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Q&A with Cam Barker
Written by: Glen Erickson on 01/19/2006 
And while Barker admit he was keen to stay with the big club, he’s certainly not complaining about the way things have turned out. So far for Barker, the Tigers continue to hover near the top of the WHL standings and he’s managed to fit in a successful stint with Team Canada, earning his second WJC gold medal in two years.
“It was interesting when Cam came in here,” Tigers head coach and general manager Willi Desjardins told Hockey’s Future. “At 16, he was one of our top two defensemen at that time, and that’s pretty unusual. He has been a pretty special player for us since he’s been here. He’s always been a good player.
“He’s pretty mature and understands what it takes to play the game,” Desjardins continued. “He knows what he has to do and he’s prepared to do it. I guess the best thing about Cam is he doesn’t put himself above the team, he doesn’t think he’s a superstar, he just thinks of himself as one of the guys and when the other guys go hard, he goes hard. He’s got a great attitude that way and he sets a real good example for everyone else on the team.”
On January 14 in Kelowna, Barker suffered an ankle injury. The 6’3, 200-pound Winnipeg native is likely gone from the Tigers lineup for six weeks.
“We had him checked out on the Monday afterward and it’s not what we wanted to hear,” Desjardins told the Medicine Hat News. “I’d suspect it’s a hairline fracture.”
Including the playoffs, Barker has played over 260 career games in the WHL. Through his first 25 games this season, Barker has chipped in with five goals and 18 points, along with 63 minutes in penalties.
Hockey’s Future spoke to Barker just before his injury, earlier in the day.
HF: How has the first half of the season gone for the Tigers?
CB: Things are great. I think we’ve got a young team but we’ve fared very well this year. We play a great speed game and we’re first in the league right now, but we’re still looking to improve.
HF: Who are you playing with this season? Have you got one partner on defense or has Willi been shaking things up a bit?
CB: I usually play with Gord Baldwin (CGY) when we’re five-on-five or penalty killing. For the power play, it’s with Kris Russell (CBJ), who I played with at the WJC as well. That was great.
HF: You started the season in Chicago. What were some of your personal expectations coming into this season?
CB: Well I think you always want to make your NHL club going in and that was certainly one of my goals. Things didn’t turn out, but I had a great experience and learned a lot. I think I’m a better player for it.
HF: Kind of a unique experience for you to have played in two WJC on North American ice. What have you drawn from the experience?
CB: To be able to play in two WJC and winning gold in both is something special. And to have them both relatively close to home is terrific, you know, there’s great fan support. Internationally it’s a bit different with the bigger ice surface. I think we were fortunate to have them both here, where we played our North American game. I learned a lot about playing in different situations.
HF: Having played for Willi Desjardins in Medicine Hat and also under Brent Sutter during the past two WJC’s, what have you been able to draw from each of them?
CB: I think they approach things a little bit differently at times, but they both get a lot of respect from the players they coach and they both demand a lot. I think as a player, that’s what you want. You want to be your best and when you play for those two coaches, that’s what they demand and if you bring that to the table every night I think it makes you a better player.
HF: Given your NHL and international experience, how do the Tigers look to you as a leader on the club?
CB: Well, they do look to me to be a leader and I take a lot of pride in that. I’m not so much vocal all the time, but you know, my play, I like to play well. You know, when you get a lot of leaders on a hockey team, you usually end up having a pretty successful team. That’s what I think we have that here and we had it at the WJC, and I think for any team to have success, I think you need that.
HF: How was the experience growing up and playing hockey in Winnipeg?
CB: I played all my minor hockey in Fort Garry and had a lot of good coaches who had an impact on my development. My dad was a really big part of it, for sure my family. Clark Cunningham, Gerry Caputo, Lester Davis. Those three guys really helped me along the way.
HF: Any contact with Chicago so far this season?
CB: I’ve talked to the scouts a little bit, not a ton. I think they just want to let me play and develop. I’m excited about getting back there next year.
Copyright 2006 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
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