|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Czech that Penguin Milan Kraft wanting to be latest Euro star in Pittsburgh
By Steve Kournianos and Josh Goldfine, Special to CNNSI.com Neither his talent nor his desire has ever been questioned. The only thing Milan Kraft must prove is that he has the ability to couple a terrific skill set and unmatched work ethic to become the NHL force the Pittsburgh Penguins are expecting. Kraft first gained notoriety among NHL scouts as a teenager in his native Czech Republic, where the 6-4, 194-pound center was regarded as an exceptional puckhandler with tremendous overall skills. His talents helped Kraft become the 44th overall pick of the Prince Albert Raiders in the European phase of the 1997 Western Hockey League draft. "We'd heard a lot about him from NHL scouts that had been in [Prince Albert]," recalled Raiders general manager Rick Valette. "His puck skills are exceptional. But the biggest thing is that he's such a competitor. He's so driven." As talented and driven as a 17-year-old could be, Kraft had a tough time adjusting to life in western Canada. "My father was my coach from when I started playing until I was 15 years old," said Kraft. "I missed home the first season." "[The WHL] is a great place for players to develop their skills. But almost without exception, players go through homesickness, to some degree," Valette said. A little home cooking from Kraft's mother, who came over in November, helped. Kraft was well on his way toward a spectacular first season in which he led the team with 40 goals and 86 points. That was all the Penguins needed to see from the youngster, selecting Kraft with the 23rd overall pick in the 1998 NHL draft. "Before the draft, you have meetings with teams for two days," Kraft said. "There were four people in my meeting with the Penguins, and it was a very short meeting. I remember my first meeting was with the Panthers. There were about 20 people in there and I was very nervous. But after that, I was fine." He proved just how fine he was in his second season in Prince Albert. In a season shortened to 56 games by an extended stay in Penguins' camp and a gold medal performance at the World Junior Championships this past December, he still managed a team-best 34 goals and 69 points in 56 games. Valette could not have been more impressed with the young Czech.
"He's a real leader," the coach said. "And as good a player as he is, he's an even better person. He's not vocal. He doesn't lead by what he says, he leads by what he does. He's going to be a first- or second-line center in the NHL very soon." That time could be soon. Kraft spent most of this season with the Penguins, cracking the opening night lineup at the age of 19. The young center will always remember his first NHL shift, which came during the Penguins' two-game series against Nashville in Tokyo. "It was great," recalled Kraft. "I didn't play the first game, then I played about six or eight minutes in the second game. When I was out there, I was like, `Wow, I'm in the NHL.' It was a dream come true." The dream lasted 42 games before a lack of quality ice time -- not to mention the presence of a previously retired superstar named Lemieux -- meant a first trip to the minor leagues. Kraft expected the move, and even welcomed it. "I didn't play that much the past two games," he said. "I was just looking forward to playing more in the minors." Kraft scored in each of his first four games, totaling five goals and five assists and winning American Hockey League Player of the Week honors. By recording three multi-goal games and 18 points in his first 12 contests at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he caught the eye of coach Glenn Patrick. "He's got great hand skills and deceptive speed," said Patrick. "He gets around people as fast as anyone." Patrick said fans have yet to see the entire package Kraft will bring to the table. "He's a big, tall guy with great hands. You don't see that often. He has not even reached where he will end up," Patrick added. After learning to live away from home, Kraft is enjoying the life of a professional hockey player in North America. "I like it here," he said. "I miss my friends over there, but I have great friends and teammates here." Where will Kraft's career take him? That remains to be seen. But if there are those who doubt his prodigious potential, there are a handful of AHL goaltenders who can vouch for his skills.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
