Written by: Kevin Moore
Jordan Schroeder’s hockey career has been on the fast track ever since he laced up a pair of skates at five years old, but in his first professional season with the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate in Manitoba, he learned that it takes a lot more than talent to succeed at the next level.
“I started out skating and [my parents] had no idea where to go to sign me up or anything, and we finally found out where to do that and I started off excelling in skating and hockey came natural to me,” said Schroeder.
Not only did the game come natural to him, but his passion for the game was evident even as a youngster skating on his neighbor’s backyard rink.
“I’d be out there until I couldn’t see anymore and eventually we put lights out there so I could play as long as I wanted," he explained. "I just enjoyed playing hockey.”
Growing up, Schroeder constantly played up a level. By the time he was 15, he found himself playing in Ann Arbor for the US National Team Development Program as one of the best junior players in the country.
"[Going to Ann Arbor] was probably the smartest move I ever made in my career," he said. "They taught me everything - on and off the ice. The strength training we did there made me the player I am."
While in Ann Arbor, the 5’8, 175 pound playmaker dominated his second season with 53 points in 55 games with more than half against older, bigger, stronger NCAA DI opponents. He used his speed and vision to rack up points on the international stage as well, establishing him as one of the top American prospects.
“Your not a normal kid, your traveling the world. I got the opportunity to go to Finland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Russia, that was unique. That was definitely different," Schroeder explained. "You get to see places you never thought you’d see.”
Internationally, Schroeder helped lead the United States to medals in the 2007 (Silver) and 2008 (Bronze) World Junior U18 Championships and added Gold at the 2010 World Junior Championships. In 33 international games, he averaged 1.3 points per game.
After his first year with the NTDP, he had a critical decision to make. Due to his September birthday, he was the only sophomore on the team and since the program only allowed you to participate for two seasons, Schroeder had to decide if he wanted to accelerate his education and finish high school in three years or if he wanted to play another year of junior in the USHL and finish his senior year at a new high school.
He decided that he wanted to take his game to the next level sooner rather than later and enrolled in a program offered through Brigham Young University to finish high school early.
“I took online classes between my sophomore and junior year of high school, and that was not fun. Pretty much working out in the morning and then going to do classes online with a tutor everyday of the week. So…I had no life!" he laughed. "But it was a decision that I’ll never regret.”
In the fall of 2008, Schroeder, a native of Prior Lake, MN enrolled at the only school he ever wanted to play for - the University of Minnesota.
“Growing up, we didn't have an NHL team in Minnesota, so all I really knew was college hockey," explained Schroeder. "So the Gophers is where I wanted to play. I dreamed of playing at Marriucci Arena. My heart was always with Minnesota. I looked at some other schools, some of the other top schools, but I felt that I wanted to go to Minnesota. That’s where my heart wanted to go and so I decided to commit.”
Right away, Schroeder’s playmaking ability stood out despite being the youngest player on the team. In his freshman season at Minnesota, Schroeder netted 13 goals and 32 assists in 35 games while earning WCHA and National Rookie of the Year honors.
“It was an awesome year. Too bad our team couldn’t have done better," said Schroeder. "We started off the first half of the season on fire and playing great and top five in the country and hit a road bump for some reason and slipped down to the upper teens in the ranks and ended up not even making the tournament. So that was a disappointment, but from an individual standpoint I got to play with Ryan Stoa, who is with Colorado these pass few years, and Jay Barriball, who signed with St. Louis now, and we had great chemistry and put up some numbers so that was a lot of fun. That was my draft year too so that definitely helped.”
Expectations were high for the Gopher playmaker to go high in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft the following summer. NHL Central Scouting had him rated as the 5th best North American Skater, but as the picks were announced Schroeder waited…and waited.
“I was sweating a little bit because you want to go as high as you can," he said. "Everybody does.”
Despite drawing comparisons to former Red Wing great Steve Yzerman - a forward who could be explosive at both ends of the ice - Schroeder continued to fall down the draft board.
His name was finally called with the 22nd pick by the Vancouver Canucks.
“I think some of the reason I slipped maybe a little bit was due to size," he said. "It all comes down to, the NHL is big and fast these days and I have to prove people wrong each and every day with the size issue, that’s for sure.”
Still, many analysts felt this pick was a steal for the Canucks and projected Schroeder to be in Vancouver within a few years. Canuck fans were pulling for Schroeder to leave his home state and head to the WHL to play the Everett Silvertips who held his rights, while the State of Hockey pulled for him to come back for his sophomore season with the Gophers. In an unprecedented move, Schroeder and Minnesota released an official statement letting the hockey world know he was committed to playing for the “U” for at least one more year.
“It was obviously all my decision, I felt that I was not quite ready yet, I went in a year early to college already as it was," Schroeder said. "So, I felt another year would have been good but looking back I don’t know what would have been better. Going to the WHL...I don’t think was ever an option.”
