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Wasty · 03-06-2016, 12:19 PM

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JHM Pre-Draft Interview: Felix Herzog

Today we got the chance to catch up with one of the most talked about prospects in the upcoming S28 SMJHL Rookie Draft, Felix Herzog. Herzog is a seventeen year old right winger from Schaafhausen, Switzerland that has played his last five seasons in Stockholm, Sweden in the Djurgarden IF organization. Last season Herzog led his 20U Super Elit team with thirty-six goals and was second on the team with fifty-eight points. Herzog is busy right now getting scouts and general managers a chance to see him skate before the draft in San Jose, CA at Sea Monsters Ice. Sea Monsters Head Coach and Herzog's former head coach Pontus Sarkijarvi had been running Herzog through skating drills today in front of maybe ten scouts. We caught up with Felix after his session;

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Junior Hockey Magazine: First off thank you for giving us the time to talk to you. How long have you been here?
Felix Herzog: It is no problem. Well I just got here yesterday morning from New York and Stockholm so I have not had much time to see outside of my brother's house and the ice rink. I am busy with my practices and getting ready for the draft. I do plan to see San Francisco awhile I am here but I must wait till I am done skating. The ice here is smaller so I must adapt my game to it, but it is not a problem for me (laughs) I will master it.

Junior Hockey Magazine: So you mentioned your brother. Has he been influential to you playing hockey?
Felix Herzog: Well I actually was first to play hockey when I was four years old and it was not till I was seven when Damos started playing. Now he plays in the PHL for the Sea Monsters with my former coach in Djurgarden, Coach Sarki. So I would say he has helped me now that I am over here. But like I said I got him into hockey. Hockey was always my passion since young age. We got mostly NHL games and VHL games with HC Davos Dynamo playing there. However once I heard of SHL I was always more into those games. I always have to watch SHL games on my laptop because we did not get them on the television. Damos loved the NHL though so we watched those games as well. I never dreamed of NHL.

Junior Hockey Magazine: What was it about the SHL that made you want to play there?
Felix Herzog: Well for me the SHL did not have many Swiss players, not to mention they were never very good. I always wanted to have a Swiss player to look up to but nobody was ever good. My favorite player growing up was David Winter because he was one of the first big time German players to make it there and I wanted to be like that for my country. I started to skate every day twice a day and I get really good but I cannot play in Switzerland any longer, they tell my parents I am too good. So I follow my parents to Sweden and I love playing there but I want to play in SHL.

Junior Hockey Magazine: Have you had a chance to talk to any of the SMJHL GMs or Scouts that have made it to your sessions? Any preference to the teams?
Felix Herzog: Well I have not had much time to talk to scouts, they usually do not talk to me much if not for minute or two. There have only been one team show up with their GMs. GM Bottas and Assistant GM Kallestrom made it to my skate last night and talk to me for a very long time. I am excited to play there if they pick me. However I do not get excited too much because the lottery has not been run yet. They might not pick number one and that is where I must go. I do not have preference right now either to teams in the SMJHL mainly because of that reason. I did see the Montreal Impact change name and logo, I do not care for it but if they pick number one and I go there, then I play for them. I am here to win and I do not care what team I do that with.

Junior Hockey Magazine: Have you had a chance to meet any of the fellow prospects in your draft class?
Felix Herzog: I have played against two players, Casey Holmes and Hans Moleman. It was a 14U World Championship Tournament and we lost to USA three to one. Holmes was a very good goalie at that time so I am sure he is much better now. Moleman was a very good as well and I think I played against him in a game last season as well. I personally know Nicolas Winter as I got to finally meet his father long time ago. I got to know Nicolas and we have played couple times together for fun. He is a very good hockey player and I would love to play with him in the future. I do not know much more yet but I am sure I will know them soon with the prospect tournament soon.

Junior Hockey Magazine: Is there anyone in the SHL besides David Winter that you looked up to or Modeled your game after?
Felix Herzog: Well I am only myself and I play my own game but I think you do see how Winter has influenced my game. Daniel Merica was a great goal scorer and Brian Morley is another guy that really I looked up to. There are a lot of good players in the SHL and I couldn't name all of them who have made me want to play like them but I play my game and that is a winning game.

Junior Hockey Magazine: Lately a lot of players play multiple seasons in the SMJHL before making the jump to the SHL. But because the SHL is your dream would you want to play as soon as possible or would you be open to playing multiple seasons as well.
Felix Herzog: For me if I am not ready in my heart to make SHL then I do not go and I tell my coach or general manager that. I will play at least two seasons in the SMJHL because I know I will not be ready to make SHL in my draft year.

Junior Hockey Magazine: Well thank you for your time Felix and good luck at the draft!
Felix Herzog: It is not a problem and thank you sir.