NHL DRAFT

June 27, 2003

Michael Rupp

Q. (INAUDIBLE.)

MICHAEL RUPP: It is a great feeling you know. It is showing that team has faith in me and I'm going to do whatever I can to show them I'm going to be a player in the future for them.

MICHAEL RUPP: Yeah, I flew down about a month and a half ago, maybe, and I went down there, met the management and had some interviews there and was there about a day. It was nice.

MICHAEL RUPP: I didn't get to see the area that much. It looked real nice. I don't remember the hotel. It was right next to the coliseum. It was all right. It looked like a good area.

MICHAEL RUPP: Yeah, I had a meeting with the them yesterday. I think it went well. I met the rest of the staff. I met ^ Mildred Ruin. It is good meeting the rest of the guys, you know.

MICHAEL RUPP: I knew they were interested and that was, Long Island is the place I wanted to go, so it is kind of a weird feeling. I kind of had a feeling inside I was hoping they grabbed me and when my name was called it was just excitement from there on.

MICHAEL RUPP: Out of all my interviews I think those went the best. I met with them twice and I felt it went smooth each time, so it was just a feeling I had.

MICHAEL RUPP: I guess it went real well because, I don't know, I was real calm. I was being myself and they made the atmosphere real comfortable for me. It was fairly easy to talk to them.

MICHAEL RUPP: Yeah. We have had a lot of meetings. We were up in Toronto for central scouting. I had a lot of meetings there. Yesterday I had a couple. Day before I had a few.

MICHAEL RUPP: I flew in from Philadelphia and national came into Cleveland, so those were the only ones basically that did me travel.

MICHAEL RUPP: Yeah, I think next year is big. If I can come around and learn a lot, which I felt I learned this year. I think I will have a good outlook about how long it will be after next season. I do have a long way to go but there is no reason why I can't handle it and I plan on being a power forward in the NHL some day.

MICHAEL RUPP: Yeah, my -- the scoring hasn't come around yet this year. I think it is an experience this year. I think in big numbers.

MICHAEL RUPP: There is -- I have a tape actually. I have the Wayne Gretzky type and it is playing the Islanders. It seems like a lot of history to the franchise and it would be nice to be something like this in the future.

MICHAEL RUPP: Right now I'm about 6'5", five-and-a-half from pushing 230. I know I need to put more pounds on my frame but, you know, I plan on -- I don't think I'm going to be getting any taller, but I think I'm going to be getting bigger so it is something to look forward to.

MICHAEL RUPP: I would probably say just the speed of the game and just the game in general. Learn little tricks here and there. Learn to use every part of the ice. Just in general having an experience. I think that's the biggest thing I need to work on is having experience and succeeding in certain situations.

MICHAEL RUPP: Right.

MICHAEL RUPP: Well, back in Cleveland I was always big for my age and I was always a goal scorer, so I try to continue that this year and it didn't work. I have plans and next year is a new beginning and I plan on putting up a lot of numbers.

MICHAEL RUPP: No, most of the people who come out of Cleveland for hockey are going to college out. That was something I kind of looked at and no one I know of has gone junior so that is something I want to try to do and be the pioneer and show that it is something that can be done.

MICHAEL RUPP: Yeah, yes or no. I think for sure develops you a lot faster. You know, maybe college is up there, too, but I think it definitely does it faster and you will be ready to play in the NHL a lot sooner.

MICHAEL RUPP: I saw a couple of games and I compared that with college and the speed of the game and everything. I think it is just a better -- it is a better side or it's more identical to the NHL, you know. It is faster, open, a lot rougher and I think I need that definitely to prepare for the NHL.

MICHAEL RUPP: You know, everyone football, basketball, something in Ohio. I was just-- I think I was equally good in sports. Hockey, you know, touched me in a certain way. I just wanted to go with it and be one of the few out of Cleveland making a living doing it.

MICHAEL RUPP: Right. I mean not trying to be completely unique but I want to try other stuff that other people haven't done, you know. There has been a couple out of Cleveland, right now he's turned into a great player in the NHL. It is just a matter of time and I think more kids will start coming out of Cleveland, though.

MICHAEL RUPP: No, well-- nothing like that. I am just a little afraid of heights. I did go bungee cord jumping and stuff like that. I like that kind of rush, I guess.

MICHAEL RUPP: It is a rush. I love the sport and the speed and just everything about it.