In the back of Parker Ford’s mind is a fact that motivates him to keep working hard.
The 18-year-old Sioux City Musketeers center tries not to think about it, though. He’s more focused on helping his club capture the Clark Cup. But it’s there, rattling around in his head, the fact that his name wasn’t called at the 2018 National Hockey League draft.
“You want to play in the NHL,” Ford said. “It’s where everyone at this point of hockey wants to be. That’s why we play the game.”
But the Wakefield, R.I., native is quick to add another statement about not being selected.
Ford: “I don’t think I really deserved it last year.”
That’s why the 5-9, 170-pounder is doing everything in his power this season to seize the attention of scouts. And one glance at NHL Central Scouting’s mid-season rankings shows he’s succeeding – he’s ranked No. 153 among North American skaters.
Following the Musketeers’ game on Feb. 9, Ford is fourth on Sioux City in scoring with 27 points (14-13–27) in 35 games. That already exceeds his point total from last season, his rookie United States Hockey League campaign, when he tallied 22 points (8-14—22) in 51 matches.
Those 22 points, though, were tied for fifth-most on the Musketeers, which is quite an accomplishment considering he missed the first nine games of the season with a broken left thumb and had to wear a brace on his wrist for his first 25 contests in the lineup.
“Everyone goes through adversity; mine was just early,” Ford said. “It took me a while to get into game shape and used to the USHL style, but once I got my stride everything was good.”
Since Ford has a right-handed shot, the brace was on his top hand. He said it didn’t affect his shooting much, but stickhandling and passing were a challenge.
“The way I had to hold my stick was different,” he explained. “I had to cut up my glove so I could fit my hand in it. And my wrist strength was gone after not being able to use it for a while.
“It’s back at full strength now. I have no complaints with my hand.”
Opponents may have complaints, however, since Ford is blossoming at their expense. If they do, they can send them to all of the people who’ve helped him reach this point in his career, starting with his parents, John and Rebecca. After all, they were the ones who introduced him to the game.
“They brought me to the University of Rhode Island rink (Boss Ice Arena) when I was little,” remembered Ford, whose great-grandfather, Edward White, was one of the founders of Cranston’s CLCF hockey program, which ended in 2011. “I loved to skate, and I was always a speedy kid. I fell in love with hockey at an early age, and the rest is history.”
With the sport starting to take center stage in his life, Ford became a member of the Southern Rhode Island Rams, with whom he learned to skate and play. He then suited up for the Edgewood Hawks for a year before playing for the Providence Capitals.
Ford took the lessons he was taught from the coaches of those teams to heart.
“Coach Struble at Edgewood instilled the hard-work mentality into me,” he asserted. “He was an all-around great guy. I loved him. He gave me lots of confidence at a young age. Capitals coach Justin Laverdiere inspired me, too. He played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and a little at the pro level.”
Like most New England hockey fans, Ford’s favorite NHL team was the Boston Bruins. His favorite player was – and remains – Patrice Bergeron.
“He’s a right-handed center, a good two-way and 200-foot player and strong on faceoffs,” Ford said. “I try to model my game after his.”
At age 14, Ford left home for Selects Academy at South Kent, which narrowly beat out Moses Brown and Hendricken.
“There was a coach, Matt Pinchevsky, who recruited me to Selects,” he recalled. “I had a really good relationship with him. And when I went on my visit to South Kent, I loved every second of it. The campus was beautiful, the teachers were great and I had a couple of friends going there. Plus, with all the history they’ve had with guys going on to Division 1 college hockey and even the NHL, it was a good fit. And financially it fell into place. It was tough to leave home, but overall it was the best decision.”
His main takeaway from his time at the prep school was the amount of hours he had to devote to hockey in order to excel.
“The best guys were the hardest workers,” Ford said. “Emilio Pettersen (Denver Pioneers center and sixth-round selection of the Calgary Flames in the 2018 NHL draft), who was in the same class as me, was one of the hardest working kids and one of the best players.”
After toiling under Selects coaches Dave Peters and Matt Plante – Pinchevsky and fellow coach and recruiter Eric Soltys left before Ford arrived – he climbed another rung in his career prior to last season when he departed for Sioux City. Once there, in addition to having to fight through his hand injury, he had another obstacle to tackle: balancing school work and hockey.
“It was tough at first because the USHL schedule is extensive,” he admitted. “But the high school I went to – East High in Sioux City – is coordinated with our team and knew our schedule so whenever we were on long road trips the teachers gave us all of our work and a little leeway. And when we were in class, we usually had to stay after and make up some of the work. Overall, it was a good experience.”
One lesson Ford learned outside of the classroom as a result of living far away from home was “how to be a man” and figure things out on his own.
“It’s night and day, to be honest,” Ford said of how much he’s matured since leaving Rhode Island. “My parents did a great job raising me. Hockey has taught me a lot about being a gentleman. My billet families have been great. Last year, I lived with Joe and Ambur Ebner. This year I live with Jeremiah and Katie Johnson, who help me out with anything I need. It’s special what they do.”
Ford’s increasing maturity and leadership ability has been noticed by the Musketeers, and he's served as both captain and alternate captain this season.
“It’s really special being a leader of any team,” he stated. “I’m not the loudest guy; I like to lead through my play. And since you got to demand a lot from your teammates, it’s really important to be the hardest worker. They won’t listen to you if you’re slacking off.”
Ford’s commitment to hard work paid off in a major way when in December he became the only New Englander to represent the United States at the 2018 World Junior A Challenge.
Joining him at the tournament, where the U.S. squad won the gold medal, were teammates Bobby Brink and Luke Johnson, as well as Musketeers associate head coach Mark Abalan, who was an assistant coach.
“I can’t put that experience into words sometimes because it’s so cool,” said Ford, who recorded two goals and two assists in six games. “Being able to represent the USA was really special for me. Then winning a gold medal was even more special. The whole experience was so surreal and every guy there, from the players to the coaches, was unbelievable.”
The good times will continue for Ford this fall when he returns to his home state to play college hockey at Providence.
“I’m really looking forward to playing in front of my friends and family in Rhode Island,” he said. “Providence has always been a dream destination for me.”
But before Ford makes the trek to New England, he hopes to accomplish two things, and that’s to deliver a championship to Sioux City, and replace the fact that resides in the back of his mind with a positive one from this year’s NHL draft.
“I’ll just keep doing my thing,” Ford concluded, “and hopefully it works out in the end.”
