“Crazy and Exciting Time” for Wiesblatt as NHL Draft Approaches

A childhood dream is about to come true.

It's a moment Ozzy Wiesblatt has thought about for as long as he can remember: hearing his name called at the NHL draft.

For the Calgary native, the wait is almost over.

"It's crazy and an exciting time," he said. "It's definitely rewarding to see that all my hard work is this close to paying off and to be recognized as one of the top players in the draft is humbling.

"I know there's still a lot of work to be done but it's such a cool experience to be a part of and even though the circumstances are different, I'm looking forward to making the most out of it.

"I feel very fortunate to be in this position and I wouldn't be here without the amazing support from my family, teammates, and coaches over the years that have helped me be the player that I am."

Ranked 19th among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings, Wiesblatt was electrifying in his second year with the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders, racking up 70 points (25G, 45A) in 64 games.

As a 16-year-old last season, he received a lot of buzz after a strong 39-point campaign which was highlighted with the Raiders winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions.

There was pressure for Prince Albert to defend the crown and Wiesblatt was looked upon by the coaches to take on a larger role in his sophomore season.

"We wanted to build off of winning that championship and remembering what it felt like to win it all," he said. "The coaches gave me a lot of opportunities to be successful in the offensive zone but also defensively to further round out my game. I was surrounded by a lot of great players and given every chance to succeed which was huge.

"We were motivated and hungry, and I think that led to me improving on my point totals from a year ago."

Of course, the Raiders never got the chance to defend their title with the cancellation of the WHL season back in March.

But as the months went by, Wiesblatt quickly turned his attention to the next item on his checklist: the NHL Draft.

With five siblings - including four brothers - the 17-year-old is poised to be the first in the family to be drafted into the league.

One of those brothers, Orca, spent the last three seasons with the local Hitmen.

"I think my whole family is enjoying the lead-up just as much as I am," Wiesblatt said. "My two older brothers are kinda living this process through me because they didn't get to experience it and having their support means the world to me.

"I'm definitely feeling anxious about it and looking forward to the day so that after I can get back to focusing on improving my game and helping my team."

A former second-round pick in the WHL Bantam Draft, Wiesblatt brings a lot to the table with his dangerous offensive game. He brings a dominating presence whenever the puck is on his stick with the ability to finish off plays with his great shot. His skating has seen massive improvements with his quick feet helping him create time and space for himself.

"After my first season I noticed how fast the game was and how quick everyone was," he said. "I took a lot of pride to improve my skating and overall speed to have a quicker first step and burst out from the corners with more explosion. In today's game, speed kills and for a smaller forward like me, it's a huge asset.

"I know that I can become quicker and every day I'm always looking to improve but also know that I have to be patient in my development and not try to rush it."

Patience has also been key of late, keeping his emotions in check as the draft draws near.

"With each day I get more excited," he said. "Anything could happen and I feel very lucky that all 31 teams have wanted to get to know me better by having interviews with all of them. If you would've told me when I was a little kid that would happen, I wouldn't have believed you.

"Whichever team drafts me, I am going to give them my all. I'm ready for it and am prepared for all the hard work that comes after to grow into not just a better player but a better teammate and person."

COURTESY: Alex Medina - CalgaryFlames.com