Advice for the NHL Entry Draft

Nick Drazenovic, selected by the St. Louis Blues in 2005
(AP Photo/Paul Connors)

There is an air of nervous excitement around the Spruce Kings right now heading into the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. This weekend all the big brass from the 30 NHL teams will converge on the Consol Energy Center Pittsburgh to call out the names of 211 young hockey players and put them in a position to make their dreams come true.

Two Spruce Kings players are poised to be in that select group - Jujhar Khaira is the highest ranked BCHL'er at 74th among North American Skaters and Paul De Jersey who led the League in points to win the Brett Hull Scoring Title. Both players have been getting a nice share of media attention especially Khaira who was among the 105 invitees to the NHL Draft Combine in Toronto.

There is nothing that anybody can do now for either of those players but wait and see if a NHL team will get up on stage and call out their name. The first selections in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft will be made beginning late Friday afternoon with the Edmonton Oilers currently holding the first overall pick. A total of 30 picks will be made in that first round on Friday night with the remaining selections being made throughout the day Saturday.

It is this second day of the Draft that is the most taxing on players and their families who will be waiting with baited breath for any hint that the name they are waiting to hear gets called. One Prince George player that knows and remembers all to well this process is Nick Drazenovic. I had a chance to speak with Nick recently and I asked him what he remembered about that day the St. Louis Blues called out his name in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

download audio file