Nick Paul, seen here during play in the OHL Finals, is making an impression after his solid World Junior Camp. PHOTO BY CHRIS DAWSON.
Nick Paul wasn’t the most high profile player at Team Canada’s World Junior Camp in Montreal last week, but he did become one of the most talked about.
The 6’4”, 225 pound centre with the North Bay Battalion raised a lot of eyebrows at the evaluation camp which included exhibition games against national teams from Russia and the Czech Republic.
Paul got into a pair of exhibition contests, accumulating 1 goal and 1 assist along the way. He was teamed up with 2013 Toronto Maple Leafs first round pick Frederik Gauthier and Calgary Hitmen forward Greg Chase.
“It was awesome, knowing I was going in there as an underdog flying under the radar and my goal was to make an impression just show everyone I want to be on the team and I am good enough to make the team and I can be a contributor and not just someone who is happy to be there,” said Paul in an interview with BayToday.ca on Tuesday afternoon.
Hockey Canada’s head scout Ryan Jankowski told NHL.com that Paul got their attention last year with is strong playoff run with the Battalion last spring when he scored 12 times and added 6 assists in 22 playoff games.
Team Canada will continue to watch Paul early in the year as they try to assemble the best team to try to get back onto the medal podium at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship which takes place in Montreal and Toronto during the holiday season.
"We want to check out his size. We want to check out his ability. Him playing well only adds to our evaluation of him, and then again, moving forward, as we get closer to our selections for Christmas, see where he is with his team and his overall play,” Jankowski told www.NHL.com
"Speed, size and there's a nice hint of skill there too. We want to be a big team, we want to be a skating team, but you can't ignore the talent these guys have too, and how important that is to win."
As for Paul, he was pretty pumped about all the hype surrounding his game and seeing the NHL.com do a feature on him at the end of the camp.
“I think I made a good impression in my first couple of games, so I was building up my stock, they were figuring out who I am and I guess the scouts and reporters liked what they saw and I was very excited to see that interview on NHL.com,” said Paul.
The Mississauga native won’t have too much time to savour his solid performance at the World Junior Camp, as he will be heading back to North Bay soon as Battalion camps begins on August 27th.
“In exit meetings with Stan he was telling me I was going to be one of the key players next year, this year’s Barclay Goodrow, so all summer I have been preparing myself, trying to be that much better and be a leader out there and obviously with all the events that have went on this summer that there will be a big spotlight, but I am working my best to be that player everyone looks for for the big goal, or the person to lead the team or step in for the big hit,” said Paul.
“However, it is always different preparing yourself than actually doing it, so we will see how it goes at the beginning of the season, but I think I am ready for that.”
