Vande Sompel named in top scout rankings
Mitchell Vande Sompel is listed at number 31 in the recently released rankings from Central Scouting.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
It’s been a memorable season for Oshawa General Mitchell Vande Sompel, who once again found his name among the top junior players on the Central Scouting rankings.
Ranked number 31, the Gen’s d-man has been an asset for Oshawa and head coach DJ Smith this season, filling rolls on the powerplay and being juggled from offense to defense when the club requires it.
The experience has been a great learning opportunity, Vande Sompel says.
“I think it’s good for me. I get to learn different positions and I think it helps my game when I go back on D,” he says. “I know how I think as a forward and it kind of helps with my decision making with a guy coming down on me, what plays he’s going to make and whatnot. I think it helps and I’m thankful for it.”
Vande Sompel earned his twelfth goal of the season in a 9-1 win against the Kingston Frontenacs over the weekend, and has also earned 50 assists and is plus-30 in 57 games played this season.
Vande Sompel, who learned he’d been named on the rankings once again from his teammates in the dressing room, tries not to focus too much on that aspect of his career.
“You try not to focus on those things going into the season. You’ve got to keep your focus on your nutrition and your health, all throughout the season,” he says.
Missing a handful of games with a shoulder injury earlier in the season, Vande Sompel says he’s feeling healthy and is working to ensure it doesn’t impact his play late in the year.
“I’ve been working on it every day. You’ve got to focus on it and make sure it’s not going to affect you again,” he says. “Hopefully it will be a long (playoff) run for us and you’ve got to stay healthy through that and take care of yourself.”
With the attention he’s been getting, Vande Sompel admits it is sometimes hard to ignore it, but he says he tries to push it all away when he hits the ice.
“Sometimes, you put pressure on yourself that you need to do things, but you’ve just got to keep it to yourself and play the way you always play,” he says. “You don’t need to change anything because someone’s here watching you. It’s going to be that way every night, somebody is going to be watching you and you can’t let that affect the way you play.”
“I’m just trying to play hockey, be a kid,” he adds.