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Some say he’s a lazy egomaniac who is only destined for disappointment, while others feel that he’s a victim of circumstance, harsh criticism and bad press. The truth probably lies somewhere in between, but for Oiler fans that truth has yet to be uncovered. Rob Schremp firmly believes that he’s been painted with the wrong brush and the time has come to set the record straight.

 

Stories of Schremp’s apparent lack of character began circulating leading up to the drafting of the now 18-year-old native of Fulton New York. It was those stories and reports that caused his unpredicted slide to the 25^th spot on draft day, a shock considering the overwhelming opinion that Schremp was in the top 5 talent-wise.

 

No one questions Schremp’s potential, but obviously everyone has concerns with his attitude. What exactly is it about the London Knights center that has so many people thinking so negatively about this young man?

 

“He’s very cocky and he sure doesn’t lack for confidence,” admitted Kevin Prendergast, Oilers VP of Hockey Operations. “His abrasive attitude rubs you the wrong way if that’s not the way you want to be rubbed.”

 

No Media Darling Here

 

This can be true especially when the glare of a dozen TV cameras and a myriad of microphones are pointed in his face. When the media spotlights are on, Schremp is admittedly not at his best, as even his short trip to Edmonton in July would show.

 

“Sit down and have lunch with me if you have that big of a problem with me and we’ll see,” Schremp brazenly told a TV reporter during that visit. “If you still think I’m a disturber after that then I don’t know, maybe you’re the one with the problem.”

 

That sound bite, when edited for TV, certainly comes across as confrontational or aggressive but as Schremp pointed out recently, the true nature of the conversation often gets lost.

 

“Yeah, it’s tough when you’ve got a bunch of cameras on you and all that,” the explanation began. “Sometimes I say things that end up being stupid but I didn’t really mean in that way. Like what I told that one guy (in Edmonton), I was just kidding when I said that you know, but you can’t tell that I was joking. I’m not trying to bust any balls, I’m just being me and I’m being honest.”

 

It’s that honestly that also tagged him with another negative report that claimed pre-draft interviews between Schremp and the Oilers featured an exorbitant amount of foul language. The report in question indicated the Oilers were surprised and possibly put off to some degree by the meeting.

 

“I use the F-word when I talk to my friends and maybe I do swear too much but again, that’s how I am and I didn’t want to go in there and lie about what kind of personality I have,” Schremp explained. “That’s what they want, they want to try and get a read on what kind of kid you are so if I go in and act like somebody else then they’re not getting the right read on me you know? It was like I’m talking to you now, I went in and answered their questions and with some of the questions you get tense and words just start flying out of your mouth and you realize after and say ‘ah man, I really shouldn’t have said that’.”

 

Hot Talent or Hot Dog?

 

Schremp achieved national attention during the CHL’s Top Prospects game last winter. The showcase event for draft eligible players is held annually with a national TV broadcast and Schremp used it to his advantage by capturing the MVP nomination for his team. The center had three points on the night including a highlight reel goal and spectacular missed shot that garnered him rave reviews and harsh criticisms at the same time.

 

The dazzling display is best described by the player himself.

 

“I just cut across the slot, picked the puck up on my stick and then spun around backwards and shot it,” Schremp recounted.

 

The lacrosse-like shot failed to go in but the media backlash from the move suggested that someone in the NHL would have their head torn off for even trying such a thing.

 

“It was just one fun thing on one fun night,” reasoned Schremp. “It was an intense game and everything but everyone’s objective going into that game is to try and be noticed for something right? Part of my game is creativity and that was just something creative that I’ve learned how to do. If I had just taken a regular shot I probably would have just hit the defenseman right in the shin pads so I thought, what the hell, why not try it? I missed the net but it got attention. People will say ‘oh yeah, you’re just looking for attention’ but, isn’t that the point of the Prospects game really? You don’t want to just go out there and look like everybody else.”

 

“I just see it as being creative and during a game like that, it excited the fans because they were pumped about it,” Schremp’s defense continued. “They paid their money to see the game and I’m sure they want to see some stuff that will make them get on their feet. All I was trying to do was to bring some excitement into the game and have fun with it. Some people didn’t like it but you can’t please everybody.”

