Luke Schenn remembers what it was like being a stranger in a strange land – at age 18
PEOPLE MIGHT REFER to Toronto as the center of the hockey world, but it can still be a pretty unfamiliar place to an 18 – year – old from Saskatchewan.
I attended my first Leafs camp just a few months after the team drafted me fifth overall in 2008. Its hard to explain all the emotions that run through your body and the thoughts that race through your mind when, all of a sudden, youre going into the corner with guys youve grown up watching on TV.

When it comes to young prospects at their first camp, 1 think the easiest thing to overlook from an outside perspective is the fact youre often a million miles from home with a bunch of guys who, even though youve obviously heard of them, you dont really know any of them. The faces might be familiar, but they still belong to strangers.When I think back to my first camp, more than anything I was just trying to keep to myself and go out and show what I can do on the ice. I really had no idea what to expect. All I really knew was, the talk seemed to be that if I was going to make the Leafs as an 18 – year – old defenseman, I would have to be good enough to crack the top four, otherwise there would be no point in keeping me with the big club and Id return to junior.

I think I was about the 10th guy on the blueline depth chart coming in, so I also knew I had my work cut out for me.
Another lesson you learn quickly is to figure out whose voice you need to listen to and whose opinions you can live without. When you come to a place like Toronto where the fan base is so passionate and the media follows the teams every move, you have to adjust to the fact that not everybody is going to be in your corner all the time. What you have to focus on is gaining the trust of your coaches and teammates; everything else is secondary.
Some days its hard to believe Ive already

been in the league for two years and am fin – ishing up my third camp. By the same token, its amazing how much more comfortable I feel now compared to when I first landed. And even though Im still only 20,1 already find myself in a position to give advice to some of our younger guys. I think Nazem Kadri and I, having both been lop – 10 picks, can relate to each other. Expectations are so high and theres so much talk about what you might be able to bring the team that its easy to get distracted. I talked to him a bit about my experience and the approach I took to get through it all. Its easy to doubt yourself after a bad game or if a coach got after you in practice, but you just have to put faith in the fact that theres a reason youre there, so believe in your abilities, work hard and play your game. Obviously theres been some ups and downs since I landed in Toronto and, during the tough times, its especially important to stay on track and just keep pushing.

Its a much different experience coming to camp when you know what to expect and arent overwhelmed by being a new face in a strange place. Im just so much more familiar with my surroundings now; everything from knowing what the coaches want from me to knowing our equipment guys to finding my way around the city.

As for down time in the dressing room, Im a lot more likely to crack a joke now or fire a jab at a teammate than I was as a rookie. We have such a young team now and I think more than anything we just enjoy coming to the rink and working toward our common goal of making the Leafs a playoff team.

I managed to push my way onto an NHL team as an 18 – year – old rookie, basically giving everything I had each time I hit the ice. For all the things that have changed during my time in Toronto, thats still the approach I take every time I suit up.

Snapshots
FROM AROUND THE NHL
NOTHING BETTER than learning a new chuckle – worthy term you can immediately set about using in everyday life. A recent chat with new Leaf Colby Armstrong that centered around post – game grooming produced a gem when we asked the baby – faced winger how much he actually has to shave: “Once a week or so, just to keep the throatee down a bit.” Classic.
THE HOPE in Vancouver is now that Roberto Luongo has given up the captains “C hell stop giving up groan – worthy goals – especially come playoff time. For all the verbal shols Luongo has faced recently over two less – than – stellar Round 2 showings against the Hawks, its easy to forget he was spectacular in his first post – season with Vancouver, registering a 1.77 GAA and.941 SP in 12 games back in 2007. A return to that pre – captain form would solidify the Canucks standing as Cup contenders.

DEFINITELY INTRIGUED by the four – part HBO series set for December that will offer a behind – the – scenes glimpse at both the Penguins and Capitals in advance of the Winter Classic. The suits promise it will be an unfiltered look, so the next Sid – Ovie competition could be a curse count.