CHL Sunday Spotlight – 5 Questions with Blades’ Tristen Robins
Hockey is a family affair for Tristen Robins.
The third-year Saskatoon Blades forward made history this offseason in being selected by the San Jose Sharks, following the same path of his father Trevor who years earlier landed a pro deal with the club.
With the Blades, the younger has evolved into a key offensive contributor, breaking out last season to finish with a team-leading 73 points counting 33 goals and 40 assists in only 62 appearances.
Robins spoke of his scoring success, the impact his father has had on his hockey career, and more in the latest edition of the CHL Sunday Spotlight presented by WINMAR:
What was draft day like for you and what was your reaction to being selected by the Sharks?
Draft day for me was with my parents, my grandparents, my aunt, and my uncle. They came over the morning of the draft to share the experience with me. The initial reaction to being drafted by the Sharks was pretty crazy because my Dad was actually signed by the Sharks out of his 20-year-old season in Brandon, so I ran into his room and grabbed one of his old retro Sharks windbreakers and threw that on right away. It was a pretty amazing experience.
What have you learned from a father who played hockey professionally?
He is a very knowledgeable figure and I don’t think I would be where I am without him and have the knowledge that I do today. He has pretty much played in every league in North America, up and down in the minors. He was signed by San Jose and then eventually went over to Europe. Being a goalie too, he pretty much spent his whole career watching the play develop in front of him so I think that is why he is such a knowledgeable figure. I am very grateful for what he has taught me.
What do you attribute to your 48-point improvement last season?
I was given a bigger role on the Blades last year with a bunch of our veteran players moving on so it opened up a bunch more ice time for myself. I also spent a lot of extra time in the gym and on the ice trying to improve every aspect of my game.
How would you describe your game?
My game is played with a lot of energy and a lot of passion. I am a playmaking forward that has a very high drive to score and I love being put in all scenarios on the ice.
How special is it to follow in your father’s footsteps in playing for the Blades?
It is pretty crazy to think about. He played his first year in the Western Hockey League when he was 17 with the Blades. I got traded when I was 16 from the Pats to the Blades. My first full season when I was 17 was actually with the Blades, and then going on to be drafted by San Jose and having him in San Jose’s system for a while is pretty ironic and pretty crazy to think about how all of those chips lined up. It is pretty memorable having fans watching me and the Blades currently and telling me that they watched my Dad play when he was back with the Blades. That is pretty cool to hear.