When I was first approached to detail my experience at the SHL Entry Draft, I wasn't sure what to say. The reason for that was twofold. For one, why would anyone care what I had to say. Secondly, I'm typically not a person who has a lot say. I was told, though, that people might be interested in my unique perspective and encouraged to just be myself. Share my day at the draft. Although he probably doesn't want me to say it, after talking it over with my agent, it was decided that a little bit of publicity couldn't hurt and it could help to grow my "brand". Whatever that means.
So, here I am now. Talking to you. Or myself. I'm not sure who anymore. It's kind of weird when I think about it so I'll try not to and just focus on what I was told to write about. The draft. However, I feel that in order to talk about this draft, I need to talk about another draft. (Cut to the wavy, flashback graphics).....


How is it possible that it's already been a "year" since I was drafted into the SMJHL? It really seems like it was only a few weeks ago that I was in Vegas, a nervous kid in the "Entertainment Capital of the World". Talk about surreal. The experience was unlike anything I had experienced in my life. Sometimes my now teammates with the Anchorage Armada playfully refer to me as a "country bumpkin" due to my wide-eyed demeanour when going to places I've never been to (which is everywhere!) and taking in the "sights". This couldn't be any truer the entire time I was in Vegas.

Can you  believe that this kid, who had barely ever left his family farm in Kramatorsk, was now a world-traveller? In just a very short time I had gone from the Ukraine, to Las Vegas and then Anchorage. Throw in all of the places our team travelled to for games during our season and I felt like I was the subject matter for that song "I've Been Everywhere".
Now if all of that doesn't seem wild enough, it was only a few days ago that I found myself in Japan! How am I in Japan?! Of course the answer is the SHL draft, but I have to ask again how am I in Japan???


Ok, now that I've got that little freak out of the way, I will try to get back on point. Last week, my esteemed colleagues and I (aka S76 draft class aka the best draft class ever) convened in Osaka, Japan. For anyone familiar with a pro draft, it was a flurry of activity. We were all whisked around from place to place, one photo op to another. I have to admit that it was kind of funny to see the looks on the faces of the locals as they saw us being attended to like celebrities. They had no idea who they were, but that didn't stop them from wanting to get their pictures taken with us. They didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to have a lifelong memento with someone who may or may not be famous. Some of the players joked around and pretended they were rock stars. We have so many big personalities in our class, that sometimes I actually do think they're rock stars!
If I thought wandering around in Vegas not being able to speak much English was stressful, imagine how I felt wandering around in Osaka. Whether or not you believed there were any hi-jinx that happened in Vegas when I was there (I assure you there wasn't.....) it's safe to say that I didn't stray far from our group and escorts.

Of course, the biggest part of any draft is the scouting. SHL teams have been watching us all year with our "J" teams to try and determine which prospect(s) they'd be interested in. The "eye test" and statistics only tells you so much though. Which leads us to the all-important interview process. I wasn't sure what to expect the first time I went through this. It was my first time ever being drafted and scouted, so I was very anxious. It seemed like other players were talking to more teams than I was too, so I didn't know how to feel about the whole experience.
This time around was a bit different. I was more confident and comfortable for this draft, and I felt like I had a good season with Anchorage. SHL teams must have agreed with that assessment as there definitely seemed to be a lot more interest in me. While I'm not normally one to seek out the limelight, I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel good to have put myself on their radar. I had a lot of great conversations with team scouts and GMs alike, some more in depth than others. After all of my interviews were over, there were a couple of teams that I thought I might end up going to. I honestly had no idea where I would end up before the SMJHL draft, but this time around I had a pretty good idea. One team told me they had significant interest and even gave me an idea of when they were hoping to take me in the draft. As we all know thought, drafts rarely shake out the way we think they would, so there was nothing I could do but be patient and wait to hear my name called. Easier said than done.

As we all gathered at Zojirushi HQ, the atmosphere was electric. And while this wasn't the Sphere in Vegas, it felt bigger and better in every conceivable way. We were ushered to our seats with friends and family. I tried to make small talk and keep calm, but I was expectedly nervous. My palms were sweaty and I'm sure if I held my hands out they would have been shaking.
I was much more familiar with the names and faces of the players this time around. I was seated just a few rows behind Jamie Fraser. He was a star for the Carolina Kraken and there were rumours abound that he was going to be picked first overall. I shouted his name and when he turned around and saw me I gave him a thumbs up and yelled good luck. A few of my Anchorage teammates were there as well, including Deth Klaw and Chuck Chunky. My old pal Alexa Johansen was there, along with a slew of other high profile prospects. Jim Wieners, Nathangus McExplosion, and Anna Skovgaard to name a few.
Then it was time. The first team to pick, the Montreal Patriotes, came up to the stage and announced the first pick of the SHL draft class. The crowd erupted as Jamie Fraser rose from his seat and walked to the stage.
While I had no real illusions of being picked first overall, you always cling to a small bit of a hope that maybe, just maybe, your name will be called. With that out of the way, the nerves really kicked in. As each name was called, I got more tense. As it approached the point in the draft where I was told I might be selected, I felt like I was in some sort of surreal dream. Was this even happening? And then it did happen. The Edmonton Blizzard called my name and selected me with the 13th pick of the draft. Whoever said the number 13 was unlucky clearly had no idea what they were talking about. If I thought I was dreaming before, surely I had to be now. I kept pinching myself as I walked down to the stage. I don't know how I even made it there, but next thing I knew I was shaking hands and pulling the Blizzard jersey over my head for the first time!  Afterwards I was whisked away by team personnel and media people to do interviews and do more photo ops. To be honest, from the time my name was called it was all a bit of a blur.

I will confess that I am not very familiar with the Edmonton Blizzard. That being said, I am extremely excited to be joining the team. Everyone that I've talked to has been so accommodating and those that I've spoken to have raved about it being a top-flight organization. They're a rebuilding team, so in my mind it's the perfect time to be a part of it. After my time in the SMJHL is done, I'll hopefully have the chance to form a strong, new core with the other Blizzard draft picks from this year (Alexa Johansen, MattyJ, Thomas Hudson, Dash Jackson, Tank Sharksy) and the drafts that follow which will hopefully keep Edmonton in contention for years to come.

As I finish writing this, I'm in the midst of my first WJC tournament. Hopefully you've enjoyed reading this. I've enjoyed writing it more than I thought I would. Maybe when Team World and I get finished winning gold I will write another diary entry about my time here. Or when I finally get the opportunity to walk the hallowed halls of Rexall Place. Until then. Sayonara!

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Matviy Cajabi || RW || SMJHL - Anchorage Armada (22nd overall, S75)
                                          SHL -  Edmonton Blizzard (13th overall, S76) 
Age: 18
Birthplace: Kramatorsk, Ukraine
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 200 lbs
Number: 9 ------------------------------------------------------------
Career Statistics:
SMJHL Regular Season:
S75 | 66 GP | 15 G | 34 A | 49 P | +17 | 2 PPP | 20 PIM | 119 H

Matviy is gonna be the goat

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. ... There are neither beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.”

Ólafur Atlason| C | SMJHL Prospect | Future Edmonton Blizzard
Birthplace: Reykjavik, Iceland
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Transactions
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Awards
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Achievements
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SMJHL Season Stats
S76: GP: 0 | G: 0 | A: 0 | P: 0 | 0 | PIM: 0 | Hits: 0 | |
SMJHL Playoff Stats
S76: GP: 0 | G: 0 | A: 0 | P: 0 | 0 | PIM: 0 | Hits: 0 | |
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SHL Season Stats

Matviy is gonna be the goat

He already is my goat

Thank you to @Revontulete for the sig!