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04/30/2008
Silvertips Alumni Interview: Shaun Heshka
Confident defenseman looks to crack Canucks roster next year
Everett Silvertips Press Release
Shaun Heshka will be joined in Canucks camp next year by Taylor Ellington and Dan Gendur. |
Everett, WA - Former Silvertips defenseman Shaun Heshka had some time to kill while waiting for a plane in the Syracuse Airport, so we thought we'd give him a call and check in to find out how his second year in the professional ranks ended up. Even though Shaun's Manitoba Moose dropped a six-game series to the Syracuse Crunch in the North Division Semi-Finals of the AHL Playoffs on Monday night, the Canucks' prospect was still eager to talk about his fine year, in which he scored nine times while compiling thirty points and a plus-eighteen rating, leading the Moose to a successful 99-point regular season.
JON ROSEN: Shawn, looking at the numbers and the contributions you made to the Moose this season, it seems that you had a terrific year from a personal standpoint.
SHAUN HESHKA: It was good to get my points up here. I was worried. I had a good start to the season actually - I was playing a lot. I went to Canuck camp and they were really happy with what I did there and then I kind of drifted off a little. I went on something like a 45 game scoreless streak and I was getting bummed out without scoring and my ice time started dragging a little bit. I just started to pick it up, and the goals started to go in for me. I was lucky enough to get up to thirty points, and at the end of the year I was hoping to be around there. Things started to work out for me and my confidence went up. Hockey is all about confidence, and once I started to get confidence from the coaches and confidence in myself, I started to play really well.
JR: I'm sure it's probably the last thing on your mind with the season having just concluded, but what are your thoughts right now as you look to earn a spot on the Canucks' roster next season?
SH: It's kind of hard to think about it right now with us just losing on Monday, but I want to make sure I'm in great shape for Canuck camp coming up in September and making sure those guys are impressed with the way I take my job seriously and that hopefully I've left a good enough impression this year in terms of stats and the way I played that I would make an impression to the point where they give me a good look and hopefully stick around there for a little while.
JR: Looking at the season you just had, it really looks like you're going to be drawing some strong considerations in Vancouver's future plans.
SH: It's always tough with draft pick situations. They always want to get their draft picks in. There are always guys pushing for spots. There's Taylor Ellington - he'll be a defenseman pushing for a spot. I saw Dan Gendur last year at Canucks' camp, and he had a good camp. So there are always young guys coming up, and looking to make an impression. They just want me to kind of create my identity out there. The first year is to feel out the pro year and get used to the speed and professionalism of it all. I think I came in my second year and did my job pretty well and took it as a pro, and hopefully that will carry over to the standpoint where they're thinking, "Hey, this guy's taking his job seriously, so let's give him a good look."
JR: You've made a very strong jump from Juniors to the professional ranks. What has been the key to the transition?
SH: Coming out of Juniors, it's a huge jump. I didn't realize it my first year, and I struggled a little bit at the start. I got into a little car accident at the start, which didn't help. I started off on the wrong foot. It's a tough league for first year players. There's a lot of speed, which I worked on every day after practice with the coaches. I worked on my foot speed, and just getting used to the flow of things. It's kind of different the way the game is played. Everyone's there for a reason. All the guys there can play the game. They're from twenty years old to forty. Everyone is in great shape and has great skill, so you can't take a day off. It's something for me where I had to build my consistency. Coming out of Juniors you can kind of pull off playing well if you're skilled enough, but here you have to mentally focus every game and make sure you're bringing your A-game every game.
JR: What advice would you give to Zach Hamill, who is in the first month of making the jump from Juniors to the AHL Playoffs?
SH: Zach is just a really skilled guy. I wouldn't really change anything for him - he should keep doing what he's doing. The only advice I would give him is to just listen to everybody and take advice from the older guys on the team, and put all the time in that you can. Any time that the coaches want to do something extra with him, or any extra time he would be able to spend in the gym would be beneficial. He's a really high draft pick, and he's going to get every opportunity to play with the Bruins. We're all expecting him to play there, and I know he's doing really well with Providence. It will be in the very near future that we'll be seeing him with the Bruins.
JR: Silvertips defenseman Chris de la Lande has been compared by the coaching staff to "a young Shaun Heshka". I'm sure that means a lot to you, and I was wondering if you had a chance to watch Chris play.
SH: I wish the 'Tips could've lasted a bit longer so I would've had a chance to watch him this year. But it's a huge compliment to me. I've always told people that I never imagined I'd get this far, and I owe a lot of credit to the Silvertip organization with Doug Soetaert and Kevin Constantine and John Becanic. They really brought me through the ranks. I pretty much came from Junior A not really having a bright future, and they kind of molded me and I tried to learn as much as I could from the coaching staff there. Here I am, playing my second year pro, and going to NHL camps and playing in NHL games. I owe a lot to those guys, and if there's a kid that's playing like me, then for him it's a great opportunity and I hope he does really well and I hope he listens to the coaches, because that'll take him a long way.
JR: Shaun, thanks so much for the update. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that there have been several sightings of #26 Manitoba Moose jerseys around Comcast Arena.
SH: Ha! That's great. Thank you, and please give my best to everyone in Everett!
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The Everett Silvertips Hockey Club
2000 Hewitt Ave. • Suite 100 • Everett, Washington 98201
Ph: (425) 252-5100 Fax: (425) 257-0700 info@everettsilvertips.com
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