QA with Nick Czinder

Of all the players in the USHL in 2009-10, there is probably no USHLer on a steeper development curve than Youngstown Phantoms forward Nick Czinder. Czinder did not play Triple-A travel hockey in his youth, and he wasn't even named an All-State Honorable Mention by the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association at the end of the 2008-09 season. In fact, Czinder was named his own team's most improved offensive player (the team also gave such an award for a defensive player), not something you'd expect of a player heading into the USHL. Despite a resume (prior to this season) that looked more like that of a player trying out for a Tier III junior A team in the Central States Hockey League, Czinder still grabbed the attention of USHL scouts while playing Michigan high school hockey and now NHL scouts while playing in the USHL. Czinder's 6-foot-5, 182-pound frame certainly sticks out first and foremost, but he also has the hands and the awareness around the net to make him a raw project player of potential interest for NHL teams at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey was able to talk with Nick Czinder in late January. Czinder discussed his selection to the USHL All-Star Game, the injury that forced him to miss it, his development in the USHL, his youth hockey in Michigan, his college hockey prospects, the 2010 Draft, and NHL power forwards of yesteryear and today that he looks up to.

McKeen's: Before I begin, what is the proper pronunciation of your last name?

Czinder: ZIN-der.

McKeen's: So more of a "z" sound, which isn't surprising with the "cz."

Czinder: Right, right.

McKeen's: I was hoping to start on a more positive note, but last night I learned of the shoulder injury and it looks like you're probably going to miss the All-Star Game. Is that the case?

Czinder: Yeah, probably. I'm not really going to force myself to play in that if I'm not 100 percent. There's no real reason to possibly injure it more in a game that I don't really have to play in. Like, it's an honor to be nominated to play in that, but I just don't want get hurt any more than I am.

[Note: Czinder indeed had to forego the USHL All-Star Game and was replaced by teammate Tom Serratore.]

McKeen's: Things with Youngstown kind of come first. If you can, tell me about what happened with the shoulder.

Czinder: I've had a little bit of problems with it before. It was actually the last shift in our last game the past weekend against Team USA. I went to hit a kid and he just hit me at sort of a weird angle and knocked the wind out of me. I didn't really realize that it was my shoulder at first, but 10 minutes later it started to hurt. I went to the doctor and he said there might be a slight tear in my traps. So, hopefully I won't be out for that long.

McKeen's: On a more positive note with the All-Star Game, when you first found out it was probably an exciting thing. When did you find out you'd been named to it, who told you, and what was your reaction?

Czinder: I actually found out from a teammate who texted me, a couple weeks ago. I didn't really know if he was just messing with me or what was going on. Then, I got a text from my mom later, then I checked on the internet and saw that I was on there. I was obviously really excited. It was a great honor to be nominated for a game like that. It's just unfortunate that I'm probably not going to be able to take part in that.

McKeen's: It's your rookie season in the USHL, but do I assume correctly you're probably going to play at least one more?

Czinder: Yeah, probably one more year and then off to college. I'm not really in any hurry to make any decisions right now. So, that's alright with me.

McKeen's: After playing Michigan high school hockey with Orchard Lake St. Mary's, it's a bit of a jump from Michigan high school to the USHL. So, what have been the biggest adjustments for you?

Czinder: Just the amount of games, and we don't have that much free time, and the constant playing all the time, and definitely the game speed is a lot better here. I was a little slow to get adjusted to it at first, but now I think I've got it down. I'm really comfortable with the game now.

McKeen's: I guess in the way I phrased my question (pauses), I didn't mean to put Michigan high school hockey down. Because, especially these days, there are a few guys every year that are making that jump, but a lot of them are First-Team All-Stars, or on the Dream Team, but reading through things, you weren't on there on any of those. So, tell me how it was that you came to play for Youngstown without that kind of resume?

