The Vancouver Sun
September 6, 2002
By Elliott Pap

The show begins today for the Vancouver Canucks and their fuzzy- cheeked hopefuls.

In the first official function of 2002-03, the Canucks open a 44- man "prospects camp" at Burnaby 8-Rinks that will feature every soul in the organization with the exception of established NHL players.

Anyone who played less than 50 NHL games last season is included in this camp, which is why Harold Druken (27 games) will be there.

Newly signed Steve Kariya will also be among the crowd as will fringe forward Mike Brown, hot-shot prospects Bryan Allen and Alex Auld and veteran minor-leaguers Zenith Komarniski, Nolan Baumgartner and Jaroslav Obsut.

The most intriguing battle will come on the blueline where two spots have opened up with the free-agent departures of Scott Lachance and Jason Strudwick. Allen, the Canucks' first pick in the 1998 entry draft, is almost assured one spot -- only injury can seemingly deny him -- while the other could go to relative unknown Obsut, who certainly isn't obtuse.

A 26-year-old Slovakian, Obsut moved to North America eight years ago to embark on a vagabond career that has seen him play in 14 different cities. You can count them up: North Battleford, Swift Current, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Toledo, Raleigh, Syracuse, Augusta, Winnipeg, Worcester, St. Louis, Peoria, Hershey and Denver.

He's been in the Saskatchewan Junior League, the Western League, the East Coast League, the American League, the International and, ever so briefly, the National League. His NHL resume includes just seven games -- four with the Blues in 2000-01 and three with Colorado last season.

He also played four games for Slovakia in the Salt Lake Olympics.

"I'm happy I came to North America when I did," Obsut said Thursday in almost impeccable English. "I didn't know one word when I came but it didn't take long to learn. After about a month, I could understand what people were saying. It's been a good learning experience."

Obsut was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets 188th over-all in 1995. He drifted to the Blues and Avalanche organizations and then qualified for unrestricted free agency on July 1 because he was 25 with less than 80 NHL games under his belt. The offers poured in quickly.

"I had three offers right away and then, the next three or four days, another three offers came in," he explained. "I talked to my agent, Matt Keator, about maybe trying a Canadian team and we ended up signing here."

Obsut agreed to a two-year, two-way deal that will see him make $425,000 US and then $450,000 US but only $75,000 in the minors. He is hoping that minor-league salary won't ever kick in.

"I'm here to do my best and we'll see what happens," said Obsut, who is 6'1" and 215 pounds. "If I have to go down, I will try to work my way back up. I usually play a more offensive style but the last few years, I've tried to be steady and consistent. I want to show them at this camp what kind of player I am."

Vancouver's blueline vacancy was the primary reason Obsut signed here, Keator acknowledged.

"The main factor was with Lachance leaving, there seemed to be an opportunity in Vancouver for a puck-moving defenceman who could play a steady, physical style," Keator remarked. "Vancouver was very aggressive in pursuing him and they really seemed to understand him as a player and where he could fit in. So it made a lot of sense."

Allen, meanwhile, will be under a different type of microscope. He has been the rookie most likely to make the team for four years now. With both Lachance and Strudwick gone, his chance to stick has never been better.

"I don't think I'm disappointed or frustrated with anything," said Allen, whose development was retarded by a series of calamitous injuries in his final two junior seasons. "You deal with the cards you're given and you go from there."

Allen started with the big club a year ago but played just seven unremarkable games before getting his minor-league ticket to Manitoba. He came back for another four games in a February call-up. Allen attempted to stickhandle around questions Thursday that a spot is his to lose.

"You definitely have to avoid thinking like that," said Allen, 22. "Every year you have to come in with the frame of mind you have to make the team. Hopefully I'm a little bit stronger, a little bit quicker and a little bit wiser.

"I think last year was a good one for myself. The minors are not where you want to be but you always try to put a positive spin on things. Zenith Komarniski and I played against the top line every game so that was a new challenge for me. I think it was a big leap because there are some good players in the AHL."

ICE CHIPS: The Canucks plan to give veteran defenceman Zarley Zalapski an NHL tryout. Zalapski, 34, will attend the main camp that begins Sept. 13 in Kamloops. ... The prospect camp will conclude with a game against the UBC Thunderbirds next Wednesday, 7 p.m., at UBC's Winter Sports Centre.



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