Being Number One No Easy Chip Shot

Kyle Chipchura of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders has surprised a few within the hockey community by being ranked as the number one North American prospect by Central Scouting in their mid-term rankings. With players of more acclaim, such as Cam Barker, seeded lower in the rankings, many eyes are suddenly trained on Chipchura.

Considered to be a surefire first round pick in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft, Chipchura - ranked 17th overall on McKeen’s January draft rankings - sat down to speak with McKeen’s correspondent Trent Allen recently following a road trip with the Raiders.

McKeens: You were number one on the CSB’s preliminary list for WHLers and you followed that up by being the top- ranked North American skater in the mid-term rankings. How much stock do you place in those rankings and do they put any pressure on you at all to have a strong finish to the season in order to validate those lofty rankings?

Kyle Chipchura: I try not to look at rankings. I just try to go out and play my game. Can’t get too caught up in the rankings. I don’t feel any pressure to perform really. I just want to go out and play as best as I can.

McKeens: Are you surprised at all by your ranking, considering some of the names you are listed ahead of?

Kyle Chipchura: Yeah, for sure. I had no idea where I stood compared to other players. It’s an honor to be that high, but I was surprised for sure.

McKeens: You missed out on the Top Prospects Game due to an injury. Did this bother you considering it was a great opportunity to showcase your talent to NHL scouts and GM’s?

Kyle Chipchura: Yeah, for sure. It was something I’d been looking forward to for a few years now and it was something I wanted to be a part of. Being selected to go was a thrill, but unfortunately it didn’t work out for me because of an injury.

McKeens: You had a good year in the AMBHL in 2000-2001. You finished fourth in league scoring and were named the All-Star Game MVP. What contributed to your standout season?

Kyle Chipchura: It’s a tough league. I learned a lot in my rookie year the year before as a thirteen year old and I carried that into the next season. There are a lot of great players in that league and it drives you to be your best.

McKeens: How did this season lead to you being the first overall selection in the 2001 Bantam Draft after the season was completed?

Kyle Chipchura: I put up solid numbers for a young guy in the league and I feel I had a good year all around. I just worked hard on the ice and I guess teams seen things in me they liked.

McKeens: Did anyone talked to you prior to the draft?

Kyle Chipchura: Yeah, most teams talked to me, including the Raiders. The Raiders told me about a week before the draft that they were going to selected me first overall, so I kinda knew what was going to happen and it wasn’t really a surprise (going first overall).

McKeens: What did being picked first mean to you and what pressure did it put on you to not only succeed for the Raiders but also to validate that you were in fact the best player available in the draft?

Kyle Chipchura: Getting selected first overall, you expect yourself to perform well. But you can only do your best and you can’t let other things weigh you down. The Raiders were great. They didn’t put any pressure on me to do anything other then play to the best of my abilities and I just want to go out and restore there faith in picking me as high as they did.

McKeens: Do you feel any pressure to outperform the players drafted after you that year and show why the Raiders picked you first overall?

Kyle Chipchura: Not really. I mean you can only control how you play the game. I want to show the Raiders that I was a good pick, but I can’t worry about what the other guys are doing where they are, I can only worry about how I’m doing.

McKeens: In 2001-2002, you played in the AMHL. You enjoyed a strong playoff, finishing with almost a goal a game pace and over two points a game. This was good for second in playoff scoring. What did this successful playoff run do for you to help prepare you for the WHL?

Kyle Chipchura: Yeah, it helped a lot. The games were far more intense. You really had to step your game up. You have more games in fewer days and it shows you what you have to do to be successful on a nightly basis. You have to show up ready to play every game since each game is so critical. It was nice to have the success we had.

McKeens: Looking back, you’ve had the opportunity to play with and against a number of big name prospects. Sidney Crosby, Shawn Belle, Mark Fistric and Dion Phaneuf come to mind. What does it mean to you to have played with elite level players like this for the past number of years and what has this level of competition done for you and your game?

Kyle Chipchura: Yeah, guys like Phaneuf you heard about growing up and I looked up to him. He was a player I liked a lot. Playing in those games, they were pretty full out kinda games and they made you learn to play at a higher speed. Being around players like that is great and you learn so much. Sidney Crosby just has unbelievable skill and it’s great to watch and be around players like that. They help you bring out the best in your game too.

McKeens: Have you learned anything from being in the locker room with these elite players?

Kyle Chipchura: For sure. You learn what it takes to prepare for games. You get to see their game day preparations, see the routines they go through throughout the year and you get to see what makes them elite players.

McKeens: You have played in a number of tournaments in your career so far. The Stampede Challenge, the Pioneer Cup, and the Canadian Triple A Hockey Challenge. What do these tournaments mean to you now and what did they mean to you going into them?

Kyle Chipchura: When I think back on them now I remember what fun I had and how great those tournaments were. There were some good players there, some that have gone on to do well even in the WHL. At the time I was going into them though, you try to have fun, but you’re also trying to make a name for yourself and you want to go in and compete hard. I also looked at those tournaments as a chance for me to compare myself to other players.