Schroeder was not immune to the sophomore slump and posted an underwhelming 9 goals and 19 assists for Gophers in 2009-10. Though he tied for the team lead in points, Minnesota finished with a losing record.
However, the highlight of that year came in January at the World Junior Championships, his third appearance in the tournament.
“I don’t know what it was, our odds were against us to win that tournament. We did not have the team on paper like Canada did or Sweden or some of those teams, but something clicked," he explained. "When we were in exhibition games, we just bonded as a team. "
In the championship game, the United States upset Canada in a dramatic 6-5 overtime win. Schroeder tallied the second goal for Team USA and finished the tournament with eight points in seven games.
“I wanted the gold medal so bad and I think you could see the kind of team we had," he said. "We had a great group of guys and that is one of the fondest memories that I have. That’s for sure.”
Not only was Schroeder part of the championship team, he also surpassed Jeremy Roenick to become the all time leader in US World Junior scoring with 27 points in three tournaments.
Schroeder left Minnesota at the end of the Gophers' season signing a three-year entry level contract with Vancouver and an amateur try-out agreement with their AHL affiliate in Manitoba that would allow him to play out the rest of their season.
“It was kind of [an easy decision]," he said. "I wanted to learn the pro game earlier rather than waiting another year or two and then going and learning it.”
Like what had happened throughout his entire career, playing up a level came easy to Schroeder as he posted nine points in 11 games. He also recorded a hat trick in Game 3 of Manitoba’s first round series with Hamilton in the Calder Cup playoffs. Schroeder played in all six games that round recording three goals and three assists.
“When I went into Manitoba right after I signed, I had some success. I was like 'wow this is easy',” he explained.
Schroeder was confident he could make the big club the next season, especially after having success in his small taste of professional hockey the prior season, but he quickly realized he had a lot to learn.
“Going into training camp, I had a positive attitude and every thing and I was willing to try to do whatever it took to make the team, but when I got there I realized how much work you have to put in over the summer to come into camp into shape," said Schroeder. "You know...I was in really good shape but compared to some of the guys like Ryan Kessler and those top NHL guys you realized how hard they do work in the off season and what it actually takes to get ready every single year.”
Schroeder was sent down to the AHL and, for maybe the first time in his career, he needed to rely on and develop skills that did not come natural to him.
“I went down and I really wanted to work, but I had some things to learn," he said. "I realized that this year. Just playing with all that energy at all times and using my assets that will make me a better player and make others [around me] better.”
Despite committing himself to learning how to be a better player within the pro game, Schroeder had an up and down rookie season. He had just 28 points in 61 games, missing most of December and January with a high ankle sprain. Also, for the first time in his career he was playing wing - a tough transition to make when you have been a natural centerman your entire career.
“Playing wing was hard for me, it's a different game on the wing because your not around the puck as much and you have to create your own chances with your speed. So, I learned a lot from that point of view," he explained. "I think going into next year being able to play center and wing will help me. If they need a center I’ll play center, if they need a wing I’ll play wing.”
Despite the adversity he faced last season, Schroeder was able to learn the nuisances of the pro game through his struggles in Manitoba.
“Everyone’s good. Everyone gets the game. Everyone understands it. So, being able to put you ahead of others on the team - especially when you are fighting for a spot to maybe get a call up - it's difficult," said Schroeder. "So, I defiantly will take that going into this year and realizing what I have to do.”
This summer, Schroeder has been working out with current NHL players and fellow Minnesotans like Zach Parise, Drew Stafford and Derek Stepan and though he is working on his physical tools like his speed and strength, the biggest asset he is working on is between the ears.
“Most of it, for me, is the mental part of the game, which is tough to work on and you have to learn it, I think, over time and I think I will and I have a lot this year,” he explained.
Schroeder is hopeful he will make a deep Canucks roster out of training camp this year as a 21-year-old and knows a big part of his success will be tied to how much he has learned over the past 12 months.
“Being able to find the right, I don’t really know how to say it but the right energy and being able to go out there and produce every single night…its tough," he said. "I definitely learned a lot about how to keep my body in shape, working out throughout the season, how to eat - you have to stay healthy and eat healthy.“
However, at the end of the day Schroeder was drafted in the first round to produce points and he knows that.
“I’m not the biggest guy out there. I’m not gonna knock guys around, but using my speed, my quickness to win those battles in the corners and coming out with the puck...that will be a huge deal," said Schroeder. "Obviously, I gotta put up points too because that’s part of who I am and what I have to do to be successful.”
Schroeder is still the passionate natural talent that he was when he started playing hockey as a youth, but now he is relying on that love of the game that he played with on his neighbor’s rink to take his game to the next level and put in the time, energy and effort that will help him excel at things that don’t come as easy to him. No matter where he plays next year, Jordan Schroeder will be a more versatile, experienced forward, adding even more depth to a organization oozing with talent.
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Julie
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