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SPORTS: Stouffville’s Sam Carrick has longâ€"term plans to play in Toronto The two' concerns laid the groundwork to what they hope will be a long-lasting relationship down the road when the Leafs chose Carrick with their fifth round pick (144th player overall) during the National Hockey League's two-day entry draft in Los Angeles Satur- day. “It’s great," the six-foot, 188- pound Garrick said from his Los Angeles hotelrroom Monday. mhayakawa @yrmg.com Sam Garrick revealed his favou- n'te National Hockey League team is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Likewise, the Maple Leafs held the 18-year-old Stoufivifle resident and second-year Brampton Battal- ion forward in rather high regard. “The Leafs were my favourite team growing up. I always watched them on television. “It was in the back of my mind they (Maple Leafs) might pick me. But I didn’t want to say anything in case I got chosen by another team." Amassing 21 goals and 21 assists in 66 regular season contests this past OHL season with the Battalion, Carrick heard the pre-draft gossip he might not get chosen until the later rounds. Leaf fan happy in blue and white But entering the draft, he said BY MICHAEL HAYAKAWA the Maple Leafs appealed to show the most interest in his services. “I met the Leafs twice, once dur- ing the season when Mike Palma- teer (leafs scout) came to watch one of my games and then after the season 1 went to their practice facility and did a fitness evaluation,” said Garrick. who was a York Region Media Group all-star while playing for Stouffville Secondary. Biding his time in the Staples Center stands with his immediate family, Garrick acknowledged he felt a bit antsy after watching several of his playing cohorts reach the draft podium well before him. Upon hearing his name, Carrick said it felt like a big weight was removed from his shoulders. “When I heard my name. .. whew. It couldn’t have worked out better," he said. “I’ve been looking forward to this day. It’s a great feeling to have it over with and know where my hockey future is going.” ‘I know that I have to work on my speed and skating and to get bigger phyéically to muscle guys.’ “There are always a few boysl ask our scouts about prior to the draft each year," he said from Los Angeles. “Sam obviously this year was wondering where he would end up. I was so happy to see how thrilled and excited Sam and his family were after the selection." Also having Stoufiville ties with Garrick, long-time Maple Leafs assistant coach Keith Acton couldn’t have been happier to see the club select him. Acknowledging he is a few years from making an NHL roster and citing he still has three years of URL eligibility remaining, Garrick knows what he has to do. “I have a lot of work to do on my game to make the team. I know that I have to work on my speed and skating and to get bigger physically to muscle guys,” he said. The younger brother of lake Carâ€" rick, a 19-year-old forward with the OllL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. joyous occasion came on the ‘ heels of seeing a younger brother, ’l‘revor, 16, chosen by the Missis- sauga-St. Michael's Majors in the fifth round of this year's ()llL prior- ity selection. The youngest brother, losh, . I . . . . played for the 'l'oronto Red Wings Stoufivflle’s Sam Camck poses m the umform of his favounte team after AAA minor bantams last season. being selected by the leafs during the NHL draft in Los Angeles Saturday. PHOTO BY NOAH GRAHAM/NHL! VIA GEI IY IMAGES