Corridor Cross Checks: Amine Hajibi goes from Morocco to Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - As far as he knows, he’d be the first. He has already been the first on virtually every one of his teams so far.

Amine Hajibi of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders was born in Montreal. You know, Quebecers kind of like hockey a bit.

But his parents, Nourredine and Saloua Hajibi, are from one of the most non-hockey areas of the world. Let’s just say there are no ice rinks in Casablanca, Morocco.

“Honestly I don’t think there’s anyone from there who has ever played in the NHL,” Hajibi said with a smile. “Or anyone from Africa. Maybe Nazem Kadri or someone. Every time I join a team, I’m the only one from Morocco, of this ethnicity, I guess. It’s pretty cool”

Kadri, of the Calgary Flames, is of Lebanese descent, by the way, meaning Hajibi would be a pioneer if he’s fortunate enough some day to play professional hockey at its highest level. As he said, he’s already most likely a pioneer in the United States Hockey League.

Saloua and Nourredine Hajibi, who is General Director for The Collège Supérieur de Montréal, moved to Canada for better opportunities. Amine said the family returned to Morocco when he was about 5 years old and went back to Montreal when he was around 8.

Amine spends about a month or so each summer in Casablanca visiting other family members. He knows three languages: English, French and Arabic.

“My father was a big soccer player. In Morocco, there is no hockey,” Amine said. “But when we came (to Canada), soccer’s not as big as hockey, obviously. So I just tried it. I’ve loved it ever since.”

While many of his friends in Montreal went the major junior hockey route, Hajibi instead played four years at a prep school in Canada. RoughRiders defenseman Elliott Groenewold was one of his teammates.

He played six games last season with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers and four this season before Cedar Rapids picked him up in a trade. Hajibi has been highly productive for the Riders, picking up six goals and 16 assists in 22 games.

“I’ve seen more ice time than I had in Green Bay, and I’m pretty grateful for it. I feel like my game has elevated because of that,” Hajibi said. “I feel like I’m a smart offensive player, can make plays. Sometimes I can make plays that the opponent doesn’t see coming, and that’s something that I really work on. Just make good plays. I think I can also score goals, but I feel like my biggest strength is my hockey IQ.”

Hajibi, 18, likely will play next season as well for the RoughRiders before moving on to college hockey at Nebraska-Omaha.

“I just wanted to keep going to school ... I decided that was my path,” he said. “It was hard at first when I saw all my friends get drafted (to major junior teams). They’re moving on, and I’m still at prep school. But right now I’m very happy with my decision.”

The RoughRiders went 1-1-1 this past weekend, splitting a pair of games at home with Youngstown and losing in overtime at Madison. Cedar Rapids is 9-12-3-1 for 22 standings points, which places its sixth out of eighth team in the Eastern Conference.

The Riders host Dubuque on Friday night at ImOn Ice (7:05 puck drop) and play Saturday night at Madison, with the league going on a holiday break after this weekend.

IOWA HEARTLANDERS

One hellacious road trip is in the books for the ECHL club.

The Heartlanders went 4-4-2 in 10 games over a three-week stretch away from Xtream Arena. Iowa lost twice this past weekend at Kalamazoo (10-1 and 4-3 in overtime), beating Fort Wayne in OT, 2-1, in the third of three games in three days.

The Heartlanders are 10-8-3-1 overall for 24 standings points. That is good for second place, five points in back of first-place Toledo, with the Walleye owning two games in hand.

Kalamazoo and Wheeling are third in the division with 22 points, followed by Cincinnati, Indy and Fort Wayne (21 each). Let’s just say things are very tightly packed.

Iowa now has a six-game homestand on tap. It begins with games Friday night (6:35), Saturday night (6:05) and Sunday afternoon (2:05) against Toledo.

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