Maine Hockey Journal

Orrpars commits to Lewiston

Lewiston, ME– As expected, Oskar Orrpars, the Maineiacs’ second Import selection will suiting up for Lewiston this upcoming season according to his former team’s website.

“I’ve watched him for three solid years,” Lewiston Maineiacs General Manager Roger Shannon said about the young 17-year old Swede. “I’ve watched him in 50 or 60 games of hockey.”

MaineiacsLouie - 235x235Orrpars played on Shannon’s 92 V-Red prospect program which had the likes of Maineiacs’ defenseman Zach Shannon, former Maineiacs’ defenseman Garrett Clarke, fellow QMJHLers Brandon Gormley, Brandon Hynes, and Logan Shaw.

The 5′11, 174 pound forward had seven goals and eight assists in 19 games with Djurgarden’s U-18 Elit team last season. He also had 57 penalty minutes. With the U-18 Allsvenskan team, he had six assists in 12 games.

“He’s an extremely skilled Swedish player is the best way to put it,” Shannon mentioned. “He got the hands, he got the skills, he can score goals, and he sees the ice very well.”

Shannon believes Orrpars has a lot of untapped potential.

“We have to recognize we are bringing in a 17-year old kid and grow him into a really skilled player.” Shannon added. “We are really excited about him because we don’t know how far his ceiling is. He could be one of these guys that grows into a very good Quebec Major Junior player. The potential and opportunity is there, it’s just how bad he wants and how well we do bringing him along.”

Orrpars will be heading to the University of New Brunswick in late July to train before heading to Lewiston for training camp. Shannon thinks prior experience in on this side of the pond will help Orrpars adjust to the North American culture on and off the ice.

“He loves North America, he has played a lot of hockey here in North America, and he’s excited about coming,” Shannon said. “I think that’s half the battle.”

There has been no word as of yet if Lewiston’s first import selection, defenseman Riku Dufva, will be at training camp. Shannon believes Dufva will be skating with the rest of the Maineiacs.

“We certainly hope so.”

Notes: After two days at the Senior Chowder Cup, potential Maineiacs training camp invitee, Anthony Pisano, has a goal and 19 penalty minutes in his only game so far. Maineiacs seventh round selection in 2009 draft, Derek Henderson, has an assist in two games. Carlos Amestoy, a 2010 Maine recruit, has two goals after one game.

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