Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Blues have surplus of talent

Here is another article that makes mention of T.J. Oshie. I think it would be accurte tosay that there is a lot of excitement surrounding T.J. Oshie and him being in camp with the Blue this season.
CENTER T.J. Oshie -- The Blues' first-round pick in 2005 may play the wing before he gets to center his own line, but the bottom line is the Blues expect Oshie to play in the NHL this coming season.

After three successful years at the University of North Dakota, Oshie gave up his fourth collegiate season to sign his first professional contract in May. Davidson said he will be given every opportunity to make the Blues' roster coming out of training camp.

"He's a dogged hockey player and a smart hockey player," Davidson said. "He can make plays at top speed. He can play the wing or center ice. There is nothing not to like about him."

Oshie, who is 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, showed remarkable consistency at UND. He had 45 points as a freshman, 52 as a sophomore and 45 again as a junior, but he told NHL.com that if it weren't for some injuries his junior numbers would have been even better. As it is, he led the Fighting Sioux to the Frozen Four for the third straight season.

Oshie was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and a first-team West All-American as voted on by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

"Everybody comes to camp to compete for a job and he'll have to do the same thing," said Jarmo Kekalainen, the Blues Assistant GM and Director of Amateur scouting. "He's been one of the best college hockey players in the country. He was a first-round draft pick. Those are the things that build the expectation and I think he has those expectations for himself, but it does come down to how he does in September."

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