Tynan Lawrence grew up watching Sidney Crosby bring the Stanley Cup home to Nova Scotia in 2016. Now the 17-year-old Fredericton native hopes to follow in his footsteps.
"I was like eight years old, but it was an unreal experience," Lawrence said with a big smile. "I still remember it to this day."
"Just how much the East Coast is behind him and supports him, and just how everyone is so happy for him," Lawrence recalled. "It's a big thing."
Crosby's Lasting Impact
Lawrence grew up idolizing Crosby and continues to cheer for the Penguins. It's easy to understand why Pittsburgh's captain is so beloved, especially in Atlantic Canada.
"Just how he carries himself off the ice and around people," Lawrence said. "He's an unreal guy, it seems."
"He thinks the game the right way," Lawrence noted. "He's always in the right spot. He does the right things and, no matter who you play him with, he always finds a way to make them better."
Representing New Brunswick
Lawrence, who came in No. 7 on NHL Central Scouting's final list of North American skaters, is now hoping to help inspire the next generation of hockey players from the Maritimes.
He will proudly carry the New Brunswick flag into next month's draft in Buffalo.
"It means a lot," he said. "There's not a lot of NHL players that come out of here all the time, so being able to kind of represent your native province is always a great experience. It's one big community that supports each other and I'm very lucky to have that with me."
TSN: How much do you feel the pride from back home as you've pursued your hockey career?
Lawrence: Every step of the way it grows and grows with more people reaching out and supporting you. When you come back home, every time you skate or practice or you do mini skates with kids or something like that, you keep building your community and feel that getting bigger and bigger behind you.
Career Journey and Role Models
During a conversation with TSN, Lawrence reflected on a roller-coaster season that saw him make the jump from the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL to the NCAA in January.
TSN: Who inspired you growing up in New Brunswick?
Lawrence: Jake Allen. He is a big name. He always did camps. I always used to go to his hockey schools or whatever around town. He was the main guy from the same town I am who is playing in the NHL.
TSN: What did you take away from talking with him?
Lawrence: He's one of those guys where you can't really tell he's an NHL player if you just met him on the street with how humble he is and what a great guy he is. Just kind of being able to talk to him like that, it's always great.
TSN: What type of player are you?
Lawrence: A fast, 200-foot centre that has great habits and details and doesn't cheat the game. A guy that plays the right way and is one of the leaders that can drive a line and make their teammates better.