Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Junior Panther gets his shot
Parkland’s Mark Cheremeta getting a chance to try out with Panthers
Parkland teen tries out for pro team.
CORAL SPRINGS — It’s no secret that more and more Florida-grown hockey players are getting drafted.
While Mark Cheremeta, a graduate of Stoneham Douglas High in Parkland, didn’t expect to hear his name called at last week’s NHL draft, he also didn’t anticipate wearing a Florida Panthers jersey at this week’s development camp in the IceDen, an arena he grew up playing in for the Junior Panthers program.
Cheremeta is one of six players invited to the camp on a tryout basis. He’s joined by defensemen Spencer Abraham, Sean Durzi, Dylan Plouffe and Nolan Kneen, as well as goalie Zach Bowman.
“I was small, so growing up I never thought I’d make it to the draft so just to be here with these pros is crazy,” Cheremeta, a wispy 5-foot-11 forward on skates, said after Wednesday’s practice with the red squad. “This came out of nowhere. I got called up and everyone was really excited for me and happy for me. It’s a great experience and hopefully I’ll just keep working and get here some day.”
He just has to gaze across the locker room to find an example of a Jr. Panther who was drafted by the Panthers (fourth
round last year) in defenseman Riley Stillman, son of former Panthers forward Cory Stillman.
“I knew who he was,” said Stillman, 19. “He’s a year younger, a ’99, but I knew who he was growing up.”
Bowman, 19, looked sharp in net, but is most likely bound for the Sudbury Wolves (OHL) for his third season, but with new coach Cory Stillman.
“I want to ask Riley what’s his dad like so I could keep him happy during the year,” joked Bowman of St. Catherines, Ont. “I’m playing desperate at this point. … This is another opportunity to prove to an NHL club that I have what it takes one day to make it to the NHL. At the end of the day I just have to stop the puck.”
While Stillman will head back to juniors at Oshawa of the OHL for his second season, Cheremeta, who turns 18 next month, will return to Muskegon (Mich.) of the United States Hockey League where a Panthers’ icon awaits him.
“[Panthers director of player personnel Bryan McCabe] told me at the draft he was bringing [Cheremeta],” said former Panthers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck, who is general manager of the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
“It’s great to have a Florida native in camp and a nice touch. I’m sure he’ll fit in. He’s got a great hockey IQ. He’s good at slowing down, making plays, but it’s the whole get bigger, faster thing; but we like him.”
Cheremeta had a goal in just five games for Muskegon, including two playoff games. Last season, Cheremeta notched 13 goals and 35 points in 41 games with a plus-16 ice rating for the Islanders Hockey Club (Mass.) of the U.S. Premier Hockey League.
Cheremeta isn’t exactly a Florida native as he was born in Belarus but moved to Parkland with his parents when he was 1. Both Natalia and Vlad, as well as his grandfather, were beaming with pride while watching their son mix it up with first-round draft pick Owen Tippett.
“We’re very proud of him,” Natalia Cheremeta said. “It’s a long way and it’s a great opportunity to learn from this camp to see where he needs to be in the future.”
Vlad Cheremeta played junior hockey in his hometown of Magnitogorsk and now coaches pee-wee hockey at Pines Ice Arena.
“Whether [Mark] gets signed or not doesn’t bother me,” said Vlad Cheremeta, a former Jr. Panthers coach. “I want to make sure he keeps growing as a player. It’s a great experience and a challenge for him. … He’s not the fastest guy in the world, but he’s very skilled.”
Cheremeta is living a dream this week, staying at the team hotel in Parkland, about 2 miles from his home, and playing tour guide to his foreign teammates.
Then it’s back to training every day with his father and two to three times a week at Glacier Ice and Snow Arena in Lighthouse Point at Olli Jokinen’s South Florida Hockey Academy.
“I used to go to a lot of Panthers games with dad,” Mark Cheremeta said. “My favorite player was Olli Jokinen, and now I skate with him over summers at Glacier.
“I just got to keep getting stronger. I think my skills are there. My vision is there. I just got to keep working on getting stronger and then, why not?”