The phenomenal numbers that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins centre
Rob Schremp posted last season in the OHL with the London Knights
meant that the youngster would enter the AHL with high expectations.
Schremp turned pro this season after pouring in 57 goals in 57
regular-season games last season with the Knights, and therefore
much is expected from the 20-year-old.
The crown jewel of the Edmonton Oilers' prospect ranks, the Oilers
not having their own AHL affiliate in place means that Schremp is on
loan to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate.
Even though the Oilers lose some degree of control over Schremp
while he is with the Penguins, placing Schremp with the Penguins
should benefit all involved parties - Schremp, the Oilers and the
talented Pittsburgh prospects who have been afforded an opportunity
to skate alongside the talented Schremp.
Playing in northeastern Pennsylvania also means that the native of
Fulton, N.Y. also has a chance to play his first pro season just a
few hours away from home.
Through 11 games so far this season, Schremp has gone a very
respectable 3-8-11. But Schremp's immense talents have left Penguins
head coach Todd Richards hungry for more out of his Edmonton rookie.
Schremp found himself skating alongside winger Dennis Bonvie as
something of an extra forward in warm-up prior to last Saturday's
game at Philadelphia, certainly not a place anyone would have
expected prior to season's start.
"I want more out of him," Richards told Jonathan Bombulie of the
(Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) Citizens' Voice. "It's as simple as that. I
think he knows it. His play has been too erratic. There's no
consistency."
"I want more out of him, and the reason I say that is because I know
there is more."
Richards told the Citizens' Voice that he would like to see Schremp
go to the net more and get his nose dirty playing in the tough
patches of ice.
"Right now, I think what he's doing is he's bringing his junior
game. I don't mean that in a negative way. There's things he's done
his whole life that he's been able to do. Now he's playing against
guys that are bigger, stronger, faster. Those plays aren't there
anymore."
Schremp, who scored a late goal in the Penguins' 5-4 loss at
Philadelphia last Saturday, spoke afterward on his first month in
the AHL.
ON HIS ADJUSTMENT TO THE AHL
"It's been alright. It's a pretty big jump going from junior to any
kind of pro. It's been tough.
ON THE BIGGEST ADJUSTMENT ABOUT TURNING PRO
"It's grown men who have been training and working out for six or
seven years of a pro career so far, and I'm just starting to get
into that phase. It makes it tough when it's guys who have 10 years
of pro against your one [year]. The speed has been the big
difference, speed and strength. You don't find as many weaknesses as
you did in the O. Here, everybody can play.
ON BEING ASSIGNED TO WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
It didn't matter where I went. This is the closest one to home for
me, so it's not such a bad situation.
ON PLAYING ALONGSIDE SO MUCH SKILL WITH THE PENGUINS
It's been great. There is tonnes of skill in this room...Even what
you would call our grinders are not grinders. They're just skilled
guys. There is so much talent here that it makes it easier to fit in
with that aspect of the game. They're in the right spots at the
right time.
Patrick Williams can be reached at patrickwilliams@canoemail.com.
