Q & A WITH QUINN SCHMIEMANN

On June 24th, Abbotsford Canucks General Manager, Ryan Johnson, announced that the club has signed major junior free agent defenceman Quinn Schmiemann to a two-year AHL contract through the 2023-24 season. Schmiemann joins Abbotsford from the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League.

“We are excited to have Quinn join our organization,” said Abbotsford GM Ryan Johnson. “After a great junior career, we feel we are a great fit to help him succeed at the next level."

This week at Development Camp, we sat down with Schmiemann to talk to the newly signed blue liner.

Can you talk to us about your time with the Kamloops Blazers and your success there?

"I played there for four years and had a really good season this year, a great team. Had lots of help up front with guys like Logan Stankoven and Caedan Bankir. It's a great place to play, one of the nicest places to play in the Western Hockey League. Overall I really enjoyed my four seasons there and I wouldn't look back. It was a great experience and I'm thankful for it."

What excites you about playing in the AHL with Abbotsford?

"I think just making that next step. It's professional hockey, and I think I'm ready for professional hockey. It's every kid's dream to make that best step, and Abbotsford seemed like a great choice. It's right in the backyard, still here in BC. I love British Columbia, I'm a prairie boy so it's a bit different out here than Saskatchewan. But I'm really excited to get things going here."

How was Development Camp for you?

"Personally I think it's going great. I'm having a really good time here, meeting a lot of good guys and staying right in downtown (Vancouver). Everyone is enjoying themselves and having a good time and trying to be a sponge by soaking everything in."

Did you know any of the guys in the camp from before this week?

"So I played against (Alex) Kannok Leipert in U18 for a couple of years. And then I played against him and (Tristen) Nielsen when they were with the Vancouver Giants for a couple of years too. There is a couple of WHL guys that I played against, like Chase Wouters, Arshdeep Bains and Jackson Van De Leest."

Tell us about yourself, what do you get up to in your spare time?

"Training usually takes up a good chunk of my day, but when I'm not training I usually like to play golf. Me and my buddies would go and work on our golf game a little bit, not that it's any good or anything. There are a couple of nice courses around Kamloops. Any day that I get to hit the golf course is a good day to me."

Who do you model your style of play after?

"That's a tough question. I think generally I just play a 200 foot game, play physically and chip in offensively when I can. Really just whatever needs to be done. If there is a role to be filled then I'm going to assume that role and bring everything that I have to the table to try and help my team win."

Finally, how do we say your last name?

"Sh-mee-mann. It's definitely a long one. Goes shoulder to shoulder on the jersey for sure. Definitely get that question quite a lot.