Visit the Stanley Cup final weeks before hearing their names called at the start of In the NHL Draft, the best hopes Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, James Hagens and Jake O’Brien had a surprise at Florida Panthers’ Practice installation on Monday.
Brad Marchand pulled a chair and joined them for breakfast. The 37 -year -old veteran shared laughter and discussed hours before him and the Panthers face the Edmonton Oilers in match 3.
“You think you just will say hello, then you sit at a table with Marchand and he talks to you,” said Schaefer. “We were talking about the draft and the combination (of scouting), and he said to me:” I could not go “. And he laughs, and I say to myself: “Well, look where you are now: you are in the Stanley Cup final.” “”
Schaefer, Misa, Hagens and O’Brien also met Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and took the morning skating of the Oilers. Schaefer met McDavid for the first time in January when the Triple MVP returned to Erie, where his n ° 97 was removed by the Ots of the Ontario Hockey League.
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This interaction – in the arena where McDavid was drafted a ten years ago – went a little more fluid.
“I didn’t think I was going to have to talk about his retirement from Jersey, then I ended up talking to him,” recalls Schaefer. “I missed things to say, and I ended up looking at McDavid and saying:” I’m proud of you “. No one looks like this.
Schaefer is the best classified prospect of the Central NHL Registry, although there is always a considerable debate as for which among Schaefer, Misa and Hagens, the Icelanders of New York will select with the first choice after winning the recovery lottery.
Hagens grew up on Long Island applauded them and went to matches at the Coliseum Nassau. Recently, he saw a bumper sticker that said “Ratter Hagens at home”, but he is also realistic about the possibility that his team from his hometown does not select him.
“I just want to be (with) a team that wants me the most – I want to play for one of these teams,” said Hagens. “It’s just a competitive nature that you want to be the first person outside the board of directors. It’s exciting, so I can’t wait.”
“ Trading ‘barkov
Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov did not record any point in any of the first two games in the final and has a minus-4 note. Leave coach Paul Maurice, still the joker, to reduce tension.
“We exchange it.” Mauritius joked. “No, I’m not at all (worried). There is action at both ends of ice.
Barkov recently won the Selke Trophy as the best defensive striker in the League for the third time. He played a big role in maintaining McDavid out of the match sheet in match 7 of the final last year when the Florida won 2-1 to capture the Stanley Cup for the first time in the history of the franchise.
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press