Bachman adds speed, work ethic to team
SUNRISE — Karch Bachman may have grown up in an Amish community outside of Wolcottville, Ind., riding buggies with his friends, but that didn’t stop his cell phone from blowing up after the Panthers selected him with their fifthround pick on day two of the NHL draft at the BB&T Center.
Bachman, who isn’t Amish, is an 18-year-old, 5-foot-10 left wing and was ranked 87th by the NHL Central Scouting service. His voice cracked with emotion when he was asked how he felt when the Panthers called his name.
“I can’t even describe it,’’ said Bachman, who had 19 goals and 43 points in 32 games in his final high school season at Culver Military Academy. “It almost brings tears to my eyes, especially here in Florida being drafted by the Panthers.
“It was something special walking around the arena and instead of hearing silence you’re hearing cheers.’’
Bachman truly fits the bill for the Panthers. Not only did Panthers general manager Dale Tallon rave about him being one of the fastest skaters in the draft, “he can fly,’’ but his military background goes a long way with team owner Vinnie Viola, a proud West Point graduate.
“I come from hard work and discipline,’’ said Bachman, the fifth high school player drafted at that point and just the second player from northeast Indiana to be drafted.
Bachman’s love of hockey came from his father, Kurt, an attorney for the Fort Wayne Comets, where Panthers coach Gerard Gallant served as an assistant in1999.
“I ended up watching their games sitting on his lap and I wanted to try out someday and the rest is history,’’ he said.
Bachman will play for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL next season and then Miami of Ohio, where he hopes to add muscle and weight to his undersized frame.
As for his Amish roots, Bachman laughed and said: “It’s certainly different than Florida.’’
Along with Bachman, the Panthers added forwards Chris Wilkie in the sixth round and Patrick Shea in the seventh. Shea is a Boston toughie with a mean streak and Tallon said: “Man, you don’t want to play against this kid.’’
Wilkie used his 93-mph slap shot to score 35 goals for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, and he will attend the University of North Dakota.
Seven of the Panthers’ eight picks will attend next week’s development camp in Coral Springs that begins Monday at 11 a.m. The only no-show will be fourthrounder Denis Malgin, who lives in Switzerland.
Crouse control?
If the Panthers send their first-round pick Lawson Crouse back to the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL juniors) next season for more seasoning he’ll have to sit out the first eight games for delivering a headshot to an opponent during Game 4 of a first-round playoff series.
“It fits in perfectly with what we need, power forward, big guy, can skate, can score, tough and size,’’ Tallon said.
Tallon loves Crouse’s toughness, just as he admired in another former Frontenac, Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who earned a suspension for a similar act when he was returned to Kingston after Florida took him with its No. 3 pick in the 2010 draft.
“I like that fire in the belly,’’ Tallon said. “When we first interviewed him at the Combine, he was intense. He looked right through me, intimidated me a little bit. This kid really wants it.’’