Bowling Green State University Athletics
Foster Looks To Make Impact With Toronto
September 11, 2006 | Ice Hockey
Sept. 11, 2006
TORONTO, Ont. - Last September, Alex Foster had NHL dreams but no clear idea how he would achieve them. A Canton, Mich., native with Toronto roots and hockey in his blood, Foster was starting his sophomore year at Bowling Green State University, but as far as the NHL was concerned he was just another undrafted free agent.
This weekend, as the Leafs open the pre-season with the four-team Maple Leafs rookie tournament, Foster has a contract and an opportunity to impress his prospective new coaches.
"I just simply want to open some eyes," said Foster, 22. "I want to take the stigma out of (being a free agent) and show that I can play." The tournament involves rookie prospects from the Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers, as well as York University's varsity team. It opened yesterday at Ricoh Coliseum with York playing Florida and the Leafs facing the Canadiens.
Foster's journey to the Leafs' rookie camp started when Scott Norton, an NHL agent and friend of an assistant coach at Bowling Green, noticed the smooth-skating, high-scoring forward. Norton met with Foster and his coaches and asked if he could start talking to NHL teams on Foster's behalf. The arrangement was allowed under NCAA rules because Norton was acting as a "family adviser" instead of a paid agent.
"I just concentrated on playing and he concentrated on contacting teams," Foster said.
While Norton worked the telephones, Foster, the son of 10-year NHL veteran Dwight Foster, impressed on the ice. He quickly became the Falcons' leading scorer with 11 goals and 40 assists in 38 games. He and fellow Leafs rookie Robbie Earl were two of only five players to score more than 50 points in NCAA play last season.
The Leafs offered Foster a contract immediately after the NCAA season, but to sign it Foster needed to give up his last two years of college eligibility. Eventually, Foster decided his pro hockey dream couldn't wait.
"Everybody stresses education, but to have the chance to make the next step is why I played college hockey," Foster said. "If I'm going to go after something I'm not going to take my time doing it."
For Foster, who joined the Marlies at the end of the regular season but sat out the playoffs, the move to Toronto is a homecoming.
His father, who played 541 games for Boston, Detroit and New Jersey, was born in Toronto. And Foster's uncle, Wes Jarvis, was born here and played 28 games for the Leafs between 1984 and 1986.
Foster spent the summer training at Lakeshore Lions Arena with Leaf veterans Darcy Tucker, Matt Stajan and Alexander Steen, and is confident he can handle the increased speed of the AHL and NHL games.
"My goal is to be called up at some point this season," Foster said. "I feel I've progressed and I'll be able to make an impact wherever I play."
