Night in, night out, the Ed Whalen Media Room, hidden deep in the bowels of the Pengrowth Saddledome, is chock full of members of the press as well as scouts. Scouts from across the Western Hockey League keep close tabs on the Calgary Hitmen and their players, scouting their next opponent, or quite possibly their next playoff match-up. These Western League scouts are joined by National Hockey League clubs like the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Anaheim Mighty Ducks who can be seen tucked away in a far corner of the stadium, scribbling down notes during every shift.

 

It has been no secret to the hockey world that Calgary is a hotbed for producing impact players for the 2004 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Whether it be the energetic left winger Andrew Ladd, ranked second among North American skaters by CSS, or the 28^th ranked Brett Carson. Each night offers a different look at potential draftees. The same holds true for the 34^th ranked Andy Rogers, a member of a Calgary Hitmen defense corps so large that it makes National Hockey League defense pairings look small by comparison.

 

Rogers is no exception to this rule. Look up, way up, and you’ll find him. Listed at 6’5”, he seems even taller in person.

 

Playing in his second season in the Western Hockey League, and his first full season, Rogers has played in 58 of the Hitmen’s 63 games this season. Through those 58 games, he has registered a modest 3 points, with one goal and adding two helpers. Rogers, who turns 18 on August 25^th, is the perfect compliment to his defensive partner, the 11^th ranked Jeff Schultz. Schutlz, who handles the offensive contributions of the pair, leads Hitmen defenders with 31 points, including 20 helpers, this season. Each defender has something to offer the other, with Rogers playing a very steady stay-at-home game.

 

Rogers, a native of Calgary, was originally selected in the third round of the Bantam Draft in 2001. A product of the Calgary minor hockey system, Rogers is the 16^th highest ranked defenseman among North American skaters, and is projected to be a third round draft selection. Preliminary rankings had Andy ranked 16^th among Western Hockey League draft eligible players as well.

 

Following a lengthy post-game meeting called by the Calgary Hitmen after a difficult 3-2 loss to the Kootenay Ice on home ice, Hockey’s Future spoke to Andy Rogers, who shared his thoughts on the Western Hockey League playoffs, the Memorial Cup, and the 2004 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

 

HF: It’s been a season of ups and downs for the Hitmen. The club was swept through their B.C. Division road trip this passing week, and coming home, unable to convert the two points here tonight. Can you comment on the 2003-04 Hitmen season as a whole?

 

AR: Obviously right now we’re in a bit of a slide. We were playing real well there for a while, up in second place [in the Central Division], but still, those things aren’t good enough. We want to be in first place. All in all, the season has been okay up until this point. Myself, I started off a bit slow, but it’s picking up again. I think it’s just that all of us out there need to step it up a bit more, so we can get first.

 

HF: How important was it to come away from this game tonight against Kootenay with two points?

 

AR: They were very important. To get a chance to move up on Medicine Hat and Red Deer, and pull away from Lethbridge would’ve been huge, but you know, things happen and sometimes it doesn’t go the way you want.

 

HF: The Hitmen have a home-and-home series beginning on the road against the [Medicine Hat] Tigers this weekend. You haven’t had much success on the road this season, with a sub-.500 record. How important is this first game in Medicine Hat, both to get a win on the road, and to right the ship, so to speak?

 

AR: It’s going to be really important. Medicine Hat’s a really good team and we’re just going to have to go in there, playing our best hockey. When we do that, we can beat any team in this league, so we’ll just have to go out and do that.

 

HF: What adjustments have to be made out on the ice in order to turn this team around again?

 

AR: All of us guys have to come prepared a little bit more, and just work that much harder. We’ve got a talented group of guys here and if we just work hard we can go just about anywhere.

 

HF: How important are the playoffs for this squad, and how deep can this Calgary Hitmen team go?

 

AR: The playoffs are very important to us. It’s been our goal since the beginning of the year, and I mean, making it as far as we can has been our goal. If we can put the right things together, we can go as far as we can.

 

HF: Have there been any rumblings in the dressing room about doing some damage to other teams in the Western League playoffs and possibly earning a berth in the Memorial Cup in Kelowna?

 

AR: Oh yes. Definitely. You look at our team and the talent we have and the group of guys, we’re definitely a contender. If we just step it up that much more then for sure, we can become a major contender this season. Our focus is to do our best.

 

HF: What adjustments have you made in order to improve this season compared to last year, bringing your game up a step?

 

AR: Every little bit. I’ve been training hard in the offseason to build up my physical strength and just little things like moving the puck well and shooting the puck more. Coach [Richard Kromm] has been asking me to do that a bit more, shooting the puck. I’ve been working on little things, shooting the puck more and skating with my head up, just the little things.

 

HF: What would you say your biggest asset is out on the ice?

 

AR: My physical size. I mean, I use that and my skating. I think I move pretty well for a big guy, so I try to use those to my advantage.

 

HF: What would you say your biggest weakness is out on the ice, or an aspect of your game you feel you have to focus on a bit more?

 

AR: It’s definitely more so my puck-handling skills and offensive play. I’ve never been considered a super-offensive player, so things like that definitely could be worked on, and like I said, getting those shots off.

 

HF: Away from the ice, how would your teammates describe you, your personality, your manner, that sort of thing?

 

AR: I’m a pretty quiet, kind of shy guy, but I’m pretty positive as well. Mostly just shy and quiet I guess.

 

HF: What is the one thing that the average Calgary Hitmen fan doesn’t know about you? Golf skills like [Jeff] Schultz?

 

AR: I’ve got some golf skills, not as good as Schultzie, but yeah, I’ve got some golf skills in me.

 

HF: This club has three draft eligible defensemen, all ranked 34^th or better among North American skaters by CSS. What’s the secret of this club, that they’re producing such high quality defensemen?

 

AR: I don’t know, you’ll have to talk to some of the guys behind the scenes, the ones that are drafting us, bringing us together. I mean, the other two guys, Schultzie and [Brett] Carson, they’re great defensemen, and really great guys. They’re going to go high in the draft, and we’re very fortunate to have three other guys, including Ladder [Andrew Ladd] there, being ranked so high.

 

HF: I asked Brett Carson and Jeff Schultz already if there’s been any sort of running bet or competition to see who can be selected first in the draft. Is there any sort of friendly wager going on?

 

AR: Not really. We’re all hoping the best for each other. I don’t know if there’s any friendly competition between the three of us. I just hope the best for those two, they’re really great defensemen and they’re going to go really high.

 

HF: Is it comforting to know you’ve got two other players on the blueline going through the exact same thing you are right now, in terms of preparing for the 2004 Entry Draft?

 

AR: Most definitely. They are guys you can always go talk to, and stuff like that. They’re guys you can help cope with through the kind of pressures night in, night out, because they’re going through the same stuff I am. It’s really good and it’s good also to have them in the line-up.

 

HF: Knowing that the draft is only a few more months away, is there any added pressure on you to perform nightly?

 

AR: Yeah, there is. Ever since the rankings have come out, there’s been that pressure. You’ve got to come to the rink even more prepared. I mean, you get a little nervous here and there, but it’s one more thing you have to battle through.

 

HF: How difficult is it to juggle the various pressures you must be feeling right now? Currently, you have the pressures of a playoff push, the 2004 Entry Draft, and the added pressure of playing nightly in front of a hometown crowd.

 

AR: That’s a bunch of pressure. It’s kind of the stuff that’s in the back of your mind. Right now, winning is our main focus. The draft and all that stuff is kind of in the back of your head, and you’ve just got to focus on everything game by game, with the team and winning being the first priority.