From: Hamilton Spectator by Guy McKay
(left) Trotter on the ice with the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs hadn't "worked out for three weeks"
The past couple of weeks have been pretty much a whirlwind of emotions for Brock Trotter and he's still not sure what to make of it all.
The 20-year-old Brandon, Man., native has gone from being the leading scorer on the University of Denver hockey team, to finding out he couldn't play for them anymore this season, to signing with the Montreal Canadiens, to becoming a Hamilton Bulldog in a matter of days.
Trotter is somewhat reticent to talk about why he left Denver where he was a business management major.
"It was some personal stuff that came up at the time that made me look at my options. I wasn't kicked off the team but I wasn't able to play for the rest of the year. I'm not sure what to call it," he explained.
Trotter said his situation is not at all like that of collegian Kevin Quick, who was suspended by the University of Michigan hockey team and has signed an ATO (amateur tryout) contract with Norfolk. It's recently surfaced that Quick allegedly stole a teammate's credit card at Michigan and ran up considerable charges.
"I'm not going to jail or anything like that," Trotter added. "I could have gone back to the school team next year."
Rather than go back, however, Trotter and his agent decided what was best for his development as a player was to begin his pro career now.
Undrafted, he was a prized free agent. Bulldogs' GM Julien BriseBois said all 30 National Hockey League teams were interested in him.
Trotter led the University of Denver team in scoring this year with 13 goals and 18 assists in 24 games. In his three seasons at the school, he had 32 goals and 44 assists in 79 games.
Trotter apparently liked what he heard from the Canadiens and that's how the 5-foot-10, 180-pound centre finds himself in Hamilton with the Bulldogs.
"I'm going to miss the whole hockey program in Denver, the coaches, the staff and my teammates," he says. "And obviously there were no hard feelings. They supported my decision to leave. I think they're happy for me."
Trotter arrived on Friday and had his first real practice yesterday on a line with Greg Stewart and Brett Engelhardt.
"I'm just going to work as hard as I can here and see what happens, where the coach thinks I fit in."
The coach, Don Lever, isn't exactly sure where Trotter fits in.
"Montreal signed him to a three- year contract, so I guess that means they want him to play," Lever says with a grin. "He has a nice gliding stride and he's a better skater than I thought he was. He looks more like a playmaker than a shooter and he sees the ice pretty well.
"He hasn't practised in about three weeks, so he needs to get a few more practices under his belt."
Which means Lever's probably in no hurry to get him into the lineup.
"We have five extra guys right now. And that's a good problem to have at this time of the year because you never know what's going to happen."
The 20-year-old Brandon, Man., native has gone from being the leading scorer on the University of Denver hockey team, to finding out he couldn't play for them anymore this season, to signing with the Montreal Canadiens, to becoming a Hamilton Bulldog in a matter of days.
Trotter is somewhat reticent to talk about why he left Denver where he was a business management major.
"It was some personal stuff that came up at the time that made me look at my options. I wasn't kicked off the team but I wasn't able to play for the rest of the year. I'm not sure what to call it," he explained.
Trotter said his situation is not at all like that of collegian Kevin Quick, who was suspended by the University of Michigan hockey team and has signed an ATO (amateur tryout) contract with Norfolk. It's recently surfaced that Quick allegedly stole a teammate's credit card at Michigan and ran up considerable charges.
"I'm not going to jail or anything like that," Trotter added. "I could have gone back to the school team next year."
Rather than go back, however, Trotter and his agent decided what was best for his development as a player was to begin his pro career now.
Undrafted, he was a prized free agent. Bulldogs' GM Julien BriseBois said all 30 National Hockey League teams were interested in him.
Trotter led the University of Denver team in scoring this year with 13 goals and 18 assists in 24 games. In his three seasons at the school, he had 32 goals and 44 assists in 79 games.
Trotter apparently liked what he heard from the Canadiens and that's how the 5-foot-10, 180-pound centre finds himself in Hamilton with the Bulldogs.
"I'm going to miss the whole hockey program in Denver, the coaches, the staff and my teammates," he says. "And obviously there were no hard feelings. They supported my decision to leave. I think they're happy for me."
Trotter arrived on Friday and had his first real practice yesterday on a line with Greg Stewart and Brett Engelhardt.
"I'm just going to work as hard as I can here and see what happens, where the coach thinks I fit in."
The coach, Don Lever, isn't exactly sure where Trotter fits in.
"Montreal signed him to a three- year contract, so I guess that means they want him to play," Lever says with a grin. "He has a nice gliding stride and he's a better skater than I thought he was. He looks more like a playmaker than a shooter and he sees the ice pretty well.
"He hasn't practised in about three weeks, so he needs to get a few more practices under his belt."
Which means Lever's probably in no hurry to get him into the lineup.
"We have five extra guys right now. And that's a good problem to have at this time of the year because you never know what's going to happen."
7 comments:
can you say indecent donduct with a female.............i can and thats what happened............ouch for trotter
More accurately "ouch" for DU.
Trotter gets a pro contract in a good situation. DU loses a premier player.
i agree with that but it will come out eventually. DU had to suspend him and bu him jumping early they couldnt go public with it so he escaped without the embarasing story to come out..another hockey player and women incident
here's to ScottA on uscho. the reason is still none of your business unless you are some kinda sicko pervert who gets his yuks and then plays with himself. dora is none of your business either. if you dont like it go and dingle dangle with cc.
yeah, yeah.
But when a CC player gets suspended, and the college outs them... at least CC players don't go running to the AHL, even though DU fans are putting 'bounties' on the 'facts' surrounding their situation.
CC will have Patrosso in 4 weeks, taking his suspension like a man. Lampl stood up and appealed the process, and still may return. Trotter left under the cover of darkness, leaving an empty locker....
cc players that got suspended were also due to a female situation and not a good one at that..cc situation is a triple ouch.....my favorite band is...TAG TEAM back again.....hmmmmmmmm
on the bright side, it's not too late to cast your Hobey votes for Trotter.
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