Conversation With Collins

I gave a call to the latest draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets this morning (I don't get to say that everyday so I thought I better). Sean Collins, still letting his 7th round selection sink in, took my call at his home in Saskatoon today. (Collins photo courtesy waywaywolverines.com)

CS: Exciting weekend for yourself, getting drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 7th round. You were just saying you were watching for your name when something unfortunate happened at your house.

Collins: Yeah, that's right. My internet in my house cut out and I couldn't follow the draft for about an hour. I was getting a little worried, I was watching T.V. downstairs and then I got the call from Columbus, and I was very excited obviously, it's quite an honour.

CS: I think you had a fairly good feeling this would happen, you never want to be too sure with something like this, but certainly Columbus was scouting, sounds like Montreal was interested too, but you kind of had an idea this might happen?

SC: Yeah, I kind of figured I'd go somewhere, I didn't know what round or what team but I kind of figured I'd be taken by someone.

CS: And it is Columbus, they're not the most household name because they're still young and fairly new in the league, but that's not always a bad thing to get drafted by a younger team not as high in the standings.

SC: Oh, exactly, it's easier to break in with a younger up and coming team, than the likes of Detroit, or Pittsburgh or the New York Rangers, so it's a pretty good situation for myself.

CS: You're going to Cornell this fall, which is likely around the same time Columbus starts having camps, are you able to go?

SC: I'm heading down there (Cornell) August 20th, so I won't be able to go to Columbus' camp, just because it coincides with school and Cornell's training camp, so I'm excited to go down to New York (Cornell's in Ithaca, NY), and showing what I can do.

CS: How's the preparation for that going? Barry said you work as hard as anyone, especially in the off-season, and I'm sure that's even accelerated now that you're moving to the next level.

SC: Oh yeah definitely. My foot's in the door now, but I haven't proven anything yet. I've been training hard since the season was over. I'm going to try and go down to the States in tip-top shape and make an impact in my freshman year.

CS: Something I learned while watching the draft, if you draft a college player and he plays all four years in college he's a free agent and can then sign anywhere. I asked Barry the same question, if Columbus might try to lure you out of school, and his response was, you're probably going to make it hard on them to keep you in school for much more than a couple years because he thinks you'll have a shot to make the next level by then. So is that a consideration to maybe not go to school the full four years.

SC: Yeah, definitely. It depends how I'm progressing, and obviously the level I'm at, but right now, school's a pretty big thing, and getting an Ivy League Degree's tremendous, and it'd have to be a pretty appealing offer to go to pro and discontinue my school.

CS: Has it sunk in you're probably the poster boy as far as the MJHL goes in terms of getting drafted? You're the first Wolverine to get drafted out of Wayway, and the first guy in quite some time out of the entire league, so I'm sure when it comes to marketing and recruiting players your picture will be in a lot of pamphlets.

SC: It's definitely a tremendous honour, and I'll do my best to continue playing hard, and hopefully I'll get to make my dream come true and get to the NHL.