 

“Edmonton wasn’t too mad about it I don’t think.”

 

No ‘I’ in Team (or in Schremp either)

 

Some journalists and even some scouts have labeled Schremp as being a selfish player who puts himself ahead of his team. That’s a description that the Oilers have found to be anything but the truth.

 

““Believe me, that’s something we explored a lot. We interviewed a couple of his teammates and they never said anything bad about him and even after London’s game seven, Robbie never said anything bad about the coaches or anybody either,” Prendergast outlined referring to a situation where Schremp was benched during the London Knights’ playoff Game 7 loss.

 

The much-publicized incident from last spring created a lot of ripples around hockey circles. President and Head Coach Dale Hunter chose not to play Schremp, fourth in team scoring, in the vital Game 7 until the third period and even then primarily on power plays. A puzzling decision but even now Schremp holds no ill feelings towards the coach or his strategy and won’t say a bad word even when given the chance.

 

“He has the best intentions for my career so whatever happened last year I don’t think it was for the worst, I think they were making me a better player,” said Schremp. “For me, I’m just going to go into next season focused on playing and helping the team.”

 

The Knights surrendered two draft picks and two respected players in order to acquire Schremp from the Mississauga IceDogs early last season. Normally there would be considerable pressure felt by the player to perform, especially due to the price tag the organization paid to get him, but Schremp said the Knights made the transition easier.

 

“I’ve never really even thought about it like that to be honest with you,” he conceded. “There’s pressure because they obviously believed in me enough that they gave away so much but you have to go into the new situation and try and bring whatever you can to the table that they want. The Hunters were good to me in London and didn’t put any extra pressure on me, they just wanted me to come in and be the player I could be.”

This year Schremp believes his role with the Knights will be more prominent because he’s older and also because of the graduation of a trio of impact players.

 

“We’re losing some key guys like Scott Sheppard, Danny Bois and Dennis Wideman for sure so I think I might have a bigger role on the team this year,” suggested Schremp, “Maybe take a step forwards leadership wise, maybe a little more playing time and responsibility so that should be good.”

 

Immediately after the playoff loss, a local London paper ran a story suggesting that Schremp and his agent, Scott Norton, might demand a trade from the team because of the benching incident of Game 7. However, nothing could be farther from the truth.

 

“I don’t want out of London,” Schremp stated bluntly when asked about the late April article. “It’s a good situation there and I’m excited about the Memorial Cup coming back so I’m heading towards the season with a lot of positive thoughts. There’s definitely been no trade demand from our side although there’s always rumors flying around, but there’s no truth to that one.”

 

Schremp’s mention of the Memorial Cup is no pipe dream as London will host the tournament meaning he and the rest of the Knights get an automatic bid to the CHL Championships.

 

“He’s got a great scenario this year, he’s got a chance to play in the WJC and a Memorial Cup,” agreed Prendergast. “I’m not sure he understands the ramifications of being in that type of pressure competition all in one year, not many kids get that opportunity.”

 

USA Camp

 

Schremp attended Team USA’s summer camp almost straight from his July visit to Edmonton and had high hopes of erasing last year’s poor tryout.

 

“I got cut last year but they went on with a good squad and won the gold so there’s not much I can say, ‘They should have picked me’? How do you figure when they just won the gold medal?” Schremp laughed while still in Edmonton. “This year I think I have a good shot but I’ll go in with a game plan; last year I could have been in better shape but this year I’ve got my priorities straight and I’m focused.”

 

At the camp, the US squad that Schremp was on struggled early but finished well; eerily matching the description Oilers scouts gave about their key player’s performance.

 

“Well I’ll rely on two of our best scouts who were there and both Lorne (Davis) and Stu (MacGregor) were disappointed with Rob’s play in the first two days but by the third day he was outstanding and played really well,” Prendergast said. “But one out of three isn’t good enough when you’re a first rounder going into that situation. He knew well in advance going in there that he had to perform to the highest capability to make that hockey club.”

 

“I thought I played pretty well,” said Schremp recently. “It’s the middle of August so you haven’t played a game in almost two and a half months so you just try and get your game speed back. Towards the end of the week it was really good and I feel pretty happy about it.”

