Tipped Off
02-16-2007, 01:23 PM
Crowley a nice fit with Tips
Since arriving via trade, the defenseman has been exactly what Everett had hoped for.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - Dane Crowley has a history of sneaking up on people.
Passed over during his bantam draft year, he nonetheless received a tryout from Saskatoon and needed just two days to convince the Blades to add him to their protected list.
Overlooked again when his NHL draft year came around, he raised his stock so that he was taken the second time around by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the rare player who made more of an impression upon further review.
But that's where the pattern ends. Crowley's impact upon joining the Everett Silvertips wasn't gradual, it was immediate.
It's been a month since Everett acquired Crowley at the trade deadline, and during that time it's become clear the Tips got exactly what they were looking for.
"For sure, he's been what we wanted," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "He's a high-character guy, and high-character guys find ways to get things done because they care. So that's what I've been most impressed with."
Said Crowley: "It's gone pretty well. My stats have gone up and I love it here. It's an awesome city to play in and the fans are great. It's a bit hard getting the systems down, but there's still a month before the playoffs and hopefully I can get it down by then."
When Everett gave up prized defensive prospect Eric Doyle to acquire Crowley and forward prospect Jordan Mistelbacher from Swift Current at the Jan. 10 trade deadline, the idea was to add size, strength and experience to the blue line for a potential Memorial Cup run. Crowley, a 1987-born defenseman, appeared to fit that description.
But no one could have expected the instant impact Crowley's provided. In his first 13 games with Everett, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, has an obscene plus-16 rating. He's tallied three goals and five assists, despite seeing a miniscule amount of power-play time.
"I love playing with him," said Taylor Ellington, who fought Crowley when the teams played in Swift Current earlier this season, but is now Crowley's defensive partner. "He's a strong defenseman who's very defensive, but yet he's very offensive, too. I feel really safe playing with him - not that I didn't feel safe playing with Doyle, but Crowley's a mature player. He's always there to back me up."
It hasn't always come so easy for Crowley, who's had to prove himself every step of the way during his Western Hockey League career. It all began in 2002, when he went unselected in the bantam draft.
"I had a terrible draft year," Crowley recalled. "I was 5-foot-6 during my draft year. Then the next two years I grew eight inches."
After going undrafted, Crowley received letters from several WHL teams inviting him to training camp. Saskatoon was the only team that went to the effort to give him a call, so Saskatoon was where he headed. Partnered with former Silvertip Matt Suderman in training camp, Crowley impressed the Blades, who then called him up midway through his 16-year-old season.
Crowley spent two years in Saskatoon, but saw limited opportunities. When he became eligible for the NHL draft in 2005, he wasn't even a blip on the radar.
Then at the 2006 trade deadline he was dealt to Swift Current. In Swift Current Crowley received the opportunities he didn't in Saskatoon and had a strong finish to the season.
But even he wasn't expecting what happened next, when Tampa Bay made him a sixth-round selection in last year's NHL draft.
"I was totally shocked, especially after not going in the first draft," Crowley said. "I expected I'd get a tryout because I had a really good end of the season in Swift Current. But I didn't get any calls from any teams, and some of my buddies back in Winnipeg got a few calls, so I figured I wasn't going to get drafted."
Players who are picked in the sixth round when they're 19 years old generally aren't considered the best NHL prospects. But in his first training camp with Tampa Bay Crowley impressed. He was one of eight players from rookie camp invited to the Lightning's main camp.
"I went there and was completely star-struck the entire time," Crowley said. "I'm sitting in the dressing room and there's Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis sitting across from me. That was crazy. Two months earlier I wasn't even considering anything like that."
Crowley's positive impression on the Lightning might mean for a short stay with the Silvertips. Crowley is eligible to return as an overager next season, and Tampa Bay doesn't have to sign him until just before the 2008 NHL draft. But there's still a good chance he'll move on to the professional ranks next season.
"I have no clue if I'll be a pro next season," Crowley said. "I think they want me to play pro, but it's a long way from next year. I'm not really worried about that right now. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, I'm more than happy to come back here."
