Catching up with... Hunter Shinkaruk

MONTREAL - Newcomer Hunter Shinkaruk was visiting his girlfriend, Adriana, in Thunder Bay, ON when he found out he'd been acquired by the Canadiens on Monday.

Before he headed back to Calgary to resume his offseason training program, we caught up with the 23-year-old forward while he was waiting for his flight at Thunder Bay International Airport.
How are you approaching this brand new opportunity with the Canadiens organization?
HUNTER SHINKARUK: I'm very excited. Things with Calgary and Vancouver didn't go quite as planned for me, but I've worked hard this summer and I know what I'm capable of. I know that I'm ready to live up to the hype of being a first-round draft pick. I know I can do that. It's a new opportunity, and it's time for me to go out there, do what I can do and show who I can be as a player. I'm really looking forward to it.
You spent all of last season in the AHL with the Stockton Heat and didn't suit up for the Flames. How tough was that to swallow, and how do you turn the page on that?
HS: It's definitely tough when you're in the American Hockey League and you don't have a chance to play in the NHL. But when I came into the summer, made my goals, and listed the things I needed to work on, I knew I really had to work on my mindset. I had to get my confidence back that I had when I was in Junior - knowing when I went out on the ice I could be the best player on any night. That was the main thing. Between my work on and off the ice this summer, studying video and filling in the little holes in my game that needed to be filled in, I'm ready to turn it around.

Do you feel like you have something to prove again?
HS: A little bit. I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. You can kind of shut down or you can take the adversity and work with it and work harder. I think that's what I did. I'm the only one who can change my fate. I'm excited to do that. When there's a chip on your shoulder, you go in the gym every day and you work a little bit harder. That's how it's been this summer.
What is your mindset heading into training camp?
HS: I think it's been the same this whole offseason. It's getting myself ready mentally to have my confidence back to where it was before when I was breaking into the League. I've been working on all parts of my game. My confidence is higher because I've worked really hard. I've got to come in there and let my playing on the ice do the talking. Playing in the NHL is my one and only goal. That's what I'm working towards. I know what I want, I know what kind of player I want to be and how I want my career to go. There's no one else who can control anything but me now. I feel like everything in my game is back to where it needs to be.
Where do you see yourself fitting in with the Habs?
HS:It's about being able to fit into any spot. I know what I can do on the offensive side of the puck and create and score goals. I think that's where my talent really shines. I've been able to work on my game a lot. I work on my speed and being good in the D zone. At the end of the day, I know I can score. No matter what role it is, I'm going to play it to the best of my ability. I'm a good skater. I'm creative. I love to put the puck in the net. I think I have that ability and I'm competitive. Every time there's a battle, I want to win it. I think fans can expect all of those things from me.

Tell us a little bit about your training program.
HS: I work out at a gym called Opex Calgary Central. My trainer's name is Sean Guevremont. I train with Braydon Coburn, a defensemen with Tampa Bay. It's just me and him in the gym. It's great to learn from a guy like that. He's played 14 years in the NHL. He sets a good example for me every day. I also skate with Cobourn and guys like Adam Lowry and Brayden Point. They're good skates. They're high-intensity.
Any ties to the Canadiens we should know about, Hunter?
HS: My bed sheets in the first house I grew up in were all Canadiens sheets. I also had a Canadiens jersey growing up. I actually asked for the jersey. It was the only thing on my Christmas wish list back then. I always liked watching the Canadiens when I was young. That was the team I followed. My parents actually live on Montreal Ave. in Calgary, too.