Only a few days earlier Penn State freshman Eamon McAdam had heard his name called in the third round of the NHL draft by the New York Islanders. With Islanders’ prospect camp only days away, the 18-year-old freshman was still enjoying the feeling before getting down to business and focusing on his time at Penn State.
“With camp only a week away, I guess I’ll keep my head in the clouds for a little while and enjoy the moment.” McAdam said smiling, his Islanders hat on the table in front of him. “When I’m done with that, it’s definitely time to come back down. It’s all about work at this point because this is hardly even the first step in the process to a pro career. It’s all about work. It’s all about focusing on one thing at a time and right now, that’s Penn State.”
McAdam will be in the mix from day one at Penn State. His primary competition will be sophomore Matthew Skoff who distinguished himself at the end of last season. Both will get crack at the starting job and McAdam is ready to do whatever is best for the team moving forward.
“I was fighting for time last year too,” McAdam said of his time with the Waterloo Blackhawks. “That’s how it’s going to be the rest of the way, going up the ladder. I have no worries about it. I think I have a good work ethic. Things will work out whichever way. Honestly, whatever is best for the team is what I want. I’m hopeful that’s me playing a lot of games, but if the team is winning, I honestly can’t complain.”
McAdam’s future for the immediate future will involve continuing to develop his game. While getting drafted is an exciting moment in the life of any hockey player, it doesn’t mean he’ll end up ever playing in the league. The next several years will be key to getting ready for a shot at the NHL, something McAdam is plenty focused on.
“I need time to develop,” McAdam said. “I’m not a pro-ready goalie by any means. It’s almost not even a thought for somebody in my situation. I’m just looking forward to my time here. It’s a lot of physical development for me. I need to bulk up and really work on a lot of the little things. It’s a lot about rebound control and the ability to move on the ice. Just little things like that, which go a long way to not only making the first save, but also the second and the third saves that really get you to the next level.”
Despite the fact that McAdam’s draft rating grabbed the headlines, he isn’t the only Nittany Lion to have found a possible future home in the NHL. Incoming freshman defenseman Mike Williamson was drafted in the sixth round by the Vancouver Canucks. Skyping to the assembled media in State College from Alberta Canada, Williamson expressed his excitement about what his future may hold.
“It was a pretty crazy feeling for sure,” Williamson said. “I was just sitting at home, obviously watching all day, and then my name popped up. My family and I were very excited, and it was good news. It couldn’t have worked out much better. I mean it’s a childhood dream to get drafted and it’s just a bonus that it’s close to home.”
Williamson, like McAdam, is looking forward to his time at Penn State and proving his worth not only to the program but to the Canucks as well.
“I’m looking to come into Penn State next year full-force, hopefully to be an impact player. Then play it out year-by-year there and hopefully everything goes well.”
