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Beaver · 11-30-2017, 03:21 PM

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1365 words plus the double media bonus and I'd like to send 75% of the proceeds to Dawegg for providing the meat of this article

<a href='index.php?showuser=2856' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-3'>Dawegg</a>

First Name: Friedrich Schmidt
Position: G
Player Type: Hybrid Goalie
Height (ft.): 6'2''
Weight (lbs.): 195
Birthplace: Wien, Austria

Itâ€™s always interesting to your humble correspondent to learn what aspects of the game of hockey prospects find alluring, what things about it theyâ€™re captivated by. For many itâ€™s the beauty, some of the best athletes in the world in peak physical condition competing atop a sheet of ice with knives strapped to their feet. The saucer passes, the unbelievable saves, the top-shelf snipes, and dirty dangles.

For others itâ€™s the physicality. The bone-crunching hits, the battles in the corners, the fights. The blood, sweat and tears left frozen on the ice long after the final whistle blows. Itâ€™s a level of physicality not seen in very many other sports and sets hockey apart in the minds of many.

For still others itâ€™s the fast pace. Hockey isnâ€™t slow and methodical like football or baseball and while basketball and soccer have similar fluidity they donâ€™t exhibit the sheer speed, acceleration, and back-and-forth that hockey consistently has on display.

And while there are dozens of things to find attractive about hockey for our purposes the last one weâ€™ll cover is the one that Friedrich Schmidt, a young goalie from Austria, loves: the history. Moreso than perhaps any other sport but baseball, hockey holds its history in a special reverence. The great players of yesteryear are lionized and the merely good players hear their praises sung long after their playing days are over. Perhaps this speaks to the conservative demeanor we often see out of hockey players compared to football or basketball or perhaps itâ€™s because hockey is a game of moments â€“ incredible spans of mere seconds that change entire games, seasons, and even careers.

Just ask an Edmonton Oilers fan about one Steve Smith. They wonâ€™t talk about his 46 goals for the team during his 6 year stint nor his 1,080 penalty minutes. They wonâ€™t review his career in broad strokes, they will speak of a moment. One singular, fateful moment in Game 7 of the 1985-86 Smythe Division Finals when he inadvertently ricocheted a puck off his goaltender into his own net. The game-winning, series-clinching goal against their hated rivals, the Calgary Flames.
The young Austrian will be in attendance at one of those moments â€“ a lesser moment, sure, but still a moment â€“ later as he attends the S38 SMJHL Draft.

As I met with him in the airport lounge after he debarked his flight and he waxed poetic about his dadâ€™s illustrious career in Austriaâ€™s professional hockey league, he immediately struck me as a historian of the game. Someone who reveres those moments and learns what he can from their lessons.

Quote:[My father] was a solid hard hitting defenseman for EC Villacher. He never won a championship in part because of his team's struggles at the Goal tending position.

When I was eight I noticed that I just simply couldn't perform all of these advanced skating moves I saw my peers perform. I asked my father of this, and he just said: "Son, if you can't skate to score the puck, then maybe you can be the one who stops those who can."

Those two moments combined to turn him into the goalie prospect he is today, the top amateur netminder in the Austrian league. As he prepares for his North American career it isnâ€™t the higher quality of play that concerns him, itâ€™s not any anxiety over whether his training and preparation has been sufficient. The biggest concern on Schmidtâ€™s mind? Culture shock.

Quote:I've been working with my Goaltending coach every day before I got on my flight to America. I believe that my transition to playing in America should be smooth; I kept in touch with some teammates that plan to attend University here, and they filled me in on the culture shock.

His nervous chuckle toward the end betrayed his concerns. However, as he enters a league that has seen many great international players in general and Austrian players in particular he will be able to draw upon a deep well of advice as he makes his way and I anticipate heâ€™ll acclimate quickly.

As I ask about his fellow Austrians, he immediately dives into a history of the national team and his hopes for their future with a truly stellar crop of prospects coming up through the ranks.

Quote:The future of the Austrian national team team is brighter than the surface of the sun! I've seen some of these guys around before and they're some pretty great players. I appreciated the encouraging letter I got from Coach Izzy saying something to that effect.

Just like Oilers fans and Smith, I had a significant moment of my own during my chat with Friedrich Schmidt. The moment I realized I was out of my depth talking hockey history:

Quote:I would like to believe that I modeled a bit of my game after CJ James. He's been retired for sometime now, but I look up to him because he played for my favorite team, the Manhattan Rage, and was perhaps one of the more consistent goaltenders in the entire league.

As I asked some of my contacts around the league, they all had glowing things to say about CJ James and that Manhattan team that won their first ever Challenge Cup in Season 22.

And Schmidt wasnâ€™t done there.

Quote:I'm willing to play for any team at any point. I'm here to be a positive influence for my team mates, the game isn't only about me.
Each team has their own storied histories, from the recent champion Detroit Falcons to the Prince George Firebirds. None of these teams has emerged as a front runner primarily because I'd be proud to call myself a member of any one of these teams.

With this heavy emphasis on the history of the game and the players of yesteryear I was curious what Schmidt felt set him apart from the other goalies in this draft.

Quote:This isn't to discourage any of the other prospects, but I believe I am one of the surest Goalies in this draft class. I'm more than willing to do whatever it takes to improve, and especially take the steps to become successful as Beaujeaux Biscuit has in recent memory. Coach will find me on the ice at 4 AM and gone at 10 PM.

GMs should be thrilled to hear that as well as what he hopes to get out of his SMJHL team:

Quote: The key thing I am looking for in an SMJHL team is an expressed dedication to the development of their players, and the patience that requires. To me, a team could be committed to the growth of its players but at the same time hinder said growth by allowing for a limited time frame to undergo development. That's not to say everyone gets a leash that is longer that it ought to be. I just want the team to afford me the same trust I grant them for my well-being.

The draft is an exciting point in the start of any playerâ€™s career, but I can't speak for any of the General Managers. If being on a great team meant I would be drafted with the last pick then you bet I'm happy how the draft ended up.

Though he mentioned that he hadnâ€™t been in contact with any veteran goaltenders yet, he stands in awe at the amount of sheer history and information available about the league â€“ and thinks his own analytical mind gives him a leg up.

Quote: At first, everything was too much to take in. However, there isn't really anything you can do to streamline the overwhelming experience of joining the SHL. Those who are dedicated will be able to process all of the information and utilize this information to their full advantage. I plan on being one of those members.

I have no doubt that he will be.

As he enjoys the first major moment of his fledgling SHL career later, GMs will be asking themselves â€œIf we have one shot, one opportunity to seize everything we ever wanted in one moment would we capture it or just let it slip?â€

If they plan on capturing it they should call Friedrich Schmidtâ€™s name.