I'm one of the lucky few guys who gets drafted by my local team.  They haven't been there for long, but being able to play for Baltimore after growing up outside of the city and attending college inside the Baltimore beltway.  It's also really awesome to do this in a town that's new to the hockey world because we just got a team.  I haven't put pen to paper yet for my speech, but I think the biggest message I want to impart upon the guys and gals still in high school is that hard work reaps unexpected benefits.  When I began my playing career suiting up for games in Baltimore wasn't even an option, but now I have an opportunity to be an ambassador for the sport I love in the town I grew up in.  I'd also want to make a commitment to bring the championship mentality of the Ravens to the world of hockey and introduce the city to the Challenge Cup.

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