Bruins take Trotman in the seventh round

SAULT STE. MARIE – Lake Superior State sophomore defenseman Zach Trotman was selected in the seventh round by the Boston Bruins during the 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He was the 210^th pick overall.

Trotman heard the news while driving home from last week’s Laker Hockey Skills Clinic.

“My dad was going crazy, my mom cried and my sister was really excited,” he said. “It’s all a whirlwind. I have to be in Boston next week for development camp.”

Trotman, a 6-4, 202-pound defenseman from Novi, Mich., was one of 59 Americans taken in the NHL Draft, which was held last week in Los Angeles. He totaled one goal and five assists in 27 games with the Lakers last season.

“They made an investment for the next three years for my rights, and they are counting on me to progress and get up to the level I need to be at in order to play for them,” said Trotman, who is also working this week’s Laker Hockey clinic.

In addition to Boston, Trotman sparked interest from Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Toronto.

“Boston is the team I knew the least about,” he said. “But I like the idea of going there.”

Trotman will attend Boston’s development camp next week. Laker senior forward Rick Schofield is attending the New York Rangers’ camp this week and heads to the Chicago Blawkhawks’ camp next week.

“I sure hope he comes back,” LSSU coach Jim Roque said of the Lakers’ top scorer from 2009-10.

Trotman looks forward to meeting the Bruins’ staff and other prospects, and seeing the lockerroom. In the near future, he hopes to play a bigger role on the Lakers’ blue line.

“I want to improve my mindset so I can make faster decisions on the ice and be a smarter player,” he said. “I also want to develop more of an offensive game while progressing as a shut-down defenseman.”

LSSU’s only other draft pick on the current roster is senior goaltender Brian Mahoney-Wilson (San Jose, 2004).