<center> ROOKIE PROFILE William Fedorov
26.7.1997
Moncton, New Brunswick / Voskresensk, Russia
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The story of how William Fedorov came to find himself looking at a career in the SHL is an interesting one. Born in the town of Moncton to a Canadian mother and Russian father, William first strapped on skates aged 3 and never looked back. During his formative years, hockey became his main priority, and many a day was spent with him and his father playing for hours on a frozen pond.
Tragedy struck and turned William's life upside down forever when both his parents were killed in a fatal traffic accident; William was just nine years old. William's next-of-kin was listed as his father's brother, Anatoly Fedorov, a former professional hockey player who resided in Voskresenk, a town around 50 miles outside of Moscow, and to the protest of his Canadian relatives, he moved half way around the world to spend his childhood in a place far removed from his hometown.
To the surprise of many, it didn't take William long to adapt to his new family and surroundings, largely due to a shared passion for hockey. William was always a tall kid, but he grew to a height during his teens he began to add height and weight to an extent that he was the biggest player in his entire junior league. He went on to enter the MHL, joining JHC Spartak and quickly becoming their star defenseman and the top Russian prospect in his age group.
It was thought to be many to be certain that William was to join the KHL but he shocked the media by revealing that he intended to relocate back to North America and declare himself for the S26 SMJHL Draft. To avoid the idea that he was ungrateful for his time there and as a gesture of thanks to his uncle Anatoly, William then made the surprising announcement that he would be selecting Russia as his international side. At this point in time, William is very much a top prospect for the S26 draft, and many believe he has the potential to become a contender for first overall pick.
Where do you expect to get drafted? William Fedorov: I would be very surprised if I wasn't a first round selection, and I'd like to be considered a top prospect going into the draft and be selected within the top 3 ideally. I believe I'm a player with very high potential who could easily play in the top 4 of a SMJHL team now, and by the time next season comes around I could be ready to play on the top pairing. I have a few teams that I would like to select me but I'm open to playing anywhere if they want me.
What will you bring to a team?
WF: I play a strong all-round game, where I'm always able to contribute both offensively and defensively. I'm a big guy who's not afraid to get physical and hand out big body checks but I also pride myself on being able to shut down any player I face. I'm also able to move the puck well in the offensive zone and pick up points, as well as contribute on both the PK and powerplay. I would say I'm a very solid player who's ready to be an impact player now, and any team that drafts me will be adding a cornerstone for a championship winning team.
Have you talked with any teams yet?
WF: I haven't as of now, however I will be participating in every combine this year, and I'm sure as we approach the draft every team will be in touch with me. Like I said, I've got a few teams who I'd like to end up with and I'll be making a point of having some in depth conversations with them.
What are your opinions on the St. Louis Scarecrows?
WF: I like St. Louis. From what I've gathered so far they seem to be a bit of a bubble team and might have been a bit unlucky to go out where they did in this year's playoffs. They have a lot of good talent though and I could definitely see them becoming a championship contender.
How long do you plan on staying active here for?
WF: I plan on being a very active member of both my side's locker room and the general SHL community. I believe it's a great group to be a part of, and I plan on working very hard to pick up the training hours to be a superstar in the league.
What SMJHL team interests you the most?
WF: That's a tough question, but there's a few that I do like the look of a lot more than others. I'd say the Whalers and the Impact are two very attractive systems, but I also feel the Scarecrows and the Mammoths are two nice teams also.
How are you enjoying things around here?
WF: I like it. It's been a bit of a learning curve but I'm getting my head around it and things are starting to fall into place a bit better and it's becoming a lot more fun as we look forward to the draft.
How do you plan on earning money around here?
WF: I'm a guy who likes to contribute a lot to the SHL organisation's media. I love to get my thoughts out there and talk to the press, so I'm planning on racking up some serious money through my writing output, and would also be open to taking on a job type role within the league too.
Would you be interested in a rebuilding team or a success now type of team?
WF: It probably seems like a really cliched answer but both. I would relish the challenge of joining a rebuilding team and being able to play a more important role in pushing them on to success, but the prospect of joining a successful team and being able to learn from some of the best guys around as well as experience immediate reward is an equally enticing prospect. I'm honestly just looking forward to the whole experience of joining the league and being selected in the draft, it's all going to be a lot of fun wherever I end up.
Who would you compare yourself to in the NHL?
WF: I like to think of myself as someone who plays a game similar to guys like Tyler Myers or Aaron Ekblad in that I'm a big guy who's able to make meaningful contributions both offensively and defensively. I love to hand out big hits and score big goals but at the end of the day my role is to help the team win, and I always try to bring a "over my dead body" mentality to my game.
Favorite NHL team?
WF: I'm a huge Montreal Canadiens guy. They've been my family's favourite team for as long as anyone can remember and I've grown up with them as a huge part of my life.
What are your opinions on the St. Louis Scarecrows? How long do you plan on staying active here for? What SMJHL team interests you the most? how are enjoying things around here?
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