Stickhandling the Scrutiny – BlueJackets.com

Call it an audition, tryout, job interview or all three. That's what the last 12 months have been about for 18-year-old NHL prospects.

It is their first year of eligibility to be selected in the NHL Entry Draft July 23 and 24. Players in the Western Hockey League are keenly aware of the scrutiny during their draft years. Over the past two NHL Drafts, the WHL leads all amateur development leagues with 56 players selected.

Everett Silvertips defenseman Olen Zellweger and Seattle Thunderbirds winger Conner Roulette are two such players. The pair are the highest ranked-and most likely to be drafted-prospects from the WHL's U.S. Division. Their big moments are coming up in two weeks.

Both knew the importance of this season and that it could ultimately set them down a path towards their pro hockey dreams. Last summer, Roulette found out he was rated as an "A"prospect - indicating a potential first or early second round pick -- by NHL Central Scouting while Zellweger received a "C" ranking to indicate a possible selection in Rounds 4 to 7.

It put them both on notice. The NHL would be watching.

Adding to the pressure was the uncertainty of the season. The WHL was slated to begin in September but protocols of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it back several times before finally settling on a March start date with a limited 24-game season.

"It was really nerve-wracking to be honest," Zellweger says. "It was such a great opportunity for us to even get a season this year. I'm just grateful that I got to play and players around the league got to play. That was good for us."

With the pressure of a draft year already in place, the shortened season just added to it.

There was a small window to give NHL scouts a good impression. Have a bad week and that could impact your draft stock. The players were aware but tried not to let pressure seep into their play on the ice.

"You've got to go out there and play your best," Roulette says. "It's just 24 games but in the end, you know, it's just kind of a regular season when it comes to the feeling of always wanting to be your best."

Both players put their best foot forward.

Roulette required a couple games to adjust, but then heated up. He played on Seattle's top line and ended with six goals and six assists for 12 points over 11 games. Zellweger took advantage of opportunity for an elevated role on Everett's blue line and ended up with a pair of goals and 11 assists in 11 games.

"I think I really took a lot of good strides forward and I think that'll be a good base for me, leading into next year," Zellweger says. "Obviously I think I earned quite a bit of trust from the coaching staff."

The two, who play on rival teams in the U.S. Division, only appeared in 11 league games because both were selected to represent Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championships in the Dallas area (Frisco and Plano), which caused them to miss the remainder of the WHL campaign.

Leaving their WHL teams was hard but worth it as Canada won the gold medal. Roulette scored a pair of goals playing in an unfamiliar fourth-line role. He also gained some experience killing penalties, something he had not done since U14 hockey.

Zellweger quickly became a mainstay on Canada's powerplay unit. He finished the the seven-game tournament with eight points and a rising index on his draft stock.

Both players say it was an honor to represent their home country, but the tournament provided a premium chance to be seen by NHL scouts and leave more good impressions. Going through the season the players are aware scouts were in the WHL arenas to watch games and that draft rankings were being published online.

It's a distraction that has to be ignored. In Texas, it was hard not to notice an arena filled with NHL scouts from every team. If you start worrying about what those scouts think, it can quickly and easily affect how you play.

"It's just a game of hockey," Roulette says about blocking out thoughts of scouts in the stands. "It was the first time in a while that we had a crowd of fans, then it turned out to be all scouts. It's not too crazy because you're playing a game and the focus is on what's going on around the ice. The focus was on your game."

NHL scouts spend a good deal of time watching the draft-eligible players. In a normal regular season, you can find them occupying their preferred corner seats at both the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent and Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett (both to be sites this fall for Kraken preseason games. The scouts were there again during the shortened season and the players were aware.

Scouts not only watch the play on the ice, but they go deeper into assessing a players NHL potential. That includes one-on-one interviews with the players, coaches, billet families who host junior players and even teachers in some cases.

When the season ended in June, the scrutiny carried on. Both players continued to hear from NHL scouts. Many Zoom calls were conducted.

"The first team you talk to, you get really excited," Roulette says. "You're kind of fanboying over it. Then once it gets normal, you start taking it as a job, as a professional."

Scouts talk hockey with prospects. But the questions quickly get into other topics such as family and motivation. NHL teams want to get to know the personalities and mindsets of any prospect they might draft.

"One team asked me what percentage of my ability is just natural talent versus hard work," says Zellweger, who added he had also talked to the Kraken. "I thought that was a different one. I don't think I really heard stuff like that before."

Neither player is taking it easy this summer. Roulette is spending his summer in Vancouver working out with a number of pro and WHL players. Zellweger has stayed closer to his home in Alberta and on the ice in a similar fitness camp.

Both Roulette and Zellweger are set to return to Seattle and Everett this coming season.

"For me, this is a really important time," Zellweger says. "I think last offseason was really good for me. This year I want to continue to work on my off ice and my strength in the gym ... I think it'll be really beneficial to me, leading into this season."

Draft day can turn hockey players into a nervous mess as they wait to hear their name called by an NHL team. Like last year, this year's draft will be conducted virtually and broadcast live from NHL Network studios in Secaucus, NJ.

The first round will be 5 p.m. July 23, airing on ESPN2 and Sportsnet. Rounds 2 to 7 start July 24 at 8 a.m. on NHL Network

Roulette says he'll be watching with his family in Winnipeg. He's guessing they'll plan something big. Zellweger will be with his family in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, watching and maybe pacing nervously.

"I like to say now I'd be pretty calm but, you know, I'm not there yet," Zellweger says. "I honestly don't know right now."

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Stickhandling the Scrutiny - BlueJackets.com