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ontanis · 08-06-2017, 10:06 AM

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1114 words. Ready for grading. English not first language.

The Lithuanian Love Machine: How a non-relevant hockey country may have its first star player in the SHL.
by Emilia Tutski, BNS.
2017-08-06

DETROIT, MI â€“ Jurgis Bulota will never forget that exciting evening of August 3, 2017 at the Thunderdome Arena. It was a night where Bulota took his first steps towards a professional career in the Simulation Hockey League (SHL). It was the S36 SMJHL Entry Draft where an 18 year old Lithuanian right winger Jurgis Bulota was selected by the Detroit Falcons with the 7th pick. Jurgis Bulota is the first Lithuanian-born hockey player to be taken that early in the SMJHL entry draft.

Jurgis Bulota has never attended a SHL match, let alone a SMJHL match. But all of this now is subject to change; the 18 year old will likely see plenty of games from the best seats in the building and will see plenty of action on the ice. Until that time a lot of preparations and hard work await. Now, that we still have the chance to talk to the Lithuanian until he is swamped with hockey activities, we sat down at a coffee shop outside and asked a few questions.

Emilia Tutski: Letâ€™s get started. Whatâ€™s your reaction, and are you surprised at all at getting drafted 7th?
Jurgis Bulota: Lots and lots of excitement, joy and mainly not knowing how to react to the news that from this moment on my life has changed completely now. I had no idea where I was going to end up, to be honest. But Iâ€™m very excited to be in Detroit and I feel huge responsibility to fulfill the expectations of a high draft pick as I realize that the higher you get picked, the more pressured you feel to succeed, to prove you belong here and, of course, there are a lot more eyes watching your every move. It is tough to put into words how exactly I feel, but it is a special day for me and my family.

ET: Any remarks on the draft itself?
JB: Well, I think the top-4 picks were known way before the draft happened, so no surprises there. I think Halifax got really good after the draft with Ryder and Rockefeller. Maybe Mack Hudson going to Kelowna as a 5th pick was a bit of a surprise to me, but I guess their GM has a plan for that guy.

ET: Your teammate Karl Hefeweizen said that he was stoked that the Falcons picked you and said that you have all the right numbers in all the made up categories. Any thoughts on that?
JB: Well, I guess all that is pretty self-explanatory, donâ€™t you agree? Iâ€™m just happy with the warm welcome I got from my teammates and I hope to make them proud.

ET: Have you had a chance to think about the fit in terms of the organization, the Detroit Falcons?
JB: A little bit, but I try not to think too far ahead, just enjoy the moment and the experience of being here. Right now Iâ€™m just going to enjoy it with my friends and family. But if you are inclined on getting an answer, then I can tell you that Iâ€™m going to work my butt off day in and day out and then as the GM if Iâ€™m a fit with the organization. Team practices, individual practices, training camps, you name it. Those are the places that tell you if youâ€™re a fit, to be honest. If you come in expecting top-six minutes right now, well, youâ€™re in for a surprise. So Iâ€™m just thinking about how I can improve myself as a player that would be of use to the Falcons.

ET: Do you think you can play right away?
JB: That is totally not for me to decide. But I think after a good training camp and pre-season, anything can happen.

ET: Have any of the current SMJHL players reached out to you?
JB: Oh yeah, people started reaching out to me way before the draft. For example, Roman Augustus, the 10th pick of this yearsâ€™ SHL draft, was like a mentor to me, always telling me not to be nervous and just let stuff happen to me, you know. He was the one to tell me that going high or low in the draft doesnâ€™t tell anything about how good of a player you can be in the SMJHL. So he kinda showed me the ropes and I am very grateful for that, cause it really helped me to put my mind at ease.

ET: Likewise, have you had the chance to talk to your fellow rookies?
JB: Yes! To a bunch of them! All great people, to be honest, I really felt that we weâ€™re watching out for each other. I know that we are going to be playing against each other next season, but itâ€™s really cool not to feel completely alone out there.

ET: Were there any rookies you got on really well?
JB: Itâ€™s hard to single anyone out, because youâ€™re always talking to a lot of people, but I think Roberts KÄ¼aviÅ†Å¡ from the Vancouver Whalers was the one I had a stronger connection with. I could explain that because heâ€™s from Latvia and thatâ€™s a big factor for me as a Lithuanian, because weâ€™re from neighboring countries. You always develop some sort of chemistry with someone like that. I was really hoping for him to get drafted a bit higher, to be honest. But I can say that the Whalers got a steal of a goalie in the draft, you just wait.

ET: Thank you for that. And now, do you have any aspects of your game that you need to improve before the SMJHL season starts?
JB: It would be really hard to pinpoint anything specific, because I think I need to improve everything from my puck handling to checking, to be honest. But right now Iâ€™m working on my defense, mainly, because many of the scouts and now coaches at Detroit are telling me that I have to be defensively responsible at the next level. Also, I need to get bigger and stronger. The physical side of the game will change completely. Youâ€™re competing with guys that are going to play in the SHL soon, so they really will want to show their worth. Also, I bet the defenders land some nasty hits, so you got to be strong enough to get up after those.

ET: Well thatâ€™s about it for today and I wish you good luck in the upcoming season in the SMJHL.
JB: Thank you for the opportunity!