Lerg takes first step toward NHL dream

Mere hours after the MSU hockey team’s season-ending loss to Notre Dame in the West Regional final, senior captain Bryan Lerg got a call from his family adviser. He had been offered a contract by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.

“I figured something would happen quick with me, just from hearing some things,” Lerg said. “I didn’t know it would happen that quick, though. It was a real big change of emotions in that 12 hours.”

Lerg took care of business in East Lansing before heading to Springfield, Mass., home of Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons.

“My dream growing up was to play in the NHL,” Lerg said. “Right now, I’ve got the first step done. I signed a contract and got that all taken care of. Now it’s all on my shoulders.”

After playing in one of three games his first weekend, Lerg played three of three the following weekend. He finished his tenure in Springfield with two assists, two penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating.

“I felt like I fit in, I felt like it was my style of hockey,” Lerg said.

“I didn’t feel like I was falling behind or anything like that. I was happy with how things went. It was exciting.”

Lerg’s deal, worth $962,000 for a two-year period, will give him an opportunity to participate in rookie camp and then Edmonton’s main training camp in September.

If all goes well, he could wind up in Edmonton. If not, he’ll likely end up in Springfield or with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder.

Lerg said if he didn’t get an NHL contract, he would have headed overseas, but said he knew the Oilers were interested.

“It came down to Edmonton and two or three other teams,” Lerg said.

“I had choices. I didn’t know exactly what to think, so I checked out rosters, depth charts and what I thought the best fit was and I thought Edmonton was. I’m happy with my decision.”

MSU hockey coach Rick Comley said players who aren’t drafted are often in an advantageous position.

Instead of playing hardball with the team that drafted them, like junior forward Tim Kennedy and his ongoing negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres, teams are bidding for their contracts.

“In Bryan’s case, it was better he was a free agent,” Comley said.

With Lerg’s eligibility exhausted, the game against Notre Dame could potentially have been the last time he’ll ever play with his cousin, junior goaltender Jeff Lerg.

“We didn’t think we’d play at this high of a level together,” Jeff Lerg said.

“There’s a lot of opportunities out there depending on where he ends up when all is said and done. There’s a lot of good players out there. I have to come back for another strong year next year and see if I can turn some heads around and see if I can get an opportunity like he did.”