PuckLife Magazine: Emerson Etem

I forgot to post my last PuckLife Magazine article. I have to admit that getting a chance to talk to these players is pretty exciting. I get nervous before each phone call, although now that I have a couple under my belt, I'm more confident, which makes for a much more relaxed interview.

California Dreaming

In California, kids look up to basketball players, football players, even volleyball players before they look to the rinks to find a role model. Anaheim Ducks' prospect, Emerson Etem, is looking to change that. Not only is Etem on a short list of players from southern California, he’s also one of only a handful of African-Americans to be drafted to the NHL.

He’s currently in his second season with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. He made an immediate contribution in his first season with the team, scoring 37 goals and adding 28 assists in 72 games. His numbers this season are even better; in 54 games he has 35 goals and 26 assists.

Etem knows that as a minority in the NHL he will be looked up to by many across the country, not just Californians. Since scoring is something that he seems to have little trouble with, he focuses on improving his physical game and displaying winning attitude.

“Lead by example, first of all go out there every night and focus on the team winning,” he said. “I think if I lead by example, game in and game out, that would draw a lot of diversity into the game.”

Leading by example and inspiring others is something that Etem has already proven himself capable of. After watching Sidney Crosby lead the Shattuck-Saint Mary's Sabres to a Tier I 17&under National Championship in 2003, Etem moved to Minnesota to play for the Sabers himself, at the tender age of 14. Following in Crosby's footsteps, Etem won the 2007-2008 Tier I 17&under National Championship. He was the only sophomore on that team.

“It was tough leaving friends and family... but it was all hockey, all the time, I had two great coaches, Tom Ward and Murray Eaves,” said Etem about his time with the Sabres. “They were able to shape my game as far as a physical game, wanting me to get stronger, and I still put that in my game today.”

One characteristic that's going to set him apart as a role model, at least off the ice, is his brutal honesty. Not only did he admit to PuckLife that despite being drafted by his home town Ducks, he's been a life-long Los Angeles Kings fan; but in his interview, he also dispelled a rumor that his friend and fellow NHL prospect, Matthew Nieto (also born in Long Beach and a visible minority himself), once lived across the street from rapper Snoop Doggy Dog.

“One of my best friends, Matt Nieto, he's from Long Beach, he's Mexican and he's coming up the ranks,” says Etem. “He's eligible for next year's draft and we were able to push each other every practice.”

A friendly rivalry between a couple of talented players from California is exactly what hockey needs to gain interest in a market that pays more attention to basketball, football, baseball, and even volleyball than hockey.

Before the 2010 NHL entry draft, Etem was ranked eighth by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, but he was only drafted 29^th overall. Etem chooses to look at the unexpected fall in the draft order as a blessing.

“I'm glad I dropped that low to [be drafted by] such a great organization like the Ducks,” he said.

Playing in his home town, a place void of natural occurrences of ice, is an ideal location for him to make a lasting impression on the younger generation. Canadian and European hockey fans have more role models than California has beaches. In a year or two, California will have their own home grown hero to look up to.