THE CANADIAN PRESS
LOS ANGELES — The Montreal Canadiens top draft pick already has a pretty good idea of what it’s going to take to reach the National Hockey League.
Big defenceman Jarred Tinordi will be following in the footsteps of his dad Mark after the Canadiens traded up to select him with the 22nd pick on Friday night. He’s received plenty of advice over the years about what needs to be done to play hockey at the highest level.
"It’s tough," said Jarred Tinordi, decked out in a new Habs sweater. "The only thing he told me is that it’s tough to get there and it’s tough to stay there. You’ve got to have some guts, sometimes you have to sacrifice a little bit."
Mark Tinordi played 663 NHL games over 11 seasons with the New York Rangers, Minnesota, Dallas and Washington. Jarred was raised in Maryland and has spent the last two years in the U.S. development program that is based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
It marks the fifth straight time the Canadiens have selected an American-based player with their top pick in the draft. They swapped first-round picks with Phoenix to land the six-foot-six blue-liner.
"When I saw Montreal make that trade there I kind of had a little bit of a feeling that it was my time," said Tinordi. "My heart started to pick up a little bit."
The only one more excited than him was his father. Mark patiently stood by with a big smile while Jarred fielded questions from the media.
He then walked in front of the TV lights himself.
"It’s a great way to be in the spotlight — with one of your kids," he said. "It’s fabulous."
Mark was a stay-at-home defenceman who had a mean streak and says his son skates better than him. He’s excited that Jarred will be playing in a rabid hockey market and looks forward to seeing him skate at the Bell Centre one day.
"It’s going to really open his eyes," said Mark.
