Phil DeSimone wanted Saturday to be like any other day.
While many NHL draft prospects donned suits and headed toNationwide Arena with their eager families, DeSimone got up at 9:30a.m. and went to the BAC at Eastern Hills for his regular workout.He figured he would get home in time to track the final rounds overthe Internet.
That's when DeSimone thought he would hear his name called. Lastsummer, the East Amherst resident was passed over 213 times. All 30NHL teams had multiple chances and declined.
Saturday was the last time DeSimone was eligible to be drafted.He was coming off an MVP-type season in the U.S. Hockey League andhad a full scholarship to the University of New Hampshire in hisback pocket.
But Saturday turned out much better than DeSimone had hoped. TheWashington Capitals made the unrated prospect the 84th pick of thedraft in Nationwide Arena. His mom was at home. His dad was at work,unable to be reached by phone to hear the news.
"I had no idea I would go that high at all," DeSimone said. "Ihad no idea what team was going to draft me if anybody. I wasclueless."
DeSimone joined Patrick Kane as the only two Western New Yorkersselected this year. Kane became the first local to go first overallwhen the Chicago Blackhawks took him Friday night.
Niagara forward Chris Moran went undrafted a second straight yearand became an unrestricted free agent.
DeSimone finished second in the USHL scoring race with 26 goalsand 73 points in 60 games for Sioux City. The 5-foot-11, 193-poundcenter was voted the league's player of the year.
He said he didn't want to use last year's draft snub asmotivation.
"You can't play like that," DeSimone said. "You have to play witha chip on your shoulder every game no matter what, whether you'redrafted or not. But I couldn't let that stuff affect me because ifyou let that stuff get in your head, it becomes more negative thananything else."
DeSimone fully intends to enroll at UNH this fall, but how longhe stays there will be up to the Capitals.
"When they feel I'm ready to go pro, that's when I'll go, whetherit's two, three or four years," DeSimone said. "Education is a bigpart, but my goal my whole life is to play in the NHL, and whateverI have to do to get there is what I'm going to do."
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DeSimone wasn't the only one in for a shock Saturday at thedraft. When the Buffalo Sabres selected defenseman Drew Schiestel59th, his father was wandering the concourse.
Peter Schiestel, who came to Columbus from Hamilton, Ont., toenjoy the day with his son, emerged from the tunnel and saw hisson's name on the tote board behind the stage. The family's seatingarea was empty.
"Oh, no. You're kidding me," Peter Schiestel said to himself.
"It's a dad's worst nightmare."
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Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said he received "probablyone or two" calls from other teams about players on the roster.
"This draft wasn't about much player movement," Regier said. "Itwas mostly about flipping picks around."
He added that no teams contacted him about acquiring co-captainsDaniel Briere or Chris Drury for the purpose of taking over eithercenter's exclusive negotiating rights before he hits the open marketSaturday.
"Our intentions are well-known that we'd like to take theopportunity to sign players down to the wire," Regier said. "I neverreceived any calls, and I never placed any calls."
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He's about as much from Buffalo as Orel Hershiser, but JustinVaive was also born there. The son of former Sabres forward RickVaive was taken by the Philadelphia Flyers with the first pick ofthe fourth round.
e-mail: tgraham@buffnews.com
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