(Ready to be Graded)

Planes, Trains and Boats??? The Draft Story of Patrick Rail

The Anchorage Armada completed their Season 81 SMJHL entry draft yesterday. Bringing in 7 new players to the franchise. The Anchorage Advocate was able to have a sit down interview with their third round pick (#45 of the draft) Patrick Rail.

Patrick Rail comes from Columbus, Ohio and is a Left Winger. His early scouting has him as a similar player to Rick Nash. He was very excited to land in Anchorage and was able to share some of the behind the scenes of the draft and his thoughts on the draft. From the moment Figgy went to the podium to landing at Anchorage airport.

Advocate: Welcome to Anchorage! Tell us about your initial thoughts on being drafter to the Armada?

Patrick Rail: Thank you! I am very excited to come to Anchorage. I have been here once on a family vacation and the whole state is absolutely beautiful!

Advocate: You went in the third round, is that higher or lower than you thought?

Patrick Rail: Before the draft class became so large I had thoughts I was going high first round to late second round. Once we kept getting more and more players I knew that there was a good possibility that I was going to drop down in the board. There was a lot of Left Wingers and honestly there isn't a whole lot of film on us as players so the GMs had a very tough job of dissecting everything.

Advocate: Tell us about your interview with scouts and GMs. Anything you can tell us about your interview with Figgy?

Patrick Rail: I had talked to 11 teams. Some talks went really well and some were very short. Figgy's conversation with me always stood out. He went from talking about the team to helping me kind of start planning my future in the league. Giving advice on jobs and possible positions that I would excel at. The conversation started at 11 pm ET and we talked well past Midnight. It was a great talk and put Anchorage high on my list!

Advocate: So you had Anchorage high on your list is there any other teams you were really wanting to go to?

Patrick Rail: I wanted to go to whoever drafted me. Leading up to the draft I felt that Carolina, Maine and Anchorage were the three teams that wanted me.

Advocate: Lets get spicy, Who do you feel went higher than you that you don't agree with?

Patrick Rail: Yoshinobu Ishhii. I feel there wasn't much film on him. I don't know how he will do in the league. I also question if he is actually over 6 ft tall. I think he was wearing heel lifts on measurement day.

Advocate: Shots across the bow! What are your thoughts on the players that were drafted with you in Anchorage?

Patrick Rail: We have some really great forwards coming to town. Matthew Pano looks to be a really great all around Right Winger. He is very active and hopefully he lets his disappointment of not going higher or somewhere else hinder him. I have spoke with Moodano and there isnt a player in this league that is going to be able to moooove that player off the puck. Luke is an energizer bunny. He is going to keep going and he will build a special player. The defense also got bolstered by adding in Meredydd Meyrick.

Advocate: What are your thoughts on current players on the Armada?

Patrick Rail: I am excited to come into a locker room with 5 players who are already TPE capped at 425. Four of those players being defensemen make it even better. As a forward you want to have the freedom of trusting the guys behind you and with those four out there you know you are set to play some great offense. Hughes Incorporated is also going to be a great mentor for all the forwards coming in. He will be able to teach us how to play offense at this new level and will most likely lead the way for us.

Advocate: What are your thoughts on this upcoming season?

Patrick Rail: I don't know yet. Since I am a rookie in the J I am going to be taking in all the information I can. I feel like this team can battle for a playoff spot because we have some great veterans and our defense is going to be great!

Advocate: What game are you circling on your calendar?

Patrick Rail: Great Falls. I want to show the scouts that they made a mistake by taking Yoshi before me.

Advocate: Is there anyone else in the league you are looking forward to playing?

Patrick Rail: I look forward to playing every team. I want to prove that while I am happy to be drafted, so many teams missed picking me earlier. I may not be a very loud and boisterous player but I am dedicated to becoming the best I can be. I do also look forward to seeing my old friend Oskar Svenguard. He ended up in Nevada. I think he will be a sneaky good defenseman but I will get the better of him.

Advocate: Thank you for taking the time with us. I hope we can have many more sit downs through the season.

Patrick Rail: Thank you for the interview. I am excited to put the Armada sweater on!

We at the Advocate feel this pick will go down as a great pick. Patrick Rail  got up from the interview and immediately went to greet fans that were waiting on autographs. He told the Advocate that he wants to sit down and give thoughts to us through the season because he wants the fans to feel like they are in the locker room with him. He plans to wear number 8 with the Armada!

The Armada got a player that has the last name that is connected to trains, he is an avid aviation person and now he gets to join the boats!

