QA with Eamonn McDermott

At the halfway point of the 2009-10 USHL season, it looked like Eamonn McDermott was going to be one of the league's top defensemen. The Fargo Force blueliner had finished amongst the leaders in defenseman scoring at the 2009 World Junior A Challenge with 4 points (one goal and three assists) in 5 games and his 24 points (2 goals and 22 assists) in his first 31 games of the regular season placed him among the USHL's league leaders in defenseman scoring, and which earned him selection to skate in the 2010 USHL All-Star Game. Unfortunately, a broken arm suffered in practice in mid-January derailed McDermott's season and kept him out of the lineup for six weeks and also forced him to miss the All-Star Game. Upon his return, he tallied an underwhelming 3 assists in 13 games to close out the regular season, but McDermott has more than proven himself the past two years. His smooth skating, all-compass mobility, offensive vision, two-way hockey sense, and puck-moving abilities have earned him selection by Team USA three times (the Under-17 Select Team in 2007, the Under-18 Select Team in 2008, and the WJAC in 2009) and have kept him in the discussion for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, despite being a smaller defenseman (5-foot-10, 176 pounds) in the USHL.

NHL teams have shied away from such smaller USHL defenseman as Torey Krug, Taylor Johnson, Nick Bailen, Chris Wideman, and Kevin Wehrs in their draft years, but their subsequent success and McDermott's current resume may help him blaze a trail in 2010.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey was able to interview McDermott prior to the end of the 2009-10 regular season. McDermott discussed his broken arm, his two seasons in the USHL, his international experience with Team USA, his commitment to Colorado College, his prospects for the 2010 Draft, his minor hockey, and a trio of former New Jersey Devils that he looks up to.

McKeen's: A little ways back, you missed a little bit of action because of a broken arm. How are things feeling coming back?

McDermott: I feel pretty good. I was able to skate for four of the six weeks I was out. So, conditioning-wise, it feels pretty good.

McKeen's: What happened and how's the arm coming along?

McDermott: I did it in practice, just kind of a fluke deal in a little contact drill. But, it's coming along pretty well. They said eight weeks, but I came back after six. So, that's a good thing.

McKeen's: No, can't complain too much with that. Things were going pretty good for you before the broken arm. You were named to play in the All-Star Game, which you unfortunately were not able to play in, but, on the positive front, how did you learn you'd been named to that, who told you, and what was your reaction?

McDermott: My coach told us one day. It was a great feeling. We had worked hard and I was very fortunate to be a part of that.

McKeen's: It's your second season in the USHL, and last year you guys got stronger and stronger and nearly won the Clark Cup. How are things different for you this year in your second year, as a veteran?

McDermott: You feel a little more relaxed, I guess you could say, out there. You know what to expect. It's a long season, you've got to watch what you do. Everything counts. It's a marathon, but we're coming up on a sprint right now. So, we've got to get it together.

McKeen's: What were the biggest adjustments you faced as a rookie last year coming to the USHL from the Cleveland Barons midget program?

McDermott: It was just a lot faster and the guys are a lot stronger and everyone's pretty good. Back in midgets, there's about one or two good lines. In the USHL, everyone can play.

McKeen's: In the course of your nearly two seasons here, what areas of your game do you feel have improved the most and how?

McDermott: I think my speed's improved a lot. I've gotten a little stronger, but I think I need to get a lot more stronger at the next level. Other than that, I think I'm doing okay.

McKeen's: Other than strength, any areas of your game that you feel you need to really improve on to take your game to the next level?

McDermott: I need to get a little faster, I think. I think that's one of the big areas I can improve on.

McKeen's: You're still pretty mobile, though. On the flipside, we've talked about improvements, but what would you say are the strengths of your game and, for people who haven't seen you play, the style that you play?

McDermott: I think I move the puck pretty well. I control the game, I think. I find the open guy, pretty patient with the puck, I'd like to think.

McKeen's: You were tapped to play for Team USA for the Select-17 Team a ways back, back in 2007. How did you learn you'd been named to that and what was it like to play for Team USA that first time?

McDermott: I got a call after the select camp about a couple days after. It was a great feeling. I thought I played pretty well, but I didn't know I played that well. It was a great opportunity to represent your country.

McKeen's: How did you feel that first international experience went for you?

McDermott: I thought I did pretty well. It was a lot of fun. Great coaching staff, great players, it was a great time.

McKeen's: Fast forward a year later, they selected you for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament for the Select-18 Team. So, how were things different the second year around with a little international experience under your belt?

McDermott: It was a great experience again, but we didn't do that well as a team. We would liked to have done better, but it was still a lot of fun.

McKeen's: What was it like off the ice for you?

McDermott: It was pretty different. That was my first time being to Europe, so there's the whole culture side of it. It was pretty different, but it was a good experience.

