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Ready for grading, 500 words

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Edvīns Bērziņš: Post-Draft Interview</div>

EF: Good evening folks, I'm Elliotte Friedman, proud to bring you this exclusive post-draft interview, with the one, the only, the fourth forward, Mr. Edvīns Bērziņš, right here on Rogers Sportsnet. So, Edvīns, are you feeling?

EB: Pretty great. I'm very excited to go to Detroit and of course honored they chose to take me.

EF: Just talk about what it was like to be sitting there at the Draft, and then they call your name 19th overall.

EB: Well, number 19, I'm glad it was so early like that. *Elliotte chuckles* You know, you always wish you go early, because you know team really want you. But they thought I was good for third pick they have, so I feel confident in myself and my playing. They gave me a call right afterwards to set up contract, and I cannot wait to get started.

EF: What's the thing you personally are most looking forward to about coming to Detroit?

EB: Well, my agent won Four Star Cup here almost 20 season ago with that Jaska scrub, so he knows how great it can be here. I hope to have same outcome in the season. Personally, I'd like to just grow as a player, get better defensively if I can, put puck in the net, things like that.

EF: I called you in the open, and some draft analysts said this on Draft Day, a "fourth forward." Do you think that helps or hurts your game, being so offensively oriented?

EB: That's just way I play. I'm big guy, so I have heavy shot and score goals when I need to. There's lots of offense-first guys in the SHL, so I know it's possible for me to be successful in Big Leagues one day. And I still know what to do defensively. You can always... ehh... get better.... but it's obviously not deal breaker for many teams.

EF: Do you agree with that assessment overall, or does it sort of downplay what you're really capable of?

EB: Like I said, I'm shoot-first guy. That's where my game is strongest, but I don't think it's fair to... uh.... imply that I can't play D.

EF: You sort of disappeared for a couple days after the Draft, and a couple of our guys covering juniors got worried. What happened?

EB: I actually wasn't expect to get drafted, so I did not bring everything from home in Latvia. I took a flight back and said good-byes and came back in time for training camp. No big deal.

EF: You sort of burst onto the scene, then you were gone almost the next day. Can teams rely on you now and in the future, being such an enigmatic figure?

EB: Well, now that I know what the hell's going on, maybe.

EF: Thank you very much, Edvīns. Edvīns Bērziņš, the 19th overall pick in the SMJHL Entry Draft, and one of the newest Detroit Falcons. We'll see you on the ice!

EB: Thank you!

Nice! Good luck in season! Have a ton of points