Interview with Sheldon Juniper

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              10:15 on a Sunday night, the very last minute for writing a media spot. Yet it must be done, and I've come up with an interview with Sheldon Juniper for this week's article. It regards the performance of Juniper himself lately, the performance of the Calgary Wranglers, and the race for the rookie of the year.

 

Reporter: Thanks for taking the time to do this, Sheldon. First of all, how are you doing? It's your very first season in the VHL, and that must come with a lot of stress. How do you cope with suddenly being on a real professional hockey team?

 

Juniper: Yeah, I mean, it's a big jump for sure. Being traded too, after thinking I'd be spending my career in Vancouver, it's been a news flash, too. But I'm very happy with my situation in Calgary. Management is awesome, and I really feel at home in our dressing room. It's a nice feeling to know you belong somewhere.

 

Reporter: That's great, I'm glad it's going well. I know the World Juniors were a while back now, but let's touch on that quickly. You had a good tournament representing Team Canada, although you ultimately fell short of gold. How was that experience as a whole?

 

Juniper: Yeah, that whole thing was surreal. Being able to represent my country, and playing with guys I grew up playing against and with, it was a great experience. We weren't on our best in the round robin, and I had only 2 goals in those 8 games. But we found our clutch in the important games, when we beat Asia in the qualifiers and then barely lost to Team World, who would go on to win gold. But we did get bronze, which is still something to be proud of. I had 4 points in those 2 medal games, too, so I think I was at my best at that tournament. Overall, it was an amazing thing to be a part of, and I hope I can do it all over again next season, and hopefully come back with that gold.

 

Reporter: Onto the Wranglers. You guys are tied with the Seattle Bears for 4th in the North American division after a hot start. How do you think your season's going to end up, and who's been making the biggest difference on the ice and in the room?

 

Juniper: I think the way the season has gone so far, we should at least be able to get into the wildcard series, and after that, anything can happen. As for the guys that stick out, I have to give a shout out to my man Tallinder, who's the heart and soul of this team. Lafontaine is also a rock in nets, we would be at the bottom of the standings without him. RJ Jubis, one of the main leaders in the room, announced he's retiring after this season, which is going to affect the team for sure. We're a tight group of players.

 

Reporter: Thanks for this, Sheldon

 

Juniper: No problem. Have a good day

 

 

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