And if he does come back, he won't be sneaking up on anyone.
Since arriving via trade, the defenseman has been exactly what Everett had hoped for.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - Dane Crowley has a history of sneaking up on people.
Passed over during his bantam draft year, he nonetheless received a tryout from Saskatoon and needed just two days to convince the Blades to add him to their protected list.
Overlooked again when his NHL draft year came around, he raised his stock so that he was taken the second time around by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the rare player who made more of an impression upon further review.
But that's where the pattern ends. Crowley's impact upon joining the Everett Silvertips wasn't gradual, it was immediate.
It's been a month since Everett acquired Crowley at the trade deadline, and during that time it's become clear the Tips got exactly what they were looking for.
"For sure, he's been what we wanted," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "He's a high-character guy, and high-character guys find ways to get things done because they care. So that's what I've been most impressed with."
Said Crowley: "It's gone pretty well. My stats have gone up and I love it here. It's an awesome city to play in and the fans are great. It's a bit hard getting the systems down, but there's still a month before the playoffs and hopefully I can get it down by then."
When Everett gave up prized defensive prospect Eric Doyle to acquire Crowley and forward prospect Jordan Mistelbacher from Swift Current at the Jan. 10 trade deadline, the idea was to add size, strength and experience to the blue line for a potential Memorial Cup run. Crowley, a 1987-born defenseman, appeared to fit that description.
But no one could have expected the instant impact Crowley's provided. In his first 13 games with Everett, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, has an obscene plus-16 rating. He's tallied three goals and five assists, despite seeing a miniscule amount of power-play time.
"I love playing with him," said Taylor Ellington, who fought Crowley when the teams played in Swift Current earlier this season, but is now Crowley's defensive partner. "He's a strong defenseman who's very defensive, but yet he's very offensive, too. I feel really safe playing with him - not that I didn't feel safe playing with Doyle, but Crowley's a mature player. He's always there to back me up."
It hasn't always come so easy for Crowley, who's had to prove himself every step of the way during his Western Hockey League career. It all began in 2002, when he went unselected in the bantam draft.
"I had a terrible draft year," Crowley recalled. "I was 5-foot-6 during my draft year. Then the next two years I grew eight inches."
After going undrafted, Crowley received letters from several WHL teams inviting him to training camp. Saskatoon was the only team that went to the effort to give him a call, so Saskatoon was where he headed. Partnered with former Silvertip Matt Suderman in training camp, Crowley impressed the Blades, who then called him up midway through his 16-year-old season.
Crowley spent two years in Saskatoon, but saw limited opportunities. When he became eligible for the NHL draft in 2005, he wasn't even a blip on the radar.
Then at the 2006 trade deadline he was dealt to Swift Current. In Swift Current Crowley received the opportunities he didn't in Saskatoon and had a strong finish to the season.
But even he wasn't expecting what happened next, when Tampa Bay made him a sixth-round selection in last year's NHL draft.
"I was totally shocked, especially after not going in the first draft," Crowley said. "I expected I'd get a tryout because I had a really good end of the season in Swift Current. But I didn't get any calls from any teams, and some of my buddies back in Winnipeg got a few calls, so I figured I wasn't going to get drafted."
Players who are picked in the sixth round when they're 19 years old generally aren't considered the best NHL prospects. But in his first training camp with Tampa Bay Crowley impressed. He was one of eight players from rookie camp invited to the Lightning's main camp.
"I went there and was completely star-struck the entire time," Crowley said. "I'm sitting in the dressing room and there's Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis sitting across from me. That was crazy. Two months earlier I wasn't even considering anything like that."
Crowley's positive impression on the Lightning might mean for a short stay with the Silvertips. Crowley is eligible to return as an overager next season, and Tampa Bay doesn't have to sign him until just before the 2008 NHL draft. But there's still a good chance he'll move on to the professional ranks next season.
"I have no clue if I'll be a pro next season," Crowley said. "I think they want me to play pro, but it's a long way from next year. I'm not really worried about that right now. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, I'm more than happy to come back here."
And if he does come back, he won't be sneaking up on anyone.