Post by dogcatcher on Oct 10, 2007 7:29:09 GMT -4
Bigger, faster, better
Hockey Expectations are tremendous, but so is the learning curve for Sea Dogs' first-round pick
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Wednesday October 10th, 2007
Appeared on page B7
SAINT JOHN - The name Steven Anthony has been on the minds of Saint John Sea Dogs fans for months now.
It began before the 2007 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft when he was being touted as one of the top three players available. The Sea Dogs, in need of scoring, were interested.
However, the forward said he wanted to play American college hockey. Teams shied away from selecting the Halifax product until Saint John made a trade with the Quebec Remparts and, to most everyone's surprise, took Anthony with the 10th overall pick.
With all the fanfare, hype and speculation, it was easy for many to see Anthony as a saviour, the point machine the Sea Dogs needed.
What everyone forgot, except for the Saint John coaching staff, was the former Dartmouth Subways star had a lot to learn and a big jump to make to the QMJHL.
Anthony also admits to being a bit naïve about what he could do at the major junior level.
"I felt I didn't play well in the first three games of the season," he said. "I thought I was still in midget and could do the same things I did in midget."
"The whole league is bigger, faster, more fans. It's a definite step up."
With the top two lines for the Sea Dogs providing the bulk of the offence, it's left Anthony playing a defensive role.
"I think it will definitely round out my game because before I was all about offence and now I'm learning the other things to go along with that," he said.
The expectations and demands on a player like Anthony are nothing Saint John head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu hasn't seen before.
"A lot of the time these kids, they've relied on their skills for 10 years," Beaulieu said. "Now they come to major junior with guys just as talented and older than they are."
"They've always been stars and put pressure on themselves," he said. "They just have to get out of that mindset and learn to play the game both ways."
Beaulieu watched a similar thing happen in his days as an assistant coach with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. A young, skinny player named Corey Perry went through growing pains during his first major junior season. Fast-forward a few years and Perry is one of the emerging stars in the National Hockey League with a Stanley Cup ring on his finger.
"Perry went through it and was even a healthy scratch for a few games," the Sea Dogs bench boss said.
"(Perry) really didn't come into his own until after Christmas," Beaulieu said.
The team hopes the same will happen with Anthony.
"Once young players get through the league once they're usually more comfortable, composed and confident," the head coach said. "We'll increase his ice time as we go."
As for Anthony, he feels his game has improved. He recorded his first QMJHL point on Sept. 29 against the Moncton Wildcats and added his second in his hometown against the Mooseheads.
"Over the last three games I think I've played a better all-around game," the 16-year-old said. "I just need to go out there and do what the coaches want me to do."
The coaching staff has felt the same way. The forward saw his ice time increase against Halifax and the Quebec Remparts. He's also moved from the fourth line to a more prominent role on the Sea Dogs' third line.
INJURY: Sea Dogs forward Ryan Sparling could miss as much as three weeks with a separated shoulder. The third-year player suffered the injury midway through the third period of the Sea Dogs' 3-0 win over the Quebec Remparts on Saturday. "I went out for a few extra shifts after that and couldn't really do anything," he said. "I was out there trying to stop them from scoring, so I really wasn't doing anything other than that."
DINING WITH THE DOGS: Members of the Sea Dogs will be serving customers at East Side Mario's on Oct. 28 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for the event are $12 and are being sold at all home games and the Sea Dogs office. Proceeds from the event go to the Children's Wish Foundation.
Hockey Expectations are tremendous, but so is the learning curve for Sea Dogs' first-round pick
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Wednesday October 10th, 2007
Appeared on page B7
SAINT JOHN - The name Steven Anthony has been on the minds of Saint John Sea Dogs fans for months now.
It began before the 2007 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft when he was being touted as one of the top three players available. The Sea Dogs, in need of scoring, were interested.
However, the forward said he wanted to play American college hockey. Teams shied away from selecting the Halifax product until Saint John made a trade with the Quebec Remparts and, to most everyone's surprise, took Anthony with the 10th overall pick.
With all the fanfare, hype and speculation, it was easy for many to see Anthony as a saviour, the point machine the Sea Dogs needed.
What everyone forgot, except for the Saint John coaching staff, was the former Dartmouth Subways star had a lot to learn and a big jump to make to the QMJHL.
Anthony also admits to being a bit naïve about what he could do at the major junior level.
"I felt I didn't play well in the first three games of the season," he said. "I thought I was still in midget and could do the same things I did in midget."
"The whole league is bigger, faster, more fans. It's a definite step up."
With the top two lines for the Sea Dogs providing the bulk of the offence, it's left Anthony playing a defensive role.
"I think it will definitely round out my game because before I was all about offence and now I'm learning the other things to go along with that," he said.
The expectations and demands on a player like Anthony are nothing Saint John head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu hasn't seen before.
"A lot of the time these kids, they've relied on their skills for 10 years," Beaulieu said. "Now they come to major junior with guys just as talented and older than they are."
"They've always been stars and put pressure on themselves," he said. "They just have to get out of that mindset and learn to play the game both ways."
Beaulieu watched a similar thing happen in his days as an assistant coach with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. A young, skinny player named Corey Perry went through growing pains during his first major junior season. Fast-forward a few years and Perry is one of the emerging stars in the National Hockey League with a Stanley Cup ring on his finger.
"Perry went through it and was even a healthy scratch for a few games," the Sea Dogs bench boss said.
"(Perry) really didn't come into his own until after Christmas," Beaulieu said.
The team hopes the same will happen with Anthony.
"Once young players get through the league once they're usually more comfortable, composed and confident," the head coach said. "We'll increase his ice time as we go."
As for Anthony, he feels his game has improved. He recorded his first QMJHL point on Sept. 29 against the Moncton Wildcats and added his second in his hometown against the Mooseheads.
"Over the last three games I think I've played a better all-around game," the 16-year-old said. "I just need to go out there and do what the coaches want me to do."
The coaching staff has felt the same way. The forward saw his ice time increase against Halifax and the Quebec Remparts. He's also moved from the fourth line to a more prominent role on the Sea Dogs' third line.
INJURY: Sea Dogs forward Ryan Sparling could miss as much as three weeks with a separated shoulder. The third-year player suffered the injury midway through the third period of the Sea Dogs' 3-0 win over the Quebec Remparts on Saturday. "I went out for a few extra shifts after that and couldn't really do anything," he said. "I was out there trying to stop them from scoring, so I really wasn't doing anything other than that."
DINING WITH THE DOGS: Members of the Sea Dogs will be serving customers at East Side Mario's on Oct. 28 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for the event are $12 and are being sold at all home games and the Sea Dogs office. Proceeds from the event go to the Children's Wish Foundation.
try it again caphucklehead j/k
