Seattle’s Mathew Barzal on the brink of becoming an NHL Draft pick

SUNRISE, Fla. – The first round of the 2015 NHL Draft gets going at 4 p.m. Friday Pacific time. With just a few hours to go for the first round prospects, the sense of excitement and nervousness is building.

Seattle Thunderbirds center Mathew Barzal is one of those players, who in just a few hours will be drafted by an NHL team. As he waits in his hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, he’s ready to go.

“I’d say it’s more exciting than nerve wracking right now,” he said. “Just being with my family and my friends, everyone’s really excited. I’m just ready to get to the rink and get things going.”

Barzal’s been in South Florida for a couple of days and has 13 family members and friends in town with him to share the big day. He’s rooming with Kelowna Rockets star Nick Merkley, another first round prospect.

He’s enjoyed the week so far – he says it’s been fun to see all the television reporters that he sees on TV watching the NHL.

Ever since the Thunderbirds’ season ended, Barzal has been through the draft ringer. There was the NHL Combine along with endless questions and media requests. A lot has been written about the playmaking center, and it’s all comes to a climax tonight.

“I won’t miss that,” he says of the lead up to the draft. “But I’m just excited to see who takes me tonight and where my future lies.”

Where that future lies is still an unknown. There is a lot of speculation as to who will nab him, but for now it’s anybody’s guess.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Barzal says of where he thinks he’ll end up. “I’d rather have it like this than know exactly. I like to wait, it’s fun. I kind of like it.”

Every kid who laces up the skates to play hockey dreams of one day being here. There are a lot of sacrifices and ups and downs on the way to reaching the dream of being an NHL draft pick. Most don’t ever realize that dream, but for Barzal, the day is here.

“I’ve thought about it quite a bit,” he said. “It’s going to be cool. Watching people do it in the past, and it’s my turn this year. It’s going to be fun.”

Follow Andy Eide on Twitter @andyeide.

Related

Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson named to WNBA All-Rookie TeamPro Football Pick’em Presented by Silver Reef CasinoMorosi: M’s in favorable position for manager searchAL West Check-In: Astros part ways with manager Joe EspadaReport: Seahawks’ Charbonnet has ‘legitimate’ chance to play in Week 7Mariners 2B Cole Young named AL Gold Glove finalist