Avoiding temptation

Nick Christensen

Friday, Jan. 23, 2004 | 10:06 a.m.

The bright lights of Las Vegas have taken their toll on a number of young athletes. From UNLV basketball stars to Padres and Dodgers baseball prospects, being young, talented, famous, and in Las Vegas can propel a player's profile ... or expose him to enticements for which he may be unprepared.

Enter Brent Krahn, the Las Vegas Wranglers' goalie who returned to the Double-A team after a three-week stint with Triple-A Lowell this month. Krahn, 21, said he won't let the temptations of the Wranglers' home city affect the way he handles his first professional season in net.

"It isn't too hard to play in this city. You separate private life from work," Krahn said. "As far as starting to pro career, temptation is the next step in my development as a professional. I have to prove myself at this level if I want to make it further in my career."

Krahn was the Calgary Flames' ninth overall pick in the 2000 NHL draft. Before being called up, he'd led a dynamic effort in goal for the Wranglers particularly in December, racking up a .929 save percentage.

Krahn played his junior hockey for the Western Hockey League's Calgary Hitmen. A native of Winkler, Manitoba, Krahn had always been a Flames fan, and would travel 70 miles to Winnipeg to see the Flames play the Jets before the Jets moved to Phoenix.

He said he wasn't sure whether it was more exciting to be drafted ninth or drafted by the Flames.

"I wanted to go in the top 15, and being drafted by Calgary, that was a big plus," Krahn said. "As a kid, growing up, I loved the Flames, and having the benefit of watching the Flames every night, it was an honor."

At 17, he started playing for the Calgary junior league team, attracting quite a bit of attention with a 2.38 goals against average and a 33-6 record.

"When I was leading North American goaltenders, I wasn't even thinking about that," he said. "I knew the NHL scouts were watching. I was coming from Triple-A midget hockey and trying to establish myself. I was pretty excited."

Krahn played his first pro game Nov. 19 at Roanoke. He gave up 13 goals in his first three starts -- losing all three games -- but allowed 15 goals in the eight games he played for the Wranglers after that.

He said the adjustment had more to do with getting into playing shape than not being prepared for this level of play.

"It's really good, to test your skills at the next level. It took awhile at the first couple of games to get used to this kind of thing, to see where I stood at this level," he said. "It's tough, especially when you're used to junior level. It makes you a better hockey player to get used to pro career."

At Lowell, he allowed 15 goals in seven games.

He was called up to Lowell because of goaltender injuries at Calgary. When the NHL club called up Lowell's goalie, Krahn became the lead netminder at Triple-A.

"Playing in Las Vegas, not a lot of TV stations cover the NHL," he said. "I didn't know who got injured or what happened. They gave me the call on (Dec. 30), and told me they have a flight arranged for me for the 31st in the morning."

Back in Las Vegas, Krahn continues to watch his elder counterpart Marc Magliarditi and learn what he can from Las Vegas' other goalie.

"Marc's a great goaltender, so poised, so relaxed, he makes it look very easy out there," Krahn said. "He teaches me so many things about dealing with different situations, the way you deal with everything, he's consistent every night. That's one thing you have to be to be a successful pro."

And despite having such an apparently bright future on a team of players whose NHL dreams have for the most part faded, Krahn says he experiences no bitterness from his teammates, some of whom will end their hockey careers at the Double-A level.

"The guys on the Wranglers have been outstanding, very easy to play with. They're awesome guys both on and off the ice," he said. "As far as around the league, everyone's kind of taking shots at you, trying to get you after the game, or whatever it takes."

But he also said that he's not letting the spotlight that follows a top prospect get to him.

"It'd be kind of unfair to put that kind of pressure on myself. You can't be fake and can't let stuff get to your head, you can't let criticism get you down," he said. "You just be yourself and do what you did that got you there."