the fact he was a late cut last year.

“It’s in the back of my head,” said Bernard-Docker, who is from Canmore, Alta. “Last year didn’t go my way, and throughout the summer and this season I’ve just been trying to work hard. Now, though, it’s about my team at North Dakota and helping them out.”

While Bernard-Docker is on target towards being in the Senators lineup in a year or two — he’s projected to become a sound defensive presence who makes smart, not flashy, plays — he’s relishing the moment.

Only a few hours before North Dakota completed the sweep on Friday, the Senators were being humbled by the Minnesota Wild, only 20 minutes away at the XCel Energy Center in St. Paul. Bernard-Docker’s thoughts, though, were only on the dressing room 10 feet away from him.

“That’s definitely a goal of mine to get to the NHL, but, for right now, its just to help out my team here in North Dakota and not really letting that outside noise bother me.”

On the topic of noise, it never stops here.

For eyes more familiar with prospects playing in the Canadian Hockey League, prospects taking the U.S. college route tend to slip into the background on the road towards the big leagues. NHL training camps are deemed to be “professional,” meaning collegiate players can’t attend or play in pre-season games.

Don’t be misled. NCAA hockey has plenty of charms.