Czinder: It was about (pauses), I'd say toward the end of the year, they gave me a call. I went to like, a prospect tournament in Chicago and I talked to our general manager, Jason Koehler, a little bit, and talked about bringing me in. Then, a couple months later, we were still talking and he decided that he wanted to have me tender with the team, and it seemed like a great opportunity, so I came down and I did it.

McKeen's: You're obviously a player on a steep learning curve. I was looking through your team's website from last year, and you were named Orchard Lake St. Mary's most improved offensive player for 2008-09. Going back to that, what helped you garner "most improved" with OLSM last year?

Czinder: Probably my high school coach, Brian Klanow. He really helped me along the way, just made sure I was always motivated and going in the right direction. He helped me out a lot in my time with St. Mary's.

McKeen's: Going from your response, was it mostly work ethic, or skill stuff, or both?

Czinder: Both.

McKeen's: In terms of improvement, in what areas do you feel you've improved the most so far this year and what are the areas that you still feel you need to improve on to help take your game to the next level?

Czinder: Probably my strength and my awareness. You know? I'm not as fast as some of the guys out here, so I have to be able to use my size and my awareness to help me out. The thing I would like work on is my quickness.

McKeen's: What has your role been with the Phantoms this year and has it changed at all during the course of the season?

Czinder: Not really. Just try to come in here and work to my best every day as a power forward, just give 100 percent. Nothing's really changed, just making sure I keep coming and keep working hard every day.

McKeen's: We've talked a lot about improvements so far, but for those who haven't seen you play, what would you say are the strengths of your game, and you've touched on the second part, and the style of game that you play?

Czinder: I like to play a physical game, keep defenders away from me by using my size and my reach, definitely. Using my body and my size to my advantage, shield the puck away from them. So, the physical part of the game.

McKeen's: I've seen them use you as the big man in front on the powerplay sometimes. I've seen that work pretty well for you as well.

Czinder: Yeah, definitely, getting in front and make it so that the goalie can't see anything.

McKeen's: In addition to the regular Michigan high school hockey, you also played in the Michigan Developmental Hockey League, if I read that right. Hopefully they're not lying on the website taking credit for things. How many seasons did you play in that? Also, explain what the MDHL is for fans that aren't aware of it.

Czinder: The MDHL is basically just a developmental league, because in high school hockey you don't play as many games. So, it's just an extra amount of games against the elite players of Michigan high school hockey, just to develop you better and give scouts a chance to see you. I actually didn't (pauses), I only played about five games and then I hurt my shoulder, and I didn't play the rest of the year (the MDHL season). But, it's a good league. A lot of the good players from high school hockey play in there.

McKeen's: What team did you play those five games with?

Czinder: Uh, I think it was Green, MDHL Green, I think.

McKeen's: You only had the five games, but how does the caliber of play in the MDHL compare to the regular season of Michigan high school hockey?

Czinder: It's definitely a lot better skill level. Like I said, the speed of it's a lot better. High school hockey, some of the teams aren't as good. But, in the MDHL, all the players are usually really good. It's definitely a good league.

McKeen's: I'm assuming college programs are recruiting you nowadays in the USHL, but at what point did they start talking to you and what are you looking for in a college program?

Czinder: I started talking to college just a little bit when I was a sophomore, but nothing really major until after the end of my junior year in high school, after St. Mary's. I'm just looking for a team that's a good team and is good from an academic standpoint, to get a good degree. So, a good foundation on and off the ice.

McKeen's: With academics, you obviously have some time to choose, but are you leaning toward a particular area of study or maybe areas?

Czinder: Not really right now, I'm sort of undecided in what I want to study, but that will come.

McKeen's: Sure, you've got time on your side. If it came down to this, would you rather be a third-liner or less with a top program or would you rather be a top-six forward with what might be considered a lesser program, rightly or wrongly, and either way, why?

Czinder: That's a pretty difficult question. A program that would give me the best (pauses), the best and biggest program is not always the best for you. Usually, the program that would develop me the best. So, even if that was a small school, or a big school, I'd be happy with whatever line I'm on. But, probably just the program that would develop me the best.

McKeen's: If I might ask, what are some of the programs that are recruiting you right now?

