Plum native Oravitz finding his way through junior hockey ranks with college on horizon

In his first full season playing junior hockey, Plum native Cole Oravitz has learned keeping a positive mindset is important to success.

Oravitz transferred from the USHL’s Madison Capitols to the Minnesota Magicians of the NAHL and dealt with a nagging wrist injury for two months. He worked through the injury, the rehab process and the grind of playing full time in the junior hockey ranks with a good attitude.

Now, he is ready to help the Magicians make the postseason.

“Once you get to the junior hockey level, whether it’s the USHL or NAHL, everybody is a good hockey player,” Oravitz said. “There are just little things that set you apart. Most of it is mental, like who’s doing little things off the ice after practice, before practice, who’s getting the extra work in the gym and who’s keeping their bodies fit.

“We skate every day, so the season takes a toll on us, especially at this point. We’re getting down towards playoff time, and everybody is starting to feel the season. You just have to keep your body right, eat right and put in the extra work.

“Right now I feel like I’m playing well. I’ve had some setbacks, but I’m going to keep chugging forward and playing the best that I can.”

Oravitz, 18, had played 15 games for the Magicians through Friday and has one assist. Minnesota is tied with the Janesville Jets for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Midwest Division. The Magicians have a two-game series with the Jets starting Friday.

After spending a month with the Capitols, Oravitz joined Minnesota in October. Madison still has Oravitz’s USHL rights.

The team took a trip to Alaska to play in Fairbanks and Kenai River right after Oravitz joined, which gave him a chance to bond with his teammates.

“That was a great experience going up there to Alaska for two weeks,” Oravitz said. “It was a good opportunity for me to go meet my teammates and get a feel for how they play.”

Oravitz billets with teammate T.J Saggisor’s family along with fellow teammate Chris Konin. His parents haven’t been able to make a game yet this year, but they watch every game on the internet. He said they will be making a trip to Minnesota before the season is over.

While in Minnesota, Oravitz is completing his senior year of high school with cyber school through Plum.

The NAHL season ends with the Roberston Cup finals in early May, so Oravitz likely will be able to return home to attend graduation.

Oravitz is committed to Massachusetts, and the plan is for him to enroll in the 2021-22 season. Unlike basketball, baseball and football, the majority of hockey players do not enter college directly from high school. Instead, they play at the junior level before making the jump to the NCAA.

“The ultimate goal is getting to UMass and playing and making an impact there,” Oravitz said. “The plan is to play one more year of juniors, but that can always change. With hockey, they want you to develop, because some of the seniors in college are 25 years old, so you’re basically playing against a man if you’re an 18-year old going in as a freshman. They want you to get stronger and faster before you move on to college.”

For now, Oravitz’s goal is to help the Magicians the best he can. He mostly has healed from his injury and would like to be a part of a team that makes a run at the Robertson Cup.

“As a team, our ultimate goal is to make playoffs and go on a run, and I believe we can,” Oravitz said. “We have a good group of guys, and everybody is ready. They want to make playoffs. My personal goal is to keep playing well and progressing on the path that UMass wants me to and, ultimately, get there after another year of juniors.”