Schremp speaks

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MePutPuckInNet

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His Story, And Sticking To It
By: Paul Shaheen - U.S. Hockey News Senior Writer

U.S. Hockey News Exclusive

To many people's way of thinking, NHL prospect Robbie Schremp has made some serious miscalculations. But in his opinion, he's merely been misunderstood.

"It drives me nuts when people say I wanted out of Mississauga because the team wasn't good enough," says Schremp, the 6-0/195 pound forward and Fulton, New York native who, in a story that earned headlines on both sides of the border earlier last fall (USHN Sept 29, Oct 1, Oct 9, Oct 21) , forced the Ice Dogs to trade him in October after having spent the entire season there in 2002-03. "I would never leave my team just because they weren't competitive. Besides, look what they (the Ice Dogs) did this year, they went all the way to the OHL finals."

Though Schremp's desire to leave Mississauga was painted primarily as a conflict between himself and new head coach Greg Gilbert-who'd replaced Steve Ludzik after the team had been purchased by new owner Mario Forgione last summer-Schremp says that was hardly the case.
"Ludzik and Gilbert were two of the best coaches I've ever had," Schremp insists, "the problem was really the new ownership. Forgione also owned the Milton Merchants, which is where my brother Tyler played, and he (Forgione) made a lot of broken promises, so after he bought Mississauga, I had the sense the same thing was happening. Players didn't have sticks and such, and right before the beginning of training camp this year, we didn't even have a trainer. Things just didn't seem organized," Schremp continues, "so I called my agent. I was worried because this was my draft year, and he (Chicago based Scott Norton) said I might be able to progress better somewhere else."

Schremp then spent two weeks with the US NTDP while the Ice Dogs worked out a trade, one that eventually sent him to the London Knights, who with a cast of stars a kilometer long-Schremp included, went 53-11-2-2 and made it to the OHL's Western Conference Finals before falling to Guelph in seven games. Mississauga went 36-21-7 and skated to the OHL championship series before bowing to the same Guelph Storm in four straight.

So after all this, here sits Schremp-days away from attending the NHL scouting combine in Toronto and only 30 days from the NHL Draft-working out aggressively off the ice while hoping what he did on it, in the eyes of NHL scouts, will supersede the headlines that preceded him.

"I know I got some negative publicity over what happened," Schremp admits, "and I remember worrying about it somewhat at the time, but I made my decision, and when you make a decision, you have to stick by it."

Certainly Schremp's talents are unquestioned. He was the OHL's Rookie of the Year in 2003 after scoring 26 goals and 74 points, only seven shy of teammate and fellow American Patrick O'Sullivan. This year, Schremp did even better: 30 goals and 75 points in 63 games.

"Skill-wise, I think I'm ready for the NHL," thinks Schremp, "but I just need to get stronger."
Indeed Schremp's assets are many: speed, skill, shooting and passing. But he knows with huge NHL defenseman like Ottawa's 6-9/225 pound Zdeno Chara lurking around, there's a need to bulk up. "I need more muscle," Schremp says, "that will help me, and improve my defensive game."

As for his schooling, Schremp claims that's another area that hasn't been reported in the most accurate light. While Red Line wrote in October that Schremp viewed education as merely an 'inconvenience,' he insists a foul-up by his school in Mississauga didn't help matters, and cost him a full semester of HS credits.

"When my season ended last year, I went home (to New York) and was suppose to have received coursework to do while back in the states. It never came. So when I got back to Mississauga earlier this year, I found out I didn't have any credits from the second half of last year. It would have taken me another year or so to finish school, so I opted for correspondence study to get my GED instead."

Schremp says he'll have his GED completed by early summer.

While Schremp was disappointed not to have been part of Team USA's gold medal performance at the World Juniors, he insists he'd never turn his back on another opportunity to represent his country. And as for what lies ahead, Schremp's encouraged on several fronts, especially the new style of play that's swept the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. What with Calgary and Tampa Bay both succeeding with a more up-tempo style of play (read: no TRAP!), he believes that's the type of environment in which he could flourish.

"Trap hockey is the worst hockey you can play," Schremp adds, "yes, the trap works, but for a whole game? Who would want to pay money to watch that?"

So where will Schremp be taken? Though he'll easily be chosen by the middle of the first round, he says he's not focusing on how high he'll go.

"At this point, it's sort of beyond my control. Look at my friend Dustin Brown. He was taken last year at 13th and he made it (in Los Angeles). It's really not a matter of how high you go, but rather where you go."

