|
Nephew of ex-NFL running back turning heads in Red Wings' camp |
|
|
|
|
|
If nothing else, Jeremie Biakabutuka forced the Detroit Red Wings to think of him as an NHL prospect and not a novelty athlete with a familiar last name
The nephew of former NFL running back Tshimanga "Tim" Biakabutuka survived the Detroit Red Wings' first cut Monday as an an amateur tryout defenseman.
"He keeps earning looks,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Every time we have a practice, a game, or a skate, we reevaluate our roster for the next day. A lot of it will come from the staff. Some of it will come from Steve (Yzerman) and his management group. They continually want to see him in situations."
Quebec native Jeremie Biakabutuka is a 6-foot-4 player out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League who has been passed over in the draft. He is a long shot to be signed. But he was impressive in the NHL Prospects Tournament and caught everyone's attention in training camp. He skates and knows where he needs to be.
“High compete (level),” Lalonde said. “...He Looks you in the eye. Little habits like that, you appreciate as a coach. He’s made a good impression. Really good kid. We’ve liked having him around.”
Jeremie Biakabutuka played football when he was very young.
“We are a football family first. Hockey’s like a second sport in our family,” the young Biakabutuka said. “But my father didn’t really like the contact aspect. You can get injured really bad with a concussion. So I played hockey, and I was pretty good at it. So I thought why not just keep going in that sport.”
The Red Wings liked him enough to invite him to play with them at NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan. He posted two assists in a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Upsetting fans in Columbus is a Biakabutuka tradition. Twenty-six years ago, Tim Biakabutuka had his best day as a University of Michigan player, amassing 313 yards rushing to lead the Wolverines to a 31-23 upset over the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes in Ann Arbor.
Ohio State was undefeated coming into the game. The Buckeyes boasted Eddie George. He was supposed to lead the Buckeyes to a win. Instead, the running back from the Democratic Republic of the Congo ended Ohio State’s national championship ambition.
“Everyone here knows my uncle. It’s pretty funny,” the young Biakabutuka said at the Traverse City, Michigan training camp.
The “Biakabutuka” on the back of his jersey prompted fans at training camp to wonder if he was Tim’s son. The uncle played for the Carolina Panthers for six seasons from 1996-2001.
Jeremie Biakabutuka’s football career was over quickly. He was nine or 10 when he decided to concentrate on hockey. But he has gridiron memories.
“I was a quarterback and a safety and a kicker,” he said. “I was everything. My dad was the coach, too. It was pretty funny.”
The Red Wings boast a collection skilled young defensemen already on their prospect list, but must see potential in Biakabutuka or he wouldn’t have survived the first cut.
Blogger •HHOF Writer's column on the NHL • 
Join the Discussion:
»