At 18-years-old, Schemitsch and his family packed their bags and booked a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for the 2015 NHL Draft. He sat with his family at BB&T Center, eagerly waiting for his name to be called on Saturday, June 27. Finally, in the third round (88th overall), Thomas Schemitsch heard his name and he pulled the Florida Panthers sweater over his head.
“It was a dream come true,” he said with a smile. “I couldn’t believe it when I got called.”
When you’re a kid in Canada, it’s common to pick up a hockey stick and play the nation’s most beloved sport.