Weather issues forces Carlsson to make long drive to Nashville for NHL draft
Sweden's Leo Carlsson celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the group A match against the United States at the ice hockey world championship in Tampere, Finland, May 23, 2023. Carlsson is projected to be drafted no lower than the San Jose Sharks, which is scheduled to pick fourth in the upcoming NHL draft. Credit: AP/Pavel Golovkin
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Leo Carlsson had an excellent reason Tuesday to miss a youth clinic and a session with reporters before the NHL draft.
The Swedish center needed some sleep.
His journey to Music City for the NHL draft on Wednesday night turned into a hockey version of “Planes, Trains And Automobiles.” Weather issues on the East Coast forced Carlsson and his family to pile into a van for the 13-hour drive to Nashville.
Center Adam Fantilli said Carlsson, the No. 1 rated international skater who last played in the Swedish Hockey League, has the worst luck with flights.
“Going to Vegas I know he had some tough stuff going on there with luggage and whatever was going there,” Fantilli said of the prospects trip to the Stanley Cup Final. "Obviously, he had to drive from New York to get here. I think he’s sleeping right now. Yeah, I mean, I feel for him.”
Piling into any vehicle for a long family trip isn't easy, and Carlsson is a big man at 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds. Luckily, his father Kenneth, who played professionally in Sweden as a defenseman for years, is used to traveling and deadlines as well. Carlsson is projected as a top five pick Wednesday night.
Forward Zach Benson also can sympathize with long drives. He grew up traveling across western Canada with his grandfather working the family carnival during the summers.
NHL draft prospect Adam Fantilli smiles during a youth hockey clinic, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
“I feel for him," Benson said. "Playing in Winnipeg, we had a couple of 14-hour bus rides overnight. So I definitely feel for him, and I hope he’s still in bed right now.”
Carlsson had company having to drive to Nashville because of weather issues.
Julie Chu was forced to fly into Huntsville, Alabama, and hit Interstate 65 north for a two-hour drive to Nashville. Chu also faced a much earlier deadline. She had to be at a news conference Tuesday morning launching a new Player Inclusion Coalition.
“If that’s not committed, I don’t know what it is," Anson Carter, co-chair of the coalition with P.K. Subban, said of Chu.
NHL draft prospect Connor Bedard skates across the ice during a youth hockey clinic with other draft prospects and members of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
MEETING MICHKOV?
Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes confirmed, in French, that he and his staff met with top Russian prospect Matvei Michkov. They have the fifth pick, which is realistically the highest he is projected to go.
Other executives weren’t as forthcoming. Mike Grier, whose San Jose Sharks pick fourth, wouldn’t reveal if Michkov was on his team’s meeting list.
“We’ve already done all our meetings with the Russian players,” Grier said, repeating a similar refrain when asked specifically about Michkov. “We met with all the we met with all the Russian players that we wanted to meet with.”
BEST FLOW
Having good hair really matters in hockey no matter if players call it a head of lettuce or simply good flow.
Adam Fantilli insists he's not the top prospect with the best hair going into Wednesday night's NHL draft.
“Definitely not me," Fantilli said. "Will Smith has got some good hair. He’s got a great little combover thing going on. I don’t know if Gavin Brindley still has it or not, but he had this like, afro-mode, Patrick Mahomes' thing going on last time I saw him so hopefully he’ll still have it tomorrow.”
