Dustin up Some WHL Action
McKeens: You were the tenth pick in the Bantam Draft in 2001. Did this provide you with any pressure to perform, considering some of the players that were drafted behind you?
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Dustin Boyd: A little. The team wanted me and I want to show them they made a good pick. I want to validate my selection. There are always guys who are drafted lower but (establish themselves) with great seasons and I do want to show them that I was the better pick.
McKeens: You led the Manitoba Triple A league in scoring in 2001-2002. Unfortunately you haven’t been able to transfer those numbers to the WHL so far. Why would you say this is?
Dustin Boyd: Well, I think coming in as a sixteen year old we had a lot of veteran players and it was hard to get ice time. As I play better I get more responsibilities and opportunities. Success and ice time go hand in hand.
McKeens: What did leading the triple A league in scoring mean to you?
Dustin Boyd: It was good to accomplish. There were a few guys that had been picked higher then me there and to win the scoring race meant a lot.
McKeens: You were not invited to the Top Prospects Game this year. Some felt this was an oversight and that you should have been selected to go. How did you feel about not being invited and what does this snub say to you?
Dustin Boyd: I’d liked to have gone, but all the players there were great players for sure. I don’t really take it as a snub, I just have to go out and try and impress the scouts every chance I get.
McKeens: Do you feel you have anything to prove after not being invited?
Dustin Boyd: I’d like to do better. I think I’m a better player then some of the players who went, so maybe I can go out and have a good finish to the season and prove to scouts that I’m a good pick.
McKeens: You were invited to the U-18 camp in the summer, but failed to make the team. What did you gain from going to the camp, and what do you have to learn from not making the team?
Dustin Boyd: I learned lots. It was a great experience and it was a thrill to be selected for the camp. The coaches were great there and they showed me what it would take for me to be successful in the future.
McKeens: You were ranked 17th amongst WHLers in CSB’s preliminary rankings and are now ranked 75th amongst North American skaters in the mid-term rankings. Do you feel this ranking is justified and what do you feel you can do to improve upon it?
Dustin Boyd: Maybe I can move up. I feel I’m better then a lot of the player listed ahead of me on that list. If I work hard and improve my game and score a few goals, maybe my ranking will improve.
McKeens: In a recent game, Dustin Slade of the Regina Pats drew a one game suspension for striking you with his blocker after you entered his crease (Feb. 2nd). What did you think of the incident and what do you plan on saying to him if you meet up again this season?
Dustin Boyd: It wasn’t that bad. I was just trying to get him off his game and I gave him an extra whack. Nothing serious. He was having a good game against us and I wanted to get him off his game is all. If we play him again this year I’ll likely mention it to him and see if I can get him off his game again.
McKeens: You have been a streaky scorer throughout your WHL career. What do you contribute this to?
Dustin Boyd: Sometimes you just get on a hot streak and things seem to go your way. When you’re not scoring, sometimes it’s hard to keep your confidence up and you can lose confidence in your abilities. I just need to work on my consistency more.
McKeens: What are your strengths as a player?
Dustin Boyd: My playmaking. I think I’m a good playmaking forward. I can set up a play for a scoring chance. I also am good on faceoffs.
McKeens: What do you feel you need to work on to improve your game?
Dustin Boyd: All things. Skating, strength. I also could improve my positional play, especially in the defensive zone.
McKeens: What kind of player do you see yourself becoming in order to play at the NHL level?
Dustin Boyd: A playmaker. The NHL has a lot of playmaking forwards and I think I could do the same.
McKeens: Why should an NHL team draft you?
Dustin Boyd: I think I’m a player with a lot of skill and potential and I work hard every game out. The NHL is where I’d liked to be someday.