Fitzgerald inks deal with Sharks
The smile on the face of Mooseheads veteran defenceman Cavan Fitzgerald said it all on Tuesday afternoon. The 19-year-old signed an entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks after participating in training camp with the NHL Club last month as an undrafted free agent.
“I’m still kind of on cloud nine,” he said.
“It just feels really good, I feel appreciated and it’s all kind of coming together now.”
The versatile defenceman felt he played well at training camp but his play last weekend on the three-game Quebec road trip may have helped as well.
“I think I gave them a good impression at camp and they told me that they were going to follow me this year and I heard that they were in Quebec this weekend where I think I played pretty well so that may have helped a little bit.”
Fitzgerald played solid defence on the road trip by making life tough for the top forwards on the opposition and he also scored a highlight reel goal on Saturday in Blainville-Boisbriand when he went coast to coast and wired a wrist shot past Armada goaltender Samuel Montembeault.
Sharing the news with his family was icing on the cake for the excited 19-year-old.
“It’s funny, I kind of found out about it at like midnight on Monday night even though it wasn’t official yet but I called my parents and woke them up and they couldn’t sleep after that.”
Fitzgerald is playing in his second full season with the Mooseheads and is counted on to not only provide stable defence from the back end but to contribute offensively which he did as a rookie with four goals and 27 assists.
The Boston, Massachusetts native added another 10 points and was a +7 for the Herd during the team’s exciting playoff run last spring.
“I’m very happy for Cavan especially when you think of the history we have between us,” said Mooseheads Chief Atlantic Scout Allie MacDonald.
“He came to my hockey school as a seven or eight-year old and then seeing him in Midget and being able to bring him to our organization where he has done a great job for us.”
Fitzgerald split time between the Boston area and Lingan, Cape Breton growing up and was with the Cape Breton Tradesmen when MacDonald was convinced the Mooseheads should give him a free agent try-out in 2013
“He’s an athlete and he understands how to use that ability both offensively and defensively.”
It seems free agent try-outs are working out pretty well in the hockey career of Cavan Fitzgerald.
“Yeah they are. I guess that’s going to be the route I’m going.”
In Fitzgerald’s case it goes to show, one should always continue to work hard and never give up on dreams.
Cavan’s just came true.
