It's graduation day for Colten Teubert.

The Regina Pats' blue-chip defenceman has been well schooled on the business of hockey in anticipation of his long-projected selection in the first round of today's NHL entry draft.

Teubert has spent much of his life being groomed for this moment, including a first-class education with the Pats and a previous stint at South Delta Secondary Academy, a prestigious hockey program which has nurtured some of B.C.'s elite talent.

Now the lessons pay off.

"The good old days of bantam hockey are over where you don't have to worry about anything," Teubert reflected from Ottawa, site of the NHL draft. "It has gone by real quick. It's just exciting. It has always been a business for me, but I still have fun doing it. As long as I keep going at this pace, I'll want to do this for the rest of my life."

Teubert knows what it's like to stand under the spotlight on draft day.

Three years ago, he was the first overall pick in the WHL bantam draft, a title reserved solely for the cream of the crop -- a prodigy, a phenom, the best major-junior prospect in Western Canada. Teubert signed a contract with Regina the day before the draft, guaranteeing his spot atop the board.

This time there's a lot less certainty -- and the spotlight is a whole lot brighter.

"It's a little bit more unknown," he noted. "I knew I was getting drafted first overall so that was kind of easier. I already knew I was going to be a Pat. This is just a little bit more nervewracking. I'm just hoping it goes by quick and smoothy. I'm excited to get it over with, move on and look forward to camp and next season with the Pats."

Although Teubert's fate is out of his hands, he does have a strong feeling on how the proceedings will play out.

"I think I'll get drafted in the first round," predicted the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder, who had 23 points and 135 penalty minutes in 66 WHL games last season. "If I don't, I couldn't care less, because either way I'm getting drafted. You look at the NHL nowadays, you get players coming out of the sixth round who are still the best players on your team. If you have the heart, you can make it."

All signs point toward a first-round destination.

Central Scouting rates Teubert 18th among North American-based skaters, TSN's Bob McKenzie has him 13th overall, The Hockey News positioned him 13th and the International Scouting Service rated him No. 18. Another mock draft by the Canwest News Service predicated Teubert will fall to the Boston Bruins at No. 16.

The Bruins have shown considerable interest thus far, going as far as to fly him in for a visit earlier this month.

"It was kind of fun," he said of his first-ever trip to Boston. "I got an opportunity to go to Game 1 of the NBA finals too. I'd never been to an NBA game either. It was cool to see the city."

Asked if he could see himself wearing Bruins' colours on the podium today, Teubert responded: "For sure I could."

Teubert was interviewed by virtually every team in the NHL at the recent draft combine in Toronto. He had another face-to-face visit with his home-town Vancouver Canucks while the New Jersey Devils shelved plans to fly him down "because they don't think they can get me (at No. 21)."

Teubert's final meetings prior to the draft were slated to take place Thursday with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers, plus a fitness test with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

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