McKeens: What did playing in a tournament format teach you, where each game can be so critical?

Kyle Chipchura: Preparation is so key. You have to be ready to go ever game. Coming together as a team is important in any tournament and it teaches you that you need to play as a team to win.

McKeens: More recently, you’ve played in some higher caliber tournaments. One was the Canada Winter Games in 2003, where you claimed gold. What was it like to play in such a highly demanding tournament?

Kyle Chipchura: That was unbelievable to play in that tournament. Really, it was like a two year process getting selected and it was an honor to play. It was great just playing against all those different teams and the tournament was so high paced and exciting. To win it all was just a bonus in the end.

McKeens: What does having success in these tournaments mean to you and what does it teach you that you don’t get in league games?

Kyle Chipchura: It teaches you to go for it every game and treat each game like it was a game seven situation, since each win is so crucial. It also shows you how much farther team success can get you then individual success can. These tournaments are just a totally different style and pace of play and you need to adapt to it.

McKeens: You also played for Canada at the U-18 tournament this past summer. What was it like to step up to the International level and what did you think of playing against countries with different styles of play?

Kyle Chipchura: Yeah, that was awesome. Playing in that tournament was a dream and it was just amazing to pull on your countries jersey and represent them at the world stage. For other teams, it just showed that there are different styles of play and that many countries have great players and no one is easy to beat. You have to work hard every game and every shift to win at that level.

McKeens: Canada finished fourth in that tournament, the first time they didn’t win gold. How did the team take that loss and what did it mean to you personally?

Kyle Chipchura: Yeah, that was a hard loss. That was the hardest loss of my career. Hardest for everyone I think. It really hit us hard. We should have won I think. We had an opportunity to win in the game against the US (semi-final game) but we just didn’t put them away. We should have won and it was just a really tough loss. It’s hard to deal with sometimes because you know you could have won and you know that you’ll never get the opportunity to win that tournament ever again. And I may never get the chance to represent my country again, so it was really tough to take.

McKeens: What kind of player would you describe yourself as and what do you think are your strengths?

Kyle Chipchura: I’d say I’m a two-way player who can play in all situations. I want to be the guy that can get that goal when we are down one late or protect a one goal lead. I think of myself as a set up guy who can play physical and can do anything I’m asked too do.

McKeens: What are areas of your game you feel you need to work on?

Kyle Chipchura: My shot release. It needs to get quicker. At the NHL level everyone talks about consistency and that is something I’m working on. I think it’s improved from last year, but sometimes when we’re in the third game in three nights it’s hard to be on your game every shift and that’s something I need to work on. I need to work on making the smart plays all the time and not trying to force a play. Also, I obviously need to work on my skating. Skating can always be improved and it’s important to getting to the next level. I’ve worked a lot on my skating over the summer, but it still needs improvement. I’m not as quick as I’d like be starting out, so I could improve there.

McKeens: You have been known to fight in the past. Do you have the green light to drop the gloves and do you feel this is important to your game to have the option to fight when needed?

Kyle Chipchura: I’ve been told to tone it down. But yeah, fighting shows your teammates that you will stick up for them and that’s key. Having teammates stick up for one another is important. I don’t feel I have to fight and it really isn’t important most of the time, but if I have to fight I will.

McKeens: Why should an NHL team draft you?

Kyle Chipchura: Well, it’s my dream to play in the NHL. I’ve worked hard to get there and I’d really like to make the NHL someday. I feel the team that picks me would be getting a two-way player.

McKeens: Is going in the first round important to you?

Kyle Chipchura: Umm… no. It definitely would be great, but just getting picked is good. Going in the first round is more glamorous for sure, but it’s not totally important. Just getting picked is the thing.

McKeens: What does it mean to you to have a former NHLer like Dave Manson on the coaching staff? What does he help you with and what can he do to prepare you for your draft year and all the scouts’ attention, considering he is a former first round pick himself?

Kyle Chipchura: He’s been great. He’s had a long pro career and I’ve learned a lot from him for sure. He just keeps telling us to go and play and he’s showing us that team success translates into individual success. As far as the draft, he just tells me not to focus on the draft, focus on the team instead. If you focus on the draft, things tend to fall apart and it hurts you, because you are thinking about yourself and not the team.

McKeens: Describe the play of teammate Aki Seitsonen.

Kyle Chipchura: Oh, Aki’s a great player. He has a great shot and he can pick out corners with it. He was a good pick up for us in the Import Draft and I’ve played with him lots this year. He’s a great skater and he’s really a key to this team and our success this year. He makes people that play with him better, that’s just the kind of player he is.

McKeens: Finally, in July, 2001, you were named as part of the delegation for Canada to attend the IIHF Development Camp in the Czech Republic. How did you get named and what did you learn from this experience?

Kyle Chipchura: How I got selected was each branch of hockey selected one player and Hockey Alberta selected me. It was one of my greatest experiences in hockey. It really shows you that hockey is a global sport and teaches you that you should really respect all players. Players just play hard, regardless of where they are from, and it was a neat experience seeing players from all areas of the world. They showed us the importance of playing to have fun instead of playing to be the best all the time.