Caps' Corrinet hopes to play happy tune

By Josh Goldfine, Special to CNNSI.com

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Most of his friends are trading stocks and bonds or maybe practicing law. Some are probably pursuing advanced degrees.

But, unlike most of his fellow Princeton graduates, Corrinet is on a much different career path. In just his first season as a pro, the Massachusetts native has already played at hockey's highest level and is currently honing his game for the Portland Pirates in the American Hockey League, waiting for his next chance.

Corrinet certainly does not fit the mold of your typical NHL prospect.

As a senior at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, he pretty much had his pick of a college education. After all, what coach wouldn't want an outstanding student who could also put the puck in the net?

Corrinet made official visits to Dartmouth, Yale, Colgate and Princeton and chose, in the end, to become a Tiger.

Corrinet's numbers from his freshman campaign (3 goals, 6 assists in 31 games) won't jump off any stats sheet. But, the Washington Capitals saw enough promise in the 6-foot-3, 210-pound winger to make Corrinet their fourth-round selection in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

Throughout his collegiate career, Corrinet's production slowly improved. Those nine points in his freshman season turned into 16 as a sophomore, 24 as a junior and 25 as a senior.

"Chris came [to Princeton] as a really good athlete," said Tigers' coach Len Quesnelle, who recruited Corrinet as an assistant coach and whose first season as the team's head coach was Corrinet's last as a player. "He's got a big-sized body and skill level, and he used both during his four years. He was one of the better players we've had."

Corrinet, who is one of four Ivy League rookies now playing in the AHL, started the season as one of the hottest players in the league. He scored a goal on Opening Night and didn't let up for the first three weeks.

In all, Corrinet had seven goals in his first eight games and a trip to the NHL, where he chipped in with one assist in seven games for a Capitals team that was reeling with injuries. Though he was sent back to Portland after just three weeks, Corrinet valued the experience of playing in the NHL.

"Things went well when I was there, personally," said Corrinet. "They gave me positive feedback and were happy with what I was able to show them at that level. I understand completely (being sent back down). With first-year guys, they want them to play and develop."

Though he has been mired in a scoring drought over the past three weeks since his return from the nation's Capitol, Corrinet has proved to Portland coach Glen Hanlon that he can play the game at the professional level.

"His assets are his size and skating ability," said Hanlon. "There are not a lot of guys his size who can accelerate like he can. The speed is the big thing. You need the speed [in the NHL]. He has the size and speed to compete up there."

Quesnelle believes that Corrinet could use his size even more, saying, "He needed to do that more at the college level. Lots of players at the next level have size and speed. Chris needs to work to get to that next level."

Corrinet, less than three months into his pro career, believes that he is already working towards that end.

"When I turned pro last spring, I sat down with the coaches up in Portland," he said. "They were very helpful in giving me some guidelines to follow which have helped me to be successful [in Portland]. One of them was being physical and finishing my checks, so that's certainly something I have tried to do. I think I've done a reasonably decent job of it so far."

Q&A with Chris Corrinet

Q: Who has had the biggest impact on your career as a hockey player?

A: I really don't have one person. I grew up watching the game and the players, and I try to work on things and see what they do well. Billy Guerin (currently of the Boston Bruins) was sort of a hometown hero for me. He lived about 20 minutes from Me (Guerin is from Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Corrinet is from Greenfield).

Q: How did you wind up at Princeton? what other schools were looking at you?

A: I knew that, if I were very fortunate, I would have a 10-year career...if that...even if I did get the chance to play pro. I looked at a lot of Ivy League schools. I wanted to go to a school that would give me good academics and Division-I hockey, and Princeton was a good fit for me there.

Q: Looking back, did you make the right choice?

A: I was there for four years, and then I graduated and got my degree, which will prove beneficial down the road. It gave me the chance to play hockey for four years at a good level. I certainly don't think it hurt me. It's not a program that's going to compete, year in and year out, with the top schools in the country. But, it is Division-I, and I got to play with some good players there and keep developing as a hockey player. So, if you ask me if I'm happy that I went there...then yes, I am.

Q: Do other players ever give you a tough time about being the Ivy League guy, because you definitely don't see too many guys with Princeton degrees running around the professional hockey circles?

A: You definitely get that once in a while, especially if you screw something up. It's all in good fun, and you sort of laugh at it.

Q: What was your major in college?

A: I liked government classes a lot.

Q: What classes did you dread?

A: I stayed away from science. I hate science. We had to take a lab requirement at Princeton, and I did psychology for my lab requirement, so I didn't have to take a science class.

Q: How did you find out that you had been called up?

A: We had three games in three nights. And, after the third one, I got called up on my birthday, which was October 29. I just got called into Glen's (Portland coach Glen Hanlon) office. It was sooner than I had expected. But, I had gotten off to a good start and Washington had some injuries. It was a good experience, and I want to get back there.

Q: How many people asked you what it was like to play with Jaromir Jagr?

A: They've definitely come. At first, it's a little strange. But, after a while, you don't really think about it too much. My locker was actually right next to his at the practice rink, so I got to sit next to him.

Q: Was that intimidating at all?

A: You think it would be, but you don't really think about it too much. Especially as a young guy, you just keep your mouth shut and go about your business.

Q: If you're not playing hockey in 10 years, we can we expect to see Chris Corrinet?

A: That's a good question. Obviously, hockey is my number one focus right now, and I want to see what I can do with this and how far I can go.

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