Former St. Lawrence standout channeling Swiss heritage

Jeremy Wick (left) amassed 74 points in a four-year career at St. Lawrence from 2010-14. (Thomas Oswald)

Hockey can be used for a lot of things. It helps people understand the value of teamwork. It shows what one can achieve with some effort. It even accomplishes simple feats like keeping a person in shape. Sometimes, it can help someone get in deeper touch with their roots.

Jeremy Wick grew up not far from the capital of Ontario and the United States border. His mother grew up not far from the capital city of Switzerland and the French border. She met another Swiss native, Jeremy’s father, and they planted themselves in Canada. Although they had little attachment to the great Canadian game, they adopted the sport and helped push their son along in it.

“(Dad) always built me a rink in the backyard when I was younger,” Wick recalled. “He gave me every opportunity he could.”

The extra practice sessions allowed Wick to hone his game. He would go on to play junior hockey in Georgetown, Ont., eventually leading the team in goals. This, naturally, drew the eyes of collegiate scouts. Meanwhile, Wick’s head and heart were drawn to Canton, N.Y.

“I’m from a small town myself. I just kind of had a good feeling about it. I thought that was a good place for me,” he said.

With additional words of praise from former and future teammates Kyle Essery and Jordan Dewey, Wick took his skills to the ECAC and St. Lawrence in 2010.

Wick still had to adjust to a new league and prove his mettle to new coaches. “At college, you kind of start at the bottom, again,” Wick noted. “I had a different role, which I enjoyed. I was playing more physical and defensive.”

While Wick’s name might not have shown up on the scoresheet every weekend, he maintained an everyday presence in the lineup.

As a junior, those points finally came. Wick nearly tripled his combined output from the previous two seasons with 28 points in his penultimate campaign. As a senior, he would set career highs as he finished second on the team with 17 goals. Twelve of his goals that year came on the man advantage — third-best in the country. Having not claimed any major titles in his time at St. Lawrence, he was proud to contribute to possessing the country’s premier power-play unit in his final season.

With a strong finish to his time in college hockey, Wick knew he’d have some options to keep playing. However, he really had his eyes focused on one spot: the motherland. Wick had hoped that he could spend some time in the country where his bloodlines ran deep. It didn’t hurt that Switzerland boasts one of the best leagues in Europe — and that he holds a Swiss passport.

“I had some options to go play in the East Coast (League),” Wick relayed. “I talked to some teams in Switzerland, and they wanted me to come over. It was kind of always the plan or the dream to be able to come play here.”

That dream came true in Martigny. Wick began his pro career in the Alps, showcasing what he can do in the Swiss B league. Despite not playing the full season with the Red Ice, Wick led the team in goals. His play earned the attention of A clubs, and Genève utilized him for some games as well. Wick was able to join Genève for the Spengler Cup, which was conveniently timed with a visit from his parents and conveniently played in Davos, close to other family. Wick impressed the organization. The next season, he would be in Genève to stay.

Even though the Swiss league is focused on speed and skill, a little muscle still has its place. Wick’s rugged play inspired teammates. Tanner Richard recalled his opening impressions of Wick.

“One of his first shifts in preseason I saw him absolutely run a guy. (The guy) had a hard time getting up,” Richard said.

While Richard marveled at his physical prowess, he was equally impressed by Wick’s scoring ability.

“(He has) good timing around the net. A lot of people don’t think it’s a skill, but I think it is. If you don’t know when the puck’s going to be there and you’re just there too early, you’re going to get boxed out or your stick lifted. He always had a really good timing of just getting into that hole to slide in a pass or just find a rebound or, even when the point shot’s coming from the blue line, to get a stick on it for a deflection. You don’t score 15 goals (which Wick did in 2018-19, leading the team) by coincidence.”

Last season was full of setbacks. Injuries slowed Wick and resulted in his worst offensive output overseas. He was looking forward to trying to shed that bad voodoo with a strong playoff run. Genève was one of the hottest teams in the league as the playoffs neared, and Wick hoped the team finally could find a way to capture an elusive title. All of that would be for naught as COVID-19 would leave the league devoid of a champion.

Coming off such a disheartening campaign, it seemed like the right time for Wick to change his scenery. Wanting to get even more in touch with his roots, he decided to sign with Rapperswil, where his mom grew up.

“It was kind of always a dream that I’d play here one day,” Wick admitted. “They wanted me to have a big role here and to get those opportunities back and be a guy they expected a lot out of. It was very enticing for me and the family (which includes his wife and two daughters).”

Limited to just 500 fans a game at the moment, his extended family might not be able to attend many games. That is a shame, as he’s giving them reason to watch. Healthy again, Wick, now 31, is back to putting points on the board. He’s on pace to finish with the output that’s typically expected of him. Rapperswil has gone from doormat to playoff contender. It hasn’t been a smooth transition, but Wick has been patient with the process.

“Obviously, I was used to a team that competed and was expected to win. To come to a team where we’re trying to change that, it can be a little frustrating at times. I think we’ve got a good group here. We should be able to make some big improvements,” he said.

Those certainly will be helped along by Wick. His return to form is a huge asset to a smaller budget team that’s getting an “import” on a “hometown discount.”

“The shoulder and the knee feel good,” Wick acknowledged. “I should have more points. I’ve had some good opportunities where I haven’t been able to capitalize. As frustrating as it is that the chances aren’t going in, it’s nice that you’re at least getting the chances.”

On the ice, Wick keeps getting a chance to pursue a passion. His hustle and grit creates chances for himself and linemates. Off the ice, the game he learned as a Canadian has given him a chance to get more in touch with his Swiss heritage. He’s been able to spend more time with family across the pond, and he’s been able to expose his young daughters to a wider world. He doesn’t want to waste the opportunities.

“My wife’s pretty supportive,” Wick said. “She’s kind of leaving it up to me when this journey comes to an end. I’ve kind of proved myself here and what I can do. If I can get back to doing that, should be able to get a couple more years out of it.”