It’s all about confidence for Caleb Bidgood.
The 18-year-old forward for the Fort Erie Meteors is at his best when he is feeling good about his game.
“Caleb is 100 per cent solely confidence-based,” Meteors general/manager coach Nik Passero said. “When he feels good about his game he’s a different player. When he’s struggling or things aren’t going his way, he’s hard on himself.”
Bidgood scored in the Meteors opener and then hit a dry spell where his confidence waned.
“He wasn’t playing great hockey. We knew it, he knew it,” Passero said. “We did film, we were hard on him in practice but he stuck to the process and then we moved him to the wing and he scored six goals in eight games.”
Bidgood, who hails from Courtice (near Oshawa), doesn’t deny for a second he is at his best when he is assured in himself.
“Confidence is a big thing in your game, you need confidence to play and some days some stuff doesn’t go your way and it’s just like a switch,” he said. “You have to take it with the little things, a good shot on net or a good pass, and little things like that to help boost your confidence.
“You want to do all the right things and obviously goals help.”
Bidgood has seven goals and 10 points in 27 games this season, already tying his points total from last season.
“I’ve been feeling good, I’ve been feeling confident with the guys I’m playing with. Obviously, I just want to contribute any way I can and the puck has been going in the back of the net for me.”
Passero said Bidgood doesn’t need an extra pat on the back to help him in the confidence department.
“I don’t think his confidence relies on our staff. It’s in himself. He’s very self aware. When we’re hard on him, he knows. He’s a player before you even tell him what he’s done wrong, he understands.
“I don’t think we have to mince words with him because he’s very mature and understands. He knows when he’s playing well and when he’s not. That’s where his confidence is.”
Bidgood, who is playing on a potent line with Liam Beamish and captain Kyle Adamo, is enjoying the Meteors eight-game winning streak which has seen them improve their record to 22-5. They reside in second place in the Golden Horseshoe Conference, five points in arrears of the Caledonia Corvairs while holding a game in hand.
“It’s a lot of fun. We come to the rink and we’re getting a better but we’re also with some of our best friends, some guys you would consider brothers, so it’s awesome,” he said.
Passero said the Mets are finding different ways to win each night.
“Some nights it’s goaltending, some nights it’s power play, or just defending hard,” he said. “Most nights it’s our top guys. We’re pretty top-heavy in scoring. We’re still figuring our penalty killing out. It’s something we have to focus on in the next few weeks.”
The Meteors last week lost goaltender Charlie Burns to the Niagara IceDogs and replaced him with former Pelham Panthers Logan Slou, who will share the net with John Lloyd.
“Logan and John are 1 and 1B,” Passero said. “I have full confidence in John. We needed another guy and Logan and John will battle it out.”
The Meteors are in St. Marys (16-7-2-1) Friday and home to London (16-8-1) in inter-conference play this week.
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