The making of an Armada Legend already. Great article

Times][/color]
Dan Johnston||RD||Peak TPE: 1319
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220
Number: 55
Drafted 16th Overall by Anchorage Armada[S71 SMJHL Draft]
Drafted 15th Overall by Atlanta Inferno[S72 Draft]
S74 SMJHL 1st Team All-Star
S74 Quilha Agante Award Winner (Top SMJHL Defender)
CANADA


{SMJHL}  Anchorage Armada

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGULAR SEASON STATS
[S71] SMJHL GP:66 G:11 A:29 P:40 +/-: -21 PIM: 48 BK: 131 H: 135
[S72] SMJHL GP: 66 G: 5 A: 28 P: 33 +/-: +3 PIM: 55 BK: 152 H: 107
[S73] SMJHL GP: 66 G: 3 A: 27 P: 30 +/-: +21 PIM: 24 BK: 127 H: 91
[S74] SMJHL GP: 66 G: 14 A: 45 P: 59 +/- +11 PIM: 30 BK: 132 H: 89
SMJHL Totals GP:264 G:33 A: 129 P: 162 +/-: +14 PIM: 157 BK: 542 H: 412
PLAYOFF STATS
[S71] GP:6 G:1 A:3 P:4 +/-: -2 PIM: 2 BK:15 H:8
[S72] GP:7 G:1 A:4 P:5 +/-: -1 PIM:2 BK:14 H:13
[S73] GP:7 G:1 A:1 P:2 +/-: +7 PIM:4 BK:6 H:12
[S74]  GP:12 G:0 A:1 P:1 +/-: -10 PIM:2 BK:37 H:24
SMJHL Playoff Totals GP:32 G:3 A:9 P:12 +/-: -6 PIM:10 BK:72 H:57


{SHL}  Atlanta Inferno  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGULAR SEASON STATS
[S75] GP: 66 G:3 A:17 P:20 +/-: +3 PIM:34 BK: 126 H: 33
[S76] GP: 66 G:8 A:21 P:29 +/-:-16 PIM:38 BK:229 H:60
[S77] GP: 66 G: 4 A: 24 P: 28 +/-: 30 PIM: 42 BK: 276 H: 40
[S78] GP: 66 G: 18 A: 32 P: 50 +/-: 3  PIM: 34 BK: 167 H: 88
[S79] GP: 66 G: 11 A: 29 P: 40 +/-: 8 PIM: 54 BK: 165 H: 94

SHL TOTALS GP: 330 G: 44 A: 123 P: 167 +/-: 28 PIM: 202 BK: 963 H: 315

PLAYOFF STATS
[S75] GP:6 G:0 A:2 P:2 +/-:0 PIM:0 BK:16 H:0
[S76] GP:6 G:0 A:0 P:0 +/-:-2 PIM:0 BK:30 H:3
[S77] GP: 11 G: 1 A: 6 P: 7 +/-: 2 PIM: 2 BK: 167 H: 88
[S78] GP: 10 G: 0 A: 3 P: 3 +/-: -3 PIM: 0 BK: 31 H: 7
[S79] GP: 16 G: 1 A: 9 P: 10 +/-: 6  PIM:6 BK:34 H: 17
[SHL Totals] GP: 49 G: 2 A: 20 P: 22 +/-: -5 BK: 157 H: 37
 

World Junior Championships {Canada(71-73) Canada Black(74)}
[S71] Gp: 15 G: 1 A: 2 P: 3  +/-: 1 PIM: 4  H: 15 BK: 42 [ 4th Place]
[S72] GP: 15 G: 2 A: 5 P: 7 +/-: 8 PIM: 18 H: 16 BK: 35 [ BRONZE MEDAL WINNER]
[S73]  GP:15 G:1 A:6 P:7 +/-: 5 PIM:8 H:18 BK:19 [4th Place]
[S74]  GP:12 G:2 A:3 P:5 +/-: 2 PIM: 10  H:17 BK:21[9th Plac]
WJC Totals (4 Tourneys) GP:48 G:6 A:14 P:20 +/-: +22 PIM:36 H:57 BK:102 [Medal Count G: S: B:1]


IIHF Hockey Championships {Canada S75}
S75- GM:15 G:1 A:5 P: 6 PIM:8  +/-:8  H:10 BK:29 [SILVER MEDAL WINNER]
S76: GM:15 G:0 A:4 P:4 PIM:2 +/-:9 H:14 BK:40 [GOLD MEDAL WINNER] 
S77: GP: 13 G: 0 A: 2 P: 2 PIM: 4 +/-: -1 BK: 20 H:7 [Lost in Quarter Finals]
S78 GP: 15 G: 2 A: 4 P: 6 PIM: 4 +/-: 14 BK: 22 H: 13 [GOLD MEDAL WINNER]
IIHF World Hockey Championship Medal Count G:2 S:1 B:0



Credit to Ragnar and Enigmatic for the great Signatures