Lewiston Maineiacs defenseman Chad Denny may finally know how it feels to be an opposing forward. Nerves get the better of many skaters trying to gain an edge in the Maineiacs’ zone, especially if they see the 220-pound Denny barreling toward them.
This afternoon, no one will be skating after Denny. Instead, it is the potential of a simple ring of a telephone that is making the 18-year-old anxious.
“I’m nervous and excited, too,” said Denny. “I hope things turn out good.”
Denny is one of five or six Maineiacs skaters who could get a call from an agent or an NHL team this afternoon when the National Hockey League holds its 2005 Entry Draft.
With the lockout over and the season beginning on Oct. 5, the draft will be scaled back to seven rounds. It will take place in Ottawa as scheduled, but there will be no pomp and circumstance in an arena. Instead, the top 15 prospects will be on hand, and the entire draft will be conducted via conference call and posted to the Internet.
Mathieu Aubin, a 19-year-old forward, missed the opportunity to be drafted last summer after an injury sidelined him for much of the season. Last season, Aubin went through injury problems again, but toughed out the final leg of the season.
“The doctor told me this summer that the shoulder is back at full strength,” Aubin said. “I am excited for this weekend, and nervous too.”
Denny, Aubin and forward Marc-Andre Cliche are virtually locks to be selected today. Defensemen Michal Korenko and Brandon Roach, and forward Olivier Legault are also potential draft candidates.
“I think everyone will be in the same place,” said Cliche. “We will sit and watch the Internet and wait for something to happen. It’s not like it was before, but that’s OK.”
Roach, a 20-year-old, may not get drafted, but may receive an invitation to try out as a free agent following the draft. The other five players are ranked in the most recent Central Scouting list of North American skaters.
As for potential destinations, the top three participated in the NHL’s combine in Toronto recently. Aubin has been contacted by Montreal, Edmonton and Boston, while Denny spoke with 23 teams at the combine.
“When I met with the scouts in Toronto, they liked that I had kept my legs in shape,” said Aubin. “They liked my speed on the ice after coming back from the injury. I had worked hard on that with Ed and with Clem in Lewiston, and I have been skating hard this summer.”
Denny was also well-received by the scouts.
The draft will kick off what could be a very busy August for all of the players. Denny will likely attend a rookie camp for his new NHL team, as well as a camp for the Canadian National Junior Team in British Columbia from August 10-15.
“I am flying right to Portland from that, on the 16th, I think,” said Denny. “That’s going to be a big week.”
The Maineiacs open camp on August 16, with the first intra-squad action set for the following day. The players will likely start to filter back to the city in the days leading up to camp.
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