Colten Teubert interview

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Close your eyes and imagine the Flames' Jarome Iginla crossing the blue line into the Los Angeles zone and he puts his head down for just a quick second to look at the puck and he finds himself flattened by Kings' defenseman Colten Teubert.

Okay, fantasy sequence yes, but if the 18-year-old Teubert has any say so, this dream will be a reality in the near future for long-suffering Kings fans.

Teubert, taken with the number 13 pick overall in the 2008 entry draft by the Kings is a strapping 6-4, 181-lbs and plays with a physical and mental edge to his game that makes him quite intriguing.

And intimidating.

Opposing forwards in the WHL have learned to skate with their heads up or else they find themselves taking the full brunt of the Regina Pats defenseman's open ice hit.

Teubert was thrilled to be selected by the Kings and took a few minutes to talk about what makes him tick.

Q&A: Colten Teubert

Question: First things first; you're a first round draft pick. Congratulations. Must be a dream come true?

Teubert: Yeah it is. Ever since I've been playing hockey I've wanted to play in the NHL and this just gives me that much more of an opportunity to get there.

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Question: Did you know much about the Kings before they drafted you?

Teubert: To be honest with you I didn't know much. They had the second overall pick and did not have the thirteenth yet, so I didn't expect to go to them at all. But it is exciting and I am looking forward to getting to know the city and the organization.

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Question: Did you quickly do some homework to familiarize yourself with the organization?

Teubert: Yeah, I've been to the website and read quite a lot about them. I think it is a great organization with a lot of young talent, especially on defense. Me and Doughty are good picks there. We've got a good D, especially with Johnson there. I've only met Dean Lombardi twice but he seems like a really good guy and he wants to win and will do anything for the team to win.

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Question: So we're going to see you in a few weeks at the Prospects' Camp.

Teubert: Yep, I'll be down there.

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Question: First taste of Los Angeles for you?

Teubert: Right, I've never been down there and I'm looking forward to it. I've never really experienced the beaches and stuff like that. And of course the weather.

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Question: Educate the fans in Los Angeles who don't know much about you other than what they've read or heard.

Teubert: I'm a big strong defenseman. I love playing the body and I like to play physical. I'm a good leader and a good guy in the dressing room. I'm just a big physical presence on the point. I like to shut down the number one lines on teams and get in people's faces and stir it up a little.

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Question: ...and there are those favorable comparisons to Adam Foote and Shea Weber.

Teubert: That's amazing and a complete honor to be compared to those players. Shea Weber is going to be a successful player in the NHL and Foote's already established himself as a really successful player.

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Question: Scouting reports have some interesting things to say about you. I'm going to say a description of you from a report and you tell me your thoughts on that particular attribute.

Teubert: Okay.

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Question: "Angry." Why would someone label you as angry?

Teubert: Because I play to win and if you are in my way of winning I'm going to make sure I come up standing and you're not.

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Question: "Mean." Are you mean?

Teubert: (Laughs). I just love competing and I'll do anything to win.

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Question: Example?

Teubert: I have no mercy. I've been suspended a lot. If you touch one of my teammates I'm not just going to touch you, I'm going to hit you. I stick up for my teammates.

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Question: Okay, last one: "Colten likes to hurt people." True?

Teubert: (Laughs). I want to win hockey games and if some player has the puck and he is in my way of winning a hockey game and I have the opportunity to hit him and hurt him I'm going to. I'm not trying to kill people, but I'm trying to make myself known and make sure that no one likes to play the L.A. Kings in the future.

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Question: You're only 18 years-old; have you always been like this?

Teubert: I don't know (laughs), I think so. I'm not really the cocky type. I talk the talk but I also walk the walk. I know my role and I think that is why I'm a good hockey player. I'm a defensive defenseman and I know I have to make that first pass and to be a good player I need to hit and that's what I do.

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Question: Your family must either get a real kick out of your playing style or be horrified by it.

Teubert: (Laughs). My dad always wants me to be an offensive defenseman, but I think reality is going to really set in for him once I start playing at higher levels, AHL or NHL. That's my strength. I'm really good at shutting down the top line.

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Question: The knock sometimes on the stay-at-home defenseman is the lack of offense, but you showed some good numbers with Regina last season - seven goals and 16 assists - is that mostly from playing on the power play?

Teubert: No, actually not at all. I was only playing on the power play the last 36 games of the season and I was on the second unit. I'm hoping to get more power play time in the future and step that up. And actually, I had eight goals. It still pisses me off that they don't have that right (laughs).

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Question: We'll see if we can fix that for you.

Teubert: Yeah, yeah (laughs). In this upcoming year I do really hope to step it up on the power play.

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Question: For a big defensive defenseman you seem to have a very natural, smooth skating style.

Teubert: I'm not at all a plug, that's for sure. I'm a good player and I'm a team guy. I'm a big guy, but I've got good wheels and I don't have rocks on my feet. I've always had a really long stride and I work on my foot quickness to keep up with the faster guys.

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Question: I have to think as an 18-year-old you're likely a long shot to make the big club this season, but in getting to know you a bit I have a feeling you think otherwise.

Teubert: Yes, my goal is to try and make the L.A. Kings this year and if I don't make it that is just a bump in the road and gives me a little more time to work on my offensive game in Regina. I know they have a strong D core with young guys and I think any of the three of us, Dougthy, Hickey or me could step up and make a difference.

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Question: How exciting would it be to attend an NHL camp with Rob Blake, assuming they re-sign him?

Teubert: It would definitely be exciting. It will be exciting just to go to an NHL camp just to be honest with you. I've never gotten to play with that caliber of players before and I'd like to see how I do against them.

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Question: Okay, I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you about the November 28th game against Russian in the ADT Challenge. The game is coming to its conclusion, the Russians are winning 5-1 and you come up with a bone-rattling check just before the buzzer. What is your version of the story?

Teubert: There are five seconds left on the clock and one of the Russian players has the puck and just because there are only five seconds left on the clock doesn't mean the game is over and he thought it was over. He was just lollygagging and I hammered him into the glass. I hit him just as the buzzer sounded and he didn't like it and a little melee ensued. Of course in that game we were not allowed to fight so they are holding me back and I wanted to fight this Russian guy because he is slapping me like a girl. There was a little bit of a brouhaha, as Don Taylor likes to say.

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Question: No mercy, huh?

Teubert: Exactly.