What Did You Do All Summer?

One of the things I remember doing in grade school when everyone returned from summer vacation was having some teacher ask what everyone did over the summer break. There were the normal things you'd expect as kids would talk about trips out of town, playing summer sports, and spending time at pools and beaches, but Regina Pats defender Ephram McNutt might have a story that tops them all. Born in Yellowknife, McNutt's mom was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as he grew up, meaning he lived in towns like Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk where traveling often meant flying. And that's exactly what McNutt is doing this summer once again!

In March, McNutt told Dave Thomas of MooseJawToday.com, "I'm finishing my ground school right now, I'm pretty close to being done. I was waiting for a medical appointment to do my solo and now I'm going to take my federal exam at the end of the month. Then I will do a little bit of in-air stuff and I will have my private pilot ticket."

Yes, McNutt was doing that while playing hockey for the WHL's Regina Pats after being traded to the Pats from the Prince George Cougars. In 52 games with both teams, McNutt scored six goals and 23 assists while aiming to attract scouts with his on-ice skills. However, he may not have to worry about the scouts in the stands for much longer because he's been logging hours through a flight school in Lacombe, Alberta while studying maps in Regina with the Pats.

"He’s got a map that's about the size of a small dinner table that he's constantly poring over with his, whatever the measurement thing is called," Pats Education Advisor Dwayne Hinger told the WHL's Cami Kepke. "He's constantly doing that."

McNutt wouldn't be the first hockey player to obtain his pilot's license when he completes his required training as former WHL, NHL, AHL, and IHL player Jeff Sharples is currently a Captain for Alaska Air flights. Heck, even Mark Messier obtained a pilot's license in 2009!

"I think it's so huge being able to get up in the air,” McNutt told Kepke. "You're seeing a perspective that no one else would see. Even in Red Deer, or at least in Lacombe, you can be in the mountains in a couple of hours in a car, but you can be in the mountains in half an hour in a small plane. Just seeing the perspective, seeing the roads from up above, or seeing a different angle of the mountains or something is just so cool. Even flying over my house for the first time was a really neat thing."

It's clear that McNutt has a passion for flying, but he told Kepke that he sees it "more of a hobby than a career path" right now. McNutt will still pursue his dreams involving a puck and ice, but being a pilot certainly is something he'll keep in his back pocket where he can become a commercial airline pilot and work all over the world.

"That's kind of every pilot's goal," he told Thomas. "They'd love to get over to Europe. They make the big bucks and fly in some pretty gorgeous settings."

What might be the best part of this whole story is that McNutt is taking advantage of the opportunity afforded to him as the Pats have covered his flight school costs without it counting against the three years of WHL Scholarship monies he's accrued while playing in the league! As we know, a lot of players use their scholarships to go back to Canadian or US universities and obtain a degree, and McNutt can still do that after pursuing his aviation passion!

"That's something I stress to some of the younger guys," he told Thomas about using his scholarship money. "I've played with a couple of guys who took their air brake license and started their welding ticket. And if they don't see themselves as a post-secondary guy, there are so many other options."

I love that Ephram McNutt is stressing the education part of the WHL experience because it's something I believe every CHL player should use regardless of where their careers take them. Clearly, it's taking McNutt higher than ever before as he completes his pilot training, and it's pretty cool to think that the Regina Pats' 2024-25 Most Sportsmanlike Player could earn his wings thanks to hockey one day!

There aren't many kids who can talk about earning their pilot's license over the summer, but one 20 year-old WHL player can. Ephram McNutt's story is awesome, and I'm glad to see he's opening all sorts of doors if his hockey career doesn't quite reach its dreamed-about destination. Hockey can take you far, kids, but there's always a runway when one is pursuing an education as it can take you higher than hockey ever did. Ephram McNutt is proof of that!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!