FloridaPanthers.com: What was your initial reaction to being drafted by the Panthers?
Sourdif:I was excited, just kind of knowing a little about the organization, how things are run down there and how they give young guys an opportunity. Obviously, there's new management there, and I was pretty excited to speak with all of them. I talked to Roberto Luongo, Bill Zito and Bryan McCabe. It was awesome. Everyone introduced themselves. It was a really great night.
FloridaPanthers.com: What was it like talking to a future Hall of Famer like Luongo?
Sourdif: It was interesting. I got a call from a Florida number, but I wasn't sure who it was going to be. I answered the phone and was just like, "Hello?" Then it was Roberto at the other end of the line. He was like, "It's Roberto Luongo. Welcome to the Florida Panthers." He told me how nice it was to see someone that played in Vancouver like him get drafted. It was awesome.
FloridaPanthers.com: With the draft being held digitally this year, did you find out on the TV that you'd been selected or were you tipped off before the announcement was made?
Sourdif: I actually found out on the TV. My name was called, and I saw it pop up on the screen there. It was pretty exciting to watch that and just be able to share that moment with my family.
FloridaPanthers.com: What was it like waiting to hear your name called during the draft?
Sourdif: I was pretty nervous. I didn't know where I was going to go. There are some guys heading into the draft who know where they're going to go. I thought I could go within a range of 40 different spots. It was pretty nerve-wracking. When Florida picked me, I was super excited.
FloridaPanthers.com: What have the weeks since the draft been like?
Sourdif: It's definitely back to business. It's obviously kind of a weird time. I'm not even sure when I'm going down to Florida, whether that's next year when things settle down. Everything is weird right now. I'm just listening to what my agent and my current team tell me. It's day by day.
FloridaPanthers.com: After working so long and hard to be drafted into the NHL, do you feel any different now that you are finally affiliated with an NHL team like the Panthers?
Sourdif:Yeah. It's a huge privilege to be drafted by an NHL team. Even though there's seven rounds, when you look at it it's still not that many players in the whole world. Maybe 200 or so guys get picked. For me to get selected in the top 100 by the Panthers, it's a huge privilege. It gets me thinking that I have a chance to possibly make it pro. I just have to put the work in.
FloridaPanthers.com: You posted a photo of yourself on Twitter in a Panthers jersey recently. What was it like to put that on for the first time a few weeks after the draft?
Sourdif: It was awesome. It's a beautiful jersey. I was getting a couple compliments saying that I looked good in red. That was just awesome. All the stuff they sent was awesome. I was pretty nervous to wear some of it at the gym because I know the guys were going to tease me about it a little bit, but I ended up wearing the short-sleeve shirt one time *laughs*]. It was awesome.
[Tweet from @SourdifJustin: 🐆🐆 pic.twitter.com/g7R45GvsgQ
