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mxman991 · 09-28-2019, 02:50 PM

Halifax Sports Press

Today we're catching up with a S50 junior draft prospect Al Kayhall. Al was a last second find by famed scout Marc Seigner who had a layover in St. Cloud only a week before the draft. Impressed with his playmaking ability and strong skating fundamentals, Seigner added Kayhall to the potential draft list hours before the draft started. Several other team scouts rushed to find any film they could on the unknown youth from Minnesota and the buzz raised Kayhall’s stock significantly, causing Halifax to take him 18th overall.

Interviewer : Hello Al, Thanks for taking the time to sit down with me,This past week has got to have felt like a whirlwind, how do you feel about being drafted so suddenly?

Al Kayhall : Oh man. I can’t even begin to describe it. Like just two weeks ago I was delivering pizzas and was playing in a beer leag… I mean… a fun league with friends, I’m too young to drink beer so yeah, uh, just a fun league. Anyways, it’s been crazy. I always dreamed of playing professionally, but just wow.

I :I heard your family calling you Randall when you got drafted, is that your nickname?

K : Uh, no idea what you’re talking about. My name is Al, always been Al. You have

another question for me?

I : Ok, you went 18th overall, how do you feel about that?

A : Amazing, Marc called me the morning of the draft and told me he thought I might go in the 4th round, he had a team that was interested in taking a flyer on me. I guess some other teams heard though? No idea why I went so early after that. Marc was happy though he managed to keep me in his organization. So am I.

I :Speaking of that, Marc added you to the draft list the hours before the draft started, what’s the story of how he found you?

A : (Laughs) That’s a funny story. I was playing in the “fun” league a week ago with some friends, and that game gets chippy if you know what I mean. They are all pretty good bangers, wouldn’t be surprised if another of them gets drafted at some point. Anyways, I’d had a couple…waters, and I was feeling really good. Ended up dangling the goalie pretty good in the second and normally after a goal in this league its quiet, because it’s late at night and no one really watches these games you know? Well I heard some guy whistling from the stands. I looked up and I didn’t really recognize him at the time but I gave him a fist pump and we went back to playing. Had a great night, got another goal and an assist for my buddy Joe in the third, and every time there was this guy whistling and cheering from the stands. Felt good ya know? Anyways game was over, I was on my way out of the locker to meet some friends for some prayers and water at his house after the game, and the guy came up to me. He asked me a few questions, odd ones too like what’s your plans for the future, and what do I think about Halifax. He handed me his card and that’s when I realized who and what he was. I felt like an idiot (laughs).

I : So you got noticed from a pickup game?

A : Yeah I guess, I mean you never really know who is watching you is the lesson here.

I : That’s a good lesson. So what do you think of Halifax?

A : It’s nice here. I’ve heard a few of my team mates joke about how small the city is, but to be honest it’s much bigger than my hometown. Everywhere I look though I see people with hats and stickers supporting the Raiders and that’s really cool. I feel welcomed.

I : Thanks for your time with this interview, good luck this season and enjoy Halifax!