Living a dream: Scott Walford, Mitchell Prowse's hockey journey from Okanagan to Montreal

Scott Walford had a connection to Montreal before he committed to McGill University — one that caused him to rethink whether the Redbirds men's hockey team were best for him despite having nearly everything he wanted.

The Montreal Canadiens drafted the Coquitlam, B.C., product in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft but never signed him to an entry-level contract, letting his rights expire. The heartbreak that followed left a sour taste in Walford's mouth, a stinging memory in his mind and bled into his recruitment process.

A city which bleeds red and blue, with swaths of Canadiens's jerseys, flags, hats, and fans at every turn, could have been a reminder of what could have been for Walford — a perpetual 'what if?' into an NHL career that never transpired.

After conversations with his family, friends and McGill's hockey team staff, a conversation with Guy Boucher, the current Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach, resonated with the defenceman.

"One of the things Guy Boucher talked about is how he always made the decision that was tough in his life," Walford told CBC Sports. "That's why he thinks he is successful. Because he's always found adversity and tried his best to push through it."

Walford committed to the Redbirds, and after a season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he would begin his McGill career alongside a familiar friend in the 2021-22 season — Mitchell Prowse, who committed in April 2021.

They were already friends of nine years by the time they became roommates at McGill. The two British Columbia-born boy's hockey journeys seemed to follow each other at every turn.

With numerous players graduating, Walford and Prowse entered McGill with a group of young players focused on building a new culture.

"I wanted to go