In the last couple of weeks there have been a number large stories going on in Hungarian hockey among them Csanád Erdély being drafted by the USHL champions Sioux Falls Stampede.
After talking to both the management of his club team Fehérvár AV19 and the Stampede Erdély has decided that the best move for him and his hockey career is to spend the 2015-16 hockey season in America. He will spend one week in Sioux Falls in June and make the permanent move in August.
Csanád sat down with icehockey.hu for an intervew about his deiciosn and what he expects in the upcoming season.
What has happened since you were drafted?
The days after the draft we got in touch with the new head coach Scott Owens and the coaching staff of the Stampede The most important is what does he see that I can do or how I can be used. On the Fehérvár side Gábor Ocskay and the management stated that if I do choose to leave they will not stand in my way. I still have one year left on my contract but they will let me leave no problem.
On June 10th you will be going to visit the team, what exactly will be happening?
The coach asked if I would like to go out to the team and the city and to see how everything is. There will be a bantam camp going on at that time so I will be able to hit the ice as well and I should have a chance to meet my billet family as well.
Would there be any reason that after your visit in June you would not want to spend the 2015-16 season in Sioux Falls?
Not really, there would need to some extreme conditions, but from what I have read and heard the arena and the training facilities will be better than anything that I have been around. This week should be pretty exciting.
Sioux Falls isnt exactly a metropolitan city, what are you expecting from the city itself?
If you think about it anywhere in the world a hockey player my age really spends their time between the training facility, their home and the school, this is the same in a city of two million people as well as 170,000 town.
How will you continue with your studies next year?
Right now I’m finishing my second semester at the university but I haven't really had a chance of looking into what options I have for the following school year. I know for the younger players who are looking to play NCAA hockey in the future they will be taking high school classes. My university here in Hungary does have online classes but I never thought those or the best fit for me. I do know there are a number of universities and colleges there and I will see what option is the best fit for me and my studies.
How has your offseason training been?
I have been doing my regular offseason conditioning program for a number of weeks now. I have been working out with Tyler Dietrich and the U20 team as I usually have. I asked the Stampede for what they would like me to do as well. Its the usual guys with the U20 team so its a good atmosphere and we have been pushing each other.
Have you looked at the import players that have played for the Stampede and in the USHL in the past and how they have fared in at the higher levels?
Clearly every player will say that they are taking it one step at a time, but who ever says that they haven't looked to the future is lying. I know with a good season in the USHL I could catch the eyes of NHL scouts and maybe get drafted. But right now I have to try to be a top player on the squad and help the team win, which will be hard since they just won the title.
What would it mean for you to have a big season in the USHL as a Hungarian player?
I did think about it and did have it in the back of my mind when I made my decision. If I can have a good season then maybe in a couple of years 2-3 Hungarians might be traveling the same path as me. Tamás Láday is out in the WHL right now but it is a bit different, but scouts might start looking at Hungary. This could be not only big for me but for Hungarian hockey as well.
How do you feel about possibly missing the IIHF World Championships in Russia because of the USHL playoffs?
Yes because I will be committed to helping my team to make a deep playoff run and hopefully defending their title. If it does not work out like that, when the season is over I will be back to try to make the Hungarian national team. I’m pretty sure they will release me for the U20 worlds in December, but I only have max two years of juniors and hopefully a number A Pool world championships, and if Hungarian hockey is truly moving forward then maybe in a couple of years they will be a regular participant of the A Pool.
Photo: László Mudra