Alex Kim has become a prolific scorer for the San Diego Gulls, with 16 goals and 22 assists in only 22 games this season.

Long journey pays off for Gulls' Kim
By Len Bardsley | NHL.com correspondent
Mar. 31, 2006

You have to stay Hungary.

Alex Kim is the first to admit it is a corny saying, but you go with what works when sometimes you feel like a stranger in a strange land.

Kim always has stayed hungry, even if he felt like he was in Hungary during his professional career. Kim was pretty comfortable growing up a Korean-American in Southern California, but to pursue his dream of playing Division I hockey, Kim had to move outside his comfort zone for the first of many times in his life.

He decided to play Junior hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, which might as well been Hungary for a 16-year-old from Southern California.

"It was a culture shock," Kim said. "I didn't know how to adjust at first. You are the minority. It was fairly tough, but I had to put myself in situations I might not always want to be in."

Like paying the price to score goals in front of the net, Kim felt he paid the price to develop as a young hockey player. That background has helped him become a prolific scorer for the San Diego Gulls, where he has 16 goals and 22 assists in only 22 games this season. He missed over two months with a broken collarbone.

Kim's play since he returned from his injury two weeks ago not only earned him ECHL Player of the Week honors, but an American Hockey League call-up to the Portland Pirates. Kim leaves a 16-game point-scoring streak waiting for him in San Diego when he returns from the AHL.

Kim's determination to prove himself to doubters dates back to his first years away from his home in Fullerton, Calif.

"At times respect is not given," Kim said. "You have to go out and earn respect. You keep your mouth shut and go about your business and work hard."

Kim's work ethic helped him overcome his injury this season and continue the torrid scoring pace he had started at the beginning of the season.

"It boils down to work ethic," he said. "You always have to put in a good effort. I just try to do my best work within the system and try to anticipate where to be on the ice in certain situations in the game."

Like many kids growing up in the Los Angeles area in the early 1990s, Kim wanted emulate the play of Wayne Gretzky, but there were limited opportunities for an aspiring hockey player.

"There were maybe 10 rinks within a two-hour driving distance," he said. "It was very hard to get ice time. My parents did a great job, giving me the best possible environment. At 16, I decided to get out of California and get some exposure."

That started Kim's odyssey, bringing him from Sault Ste. Marie, to Des Moines in the United States Hockey League, to Miami University in Ohio, back to Des Moines for juniors again before completing his college career at Colorado College.

"I think that helped my maturity process," he said of leaving Miami University and returning to juniors. "I was not as a mature as I thought I was at 18. I had a hard time being back in juniors, but there is a reason for it. It was a learning experience."

Kim has found a way to produce at nearly every location hockey has brought him. It seems with each stop it has taken Kim fewer games to score the same amount of points. Kim scored 22 goals in 61 games for the Reading Royals in 2002-2003, to 22 goals in 42 games for the Long Beach Ice Dogs in 2003-2004, to 16 in 22 for the Gulls this season.

"You always have to be hungry," said Kim. "You have to have that hunger to strive for excellence. You can't expect anyone else to do it for you."

Similar path for Kompon -- Mike Kompon took a somewhat similar route as Kim to the ECHL, playing juniors in the USHL with the Thunder Bay Flyers, going to Miami University in Ohio and playing one year in the United League.

Like Kim, the Reading Royals forward managed to continue to produce points despite some adversity. Kompon, maintained a 25-game point streak earlier in the season despite getting sent to three different AHL teams during the season, Hershey, Binghamton and Hershey.

Kompon produced 40 points, during his streak, which lasted from Nov. 26 to March 10.

"It took my mind off it when I was called up," said Kompon. "It gives you a break, I really didn't think about it the whole time."

Whenever Kompon was sent down he would pick up where he left off thanks to some talented linemates like Danny Roussin and Doug Christiansen.

"I would always get an assist or two from their nice goals," Kompon said. "It was a pleasure to be on a line with them, those guys really helped me out."

Kompon proved he could carry his scoring touch from college at Miami University to professional hockey when he produced 39 goals with the Quad City Mallards in the UHL last season.

"I was with Houston (AHL training camp)," Kompon said. "I never thought I would go to the U. It took me about 20 games to get adjusted. I felt comfortable and the puck started going in for me. It helped me because you play so many games (in the UHL compared to college)."

Kompon's ability to adapt and contribute right away for the Royals after being sent down is just another example of why the Royals are battling for first place in the North Division, despite dealing with constant call-ups to the AHL.

"We have four or five guys called up right now," Kompon said. "That is the reason a lot of guys choose Reading. Our goal is to get to the next level, but when we are here we play all-out."

Around the ECHL --

Len Bardsley cover the ECHL for The Trenton Times in New Jersey. Len can be reached at Lenby@aol.com.

For complete information visit: the ECHL official web site