 |
|
|
|
|
Minor league update: Tyler Shelast interview Monday, April 28, 2008 By Kevin Wey The Dallas Stars didn’t have too much in the way of power forwards to supply the Iowa Stars early in 2007-08, but that was rectified in a series of moves toward the end of the season, which included the signing of Michigan Tech right winger Tyler Shelast to a two-year entry-level contract on March 19. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Shelast concurrently signed an amateur tryout contract with Iowa to finish the season in the AHL and provide additional size along the boards and in front of the net. Andrew’s Stars Page was able to talk with the 23-year-old prospect and discuss his signing with Dallas, his game as a power forward, his time at Michigan Tech, and his goals for next season. Andrew’s Stars Page: You were signed by Dallas on March 19. What was it like to sign that NHL contract? Tyler Shelast: Well, it was pretty much a dream come true. It’s what I’ve worked for the longest time. I’ve had a pretty tough road in trying to make it, make it up for that. It’s kind of just, you know, one more step that I wanted to take and, obviously, the next step is getting up there (to the NHL), but this is definitely a start. ASP: When did you become aware that Dallas was interested in you? TS: Around Christmas time. I first talked to Scott White, actually, and then it just kind of took off from there. I kind of talked to them a few more times. There were other teams that I was talking to and I just ended up with Dallas. It’s going to be a good fit and I just kind of went with them. ASP: What were some of the specifics about Dallas that appealed to you the most? TS: Basically, they were saying that they were kind of lacking big strong guys, like power-forward-type players, and basically looking at the depth chart, you want to look for a team where you can possibly get into the line-up for the type of player you are. So, they were definitely the type of team that I wanted to possibly pick so that I could actually crack the line-up. ASP: If I may ask, who were some of the other teams that pursued you? TS: I would say Boston and Buffalo were the other main two teams, and then there was, I think, three or four other teams, but I would say it was between Dallas, Boston, and Buffalo. They were the big three. ASP: What are your initial impressions of the American Hockey League? TS: It’s a lot more controlled than the college game. Being a free agent, I definitely know I need to come in here and prove myself. Once again, like I came into college, undrafted kid, I have to come in here, it really doesn’t matter what I’ve signed for or what I’ve done, I have to come in here and have to prove myself all over again. It’s just kind of what it is. ASP: You’re coming off four years at Michigan Tech. What are some of the areas of your game that developed the most during your college hockey experience? TS: I would probably say my skating and just basically coming down the wing and getting shots off. For my first year at college, going up, I would like to stickhandle the puck a little too much or my stride wasn’t as quick or it wasn’t as long. I wasn’t actually as big and strong, so I would like to say that, actually, all the aspects of my game really developed in my four years at “Tech.” ASP: What are some of the things that you’re still focusing on improving so that you can continue to make jumps upward? TS: Always just being sound on the walls. I’m the type of player that I have to be strong on the walls. Instead of me getting 90 percent of the time, getting the puck out, I need to get it up to 95 percent. It may mean just smarter plays, play better defensively, come down into the zone, be a little more aware. I can always improve defensively. I’d say that’s probably the main thing. ASP: On the flip side, tell me about what you feel are the strengths of your game already? TS: The strengths of my game? I’d like to think that I’m big and strong, good skater, have a good shot. I play a power game, I look to go around the net, hang around there. Over my four years at college, I had 30 power play goals, I stood around the net basically putting in garbage goals. I’d say that that’s my strength, is being around the net. That’s where I like to be. ASP: I noticed one of your years you had 11 goals and 10 of them were on the power play. TS: Yeah, that was my freshman year. That was before the skating and all the shot and all of that kind of developed, so I was really tipping them in there. My freshman year was funny. I couldn’t score five-on-five, but I was definitely a big power-play threat. ASP: What were some of the highlights of your college career and what were some of your favorite memories? TS: My favorite memory would probably be the second-to-last game, I played against North Dakota. We had six seconds left, and this is my last college game, and if we don’t win, we’re out. So, I actually scored with six seconds left and then I got the overtime winner to extend it to Game 3 in the playoffs. I scored the next night, but unfortunately we didn’t make it through. But, that was probably the biggest moment in my career. ASP: You’re now re-united with Chris Conner on the Iowa Stars. Does that help you any with transition? TS: Yeah. He talks to me a lot and he kind of went through the same thing, coming in as a free agent into this league. He helps me. I’m actually alone at my apartment right now, and we’ve kept in touch and been good friends, so he invites me over and I hang out with him. He’s actually helped me a lot. It’s made it not so lonely, I guess. ASP: Is the team providing an apartment for you? TS: Yeah. Yeah they have. I think, actually, Ray Sawada is going to move in with me on Monday. So, yeah, I won’t be so lonely. Right now, it’s pretty lonely. ASP: What happens with you and school and finishing that up? TS: I still have 10 credits going this semester, but, basically, I took 18 credits for two years, or two-and-a-half years straight, so my classes right now are really easy and have nothing to do with my major. All of my teachers have basically said, “Just go. When you come back, we’ll figure it out. You’re going to graduate. These classes aren’t going to hold you back.” So, I’ll be done at the end of April. ASP: What are your goals for the remainder of this season and then also the summer? TS: Basically, just improve myself here to prove that I can be a player and prove to Dallas early that I can adapt to this game and that, come next year, I’m ready to go in the American League and take it from there. The rest, I guess everything is going to fall into place if I take care of my business. Kevin Wey is a correspondent with McKeen’s Hockey that scouts/covers that American Hockey League and the United States Hockey League.
|
|
Indicates Subscriber only
content