Nathan Gerbe is living every amateur athlete’s dream ? he’s been drafted by the pros.
The Oxford resident was the Buffalo Sabres? fifth round draft pick July 30 in Ottawa. He was the 142nd overall pick in the 2005 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
‘It’s a real honor to be drafted anywhere in any sport,? said Gerbe, who just celebrated his 18th birthday in July and is the youngest son of Joe and Terrie Gerbe.
‘I do feel like I’m living a dream. I’m a lucky kid. A lot of people don’t have what I have and don’t get to do what I get to do.?
‘I’m real excited about Buffalo,? Gerbe said. ‘It was for sure one of my top teams.?
‘It’s a good organization, a young organization. It’s a good hockey place.?
But don’t look for Gerbe to be mixing up with the pros on the ice this season. Until the Sabres are ready to sign him, the 5-5, 160-pound center will play for Boston College starting this fall while continuing his education.
It could be anywhere from one to four years before Buffalo ‘thinks I’m ready physically and as a player to make that step,? Gerbe said. For now, ‘I’m in their system and no one else can take me.?
‘Personally, I would like to go four years (at college), but if I get a nice deal, an early offer from Buffalo, I’ll probably take it,? he said.
Gerbe began playing hockey at age 6 on a backyard pond with his father and two older brothers.
One of his brothers, Joe Gerbe, 26, now plays hockey for the Pennsylvania-based Johnstown Chiefs in the East Coast Hockey League.
When he was about 7 or 8 years old, Gerbe began playing for the Honeybaked hockey club. At 14, he was invited to play with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Ann Arbor, even though a player can’t officially join until he’s 16.
Established in 1997, the NTDP consists of two national teams ? an Under-18 and an Under-17 team ? whose goal is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and for future hockey careers.
‘Efforts focus on high-caliber play on the ice, and on creating well-rounded individuals off the ice,? according to usahockey.com. ‘The success of the NTDP is not gauged on wins and losses, but on the development of skills and acquiring experience. The two teams combine to play more than 110 games versus collegiate, U.S. junior and international competition.?
In an effort to hone his playing skills before landing in Ann Arbor, Gerbe left Oxford during his sophomore year of high school to play for the Nebraska-based Omaha Lancers, part of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He played 25 regular season games for the Lancers in 2002-03 and was the youngest player in the USHL.
Last year, while playing with the U.S. Under-18 squad, Gerbe’s team won the silver medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship in Minsk, Belarus.
In April 2005, the Under-18 team turned that silver medal into gold beating the Canadian team 5-1 while playing in the Czech Republic. During the world championship tournament, Gerbe registered 8 points ? 4 goals and 4 assists ? in six games.
Overall last season, Gerbe scored 29 points ? 13 goals and 16 assists ? in 38 games with the Under-18 squad.
Although he’s not very big for a hockey player, Gerbe said he makes up for his lack of size with sheer speed.
‘I’m a quick player. The big guys can’t really catch me,? he said. ‘I’m a shifty player, (moving) side-to-side. It’s hard to get a hold of me.?
‘I just can’t be as physical as maybe a six-foot guy can be. So, I use my body wisely.?
A writer for insidecollegehockey.com described Gerbe as ‘a Tasmanian devil on skates who plays each shift as if someone smeared wasabi inside his helmet.?
Besides honing his playing skills, Gerbe, who graduated from Ann Arbor’s Huron High School this year, said living away from his family and ‘doing things on my own? has made him independent, responsible and mature.
‘I’ve grown more as a man,? he said.
Although he lived with a host family while in Ann Arbor, Gerbe’s spent a lot of time on the road travelling to exotic locales such as Sweden, Switzerland, Belarus, Finland, France, Germany and Russia
Even though he returned to Oxford for the summer, Gerbe’s currently spending two weeks in Lake Placid, New York training and trying out with 41 other top players for the World Under-20 USA Team.
‘Around November-December, they announce the team that’s going to go over to Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) and compete in the World Under-20 Tournament.?
Good luck Nathan. We’ll see you on the ice.