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Q&A: Team USA's Jeremy Morin looking forward to draft
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American Jeremy Morin throws a check in game against Sweden in late 2008. Morin, a skilled scorer, is expected to be one of the top American players chosen in the NHL draft.
By Dale Zanine, US Presswire
Jeremy Morin, 18, spent the last two seasons in the U.S. National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, Mich. Before that he was going to high school in his native Auburn, N.Y and playing for the Syracuse Stars. The scoring forward is projected as either a late first-round or early second-round pick in this weekend's NHL draft. USA TODAY's Dan Friedell caught up with Morin, who was relaxing ahead of the big day on the shores of Owasco Lake in central New York.

You played locally for the Syracuse Stars before moving to the national team program two years ago. What was the national team experience like?

It was my first time away from home. (That) was one thing I had to deal with there. It was a great experience out there, I was there for my junior and senior year of high school. We've done a lot, I won a gold medal out there, so it's been fun.

You were a student at Auburn High when the football team had a Cinderella story run to the state championship. How was it to be there for that?

That was the last year I was there and it was pretty fun. I was at the game and I don't think they've done that in a while. It took me by surprise.

Auburn is a pretty small town. What was it like living in Ann Arbor for two years?

I think I had two different experiences. I went to my normal high school, had a normal life, just playing hockey and being a normal teenager and then I got to move out to Ann Arbor and be with my team. It was a totally different experience. Pioneer High School was a totally different experience. It's a bigger town than I'm used to. ... I was fortunate. I had a really good (host) family I got to live with. One of my teammates, Kyle Palmieri, got to stay with me in the second year I was there. We went to school in the morning then we went right from school to the rink and worked out and skated.

So you didn't end up with the normal high school experience. Any regrets?

I had a lot to gain by leaving. Maybe I didn't have the normal high school experience, but I got to visit a lot of different countries and experience something that a normal kid doesn't usually get to experience. I don't feel like I missed out on too much.

You capped two years on the national team with an under-18 world championship. What was that like?

It was a good way to end things out there in Fargo (N.D.), it was a great experience. We came up with a gold that we had been working for and looking for for two years. That was really exciting. Just playing in front of the home crowd in Fargo was great. They were really behind us and they have great fans there. We were around town signing autographs, so it was pretty fun. I never really experienced anything like that. Usually we were playing on the road and didn't really have anyone rooting for us.

Was that the best your team played in the two years?

We all played our best hockey at the end of the season at the worlds. Everyone played to their strength and knew their role on the team and obviously worked hard and it paid off.

Now that you have some time off, what have you been up to?

I've just been trying to enjoy the summer and play some golf. I don't get to see my friends all year so it's good to come back. I live on a lake so we go on the lake a couple of times a week and hang out.

Any predictions about where you'll be drafted?

I'm ranked from about 15-30, I'm not looking to go to any team in particular. Obviously I'm looking to go in the first round, but anything that happens, I'll be happy with it.

Is anything going to be different once you find out what team picked you?

Nothing really changes once you get drafted. You go up to training camp and then you go from there. I'm still going to play for Kitchener in the OHL next year and I'm just looking forward to that.

So you're going to be bypassing college to go to the OHL. Why?

I think that's the best thing for me to do to reach my ultimate goal and it's the path that I need to take to help me do that. They've got a great organization and a great coaching staff, they've put a lot of players in the NHL and that's what I'm trying to do.

What do your parents think of the plan?

They pretty much put it on me, whatever I thought was right. They didn't really put any pressure on me. I visited a couple of colleges, Boston University and North Dakota, so I gave it a look. Whatever I thought was right was OK and they support me 100%.

Is there anyone from the national team that has been giving you advice?

Pat Kane played two years in the program and then went to the OHL. He did pretty well and obviously he's doing pretty well in the NHL.

Describe your playing style for someone who has never seen you play.

I'd describe myself as a goal-scorer, a guy who takes pride in scoring goals. I like to create offense any way I can and I'm not afraid to get my nose dirty and I'm willing to pay the price to score goals.

What are your weaknesses?

I'd say I can always get stronger — that's going to come in time. But skating, I can improve my skating a little bit. I don't consider myself a slow player at all, but I can even out my stride. I can work on the defensive side of the game a little more.

Is there a current or former NHL player you would compare yourself to?

I like to compare myself to Brett Hull, a guy who can shoot from everywhere and loves to score. Maybe he's not the greatest skater, but he finds a way to score goals.

What's the most memorable goal you've ever scored?

The one at worlds, we were down 1-0 to Canada at the semifinals at worlds and we tied it up with about 10 minutes left on a power play. That was the biggest goal I've had to date. It was exciting.

Football is a big deal in Ann Arbor, but Michael Phelps was training there while you were living there. Did you ever run into him?

I think a couple of my teammates saw Michael Phelps, but I never saw him. Also going to the Big House up there, everyone is a crazy Michigan football fan. I went to a couple of hockey games as well.

So who are you rooting for when the Orange play the Wolverines?

Oh, Syracuse definitely, I'm not a big Michigan fan. I'm still a Syracuse boy.

What advice would you give to a 16-year-old who wants to be drafted two years from now?

Just keep working hard, I think that's the key to it. Keep working hard and have fun. If you're good enough, you're going to make it. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, just kind of enjoy the ride, it's a lot of fun. Never get too down on yourself because you're going to endure adversity.

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