ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: NICK DRAZENOVIC
*Cougars broadcaster Dan O’Connor spoke with former Cougars forward Nick Drazenovic on Wednesday, May 11th. Here are some excerpts from that conversation.
EXCEL PAINTING ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Nick Drazenovic
– Played in Prince George for five seasons: 2002-2007
– Was an Alternate Captain and played 281 games with the Cougars
– Drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 5th round of the 2005 NHL Draft
– Is now 29 years old and has just finished his ninth pro hockey season (has played 12 games in the NHL)
– Is married to wife Billie
DO: You were drafted in Round 1 by the PG Cougars (your hometown team) in the Bantam Draft, take me back to that day.
ND: It was a very exciting time for me and my family. It felt like it meant the world to me but looking back it was a stepping stone. You work for that and it’s a huge goal and it’s great to get drafted but at the same time that’s minor, you need to keep working and keep moving forward.
DO: You played 281 games, you finished with 214 points and as you reflect back on your junior career is there a highlight or two that really stick out as the big ones?
ND: Playing eight games as a 15 year old was one. I was proud of that. Then scoring your first WHL goal is a big one and the biggest one for me, one that I keep looking back on, even though it was 10 years ago now is how our team came together and went to the conference finals during my last season there. The group of guys we had made it a lot of fun. We really wanted to win, and we took it into our own hands and really decided that we were going to win. We were worn down in the conference finals against Vancouver, but it was a big experience that I continue to look back on, and the mindset I had back then I try to reflect on and bring forward to the teams I play on currently.
DO: Tell me about the transition to the pro game. Was it as big of a transition as you expected it to be?
ND: That’s a great question. I’ve now played over 500 games as a pro and every season is a little bit different. Your first season you’re full of energy, full of excitement and you’re healthy. At first you’re excited and then you want to move up and striving to make the NHL and you’re learning the game in the meantime, learning who you are in the meantime and now for me I’m pushing 30 and I want to see what I can do. Now for me it’s exciting to get back into the gym and playing as much hockey as I have it’s taken a toll on my body, but it’s fun to get back into the gym and do what I need to do to alleviate some of the areas that are weak so that I can move forward.
– Later in the interview he talks about his NHL debut, what his future holds and the pride he feels to be a part of the Cougars alumni. Listen to the whole thing below:
