NHL draft tracker: Anthony Cirelli, Oshawa Generals

No team was higher than the Oshawa Generals after Anthony Cirelli scored the Memorial Cup-winning overtime goal three weeks ago. With the NHL draft a few days, away, though, the gritty speedstar who made the Gens as an undrafted player is staying grounded.

At this writing, the 6-foot, 165-pound two-way forward is undecided on whether he'll jet off to Sunrise, Fla., to be in person if his name is called. It's in keeping with how Cirelli, who didn't move up to AAA minor hockey until he was 15, takes nothing for granted.

"Even coming into this year I never thought anything like this would happen," says Cirelli, who is ranked 67th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. "It's starting to kick in a little bit that I might hear my name called. I'm really excited for it and anxious for it to come. But right now I'm just focused on the work I have to do for next season.

"I might just stay at home with family and watch it on TV."

Cirelli played his way on to a powerful Generals team by making himself indispensable with his speed and strong focus at each end of the ice, which helped Oshawa lead the OHL in puck possession. He chipped in 13 goals and 36 points while playing in all 68 regular-season games, which was no mean feat for someone that passed through two OHL priority seleciton drafts.

Cirelli, who hails from Woodbridge, Ont., credits his parents Mario and Rocco with boosting his spirits and helping him stay mindful that there are a lot of entry points into high-echelon hockey.

"When I was feeling kind of down, not getting drafted, they were always there," he says.

"After not being drafted the first year, I was kind of down a little bit," Cirelli adds. "I knew I just had to keep working hard, keep developing, keep getting stronger, keep getting faster in order to play up here. Once I got my shot, I just gave it my all. I didn't really give up until I made the team. They kept inviting me back. I saw some guys start going home and I remained there I knew I had a chance. Once I started playing preseason games I started to feel like it might happen.

"As each game went by, I felt like I gradually improved. By midway through I knew I belonged."

Cirelli models his game after Chicago Blackhawks glue guy Andrew Shaw, who was bypassed in two NHL drafts while playing in the OHL before being chosen in 2011 after helping the Owen Sound Attack win the league title. Suffice to say, Cirelli has chosen his role model wisely.

The Generals will have a drastically different look next season, with some many players aging out of junior and coach D.J. Smith having joined the Toronto Maple Leafs staff. Cirelli is eager for an expanded role, but is cherishing the memories made during the playoff run.

"The biggest memory was probably when they announced my name after the parade," he says. "The cheer that I got was unbelievable."

1. What is your main focus when it comes to working on your game this summer, as you go through a NHL development camp and get ready to come back to what will be a different Gens team?

"My main focus is getting stronger. Getting a harder shot with a quicker release. I'd like to get more points next year and have a bigger role and take on some leadership. Be an all-around guy."

2. Which NHL player(s) do you believe your game resembles?

"I think it's Andrew Shaw on Chicago. He plays an all-around game. He's great defensively. He's a depth forward who is good offensively. He does to the dirty areas. That's what I try to model: being that player who can play on the fourth line, on the second line, on the top line."

3. A hockey team is usually a pretty tight unit. Who was the first player to really make you feel welcome?

"For sure, Michael Dal Colle [a first-round choice of the New York Islanders]. We came from the same place. I would see at the gym during the summers. He made me feel pretty welcome and introduced me to all the guys and stuff. I hung out with him for the first couple weeks before I got comfortable. I felt welcome immediately. It was a great group of guys this season."

4. Who was the most challenging defenceman you faced this season?

"Maybe Marcus McIvor on North Bay. We played them quite a bit [going to six games in the semifinal]. He's physical, strong and a good skater."

5. What other sports did you participate in as a youth and how did they help with hockey once you went all in on it?

"I played soccer for a little bit when I was younger. That was probably where I got my speed from and my endurance. I played all sports in elementary school, basketball, volleyball, soccer. Wheneven I can go out and just play with my friends I do that."

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.