Heidt, who plays for Prince George of the Western Hockey League, already has been studying up on what to expect, how to navigate the waters, and how to hold his own through the upcoming season.
He said it's provided some early, much-needed perspective.
"A lot of guys I've talked to ... I've talked to so many good prospects and they've all just said they admit themselves they get caught up in the draft and look at rankings and stuff," Heidt said. "At the end of the day if you just watch the (2022) draft, it's not about your points, it's about your 200-foot game. Stay on track. It's a long season. You have a rough start, you can't let that get to you. Just keep going.
"Consistency is going to be a huge thing for me, and that's one thing I want to get better at. I think just being consistent and putting pucks in the net every night is the best way to go about it. Don't worry about it. Just go out and have fun."
Heidt is representing Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, an eight-team U-18 international tournament that runs through Saturday. He had a goal and an assist in a 14-0 win against Switzerland to open the tournament Sunday, and has four points (three goals, one assist) in two games. He said he hopes to maintain his consistency throughout the event, which has been a hallmark of his game for the past several seasons.