McKeen's: Once again, Team USA called upon you this season, this time for the Junior A Challenge up in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, not quite as different. You did pretty well, as you were among the scoring leaders among defensemen up there. So, how did the hockey up at the Challenge compare to what you play every night in the USHL?

McDermott: It was a pretty comparable. There was a lot of skill out there. The European countries are very skilled with the puck and very fast. So, pretty similar. It wasn't as physical as it is here, but it was a great experience.

McKeen's: What would you say were the keys to your personal success, in terms of numbers up at the Challenge?

McDermott: I played with great players. That was one of the keys, playing with such good players. They really help make it easy for you.

McKeen's: Matt Leitner and Shane Berschbach probably helped a little bit up there.

McDermott: (Smiles) Yeah, they did.

McKeen's: You're committed to Colorado College. With the college thing, when did colleges first start recruiting you?

McDermott: It was basically after Select-15's, about three summers ago, the summer after my freshman year of high school. So, about three years ago.

McKeen's: If I might ask, toward the end, what were the other colleges that you were considering and what made you pick CC?

McDermott: There was an ECAC school, a CCHA school, and a couple WCHA teams, but I just felt like CC was a great place both on and off the ice, both academically and hockey, and I know the coaching staff.

McKeen's: They do have a track record of success. Going back to the beginning of your hockey career, when did you first start playing and how did you get that start?

McDermott: My mom was a speed skater, actually, so she'd bring me and my brother up to the rink when we were younger. So, she kind of got us into it.

McKeen's: Two of you speed skaters on Fargo, you and…

McDermott: Garrett Allen.

McKeen's: Yeah. I know a bit about his family's history in speed skating, but tell me about your mom's speed skating.

McDermott: She was okay. I mean, she was pretty good. Not as good as Bonnie Blair (Allen's aunt), but I think she actually competed against her a couple times growing up.

McKeen's: Very nice. So that's where you guys both get your skating strides from. I know you played for the Cleveland Barons organization for a few years, but I don't know your entire youth career. So, what were the different organizations that you skated for at the different age groups?

McDermott: I played for the Cleveland Barons for eight years growing up. Prior to there, I played house league in my city I grew up in, Shaker Heights. But, I played for the Cleveland Barons growing up. They had a lot of great coaches come through there.

McKeen's: What was the Shaker Heights organization's name?

McDermott: I played for the Shaker Raiders one year and I played for the Cleveland Skating Club one year.

McKeen's: This is your draft year, and despite being a smaller defenseman in the USHL, Central Scouting still has you on the list, so that says something. So, have NHL teams expressed interest, to your knowledge, and do you find yourself wishing you were a little bigger?

McDermott: I haven't had too much (pauses), I guess you'd say a relationship with NHL teams. I mean, it'd be nice to be 6-3, but (pauses)… I don't know. It would be nice, but I like my size. I can get away with a lot of stuff. So, it's a good thing.

McKeen's: I asked that question of Rocco Grimaldi and he said, basically, "I'm not going to lie to you. I've wished in the past I was bigger, but it kind of comes in handy being small." If were a regional scout advising my director of amateur scouting, or the director of amateur scouting advising my GM on draft day, what are some reasons I should consider drafting Eamonn McDermott in the 2010 Draft?

McDermott: Well, I move the puck pretty well. I play pretty good defense. I think I'm pretty solid. I'm pretty good on the powerplay, I'd like to think. I think I see the ice well and make smart decisions most of the time.

McKeen's: It's not uncommon for a player of your caliber to have, in your case, a family advisor. So, do you have representation and, if I may ask, whom?

McDermott: No, I do not.

McKeen's: I assume you've been approached, though?

McDermott: Yeah, they have. I just haven't really figured it out yet. We'll wait and see how it goes.

McKeen's: To go on a tangent, we've discussed how you're a smaller defenseman, but your team has one defenseman who's towering - Oleg Yevenko. Tell me about him and your impressions of him.

McDermott: He's probably our most improved player by far this year. He's really worked hard after every practice for 20 minutes just working on his skating, which is great for him. He really works hard. He's playing pretty well now.

McKeen's: How are things off the ice for him? Does he have a decent command of English?

McDermott: He's speaks really good English, actually. So, that's a good thing. He's a great kid, really nice.

McKeen's: Hmmm, I might have to try to talk to him during the playoffs, if I get the chance. Lastly, for a softball to end things, who were some of your players earlier in your youth and who are some players today who you feel you're similar to or that you'd like to equate to?

McDermott: Growing up, I really liked the New Jersey Devils. They had great defense and guys like Scott Niedermayer, [Brian] Rafalski, and Scott Stevens. I really liked those three, but I think I play most like Brian Rafalski. He's a small guy, small defenseman, puck-moving, but a pretty good player.