STORR HAS GOAL IN SIGHT; KINGS' BACKUP WORKS TO SHAKE OFF CRITICS.Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer The Kings still look at goaltender Jamie Storr Jamie Storr (born December 28, 1975 in Brampton, Ontario) is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the DEG Metro Stars of the DEL. Storr is half-Chinese and has Chinese dragons on his mask to honor his mother. and see a future star. He's big, he's quick, he's as cool as an empty skating skating: see ice skating; ice dancing; roller skating. skating Sport in which bladelike runners or sets of wheels attached to shoes are used for gliding on ice or on surfaces other than ice. rink in front of the net. And he's confident. He, too, expects nothing less of himself than stardom star·dom n. 1. The status of a performer or entertainer acknowledged as a star. 2. Star performers considered as a group. in the toughest league in the world. The Kings backup goalie also understands better than ever what it will take to get him there: work, an idea some believe he embraced only reluctantly in the past. ``I'm confident that whatever I'll be, I'll not fall short of whatever I was given,'' said Storr, 22. ``If I'm not a star goalie, it'll be because I wasn't good enough to be a star goalie.'' The Kings never doubted Storr's talent. He was the seventh overall pick in the 1994 entry draft, the highest pick the Kings have ever used for a goaltender, because of his impeccable im·pec·ca·ble adj. 1. Having no flaws; perfect. See Synonyms at perfect. 2. Incapable of sin or wrongdoing. [Latin impecc credentials. He had a fabulous junior career. He was the OHL Goaltender of the Year The OHL Goaltender of the Year Award is given to the best goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League, as voted on by OHL coaches and general managers. Winners
And he has the physical tools over which general managers drool - he's 6-foot-1, 197 pounds, he's athletic and he has poise beyond his years, which is perhaps a product of that confidence. However, he certainly wasn't an instant star when he joined the Kings at only 19. He had a lot to learn about a lot of subjects. The questions surrounding his work ethic work ethic n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. work ethic Noun a belief in the moral value of work surfaced early. In part, several observers agreed the criticism was unfair. It's easy to mistake his laid-back, unexcitable demeanor The outward physical behavior and appearance of a person. Demeanor is not merely what someone says but the manner in which it is said. Factors that contribute to an individual's demeanor include tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures, and carriage. for laziness. Even Kings coach Larry Robinson For U.S. basketball player, see Larry Robinson (basketball). Larry Clark Robinson (born June 2 1951, in Winchester, Ontario, Canada) was a star player and a coach in the National Hockey League. He is currently an assistant coach of the New Jersey Devils. acknowledged as much. ``That's his personality. He's a quiet kid,'' goaltenders coach Don Edwards For other persons named Don Edwards, see Don Edwards (disambiguation). William Donlon Edwards, (born January 6, 1915), usually known as Don Edwards, is an American politician of the Democratic Party, formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives from said. However, the knocks also might've been warranted to some extent. In practice, Robinson said, Storr had a tendency to cruise. ``Sometimes, especially for a goaltender, you want to create game conditions in practice,'' Robinson said. ``Just as forwards and defenders challenge the goalie as to whether they can score goals, it's up to him to challenge them. It's how you bring the best out of everyone. ``Sometimes he hasn't beared down on all his shots.'' Storr, who now cringes at the thought that the word ``lackadaisical'' would be attached to his name, doesn't dispute the criticism but has an explanation. As a No. 1 goalie all his life, playing every single night, he got his practice in the games. Formal practice was a time for light workouts, not game-like intensity. Or so he thought. He now knows better. ``You gotta got·ta Informal Contraction of got to: I gotta go home. give everything you got every day. It's something you learn,'' he said. ``If you look at the way I practice now, any doubts about the way I work can be washed away. That's something I definitely don't want on my record.'' Today, the coaches like what they see. Robinson said he has to get after Storr once in a while but added that he's no different from any other player. In terms of Storr's role on the team, it's not a matter of effort but maturity at this point. At one time, bursting with confidence, Storr might've had thoughts of making the transition from junior hockey to the NHL NHL Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, see there without missing a start. Fans, pointing to the No. 7 pick the Kings used, might've had similar thoughts. Storr, for one, now understands reality. He has spent most of the past 3-1/2 seasons in the minors for a reason. ``At 18, I was playing for 25 bucks a week, I had a $200 car, I was living at my dad's house,'' he said. ``You step into L.A. and all of a sudden you're making a lot of money, you have a lot of pressure on you. . . . It's a huge jump. There's so much to learn. ``. . . I'm not happy playing behind Stephane (Fiset). I want to be the No. 1 guy. I understand where I am, though, I understand I have to wait for my opportunity.'' It appears his opportunity will come. Storr gave the Kings and fans a tantalizing tan·ta·lize tr.v. tan·ta·lized, tan·ta·liz·ing, tan·ta·liz·es To excite (another) by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach. glimpse of what might be ahead when he beat the Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional men's ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). 1-0 on Dec. 22, his first NHL shutout. He was what the team envisioned the day he signed with the team: spectacular. The Kings coaches don't see it as an aberration. Said Robinson: ``We expect him to be around for a long time.'' JAMIE STORR Position: Goaltender Age: 22 Home: Brampton, Ont., Canada Acquired: Kings' first-round pick (7th overall) in 1994. Key stats: In 18 games over four seasons, he's 7-7-2 with a 2.97 goals-against average. This season, he's 1-2 with a 2.67. He beat Chicago 1-0 on Dec. 22, his first career shutout. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box PHOTO (1) Goaltender Jamie Storr has played 18 games for the Kings in 3-1/2 seasons, including a shutout on Dec. 22. Phil McCarten / Daily News (2) Storr BOX: JAMIE STORR (see text) |
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