Bird nest to Duck pond

by Randy Russon
RR Media Service

From the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to a National Hockey League draft pick in the space of two years, 1990 birth year forward Brett Perlini of Sault Ste. Marie has continued his ascent in the hockey world.

Perlini, a 6-foot-3, 180 lb. centre/winger who already skates and shoots like a pro, moved a step closer to a possible career in the National Hockey League on the weekend when he was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks.

After being eligible, only to be bypassed at both the 2008 and 2009 NHL drafts, third time proved to be a charm for the likeable, well-spoken Perlini.

"It's a dream come true," a very-excited Perlini told me moments after being selected by Anaheim with the 192nd pick of Saturday's NHL Draft. "I want to thank you for always believing in me," he added.

Two years ago, Perlini was finishing up his second season with the NOJHL's Soo Thunderbirds, having capped off his Jr. A career with 16 goals and 16 assists in only 16 games during the '07-08 campaign.

Then it was off to play Division 1 U.S. college hockey with the Michigan State Spartans. Perlini scored just twice and added an assist in 26 games during his '08-09 freshman season at Michigan State and then overcame a slow start to the '09-10 campaign to tally seven goals and add five assists in 20 games as a sophomore.

Perlini was actually a healthy scratch for several games early in the '09-10 season before improving his defensive game enough to satisfy the demands of crusty Michigan State head coach Rick Comley. Only five Spartans scored more goals during the '09-10 season than Perlini, who also had an impressive plus-minus rating of +5.

"I'm way more of a complete player now than I was at the beginning of last season," related Perlini, who still has two years of eligibility left at Michigan State as part of the four-year, full-ride scholarship the school committed to him while he was still in high school in the Sault.

Michigan State successfully wooed Perlini away from signing with the Soo Greyhounds, who had selected him in the third round of the 2006 Ontario Hockey League Draft.

While some local hockey fans and a member of the local media were critical of Perlini's decision to choose Michigan State and the U.S. college route over the Greyhounds and the OHL, the move certainly hasn't backfired, particularly with Saturday's NHL draft selection by Anaheim.

"This feels just great," Perlini continued. "I know I was on the list of at least one NHL team in both '08 and '09 and it was disappointing to not get drafted then. But I didn't let it get me down and I just kept on working to try to get bigger and stronger and to improve my game."

Perlini will head to Anaheim shortly for the Ducks rookie orientation camp.

"I'm looking forward to putting on one of those Anaheim jerseys," he happily stated.

Brett's selection by Anaheim at the 2010 NHL Draft comes exactly 30 years after his father Fred Perlini was taken by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the eighth round (158th overall) of the 1980 NHL Draft.

Fred, naturally, was beaming after learning that Brett had been drafted by Anaheim on Saturday.

The Perlinis were golfing on Saturday and just after exiting the course, were told of Brett's selection by Anaheim.

"I'm so happy for him," Fred said of Brett. "I know how hard he has worked. It's a thrill to be drafted into the NHL. I got to experience it and now so has Brett."

The younger Perlini, to be sure, has hockey blood running through his veins.

Besides having a dad who starred in the OHL with the Toronto Marlies and played in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, his mother Vicki's older brother Kevin Conway is a former OHL gunslinger who scored 63 goals during the '83-84 season for the old Kingston Canadians.