Jim Slater sat in the Air Canada Centre for several hours Saturday, in disbelief about what was unfolding in front of him.
Slater, a sophomore center at MSU, was projected as a solid first-round pick in this weekend’s NHL Entry Draft in Toronto. He was the 11th-rated North American skater and most mock drafts had him going in the first 25 selections.
“You’re our man,” several teams told him in the weeks leading up to the draft. “If you’re there when we pick, we’ll take you.”
But as the first round dwindled down to the last few picks Saturday, those teams kept calling other people’s names. Everybody passed on Slater until the Atlanta Thrashers tabbed him with the last pick of the first round, No. 30 overall. Just barely, Slater became the first Spartan to be picked in the opening round since 1990.
“It was actually pissing me off, making me angry,” Slater said from Toronto on Saturday night. “I thought Ottawa, Phoenix or Chicago would pick me, but they kept calling different names, which was frustrating.
“I guess I’ll just shove it up their asses later.”
The Thrashers, who also picked second overall, actually traded up a few spots to take Slater, whom they reportedly held in very high regard. Atlanta finished with an NHL-low 54 points last season.
“Atlanta said they’re glad to have me, they think my style of play can help them,” Slater said. “I’m thrilled to be part of their organization. With the players they’ve gotten in the last few years, they’re about to turn the corner.”
Slater said he will participate in the Thrashers’ training camp this summer, but says he has every intention of playing for the Spartans for a couple more seasons. The 6-foot, 190-pounder was MSU’s top freshman last season and accumulated 32 points.
In a written statement, Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said he’ll have an easy time keeping track of his draft pick, seeing as he’s friends with MSU head coach Rick Comley from their days together at Northern Michigan in the late 1970s.
Slater wasn’t the only Spartan to fulfill the dream of being drafted Saturday. Sophomore center Lee Falardeau and sophomore defenseman Duncan Keith were both picked in the second round and sophomore left wing Brock Radunske went in the third. The four draftees made MSU the most represented North American team during the first day of the draft (rounds 1-3).
All four Spartans expect to be back with MSU next year.
Falardeau, a 6-4, 205-pounder, went to the New York Rangers with the third pick of the second round (No. 33 overall). Keith also went to an Original Six team - the Chicago Blackhawks - with the 54th pick.
Some observers were surprised that Keith, a 6-foot, 170-pounder, went so high in the draft. The NHL’s Central Scouting Service ranked him as the 94th best North American skater, but he managed to go much sooner than that, even with European skaters and goaltenders included.
“It’s good to be part of an Original Six organization and a team like the Blackhawks, with all the tradition that they have there,” Keith said in a written statement.
Radunske, a 6-foot-4, 195-pounder, was picked by the Edmonton Oilers with the 79th selection. Edmonton already has former MSU players Anson Carter, Mike York and Shawn Horcoff on its roster.
Joining Slater on Atlanta’s draft board was MSU recruit Colton Fretter, who was the first pick of the eighth round (No. 230 overall) on Sunday. The right wing from Harrow, Ontario signed with MSU in November and will join the team this fall.
James Jahnke can be reached at jahnkeja@msu.edu.
