Sure it was uncomfortable at times for Jansen Harkins while waiting for his name to be called at the NHL Draft in Sunrise, Florida.
Sportsnet cameras kept going back to Harkins and his family especially as teams were making their selection late in the first round.
Since the Prince George Cougars leading scorer was ranked 15th among North American skaters by Central Scouting, reasonable speculation was that he would be selected in round one Friday night.
Not only did that not take place, but Harkins had to wait until the middle of the second round Saturday morning before his name was finally called by the Winnipeg Jets, 47th overall.
While Harkins is now pleased to put on a Jets uniform, those extra hours of wait had to be agonizing, but nothing compared to Brandon defenceman Ryan Pilon, who was ranked 24th among North American skaters.
The 6’2″, 206 pound Pilon was projected to be at least a second round pick. Almost unbelievably, Pilon had to wait until the 5th round, 147th overall until he was taken by the New York Islanders.
Just imagine the anguish sweating that one out hour after hour, pick after pick.
One consolation is that the Islanders traded up to get the 147th pick, but still anyone’s ego would certainly take a hit waiting three rounds longer than expected.
Pilon registered 52 points (11 goals) in 68 games so he had good offensive numbers with the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Ryan’s cousin, Rich Pilon, was also drafted by the Islanders, 143rd overall in 1986. Rich, a defenceman, ended up playing 631 games over 15 NHL seasons, most of them with the Islanders. This is yet another example of a player that enjoyed a lengthy career despite being an afterthought and a 7th round pick.
Jansen Harkins and Ryan Pilon are not the first and won’t be the last players to slip in the NHL Draft.
All players would love to be selected higher than their Central Scouting ranking, but once training camp begins prospects start on equal footing. Harkins and Pilon will be given plenty of opportunity to show they can play with the best players in the world.
In the end, performance, not what number they were drafted, will dictate if they become NHL players.
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Prince George has its own version of Gary “Suitcase” Smith. Long-time Canuck fans will recall that Smith was Vancouver’s starting goalie for three seasons (73-74 to 75-76).
In fact, the 6-foot-4 Smith played for six NHL and two WHA teams during a 15-year professional career that ended with the Winnipeg Jets in the 1979-80 season.
Jason LaBarbera of P.G. hasn’t played as many NHL regular season games as Smith (532-187) but he continues to
“Carry-on” with a lengthy pro career.
The 6-3, 232 pound goalie has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 35-year-old LaBarbera enters his 15th pro season and if he plays a game for the Flyers, that would bring his total to seven NHL teams, one more than Smith. (The others: NY Rangers, LA, Vancouver, Phoenix, Edmonton and last season Anaheim).
LaBarbera was also in Chicago’s organization but never played a game for the Blackhawks.
Smith and LaBarbera may be from different generations, but both persevered in a well-travelled career.
If you are wondering, neither is close to a record. That distinction belongs to yet another ex Canuck, Mike Sillinger, who played for 12 NHL teams from 1990-2009.
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The Prince George Cougars and the Spruce Kings have just two home dates on the same night in the 2015-16 season.
This is the fewest conflicting home dates the two P.G. junior hockey teams have had.
On January 22nd, the Spruce Kings host Langley while the Cougars entertain Kamloops. On February 19th, the Spruce Kings face Alberni Valley at the Coliseum while the Cats meet Red Deer at CN Centre.
The Cougars will play 25 of their 36 home games on weekends with 12 on Saturdays, 11 on Fridays and two on Sundays. The remainder of their home games include six on Tuesdays, four on Wednesdays and just one on a Monday.
The Spruce Kings have 28 home games at the Coliseum: 10 on Fridays, seven on both Thursdays and Saturdays, and two on both Wednesdays & Sundays.
From the Quote Rack:
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are going to make a movie about the FIFA scandal—‘Good Will Bribing’?
So when you mention water hazards to Lefty Mickelson, does he automatically think of offshore accounts?
Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Due to scheduling issues with the Blue Jays, the Argonauts had to play their home opener in Fort McMurray, Alberta, with an announced attendance of about 4,900. With a crowd like that wouldn’t they have felt more at home in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium?
Philadelphia Phillies’ manager, Ryne Sandberg announced he is resigning and leaving the team. And Phillies’ season ticket holders are thinking “you can do that?”
Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
Sportster.com named Saskatoon’s Kaylyn Kyle one of the three hottest women of the FIFA Women’s Cup. Apparently the world-class midfielder is also quite a striker.
F1 Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner has married former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell. Occasionally Red Bull gives you rings.
Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
45-year-old kicker Paul McCallum signs with Saskatchewan. Brett Favre says that he could still play at age 45. Michael Jordan can still dunk at age 52. Yogi at age 90 says he doesn’t even need to crouch down to get behind the plate.
Ballot stuffing has resulted in 5 Kansas City starters voted onto the AL All Star team. As the winner of the event gets World Series home field advantage, wouldn’t it be wiser for KC fans to vote in the entire Phillies team instead?
Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver (http://alwaysfunny.com/)
And in case you missed it:
A fan at Wrigley Field caught a foul ball while feeding his baby: “People were shocked — not that he was holding a baby, but because someone wearing a Cubs hat caught a ball.”
Conan O’Brien of TBS
Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the Goat. His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]
Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller