Player's Profile
- Name: Mike Egener
- Position: LW
- Shoots: Left
- Height: 6-3.
- Weight: 195 lbs
- Birthdate: 1984-09-04
- Eligible for Draft: 2002
- Drafted:
- Hometown: Calgary, AB
- Acquired: TB's 2nd Rd. (34th overall) selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
- Playing In: Pro
Mike Egener
Prospect Grade: 5.5 C (About Prospect Grades)
Profile Contributed By: Phil Laugher
History
Despite not being picked in the WHL Bantam draft, Egener played his way onto the Calgary Hitmen roster in 2000 and eventually became the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first pick when the club took him in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
Egener, a Calgary native, had an impressive showing at the 2003 Top Prospects game and skills competition. The Hitmen defenseman turned in the second best performance amongst defensemen at the event in skating drills, turning in an impressive 60’ dash time of under three seconds and a 150’ dash time of under six seconds. In addition, he has a booming 95 mph slap shot that registered among the event’s leaders. Overall, he recorded the best all-around performance in the event as he ranked no lower than ninth in any category, and placed in the top five in the 60-foot dash, the full lap, combined skating, average shot and hardest shot.
Egener was chosen as the Hitmen’s 2002-03 and 2003-04 Humanitarian of the Year, a reward for his work in the Calgary community. He was also chosen to represent the Hitmen in a Calgary-area celebrity softball game in the summer of 2003.
The rugged defensmen was invited to the Canadian National Junior Team Development Camp and was one of Canada’s final cuts before the 2003 World Junior Championships. He previously represented Canada at the 2002 World Under-18 Championship in Slovakia, where he recorded 24 penalty minutes in eight games. Egener was also chosen to represent the WHL in the 2003 RE/MAX Canada-Russia All-Star Challenge.
Proir to his draft year, Egener earned impressive playing time for a younger CHLer, playing in 110 Hitmen games in his first two years. Egener led Calgary in penalty minutes in both the 2002-03 (210 minutes) and 2003-04 (228 minutes) seasons. Though he possesses above-average raw offensive tools, Egener has never been even a mediocre scorer, notching just six goals and 31 assists in his 224-game WHL career. For the 2003-04 season, on the heels of a disappointing Lightning training camp in which he was an early cut, Egener set career marks in assists with 16, points with 17, minutes in penalties with 228, and is +26. Both his plus/minus rating, as well as his penalty minutes had Egener in the top ten amongst his fellow Western Leaguers.
Prior to the WHL, however, Egener showed impressive offensive ability, accumulating 30 goals and 75 points in just 40 games as a Calgary bantam.
Egener's younger brother, defenseman Luke Egener, was taken in the second round of the 2003 WHL bantam draft by the Vancouver Giants. Luke Egener will be eligible for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Read Hockey's Future's March 2004 interview with Egener here.
Talent Analysis
Skating: Egener has a smooth stride. He's very rarely beaten wide, because very few challenge him wide, due to intimidation, but he's able to easily recover if someone has a step on him.
Passing: Though his assists don't really reflect it, Egener is a great passer, especially establishing a breakout from his own end.
Stickhandling: He's got good hands for a defenseman. He's certainly not a stone hands, but he doesn't have a playmaker's touch, either.
Shooting: Has a fairly hard shot. Certainly it could get better, and more accurate, but his shots seem to find the net. His numbers could improve with a shoot-first attitude.
Checking: Physically, Egener has an imposing frame that will surely be close to 6’4 and 225 pounds as he continues to physically mature in the next couple of years. He is arguably the best checker in the Western League. He loves to throw his body around. He's reckless, but not careless in choosing his hits. He doesn't run around looking for them, but finishes his checks almost all of the time. He's definitely not afraid to drop the gloves and fight, and will fight players of all sizes.
Temperament: He's a bit of a loose cannon. He could play a bit more disciplined, but he realizes that and is working towards that. He is a character player and has been described as a great teammate -- both ingredients coveted by the current Tampa Bay hierarchy.
Future
Egener has been moved to wing, and is hoped to be a banger.
Stats
Stats Coming Soon...
Profile Last Updated: June, 25th 2008
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