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NHL DRAFTJune 30, 2013Jonathan DrouinEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY Q. How does it feel? JONATHAN DROUIN: Good. Q. You looked a little nervous there. JONATHAN DROUIN: Yeah, obviously I was a little nervous going there, and to be selected with Tampa Bay, that's probably the team I wanted to go in the beginning, and obviously I'm really honored to be going there. Q. Describe that feeling when you're sitting there and you hear your name. JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously I'm sitting there nervous and sweating and everything, and when you hear your name all is over, no more sweating, and obviously Tampa is the team I wanted to go, and I'm really happy about that. Q. You and Nate go 1 and 3, two from the same team. What's that mean to you? JONATHAN DROUIN: It's a great feeling, obviously. We know a lot of credit to Halifax Mooseheads, GM, coaches. They helped us out all year, and I'm really happy. Q. What were you thinking about? JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously when you go up, you're grinning ear to ear, you're on the ice scoring in overtime, dreaming of it when you're young, and being drafted right now is probably the greatest thing. Q. What do you think of Tampa Bay? JONATHAN DROUIN: I think it's a good fit. They've got a young prospect, great old players, too, that are experienced, and I think it's the best fit for me. Q. What do you think about playing with Stan? JONATHAN DROUIN: Yeah, obviously he's a great player, and I've been watching him a lot. Q. Do you feel like you're ready this year? JONATHAN DROUIN: I don't know. There's a lot of great players with a lot of experience. Q. (Inaudible). JONATHAN DROUIN: Yeah, it's a little bit surprising. Obviously he's a great defenseman and all this stuff, but the teams needed a forward and a center, and same thing with Colorado and Tampa Bay needing a forward, so I think it goes on for everyone. Q. Did you have any conversations with Steve Yzerman? JONATHAN DROUIN: A little bit before the draft. I think it was Friday we had a meeting, and I think he didn't give me that for sure I'm going to get drafted there, but I had a really good feeling. Q. Tell us a little bit more about your season and your overall experience. JONATHAN DROUIN: Well, obviously it was great to win memorial Cup with the team we had. I think we weren't really expecting a year like that. We knew we were good, but I think finishing off memorial Cup was really great. Q. (Inaudible). JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously a lot of people talk about me and Nathan, but a lot of people forget our linemate all year, Marty Frk and those guys. Marty can score (inaudible) probably the best player we could ever have. Q. (Inaudible). JONATHAN DROUIN: Yeah, it's obviously great. Halifax knows how to develop players, and it's going to show a lot of obviously young prospects that want to go there, and yeah, give a lot of credit to Mooseheads. Q. (Inaudible). JONATHAN DROUIN: For sure. It's easier to go into a room and see the guys. I know Alex, we stated this summer, and I think it's going to be great to see him there in Tampa. Q. What's it going to be like going from (inaudible)? JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously it's not a bad fit at all, like I said. Nate is a great player, same with Steven, and really glad Tampa Bay drafted me. Q. (Inaudible). JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously my No.2 teams were Colorado and Detroit, so that rivalry is pretty fun to watch, Yzerman and Sakic were going at it. Steve is a great player, and he's done a lot of stuff. Q. When you met with Steve on Friday, was there any indication when you met‑‑ JONATHAN DROUIN: No, no indication saying that I was the pick. But like I said, I had a really good feeling in the meeting. Q. What went through your mind when you heard Steve say your name? JONATHAN DROUIN: Just looked at my dad and stuff, giving a hug to your family thinking about that stuff is really great. They put a lot of work into it, it's not only me, and I dedicate a lot to them. Q. What are you most looking forward to about getting to Tampa Bay? JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously meeting the players, meeting the team, getting in the rink and playing, stuff like that. So it's going to be great when I go there. Q. Last year there wasn't a single player from the Quebec league picked in the first round. For you to go third and just generally the quality of the Quebec league and Quebec players in particular, can you speak to that a little bit, the improvement over the one year? JONATHAN DROUIN: Yeah, obviously last year was maybe not the best draft, but the year before Huberdeau went third and stuff like that. This year it was a really good league, been improving three years in a row, World Cup and stuff like that. It's a really good league. Q. (Inaudible). JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously it was great sitting there and waiting, and when Steve said my name it was the greatest feeling. I was really nervous sitting there, and when they said my name I had my dad and my mom and my brother, so it was probably the best feeling I've ever had. Q. What's it like being drafted by a guy like Steve Yzerman? JONATHAN DROUIN: It doesn't happen every day. Steve is a great player, won gold medals and stuff and Cups, so I think it was a really great honor for him to name my name. Q. Are you excited to get on the NHL ice? JONATHAN DROUIN: Yeah, for sure, that's my goal. I want to play in the NHL next year, and I'll try to do my best to stay there. Q. For the fans in Tampa that haven't seen you, in your words what kind of game are you going to bring to the ice? JONATHAN DROUIN: I'm a play maker. My biggest asset is probably my vision. I see a lot of things that people maybe really don't see, and I think I'm a character guy. I'm not only a skilled forward. I like to go into the corners and make checks a little bit. Q. Obviously today is kind of the culmination of a very long process. As you kind of immediately reflect on what's taken place, how do you feel and what do you think you're going to take away from this? JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously I feel great. Like I said, I'm going to remember this day for a long time, and Tampa is a team I wanted to go to. I think I'm really glad that they choose me. Q. There's a lot of skill there. How do you feel you'll fit in with players like Stamkos? JONATHAN DROUIN: Obviously there's a lot of skill there, and obviously I'm a skill player, and I'll try to fit in. They have experience and they're really good, so we'll see what happens. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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