Family ties

EVERETT — All Chad Bassen ever wanted was the opportunity to carry on the family tradition.

Coming to Everett may have been the best thing that could have happened to Bassen for achieving that goal.

Bassen has had an instant impact since joining the Everett Silvertips in October, and he’s hoping the opportunity afforded him in Everett will help him follow in the footsteps of his family to the NHL.

"Hopefully I’ll be there one day," said Bassen, whose grandfather and uncle each had lengthy NHL careers. "I try to put in 100 percent every day to get there."

Bassen’s been a revelation since the Silvertips selected him from Medicine Hat in the Overage Draft. The 6-foot, 181-pound forward has scored seven goals in 12 games with Everett and the 20-year-old’s 16 points this season (nine goals, seven assists) are the most on the team.

" (Bassen’s impact) has been good, very positive," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "He’s very fast, he’s a good kid, I think he cares, he’s a tremendous penalty killer and he’s scored goals for us. It’s all been positive."

But that shouldn’t be a surprise for someone with Bassen’s bloodlines. His grandfather, Hank Bassen, was an NHL goalie for 10 years with Chicago, Detroit and Pittsburgh, compiling a 45-63-31 record. His uncle, Bob Bassen, scored 88 goals and had 232 points in a 15-year NHL career that included stints with the New York Islanders, Chicago, St. Louis, Quebec, Dallas and Calgary.

"I remember Bob Bassen from his days in the NHL and there’s a lot of similarities between the two," Constantine said. "They’re very high-character, trustworthy, dependable and have great work ethic. They’re guys with speed that compete every shift every night. You never have to wonder whether they’re going to give you an effort."

Inevitably, Bassen was raised in a hockey environment. His parents built an ice rink in the back yard of their house in Strathmore, Alberta, and Bassen began skating and playing hockey as soon as he could walk. And throughout his hockey development, Bassen was able to draw upon the experiences of his family.

"They taught me what it takes to get there," Bassen explained. "Not really the fundamentals — that will come into place — but the work ethic and what you have to give to the game, what you have to put in to make it to the next level. They know what it takes and they’ve tried to pass it on to me."

But it hasn’t all gone smoothly. Bassen’s three-plus years in the WHL before arriving in Everett can best be described as journeyman. Bassen played for three different teams — Regina, Vancouver and Medicine Hat — without making much of an impression. His best stretch was last season after he was traded to Medicine Hat, when he had 13 goals and 20 assists in 55 games.

Bassen was squeezed out at Medicine Hat when the deadline arrived for teams to cut down to three overage players. When the Silvertips learned Bassen had been made available, they immediately snapped him up to fill their open overage spot.

"There was no hesitation," Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said. "When we finally saw the list and scoured through it, he was right at the top."

Bassen has thrived in Everett, where he’s finally been unleashed offensively. His speed and skating abilities have added a new impetus to the Silvertips’ attack, and he recently replaced the injured John Dahl on Everett’s top scoring line. He’s been even more dangerous on the penalty kill, racking up three shorthanded goals with the Tips.

"They’ve given me more offensive leeway," Bassen said. "I’ve been able to use my offensive ability where before I think I played more of a defensive role on the other teams I played with. Here I’m on the power play, the penalty kill and I get to take some chances.

"It’s fun playing that way."

Bassen believes coming to Everett has been a turning point in his career.

"That’s exactly how I look at it," Bassen said. "The coaching staff here has coached at the next level and they know what it takes, what I have to do on the ice to make it to the next level.

"I would have liked to probably have stayed in one place and had a solid junior career, but it’s worked out for the best, I think, coming here."

And it’s certainly worked out for the best for the Silvertips, too.