And should he track to the NHL with the degree of success he hopes, any misunderstandings will be long forgotten.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Feb 27, 2002
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Thanks for the read. Clears some things up for me, although I doubt this will change some people's minds.
 
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Jersey Fresh

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Feb 23, 2004
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even if he hadnt come out with this interview explaining why he did what he did, he still would have gone top-five. I think all of this attitude crap has been overblown and was never bad enough to affect his draft position at all.

p.s: why the hell does everyone think Calgary doesn't trap?
 

Dave is a killer

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Oct 17, 2002
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That story just doesn't cut it for me. He walks out on Mississauga, leaves the USNDTP or however the hell you spell it hanging dry and footing the bill for a month when he was their for what maybe a week, and think everything is alright...this kid is a selfish player, I don't want him on my team.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Seven_Nation_Army said:
That story just doesn't cut it for me. He walks out on Mississauga, leaves the USNDTP or however the hell you spell it hanging dry and footing the bill for a month when he was their for what maybe a week, and think everything is alright...this kid is a selfish player, I don't want him on my team.


Or, you could view him as a player that is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed as a professional....... I think most teams would like that. I think we're kidding ourselves if we believe most players aren't cut throat. It's a cut throat business, and the weak are culled from the herd, it's that simple. Really though, you can spin this any way you want it.
 

Sammy*

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Seven_Nation_Army said:
That story just doesn't cut it for me. He walks out on Mississauga, leaves the USNDTP or however the hell you spell it hanging dry and footing the bill for a month when he was their for what maybe a week, and think everything is alright...this kid is a selfish player, I don't want him on my team.
No kidding. Another example of a guy not acknowledging any wrong doing on his part. The part about school was laughable. Why didnt he just say the dog ate my homework.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Sammy said:
No kidding. Another example of a guy not acknowledging any wrong doing on his part. The part about school was laughable. Why didnt he just say the dog ate my homework.


Are you saying he's lying?
 

Jacob

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Feb 27, 2002
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Don't the Kings play a trap variation? He would probably just walk out on them.
 

thestonedkoala

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Minnesota might take a good look at him because of the O'Sullivan factor.
 

Rabid Ranger

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littleHossa said:
All we know is New Jersey will probably not draft Schremp, with Minnesota, Anaheim as well being out of the mix.



Yeah, because he's not going to drop that far.
 

thestonedkoala

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Oh and didn't Spezza do something like this? Demand a trade?
 

Ola

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Apr 10, 2004
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Schremp was still benched during the playoffs... If he can´t cut it playing in juniors what speaks for that he will be a star in the NHL?
 

Burke's Evil Spirit

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Oct 29, 2002
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Spezza demanded a trade from the Brampton Battalion, as I recall, but the situation was different.

As for Schremp...he is awfully arrogant and cocky for a guy who isn't even an OHL star. Skillwise he's ready for the NHL? He's not even ready for the OHL playoffs! The negative headlines surrounding him is one thing (and far too much is made of it, IMO), but his tendency to come out and blame everyone else is far too Danton-like, for my tastes. There was an earlier article similar to this that dealt with his absence from Team USA at the WJC, and it came off the same way...a cocky, stupid kid without the balls to hold himself accountable for anything that ever happens.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Burke's Evil Spirit said:
Spezza demanded a trade from the Brampton Battalion, as I recall, but the situation was different.

As for Schremp...he is awfully arrogant and cocky for a guy who isn't even an OHL star. Skillwise he's ready for the NHL? He's not even ready for the OHL playoffs! The negative headlines surrounding him is one thing (and far too much is made of it, IMO), but his tendency to come out and blame everyone else is far too Danton-like, for my tastes. There was an earlier article similar to this that dealt with his absence from Team USA at the WJC, and it came off the same way...a cocky, stupid kid without the balls to hold himself accountable for anything that ever happens.


Blame or an explanation? The kid can't win apparently. As for not being an OHL star, wasn't he at the top prospects game? Isn't he a PPG player in the league? Is't he widely regarded as one of the most highly skilled players in his draft year?
 

thestonedkoala

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Burke, Spezza demanded a trade from the IceDogs and I don't see any different situation...Except maybe worse.
 

Sammy*

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Rabid Ranger said:
I'm saying I don't know whether that's the case and neither do you. I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt though.
I concur with your first statement but I choose to be highly skeptical of whatever this guy says.
 

Sammy*

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thestonedkoala said:
Burke, Spezza demanded a trade from the IceDogs and I don't see any different situation...Except maybe worse.
Why would you consider it worse?
 
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