Season in Review: Vince Pedrie

Vince Pedrie saw several close friends get the call that they were heading to New York during his first full season as a professional this past year with the Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League.
There were obvious feelings of happiness for his teammates, but there was also a different emotion for Pedrie.
"I was so pumped for Neal [Pionk] and John [Gilmour] to get up there and do so well," Pedrie said. "You get your buddies up there and you want to get there even more. For one, you miss them and you want to see them again, and obviously it's the National League and it's pretty special. It just makes you want it that much more."

Pedrie got a taste of the AHL at the end of the 2016-17 season after he signed with the Rangers as a college free agent from Penn State. This year was a big learning experience for the blueliner, as he adjusted to a life of hockey that wasn't coupled with classes and other responsibilities that come with life in the college ranks. But it's one he's having fun with.
"I think the pro hockey lifestyle has been a bit more enjoyable," he said. "Not having to battle through finals and exams and stuff like that. I learned a lot of time management in college and that's been helpful here, but obviously you have a lot more down time to try new things or do new stuff. That's been fun."
Pedrie was most certainly an offensive defenseman towards the end of his United States Hockey League career and during his two seasons at Penn State, including a 30-point campaign in his final season as a Nittany Lion.

The 24-year-old still has plenty of offensive upside after posting 14 points in 58 games as a rookie with the Wolf Pack, but he said he's also spent more time focusing on the defensive side of the game, which he knows must be strong if he wants to take the jump to the NHL.
"I think it's a huge part of the game, especially in the American League," he said. "I think development wise, I've developed a lot defensively. It's been a good transition so far."
It was a crowded blueline at the start of the season for the Wolf Pack, and at times Pedrie was the odd man out. That log jam, according to Jed Ortmeyer, the Rangers' Director of Player Development, may have hurt Pedrie out of the gate.
But once he was back in the lineup on a regular basis, Ortmeyer said he felt Pedrie found his game and finished the season strong.
"It took him a little while to get back his confidence and find his stride," Ortmeyer said of Pedrie. "His second half of the year, he kind of took off and was using his attributes and his skating to move the puck and he's definitely made strides adjusting to the pro game."
Like all offensive defensemen, Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said it's imperative for Pedrie to play well in his own zone to limit the time he's spending in it. It doesn't benefit Pedrie - or his team - to be 200-feet away from the opposing goal for a majority of his shift.
"He has to make sure he has a good stick in D zone coverage and using leverage to create separation so he can use those offensive skills so he isn't spending the whole time defending," McCambridge said. "We put him in offensive situations and on the power play. Getting shots through is what we've been building on with Vince."

Pedrie said he'll be returning to Chicago to train this summer ahead of what he knows will be an important training camp. With the change towards a younger roster, he believes there's a spot on Broadway, much like the ones his friends earned this past year.
"I'm a young guy and when I hear they want to go young," he said, "it drives me even more to want to get up there."