Sea Dog ends up with the Stanley Cup champions
Published Monday June 29th, 2009
Saint John Sea Dogs defenceman Simon Despres will remember the 2009 NHL Entry Draft for more than his first-round selection by the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Not only does getting picked 30th overall make Despres the first Sea Dog in the club's history to be drafted in the opening round, it came with a personal greeting from a Hockey Hall of Famer.
"I even got a (text) message from Mario Lemieux welcoming me to the Pens family. He was one of my idols when I was young, it was great," Despres said from his home in Laval, Que.
The 6-foot-4, 214-pound blueliner was the Sea Dogs' first overall pick in the 2007 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft. Last season, the 17-year-old led Saint John defencemen in scoring with two goals and 32 points.
His teammate, Steven Anthony, was drafted Saturday afternoon by the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh round (187th overall). Anthony, who turned 18 this March, notched 19 goals and 48 points last season.
Three other players whose junior rights belong to the Sea Dogs were also picked up in the draft. Winger Nick Petersen went to Pittsburgh in round four (121st overall), while forward Mike Hoffman was chosen by the Senators in round five (130th overall). Trades for the two 20-year-olds were finalized during this month's QMJHL draft.
Chris Kreider, who was drafted by the Sea Dogs last year, went to the New York Rangers in the first round (19th overall). The 6-foot-2, 201-pound forward played the 2008-09 season with Andover Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts, where he scored 33 goals and had 55 points in 26 games. Kreider is expected to eventually continue his hockey career at Boston College.
Live television coverage of the draft at the Bell Centre in Montreal showed Despres breathing a heavy sigh as the Pens called his name with the last pick of the night. The burly, powerful skater was projected as a mid-range first-round pick in mock drafts.
"Every team that went by I imagined myself getting named, and (then) it happened in the last one. But it was worth while waiting because I'm on the best team that I could be with, with Mario Lemieux, (Sidney) Crosby and (Evgeni) Malkin," Despres said.
Before the draft it appeared the Montreal Canadiens had their eye on Despres when they invited him to a combine that gauged physical strength, body fat, flexibility and quickness. Despres had interviews with the Habs and met general manager Bob Gainey. There were also rumblings on mock draft blogs that the Florida Panthers would use their 14th overall pick to snag the sturdy blueliner as an eventual replacement for Jay Bouwmeester. Saturday, the Calgary Flames acquired Bouwmeester. He can become a free agent Wednesday should the Flames not sign him.
"The draft is really unpredictable and I had no idea where I was going to go, and I didn't expect (to go to Pittsburgh)," Despres said, adding he'd met with a Penguins scout for about an hour at the Montreal combine.
"It felt really good, it was amazing."
Sea Dogs director of hockey operations Mike Kelly said the skilled defenceman would be an attractive prospect for any team. While a mid-season hip injury may have been the reason for Despres being drafted slightly later than expected, Kelly said the hurdle of overcoming an injury will make him a better player.
"In the long run it'll be a good thing for him to learn how to play through adversity; learning how to play through a little bit of pain," said Kelly, who was at the Bell Centre Friday night.
"Those are things it takes to be an NHL player, and he obviously showed he could (overcome obstacles) this season."
In addition to playing the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game this year, Despres won a gold medal with Canada's national summer under-18 team at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament in the Czech Republic, and played for Team Canada this past spring at the world under-18 championship in North Dakota and Minnesota, where Canada finished fourth.
He'll cut his teeth with the Penguins next month during a rookie camp in Pittsburgh from July 20-26. There, Despres will meet up with former Sea Dogs teammate Alex Grant, who joined the Penguins in the fourth round of the 2007 entry draft (118th overall).
"It will be nice, I won't be alone so I'll feel more comfortable," Despres said.
He's the first defenceman the Penguins have picked in the first round since they claimed Ryan Whitney in 2002. Whitney is known for his ability to produce on the scoreboard whereas Despres is seen as a player who works best in his own zone. But the Pens will be looking to develop the young rearguard's offensive potential.
"I would hope that at some point he can chip in (offensively), and at least be a No. 3 or 4 defenceman at some point," Jay Heinbuck, Pittsburgh's director of amateur scouting, said in Saturday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Despres is expected to play with the Sea Dogs again next season.
While thrilled about being drafted by the Stanley Cup champions, Despres is realistic about what it means.
"It was a big relief, but it's only a draft, it's only a step and it doesn't mean everything," Despres said.
"The important part is that you belong to the team now and you go to the camp and show them what you've got."
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