Minnesota Wild forward Vinni Lettieri

Minnesota Wild forward Vinni Lettieri

Road but we going different ways seems to be happening more hey hockey fans t-boss is 13 and3 here with another top shelf guest excels your Minnesota native minaka skimper Lincoln star Minnesota Golden Gopher and current Minnesota Wild player vinary this episode is sponsored by Riverside Bike and Skate herel law Kelly Heating

And electric Raley’s coach Club chipa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine which has been committed to the healthcare needs of patients in Western Wisconsin since 1954 the orthopedic surgeons and athletic trainers serve many area schools in the chipa valley Moi well Vinnie first of all thank you for taking

The time to come and sit with us and talk a little bit of hockey and also thanks to the folks at Tavern 23 um the owner whom you know very well your your grandfather Lanny so very cool we’re we’re happy to be here and uh thanks for coming yeah thanks for having me

Appreciate it well I I’m kind of feeling a little bit nostalgic now cuz we got his grandfather’s photo right behind us here and I’m currently watching someone skate right right outside this pretty cool now is that part of the is that part of the tavern here or is that part

Of the city the the skating rank right outside the window here no I think it’s just a part of the city it’s it’s beautiful too um we’re out here on the um on the patio in the summertime like every time about 6:30 7 when the starts

Going down or whatever it is it’s it reflects right off the lake and right off the uh the buildings right here and it’s like a terrific Sunset you just getting a nice reflection so it’s actually a beautiful spot to be in the patio on any summer given night ah that

Is that is that is cool as heck nice you were born into an amazingly athletic family obviously your grandfather played Pro Hockey but your father played professional soccer was there any doubt that you were going to be a professional athlete yourself I mean it’s the percentage of professional athletes

Versus those who play is uh very small so obviously I I always dreamed of becoming a professional athlete um it was always a hockey player though I don’t think I could ever remember myself envisioning myself as a uh soccer player um which was you know tore my dad up a

Little bit but uh yeah as long as I can remember I mean I the mount shots I took downstairs in my basement trying to become a professional hockey player and winning the Stanley Cup that’s all I envisioned growing up and I had pictures of Alexander oetkin all over my room and uh

Everywhere that was kind of my guy growing up um it was all the way into I mean I never took those down just 3 years ago we sold our house or two years ago in manona I still had the pictures up so wow yeah I had them up even when I

Was playing against him so pretty funny I got his stick though now which is nice oh very did he least autograph it for you yeah he did he did very nice well let’s talk about uh your dad he played in two Olympics and a World Cup and was

Inducted into the Canadian soccer Hall of Fame in 2001 and we understand you did play soccer and were pretty darn good at it when you were a a youngster yeah my dad and my dad was actually very well connected um so when it came to soccer I played it

Growing up um I practiced it was kind of harder for me to practice on my skills and stuff with soccer just because the passion and everything for hockey just dragged me all to that sport uh but my dad loved loved loved practicing with me

And we go out in the park and make these like makeshift goals and stuff he was actually very creative uh but he he wanted me to play soccer so bad but he also did play hockey he was a hockey goalie as well so he loved the sport

Okay um it was until my sophomore year of high school after that sophomore season I was like I’m done like it was like I had to build up the courage to tell him I didn’t want to play anymore my sister did the same thing it was

Years and years like okay when is the year that I’m going to stop playing cuz I always knew I was going to stop I just didn’t know because like I did have um some skill in soccer and my dad probably thought I was just as good as hockey as

I was soccer but the patch was not even close and he he knew tons of Scouts and tons of teams that could come out and watch me and he was like they’re in like people are starting to become interested they know who I am uh my dad so he’s

Like it obviously draw some attention towards my play um but I mean I could care less about playing soccer it just like it was fun don’t get me wrong it’s just not even close to hockey for me personally and my sister had the kind of

The same thing so my my dad’s heart Dad yeah his heart was broken once by my sister and then I finished it off jeez sad nice kids huh you know but good for you that he allowed you to to make that turn and decide on the sport that you

Wanted rather than the sport he wanted you to play and he he Lo like I said he loved SOC or loved hockey so it wasn’t he got over it pretty quickly so my understanding is you didn’t totally stop playing fall Sports though no well I so I played soccer and then I immediately

Hung up the Cates and then I was like thank you like I can finally relax I got that behind me literally like the next day I wake up not to my alarm clock but to a phone call from coach Nelson from the football team I was like you got to be kidding me

He says like Vinnie how are you you know we’re in need of a kicker we know that soccer players make for great kickers like what are your thoughts and I was just laying in my bed I was like no way like this is horrible right now

Because I knew that I was going to tell my dad and I knew exactly what he was gonna say so I just told Coach nison I was like listen just finished soccer I was like just give me a second I’ll think on it and I’ll call you back I

Told my dad he was like pick up that phone right now you’re playing oh so he was happy my dad wasc static he goes that’d be so cool CU you’re adding another thing your resume of playing football so picked up the phone and said all right um I’ll play and that was it

And coach Nelson and the rest of the staff they treated me so well it was unbelievable like where I felt like I didn’t even deserve it cuz I mean those football practices are close to 2 three hours long yeah I would show up hour and a half in to practice bring my football

Kicking coach that I found um I was just a place kicker so I didn’t do any punting didn’t do any of that um and I work with him over on the sidelines by myself or over another field just kick a bunch all day and then I kick for an

Hour hour and a half two hours and then i’ go and do their drills um when they would do the the split Squad stuff and then the Pats and then I’d leave so I mean I would show up an hour and a half in and I’d leave before they were done

