August 11, 2009

By Alex Clark
USAHockey.com

The 2009 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp is packed with teenagers from traditional hockey hotbeds. Of the 43 camp invitees, 17 hailed from either Michigan or Minnesota.

As hockey continues to spread in popularity across the United States, however, elite players are emerging on USA Hockey’s radar from areas of the country not known for their hockey devotion.

Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.) is one of the players in camp who developed their game in non-traditional hockey markets.

See Philip Samuelsson (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.), who developed their games in non-traditional hockey settings and are now considered two of the top prospects in USA Hockey’s junior arsenal.

Samuelsson moved to Arizona when his father, NHL legend Ulf Samuelsson, took a position with the Phoenix Coyotes. There, Philip skated for the P.F. Chang’s program for two years before joining the United States Hockey League’s Chicago Steel.

“P.F. Chang’s had just started when I got there,” he explained. “I didn’t think it was going to be as good as it was. West coast hockey has picked up over the last five to six years.”

Samuelsson admitted to initial reticence about the quality of hockey in his new home. His fears were quickly allayed, however, when he came to discover the strength of the ’91-’92 class in Phoenix.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I moved down there,” said Samuelsson. “I didn’t know any kids from that area. But there were several kids who now have Division I scholarships, and I practiced and played with them and made my game stronger.”

Meanwhile, Saponari grew up near Atlanta, Georgia, and was eventually forced to leave home and join the Culver (Ind.) Military Academy to find better hockey competition. He still looks back on his time in Georgia positively for helping him develop the mindset of being a dominant player.

“It was tough for me,” said Saponari. “We always had to travel to play good competition. I was kind of a fish out of water down there. But I like that I came up from there and have a different story.”

Several other players stories at this year’s camp mimic those of Samuelsson and Saponari, including the likes of Matt Donovan (Edmond, Okla.) and Adam Comrie (Ashburn, Va.). All thrived in these non-traditional settings, eventually earning the respect of scouts nationwide.

“It was hard to get noticed, since I was from a southern team that wasn’t in a traditional hockey hotbed,” noted Saponari. “People think, ‘Who plays hockey down there?’ so nobody scouts down there.”

Saponari caught the attention of his hometown Atlanta Thrashers who, in 2008, made him the first-ever player born and developed in Georgia to be selected in the NHL Entry Draft. Meanwhile, Samuelsson (Pittsburgh Penguins), Donovan (New York Islanders) and Comrie (Florida Panthers) all heard their names called by the NHL as well.

While hockey is still king in states like Michigan and Minnesota, its presence and growth across the country is being felt this week in Lake Placid.