 

Schremp registered three points in four games; all assists, but there were offensive opportunities that he failed to capitalize on as well including a penalty shot and a couple breakaways. The center position is one that is highly contested on the American club and one of the players Schremp is competing with is his former Mississauga teammate Patrick O’Sullivan. Despite stories that the two get along like cats and dogs, for his part Schremp denies that completely saying that those reports are just another example of how he has been wrongly portrayed.

 

“Me and Sully are good buddies, he’s a good guy,” he said straight-faced despite my doubting look. “No, swear to God! In my rookie year I wouldn’t say that but when I came back the second year me and him got pretty tight, he’s a different guy then he was. The first year was a bit of a gong show, he had problems and issues with his family and none of us on the team really understood the whole thing and I think once it all came out we were all like ‘holy crap’.”

 

Now, not only does he consider O’Sullivan a friend but Schremp also lists him as one of the best players he’s had the chance to play with.

 

“That’s a tough frickin’ question man!” laughed Schremp when asked. “I’d have to say Dustin Brown and Patrick O’Sullivan.”

 

Schremp also added that to him, O’Sullivan and Drew Stafford were the two players that stood apart from the group at the U.S. summer camp.

 

Eyes on Edmonton

 

His visit to Edmonton has done nothing but fuel his fire and increase his desire to advance to the next level. Schremp enjoyed the challenge of working out with Daryl Duke, Edmonton’s fitness guru, and even had the opportunity to spend some time with the club’s boss.

 

“He’s really impressed the hell out of me with his determination,” Prendergast said back in late July. “Anything Duke’s thrown at him he’s responded to and he hasn’t complained once. He went running with Kevin Lowe the other day and Kevin loves to run, he’s got those long legs and I now I can’t keep to him in a car, but Robbie wouldn’t quit and he was out there with him for the whole run.”

 

Schremp describes the occasion slightly differently.

 

“It was good and actually me and (Tyler) Spurgeon beat him!” the player boasted. “I don’t know if he was going all out or what but we ended up finishing ahead of him. I couldn’t believe what kind of shape he was in, it’s unbelievable.”

 

Schremp says he tipped the scales at the U.S. camp at around the 190 lb mark, his target playing weight, and that his 6’ height is all he’s expecting now. Obviously his goal is the same as everyone else’s in the organization, to play for the NHL team as soon as possible, but admittedly Schremp doesn’t know for certain if he’s ready.

 

“I don’t really have any idea because I don’t know what I’m up against yet,” he explained. “All I know is that I’m working pretty hard this summer because I’ve finally realized what it takes off the ice to play in the show, that trip to Edmonton helped me out with that. I’m going to go into training camp in good shape and give it my best but whatever happens is up to Mr. Lowe and Mr. MacTavish to see if I’m ready and if I’m not, I’ll go back to junior and work hard to do whatever it takes to get to the NHL.”

 

Although described as a playmaking wizard at the junior level, Schremp knows he still has a ways to go and areas to improve on.

 

“I don’t think skating is a weakness but it can improve, everybody can improve their skating,” Schremp said. “I went to power skating in Regina for a month this summer and I think it paid off for me so I’m pretty happy with it. When I’m away from the puck, just getting to the puck, finding the open lanes so I can get a pass, that kind of stuff. Maybe going to get the puck a little more instead of waiting for it.”

 

“Rob’s got all the tools to be a player in the NHL someday but mentally he has to get on board with what’s going on around him,” Prendergast told Hockey’s Future recently. “He has to understand the process in every situation whether it’s with the London Knights, U.S. junior hockey or the Edmonton Oilers. He has to work hard, be consistent, be on the ice and ready to play and practice.”

 

Schremp knows in his heart what the likely outcome of next month’s rookie training camp will be, but at the same time, his competitive nature won’t allow him to think he’s anything less than an Oiler until he’s told he’s headed back to London.

 

“That’s a call for the management team,” was how Schremp put it. “Mr. Prendergast said to me ‘if you’re ready to play this year and you make the team, that’s great but we’re going to do what’s best for your career and we’re not going to rush things’. All I can do is come into camp in shape and be ready for whatever.”

