Login

LPeters17 · 02-20-2019, 02:14 AM

VANCOUVER STAR

Peters selected 28th overall by Detroit Falcons

Only several hours after the Blazers prospect team won the respective SMJHL prospect tournament did Lex Peters receive a very big phone call. The SMJHL draft, being held from Cambridge, England started just as the Blazers had wrapped up their tournament with a solid victory over the Vipers in a two game to one series victory. Our lead reporter Jon Johnson caught up with Lex following the game.

Whats it like watching the draft from the ice? What about the locker room?

"Obviously its big moment for everyone in that room. We all we're playing for something to start in a trophy, but at the same time I think each and every one of us knew what was going on once we started that second half of the third period. They had a bunch of announcements run on the scoreboard. There wasn't much time left in the game when they announced that Esa (Parmborg) had gone first overall. They played it on the video board and everything. Crowd went a bit crazy. Even some guys from the Vipers skated over and said some stuff. It was really cool to see it from that perspective. Sure, I would've loved to have been in Cambridge for it, but what are you going to do?"

You said yourself last time we had a chat that you knew you struggled pretty heavily during the round robin portion of the tournament, definitely changed your game for the playoffs though, putting up more than a point per game. Why is that?

"Honestly, I couldn't say for sure. I knew going into the playoff portion i'd have to be a ton better. I was obviously upset with where I ended up offensively in the round robin. I saw some projections come out and I saw I was really highly touted by two analysts and then a bunch just didn't even mention me. I kinda just had some higher expectations. Maybe I adapted a bit more to my linemates, I don't know."

Speaking of your linemates, you played on a line for most of the tournament with Gunnar Soderberg, someone hailing from Sweden, like your Father. Soderberg ended up going 5th overall, how did his play contribute to yours.

"It was actually a really sick opportunity to get to play with Gunnar at this level, because he is just such a talented player. Early on we struggled to connect a little bit, I didn't really say much for a while. But before one of our games I was just talking a little bit of Swedish with my father on the phone and I think that let me open up a little bit. Obviously its not like there is a huge language barrier or anything, I just think it makes it a bit more personal? Something like that."

Moving on to your other linemate, Joseph Laraque, it was reported that after game two you and Laraque had an altercation, can you tell us more about that?

"More or less it was a bit of an argument that got a little out of hand. Everyone in the locker room knows I can come off as a little bit... Over competitive. He just came into the locker room after we got off the ice and was a bit upset regarding the loss. Some stuff was said and it escalated a bit fast. Honestly it could've been a lot worse had our teammates not stepped in. Anything like that really gets under my skin. Kind of like an attack on my integrity as a player as well as the team. Its understandable, like I said, he was just upset. Didn't do anything wrong, just two very competitive guys very fired up, that's all. "

There were quite a good amount of rumors surrounding you and a couple teams, can you give us any insight on what the experience was like for you these past few weeks?

"I'm not sure what i'm allowed to say, but basically I was contacted by about five teams. A couple had me on the phone for a few hours, while others kept it short and simple. It was easy to see who was the most interested. I saw the projections put me somewhere between 16 and up so I figured I would go in the third round somewhere."

Finally, you ended up getting picked by Detroit with the 28th overall pick, how much did you know about that?

"I think Detroit was maybe the second or third team to reach out to me, but it was almost instant how clear they were with me. I think something that goes highly underrated here is the transparency of the scouting. A good chunk of the scouts try not to touch on the issue of deployment or other common stuff. But Detroit was super up front about what their plans with me were. Really a super forward talk with them. They said they would keep an eye on me in the late second and third round, and I think I got super fortunate to get picked by them. They went with a really strong stretch pick just ahead of me and for about 6 picks I couldn't sit still. Everyone who was still in the locker room was giving me this look. But in the end I slipped down for them to grab and now we're working on getting everything squared away. I couldn't be happier to be wearing the red for them. Super excited to play for them. I want to make a difference."

Lex Peters sure is open to the media for a guy who tries to be as minimal as possible in the locker room. It really is astonishing. The SMJHL season kicks off next week, and you can catch Peters playing for the Detroit Falcons on gameday.

1025 words

Steelhead77 · 02-20-2019, 02:24 AM

Nice article, congrats on going to Detroit, best of luck!

Cheers

---> ParmBorg Highlights <---

#1 All-Time SHL Goal & Point Scorer
- First 2,000 TPE Player in SHL History -
- First 400 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- Only 500 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- First GM to Win 5 & 6 Challenge Cups -
Esa Anrikkanen Award - SMJHL ROY - Est. S34
Vidrik Onoprienko Award Winner - S45

Dragonite

SecondSucks22 · 02-20-2019, 02:39 AM

Beaut of an article, can't wait to face you guys on the ice and in the playoffs!

Randominoe · 02-20-2019, 02:50 AM

Excited to embark on our adventure on the same team, it's going to be a fun competition for youth playing time this season.

Either way, we are teammates and I'm pumped to have been drafted to Detroit along with you.

- Espen

***notorioustig*** · 02-20-2019, 03:55 AM

Love our rookies <3

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us