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vbottas17 · 07-11-2022, 12:35 AM

Alexi Piastri at Nevada Battleborn training camp

With the 11th overall selection in the Season 66 SMJHL Entry Draft, the Nevada Battleborn selected Australian right wing, Alexi Piastri. A relatively unknown prospect heading into the draft, it was surprising to a number of people around the SHL that a player from such an untraditional place to produce professional hockey players was selected in the first round. The draft class was considered strong, yet a number of players that were expected to be selected early would slip to the later rounds. It's obvious that the Battleborn brass felt confident that Piastri could help improve the team. Will the young sniper be able to prove that the teams confidence in him was not misplaced? We caught up with Alexi to find out about how he was feeling now that the draft has concluded and he'll be taking his talents to the desert.

Interview

Alexi, Thank you for joining us! I imagine that you're extremely busy preparing for the hockey season so we appreciate you taking the time to talk with us and let the fans get to know you.

No problem Tom, anytime

Interview

You weren't predicted by most to be selected in the first round, how does it feel to be picked by Nevada in the first round?

It feels great! I'm extremely thankful that the Battleborn organization believes in me enough to use such a high draft selection on me. I wasn't sure when I would be selected when I declared for the draft. I certainly wasn't expecting to hear my name called in the first round. I'm confident in my game and will try my best to make the coaching staff, my teammates, the management team, & the Battleborn fans proud.

Interview

When did you get an idea that the Battleborn were interested? Were you expecting to be selected by them once draft night came around?

The Nevada scouting staff contacted me fairly early in the process and I really enjoyed how talks went with them. They connected with me more than some other teams who were asking the same generic questions. It was clear that they were legitimately interested and were serious about identifying players that could help the team. There were other organizations that I knew were considering me as well, but I had a good idea that I would be heading to Nevada if I was available when their selection came up. With that said, you can never be 100% certain. There are a lot of great players that were available in this draft & there weren't a lot of pre-draft leaks indicating that players were locked in to a specific team. It's great to see some of the more unknown prospects such as Jacques Hammer & Bobby McGinnis selected so high in the draft. It shows that most of the SMJHL organizations are doing their best to identify the right players for their teams.

Interview

Heading into the draft you were viewed as an offensive winger. When you were at training camp, did the coaching staff indicate what role you'll be expected to play with the Battleborn?

Yes, we've had some talks about what would be best for the team moving forward. I spent some time taking faceoffs at training camp which isn't something that I've done a lot of in the past. There aren't a lot of natural centers on the roster, so I'm 100% on board with playing center if that's the best way for me to earn playing time. I believe that over time I may end up back on the wing, but playing center will only help me round out my game, and I'm willing to do whatever I can to help the team. Hopefully I can contribute offensively right off the bat, but a lot of great players have earned their stripes as role players when they first break into the SMJHL. I have faith in the coaching staff and feel that they'll help me prepare for next seasons SHL draft.

Interview

Nevada selected 3 other forwards in the draft, what can you tell me about your fellow Battlebabies?

I think it's hilarious that draftees from around the league are referred to as babies with their new teams! I'm very excited to play with the other new members of the Battleborn. I feel that Paul Peterson was a first round talent and I'm shocked that he slipped to the teams pick in the second round. I expected that he would be one of the first players selected and thought that he may end up being Nevada's pick at #11 when he was still available. He's a very highly regarded prospect, so I wouldn't have been shocked if the management team thought that he was too good to pass up, and selected him before myself. Now that the drafts over, I'm thrilled that we're going to be teammates, I believe that our games will compliment each other very well. Foxy is another player that I was familiar with from youth tournaments and again, somebody that I expected would be drafted much higher. I think the three of us could be a dangerous line in the future, hopefully we'll have an opportunity to play together sometime down the road. I'm not too familiar with Baby Shark, but I love the song. Nothing will get the arena going quite like the baby shark theme song playing as he hits the ice. We have some great veteran leadership to look up to already established with the team. It was great to see players such as Luke Laraque, Seamus O'Slapahan, & Chad Nickelback at camp.

Interview

Have you thought about the SHL draft yet? Any teams in particular that have caught your interest?

Of course! Ultimately my goal is to one day play professionally in the SHL. I'm going to approach the draft the same way that I approached the SMJHL Draft, I'm open to playing for any team and have no real preferences. I've spent some time in Los Angeles before and the Panthers are the defending SHL champions, so obviously they're a team that jumps out as somewhere that would be really cool to play. I'm excited about the prospect of playing for any of the SHL's franchises but I'm in no hurry to reach that goal. I'm just now arriving in Nevada and have some goals to check off of my list here before worrying about playing in the big leagues. I would be thrilled to be a part of bringing a Four Star Cup to the desert. Can you imagine the celebration in Las Vegas? It would be quite the party! Hopefully we can make that happen and start a tradition of championship winning hockey being played in the southwest. I'm fully dedicated to helping this team achieve that goal and can't wait to get started.

Battleborn