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***JR95*** · 09-11-2022, 09:12 AM

[Image: Malamutes10.png?width=304&height=427]

The last time we checked in with prospect Jason Robinson, it was mere hours away from the SMJHL draft where he would find out what team and city he would get to call home and who would be his teammates throughout his journey in the SMJHL. Well, the night came and went and with the first round coming to a close, Robinson heard his name as he was selected 14th overall by the Yukon Malamutes. Those who followed along with our previous articles would know that Robinson was a little apprehensive about his odds of going in the 1st round, citing the extremely strong draft class and the enormous amount of talent around him. We followed up with Robinson this morning to discuss his draft position and his new team.

"Honestly it was a huge surprise to hear my name in the first round. You kind of have these expectations going in, you know, that you won't go to certain teams or in a certain round. So at that time I was definitely not expecting to hear my name. I was kinda just sitting there waiting for the 2nd round to start, where I expected to go. But just as the first ended Yukon took a chance on me and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity. To be able to say I went in the first round in such an incredible draft is such an honor, and to get to play for a newer franchise and have a chance to establish a legacy for both myself and the franchise. It's really exciting to have a blank book in front of you knowing you and your teammates get to fill in the pages."

But the excitement didn't end when Robinson's name was called. The following week would be full of discovery as he made his way to Yukon proper to meet the rest of the Malamutes. The team had a private jet ready to go for Robinson the following morning which brought him from his current residence of Ottawa to his future residence in the great white north. Upon arriving, Robinson was met by team executives eager to welcome him and give him a tour around. A few teammates were also present to be a part of the welcoming comity.

"It was such a welcoming experience arriving in Yukon and having so many people related to the organization in different ways waiting to greet me and the other draftees. I've never really had the red carpet rolled out for me and the Malamutes really went the extra mile to give us the superstar treatment. They had our luggage and equipment taken care of and had team gear ready for us to represent. We didn't stick around the airport long though, as we had a visit to the arena planned. A bus picked us up and we were brought over where our careers will begin in the SMJHL."

The Malamute's arena is really quite a sight to behold. Having been built just a few short years ago, it boasts a modern design and comfortable seating and viewing angles from every seat in the house. The angled architecture and use of bright whites along with the team's shades of blue and red make everything pop. It really is a gorgeous arena not only to play in but to get to play in for half the season.

"I didn't know what to expect when we pulled up. You hear stories and see pictures online of how these newer arenas look and feel but nothing can get you ready for the actual experience. It's almost surreal being inside the locker room, peering out onto the ice. I can just imagine what this place is going to be like on opening night and I just can't wait. After a quick tour, we got to meet the equipment crew and a couple of other behind the scene guys who make our lives so much easier. Everyone was just as welcoming as the original welcoming team."

While Robinson hasn't met the entire team in person yet, the first team practice is quickly approaching as pre-season is set to begin later this week. The Malamutes had an impressive sophomore season going 45-19-2, placing them 4th in the 14-team SMJHL. After an impressive season, the squad is surely looking to repeat their performance with an injection of young upcoming talent into the lineup. Robinson, along with other draftees Kalberg, Mollinek, Nikitin, and Benning will be joining the rest of the malamutes and expectations are high for the rookies to be able to keep up come opening night. With the regular season being just a short few days after pre-season, the pressure is on to put in as much work as possible this week to get the young guns up to speed.

We'll be back later in the season to check in on how Robinson and the Malamutes do through pre-season and the early regular season, but for now, we wait in anticipation of preseason coming in just three days.