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NHL DRAFTJune 26, 2009Carter AshtonMONTREAL, QUEBEC Q. Most of the Tampa fans have never seen you play hockey, can you give us a description of your style of game? CARTER ASHTON: With my size, I like to utilize that and I'm definitely kind of see myself as a power forward. I like the corners and like to drive the puck wider than that. I'm not necessarily going to toe drag but I like to score goals down low. It may be shooting off the rush or going to get a rebound or finding a way to get to the net and taking a wide, and same thing, crashing the net. Q. Of shot, pass and skate, what would you consider to be your strongest attribute? CARTER ASHTON: I would say my shot right now. One thing I like to do is like I said shoot the puck and success has come this year and I've worked on it over the years. Q. What area do you feel you've improved in the last two seasons? CARTER ASHTON: My skating for sure. As a bigger guy I was always lanky and not the fastest on my team. So to play at the next level, you have to improve your skating. I've been working on it and stuff and I've come a long way. Q. Tampa traded you; did you have any idea that Tampa was interested in you? CARTER ASHTON: I had no idea. They told me they were trying to get me for a while, and it's definitely a great feeling to be drafted. It couldn't be more of an honor right now and it was a long night. Q. I saw a Twitter that Tampa had you rated in the Top-12. CARTER ASHTON: Yeah, like I said, that's an honor. It's a great feeling and like I said, to be drafted, it's a great feeling right now and it's definitely a good accomplishment. I couldn't be happier. Q. Have you given any expectations on going in the first or second round? CARTER ASHTON: Yeah, if you're someone from the outside you can look at the numbers and the statistics but I was coming in here and wanted to enjoy the experience. I had a lot of family down right now and I'm relieved. It's a nice feeling to go in the first round, and it's definitely an accomplishment. Q. Sleep a lot better tonight? CARTER ASHTON: Absolutely, to share it with my friends and family from Saskatoon; to share with them tonight is going to be nice. Q. Any thoughts about when you might be ready for the NHL? Obviously the team will have a few things to say about that. CARTER ASHTON: You know, I feel I have to grow into my body. I'm a bigger guy and that's an advantage to is to have a bigger body in the NHL. I'm not going to pinpoint the year but I feel I do have to grow into my body and strengthen it some more. Q. What do you know about the franchise? CARTER ASHTON: I've heard everything positive. I mean, as a player, I had a good opportunity to meet most every team at the Combine, so definitely only heard positive things. I can't wait to get the ball rolling and to go from there. Q. Is it exciting to think about going to an NHL camp in the fall and seeing a guy like Martin St. Louis maybe lineup with you or against in you practice? CARTER ASHTON: Absolutely, when you're a kid that's what you dream about. I can't explain that feeling. I'm definitely going to look forward if that ever does happen and to go to camps, definitely, it's the next step. It's the step after this and it's a long ways away and you're going to have to do a lot of hard work to get there. Q. Is there a current NHL player that you would aspire to, that plays to your style, and you like that player? CARTER ASHTON: Yeah, I can't exactly compare myself to an NHL player, but players I love to watch is Rick Nash, he's a player that I think is very exciting. He uses his size and he's a very big player and takes the puck to the net. I feel if I do grow into my body and I get a little stronger I can utilize my size, too. Q. Have you had any points of adversity? CARTER ASHTON: Nothing major. When I was 16 I moved away and broke my collarbone, first practice of the season, so as a kid moving away from home, you don't really know what to expect and that was probably one of the toughest things I had to get over so far. End of FastScripts |
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