[Drake]

“I want to be a reliable player out there,” Monahan said minutes after being nabbed sixth overall by the Calgary Flames at the NHL draft Sunday at the Prudential Center. “I don’t want to be taken off (the ice in) my own end for faceoffs and stuff like that. I want to compete and (make) an impact next year.

“I think I am NHL ready. Obviously, this summer is going to help that. I’ve been working really hard since my summer ended. It ended March 17 so I’ve had a long time. I’m going to continue working hard.”

“It’s awesome,” Monahan said. “I think I can fit in well. I think it’s a good spot for me. I’m excited.”

“That’s an honour, being picked there when they need a centreman,” Monahan said. “Hopefully I can be that guy they can rely on and help win games. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a challenge and I’m always up for a challenge. I’m going to be a big part of that team and help that team win. So it’s going to be a fun time.

“It’s a lot of hard work,” Monahan said. “Obviously with all the interviews you go through, you’ve just got to learn to be yourself and I want to continue to do that. I’m going to take that out of this. Obviously sharing this draft day with my parents and other family members and friends is special. I’m going to remember this
forever"

“It’s crazy,” Monahan, wearing a rather large grin, said of his (short) wait in the bleachers. “You don’t know what to expect. I heard my name called and I didn’t realize that I’d been picked. I was just sitting there and I stood up. You kind of black out as you walk up there. It really sunk in when I got on the stage. I couldn’t be happier to be selected by the Flames.

“I wasn’t 100-per-cent sure, but I knew they had interest. I had a few interviews with them and I thought I left a good impression. I wasn’t sure, but I had a good idea that it was possible to go there.”

“Obviously being the captain of the team, I was relied on a lot. I like that,” said Monahan, who had been the 16th pick in the 2010 OHL draft. “You’ve got to go through a lot of adversity. You go through bumps and learn a lot about yourself. It really helped me, leadership-wise, and to be a better player and a better person.”

“It’s a trait I have — I’ve been a leader growing up. Obviously being named the captain this year was an honour. It made me a better player. I didn’t want to take any days off at all.”

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...535/story.html