Do you know Stian Solberg? The Norwegian, who is a prospect for the upcoming draft, is a kid who is starting to gain popularity in view of the upcoming auction.
He’s not guaranteed a first-round pick… but his name is circulating enough that he was invited to the Combine this week.
Today, Solberg addressed the media at a press conference, as most prospects have done in recent days.
What you need to know is that Solberg is a defender… but he hasn’t always been one. In fact, he only became a defender at the age of 14.
And at a press conference, he explained the reason for this change: he became a defender when one of his team-mates, who was playing defense, urinated in the shower.
Yes, you read that right.
Stian Solberg said he switched to defense when he was 14 when a teammate peed in a shower and his coach told him to take his place at defense.
That’s a new one. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/kK2tr6FEWv
– Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) June 8, 2024
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Solberg’s coach decided to send Solberg to the blue line to take the place of his teammate, who had obviously been reprimanded for his actions.
And it obviously helped Solberg launch his career, as he’s on track to be drafted… as a defenseman.
When you watch him play, you clearly see a guy who seems to be made to play defense. He’s an extremely physical player, and he wasn’t afraid to hit last year despite playing with professionals in Norway.
Two minutes of Stian Solberg, EP’s 20th-ranked prospect in the #2024NHLDraft, showingcasing his biggest selling point: his elite physical game.
Crushing open-ice hits, stepping up at the right time against the rush, reverse hits before retrievals, etc. pic.twitter.com/WpjP7Ivej1
– Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) June 4, 2024
Still, it’s quite a story that got him where he is today, and were it not for a teammate urinating in the shower, who knows if Solberg would be on track to be drafted by an NHL team.
In the end, nothing happens for nothing.
In bursts
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Text by @GagnonFrancois https://t.co/Mzk4MFz9uU
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– Well done to the Quebecer.
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– TVA Sports (@TVASports) June 8, 2024