Behind many promising junior hockey players is an adopted home, one made by complete strangers.

Ottawa 67s players John McFarland, a Richmond Hill, Ont., native acquired from the Sudbury Wolves a couple weeks ago, is new to Ottawa.

But he credits his new roommate Dalton Smith and his adopted family, the Robinsons, for helping him feel right at home.

"You can escape. You don't have to talk about hockey unless you want to," McFarland told the CBC's Dan Séguin.

"I think that's something that has been great here. It's not about how the game went, they understand if you are not happy about the way you played and its time to move on," he said.

Shawleen and Steven Robinson have chosen to take in the two 19-year-olds, both of whom have already been drafted to the National Hockey League.

Couple first housed current Ottawa Senators centre

The Robinson's cook their meals and watch out for them, much like they have done for a dozen players dating back to 2001, when they took in current Ottawa Senator and former Ottawa 67 Zenon Konopka.

"It was a learning curve because Steven and I don't have our own children, so we were opening up our home to somebody, a total stranger, but a really nice kid," Shawleen Robinson said.

"We had to learn a little bit, privacy was a big issue for us," she said.

The Robinsons' basement now features thank you notes from the 12 players who previously lived at the home. The couple said they love the company and have formed friendships with the players.

"We are not the parents. We don't want to be a big brother to them, we want to be in between there," Steven Robinson said.

"Have a little bit of respect for us and go from there. We are not there to discipline them, except when they step out of line, then we have to step in and put our feet down."

Player lived with Robinsons for more than three years

For Dalton Smith, a native of Oshawa, Ont., the Robinsons have been his adopted family for more than three-and-a-half years.

"It's like home here. I feel totally comfortable walking around or doing whatever," said Smith. "It keeps me nice and calm and relaxed. It helps me to prepare for every game and being as comfortable as I can."

There is a tough part of billeting, though, and that is saying goodbye. Both Smith and McFarland are 19: this will likely be their last year with the 67s. Both players were second-round picks in 2011, to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers, respectively.

"Saying goodbye to Dalton will probably be the hardest," said Shawleen. "It's been three and half years. He will decide to move on to bigger and better things in his life. But it's nice... some of them, we keep in contact."

Smith said he was lucky to end up in the Robinson household. There's a chance he could return to Ottawa next year as an over-age player in the Ontario Hockey League.