Post by canucklehead on Jul 5, 2008 14:14:04 GMT -4
Willing to work for it
Published Saturday July 5th, 2008
Nathan White
Telegraph-Journal
If Scott Howes is going to take the hard road to the National Hockey League, he'll be skating alongside someone who knows the way.
Keane, like Howes, was not drafted into major junior, and was passed over again in the NHL draft.
"Three Stanley Cups later and (1,161) NHL games, he's still playing," said Moose general manager Craig Heisinger. "Those kinds of guys are great opportunities for guys like Scott to take advantage of."
Howes drew plenty of interest from pro teams during a 20-year-old season that saw him lead the Sea Dogs with 43 goals. He added 15 more and a team-high 26 points in the Quebec Major Junior League playoffs. At least half a dozen teams were interested, and his agent Martin Ross said four were "seriously after him."
The five-foot-11, 190-pound forward said he settled on a two-way contract with Manitoba because he believes it's his best opportunity to play at the highest level. The one-year deal, with a team option for a second year, will pay him $40,000 in the AHL, less if he's sent down to the East Coast League. There's also a chance he'll be invited to NHL camp with the Vancouver Canucks, Manitoba's parent team.
"I'd be surprised if that doesn't happen," said Ross. "They phoned me about nine times to make sure we were going to sign with them"¦ When a team pursues you that much and shows that much interest, you feel a little loyalty and they seemed like the best option."
Ross said Howes' season with Saint John made his job easy.
"Obviously I was very fortunate to have been able to play in Saint John. I loved it there," said Howes, a Toronto native. "I think I've done pretty well the last two years playing in the Quebec League considering I came out of Ontario and was never drafted."
Every player's dream is to make the NHL, but Howes said he's not putting pressure on himself with specific goals.
"I'm excited for next year and I'll wait and see what happens," he said. "Personally my goal is to stay healthy and make sure my work ethic is up as much as it can be."
Heisinger said Howes could challenge for a role in the top six forwards, or perhaps as a third-liner that sees power play time. But even if he's sent down to the ECHL at first, he has the examples of players like Alex Burrows, who played two years in the ECHL, then two years with the Moose before becoming a Canucks regular.
"We like to bring in young guys who maybe slipped through the cracks and give them an opportunity. He fits all the criteria we're looking for in a player: he's gritty, hard-working, has good hockey sense, and he's a good person," said Heisinger. "Scouting is not an exact science, it's just a guess. We're glad he chose us and we hope he makes the most of his opportunities."
Sea Dogs coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu believes Howes can make the Moose in the fall.
"I think he can definitely play in the American Hockey League. He's developed very, very well here the last couple of years, had a great season with us and we feel he's prepared to make that jump to pro hockey," said Beaulieu. "He's a late bloomer"¦ he's very competitive, has a great nose around the net, has great hands and can skate very well. All the attributes an NHL or AHL player needs, he's got."
Beaulieu said the team is proud of Howes, the second ex-Dog to sign a pro contract. Skilled centre Felix Schutz signed with the Buffalo Sabres in May after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NHL draft. Schutz racked up 25 goals and 63 points in 83 games with the Sea Dogs before being traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs during the 2006-07 season. He played professionally in his native Germany in 2007-08.
Published Saturday July 5th, 2008
Nathan White
Telegraph-Journal
If Scott Howes is going to take the hard road to the National Hockey League, he'll be skating alongside someone who knows the way.
Keane, like Howes, was not drafted into major junior, and was passed over again in the NHL draft.
"Three Stanley Cups later and (1,161) NHL games, he's still playing," said Moose general manager Craig Heisinger. "Those kinds of guys are great opportunities for guys like Scott to take advantage of."
Howes drew plenty of interest from pro teams during a 20-year-old season that saw him lead the Sea Dogs with 43 goals. He added 15 more and a team-high 26 points in the Quebec Major Junior League playoffs. At least half a dozen teams were interested, and his agent Martin Ross said four were "seriously after him."
The five-foot-11, 190-pound forward said he settled on a two-way contract with Manitoba because he believes it's his best opportunity to play at the highest level. The one-year deal, with a team option for a second year, will pay him $40,000 in the AHL, less if he's sent down to the East Coast League. There's also a chance he'll be invited to NHL camp with the Vancouver Canucks, Manitoba's parent team.
"I'd be surprised if that doesn't happen," said Ross. "They phoned me about nine times to make sure we were going to sign with them"¦ When a team pursues you that much and shows that much interest, you feel a little loyalty and they seemed like the best option."
Ross said Howes' season with Saint John made his job easy.
"Obviously I was very fortunate to have been able to play in Saint John. I loved it there," said Howes, a Toronto native. "I think I've done pretty well the last two years playing in the Quebec League considering I came out of Ontario and was never drafted."
Every player's dream is to make the NHL, but Howes said he's not putting pressure on himself with specific goals.
"I'm excited for next year and I'll wait and see what happens," he said. "Personally my goal is to stay healthy and make sure my work ethic is up as much as it can be."
Heisinger said Howes could challenge for a role in the top six forwards, or perhaps as a third-liner that sees power play time. But even if he's sent down to the ECHL at first, he has the examples of players like Alex Burrows, who played two years in the ECHL, then two years with the Moose before becoming a Canucks regular.
"We like to bring in young guys who maybe slipped through the cracks and give them an opportunity. He fits all the criteria we're looking for in a player: he's gritty, hard-working, has good hockey sense, and he's a good person," said Heisinger. "Scouting is not an exact science, it's just a guess. We're glad he chose us and we hope he makes the most of his opportunities."
Sea Dogs coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu believes Howes can make the Moose in the fall.
"I think he can definitely play in the American Hockey League. He's developed very, very well here the last couple of years, had a great season with us and we feel he's prepared to make that jump to pro hockey," said Beaulieu. "He's a late bloomer"¦ he's very competitive, has a great nose around the net, has great hands and can skate very well. All the attributes an NHL or AHL player needs, he's got."
Beaulieu said the team is proud of Howes, the second ex-Dog to sign a pro contract. Skilled centre Felix Schutz signed with the Buffalo Sabres in May after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NHL draft. Schutz racked up 25 goals and 63 points in 83 games with the Sea Dogs before being traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs during the 2006-07 season. He played professionally in his native Germany in 2007-08.