Czinder: Talking a little bit to Michigan and Michigan State mostly, right now. Those are probably the two big ones that I'm focusing on right now.

McKeen's: I would also certainly hope that the different Michigan schools are in play for you. Michigan and Michigan State are both up there, but, boy, I tell you, if I was, say, Western Michigan or a team like that… Maybe they don't think they have a chance at you, I don't know, but a team like that, I'd try to be all over you.

Czinder: Right.

McKeen's: On another track, I think I might know the answer to this, would you consider playing major juniors as an alternative, if that became an option for you?

Czinder: Umm, I've thought about it a little bit, but I've just decided that college is probably the best, ultimately, because you never know what's going to happen. If you get hurt, or it might not work out, you can always fall back on your education. So, I think college hockey is the best option.

McKeen's: You can buy yourself another four years at least, depending how long you stay on the junior track. That way, even if you don't play hockey afterward, you get to play that much longer.

Czinder: Exactly.

McKeen's: Going back to the beginning of your hockey career, when did you first start playing and how did you get that start?

Czinder: I started skating (pauses), I got on the double runners when I was probably about three or four years old. We had a lake in my backyard, and my parents did it a little bit in the winter time, and I just tried it out and fell in love with it.

McKeen's: The ol' double runners. Maybe other guys I've talked to over the years have had double runners, too, but they've never mentioned it. At what point did you first start playing organized hockey?

Czinder: Probably six or seven years old is when I probably first got into organized hockey.

McKeen's: With organized hockey, for what organizations did you skate for at the different age groups?

Czinder: I started off in Colorado, because we used to live there. Then, we moved to Michigan and I played, I think, house for a couple years, then I moved on to playing travel hockey. I never actually played Triple-A. I just played local travel hockey, and then from there to high school hockey.

McKeen's: Where in Colorado did you start out?

Czinder: Aurora, Colorado, is where I started off, just in the "learn to play" league. In Michigan I played for a team called the Orchard Lake Pirates, just in the local travel league, and then got into high school after that.

McKeen's: You were in Central Scouting's top 25 for the USHL prospects in the preliminary rankings, and you showed up on the midterm rankings. It might be late (207th amongst North American skaters), but you're still there. So, it's fairly safe to say you're at least a possible pick. So, do you ever think about the draft and how you've gone from not being selected to All-State or Honorable Mention and now there's NHL

scouts considering you for the 2010 Draft?

Czinder: A little bit. I'm not really too concerned about that right now. That'll all play out. I try not to get too caught up in that and just let it take care of itself and focus on the regular season.

McKeen's: On a somewhat related note, a lot of players that show up on those lists as possible draft picks have representation, which on the college route is a family advisor. Do you have representation at this point?

Czinder: I'm talking to one right now, but nothing serious. I'm meeting with someone in a little bit, and if things work out, I'd love to have him as my advisor. But, if not (pauses), no one is classified as my advisor right now.

McKeen's: Lastly, who were some of your favorite players earlier in your youth and then maybe some players today who are favorites and, if this is any different, players you feel you're similar to or would like to equate to?

Czinder: Players earlier on, probably Eric Lindros. I liked the way he played the game, big power forward, likes to hit, likes to be physical. My favorite player now is probably Ovechkin (pauses at the self-apparent nature of that)…just because he's the best. He's fun to watch. But, I like to model my game, usually, on a big power forward, like the Staal brothers, they way they use their size and their ability to shield defenders off the puck, and someone like Malkin, too. They like to hit, they score goals, they can do it all.

McKeen's: I guess with Lindros, you were pretty young when Lindros was in his prime.

Czinder: Yeah.

McKeen's: Were you a big kid growing up, too?

Czinder: Yeah, I was always usually the biggest kid.

McKeen's: I didn't know if it just turned out that way, like you just happened to be an average-sized kid who just happened to like Eric Lindros and then low and behold, you end up 6-foot-5, 200-someodd.

Czinder: Yeah, I was always the biggest.