 

A return to the OHL and a guaranteed date with the Memorial Cup would figure in well with what Schremp feels can be an extremely productive season both statistically and developmentally.

 

“Last year I was hoping for 100 points and I didn’t get it so I was pretty disappointed with that,” he said. “It was a positive year though and it’s not always about points, it’s about what kind of learning experience you had and how you can be a better player next year. I think I’m capable of (100 pts) and I should be able to get that this year but it all depends on how the season pans out because sometimes that’s out of your control.”

 

“We still have one of the best teams in Canada I believe,” Schremp added. “We have a lot of players coming back and we’re not losing that many players so it’s going to be a good year I think. Even if we didn’t have the Memorial Cup coming I think we have a contending team.”

 

Love for the game

 

Schremp has been quoted as saying he wants to shove it down the throats of the 23 teams that passed on him at the draft but his true motivation stems from his long burning love for playing hockey. On draft day when asked if the move to Edmonton would be a negative because of the distance from his New York home, Schremp’s reply was basic and from the heart.

 

“No way man, I just want to play hockey!”

 

The youngster from New York State chose the path to the NHL that veers through Canadian junior instead of college for much the same reason.

 

“It’s a much faster route to my dream and I think guys develop a little later in college maybe,” Schremp’s explanation began. “I thought the OHL was a faster route because it’s like a mini NHL, same rules and similar schedule with 70 games. I love hockey; I want to practice everyday and I want to be playing as many games as possible and in college they only play 35 games or something and I don’t think I could sit around that long…it might kill me.”

 

“It wasn’t a tough decision; ever since I was a kid I knew I wanted to go,” said Schremp of the OHL. “I always looked up to Tim Connolly, he’s a buddy of mine, and Dustin Brown went the year before I did and he had success and he had so much fun so I thought it was right for me. My mind was set even before the draft so I knew I was going to the ‘O’.”

 

Problem Child or Franchise Player?

 

The Oilers admit that drafting Schremp was akin to taking a homerun swing; there is no in between, the outcome is either a smash hit or a strikeout. That said, the organization is confident they’ve drafted well and both the player and the team will be able to ride out any growing pains that arise.

 

“He knows he’s good, there’s nothing wrong with knowing that and if you go out there and back it up on the ice then certainly your teammates will respond along with you and I think he’s going to do that in training camp,” assured Prendergast. “He’s going to come into training camp and he’ll be around some quality veterans on this hockey club and he’s going to see what it takes to be on the ice with them. I think he’ll win the players over in the dressing room and that’s what young kids have to do, they have to earn their spot on the hockey club and down the road we think he’ll do that.”

 

Schremp shrugs off media criticism and argues that there is a difference between being cocky and being sure of one’s abilities.

 

“I’m confident, I mean, I know that I can play the game but the difference is that cockiness is going around telling everybody what you think of yourself,” the player explained. “If you ask me I say that yeah, I think I can play the game but it’s going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication to make the Oilers team. They’ve got a good squad and it will be tough to crack a line up like this.”

 

Despite being asked leading questions where he had the opportunity to respond to those he has been reported to have had run ins with, Schremp instead took the high road every time. Whether it was about the management in London, rival players or media rumors, Schremp did not stoop to the level that his many critics have when slamming him in the past. Even when confronted with the fact he wasn’t Edmonton’s highest goal scorer in the recent draft, a surprise to him, he took it in stride.

 

“Did he really?” A stunned Schremp quickly replied with a smile when told Liam Reddox had outscored him. “How many did he have?”

 

In a lot of ways the young man has maturing to do but already he is showing signs that he’s doing just that. Like any 12-step program out there, acknowledging that there is a problem is the first hurdle and Schremp knows his relations with the media need to improve.

 

Schremp’s goal in life is laid out in front of him and he’s focused on nothing else.

 

“For me, playing in the NHL would be a dream come true,” concluded Schremp. “I think being able to play in the best league in the world and being known as one of the elites would be pretty neat.”

 

The Oilers think that would be pretty neat to see too.

 

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