Another forward. At 149, the Flyers select Michael Parks from the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL. Parks has committed to play at the University of North Dakota next season.
McKeen's Hockey interviewed him recently. Here's an excerpt:
McKeen's: Back in November you were playing with Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge, and things turned out pretty well. Although I suspect I know the answer to this question, given who your coach is, when did you find out when you made the team, who told you, and what was your reaction?
Parks: I found out I made the team (pauses), I think it was about a month into the season, directly from coach [Mark] Carlson, and I was just real honored to be selected and real excited at the same time. I knew it was a big responsibility and I was real happy to be chosen to the team.
McKeen's: I figured it would be coach Carlson telling you.
Parks: Yeah.
McKeen's: But, sometimes I talk to people about things like this and they tell me, "Oh, my roommate told me." It's like, "Oh, okay," but that's more with the USHL All-Star Game. Before I continue with more questions on the World Junior A Challenge, you've played for Team USA before, both with the Select U-17 Team and the Select U-18 Team. How did you learn you'd made those two teams?
Parks: I found out I made the Under-17 and Under-18 Select Teams from the head coach of those teams, which was Eric Rud both years, with St. Cloud. I was told within several days to a week after the Select Festivals.
More at McKeen's, of course. That's three forwards in three picks for the Flyers in this draft. Parks looks like he'll be a checking-type forward, as his offensive skills are questionable. It'll be nice to see how he shapes up in one of the premier college programs in the country, though.