And then they would they would get on the line to do conditioning I was like no chance not me no I did it once I’m like I don’t even need like no I felt bad because they gave me all the greatest stuff they gave me all the new

Equip like these guys are are working their butts off day in and day out sweating and doing this stuff and and I’m getting I’m showing up and I’m getting all the new stuff all the new equipment all the new helmets and I was just like feel bad but um the guys were

So great on the football team the the um coaching staff everyone was so helpful cuz I knew that I was there to play hockey I wasn’t there to play football but there in need of a kicker and I I did it and I’m so happy I did because it

Was a great experience you know as you look back um you played obviously multiple sports do you feel that that helped you with your hockey career having that Dynamic of the different sports soccer for sure football the only I can think of is just like pressure and I mean sure a Kicker

Make a field goal to win a game or like those Pats those extra points they as easy as it looks it’s you always got to get dialed in cuz it’s it’s so easy for even the Snapper to mess something up and you got to be ready

Just in case the the football is not held perfectly like it’s not it’s it’s easy you know it’s it’s it’s what you should be doing it’s like me sitting at the red line and shooting one in and the empty net I’m just sitting there like obviously it’s it’s your job you should

Make it but how many times have you seen kickers in the NFL the best the best of the best Miss time and time and it’s more prevalent now I think it’s more pressure now than it used to be just cuz with all the social media and everything

And uh but it’s crazy how it’s like a fre even a free throwing basketball you know it’s like it’s people miss them still so you don’t but you don’t want to be the guy that misses it especially after the the the team just had a nice touchdown and maybe they’re going ahead

You need that extra point so uh and I did miss one uh it was on an all field U all grass field not Turf and I mean I went down and my foot just got caught right in the grass cuz there was divots there and I was looking at before

Because of all the kickers that kicked before me and I’m already going like oh no like what if I mess this one up sure enough oh just for me thinking like that I hit the pipe I missed it damn but in high school you only missed one yeah one

And then I had a my best one was to go to State against Eden Prairie I nailed one with like 2 minutes to go I don’t know how far it was like 30 something yards but it was to go to state nailed it and I was on the sidelines like

There’s no way that I’m sending this football team to State I was like that’s an absolute joke and I’m coming in first year and I’m bringing Tonka to State and then Eden Perry scored with like less than a minute left oh yeah and we lost

But I was like this is crazy this is like a Rudy story for sure but it was it was really fun and like I said that could be a pressure thing that’s you know taking a penalty shot uh just like different types of the game you need to be

Mentally strong and there’s some cold blooded Killers out there when it comes like McDavid some guys like that that yeah when it’s the the game’s on the line like they’re finishing it so I think that was great for me to handle more pressure but soccer is all feet and

Coordination so that’s good stamina that helps a lot you know for our young listeners this is a hell of a a lesson right here of you know the different things that you learned just from those different sports aside from Athletics wow okay so going back you know you

Talked a little bit about the history of loving the game when if you recall or if your parents told you when did you actually strap on the skates and start playing it’s like any kid now that comes out of the womb right when that guy can start walking you throw him on skates

Like family skates and just have him go out there so it’s like I I mean it was when I was one or two they strapped on the skates cow I have no idea I can’t remember first time I took on skates they even see pictures of me from from

When I was like really young 2 3 years old with all the jerseys and them stra me up on the Pond and stuff I mean I don’t really remember too well but that’s as far as I can remember if looking at pictures so when did you when

Did the passion kick in or was it right away right away I can’t even think about it like there was there’s nothing yeah there was no turning point where he said I love this it was right from the GetGo I think wow that’s fantastic I still

Have it today still have the kid in me today there’s open Ice there’s nothing that I love more I can work on my game and my craft two to three hours a day all the time every day before practice after practice I love it I don’t know I

Sometimes It’s oddly enough you can probably get this from some athletes but sometimes you almost love practice more than the game not just because of uh pressure situations and everyone loves to play and there’s nothing like winning nothing like scoring goals and doing that but getting better is

Something that feels you cuz you you you you you like you miss a shot in the game the next thing I’m thinking about is that next day I’m taking several shots from the exact same spot and then once you do it over and over again it’s like it’s just a no-brainer you’re just

Unconscious you just do it autom muscle memory mus memory so talk to our young listeners then Vinnie about uh what they can do when they are alone and they do have some time to to work on their game what would you say they should emphasize I think practicing with a

Purpose some some guys if you ever watch pregame skates if you ever watch anything or young kids they go out there and you just do the Indie 500 you just skate around a circle pass shoot pass shoot you’re not actually working on anything people flick Pucks in the that

You’re not actually working on anything for me every year I’ve gotten older it’s become more apparent what I have to work on and it’s the little details that no one thinks about it’s it’s uh and I’ve been working with Adam o for several years now

Um we work on more rims now than I’ve ever had my whole entire life so I’ll take 20 30 minutes during PR before practice just [ __ ] pucks people are riming pucks to me just picking up off the wall cuz I think Dallas Ean said on the NHL Network

I think 80% of the game somewhere around there is on the yellow that people don’t notice I believe that yeah yeah so or within 3 ft of the yellow the Puck’s always on the wall so that should if I was looking at my younger self today I

Would say that’s the number one thing you got to do is be able to pick a puck up off the wall comfortably with pressure without pressure CU such a big part of the game and you mentioned Adam olz you worked with him obviously a a legendary

NHL player but also he works with a lot of guys on skills right now is that who you focused with this summer I understand you worked a lot on your skating and also on your shot over the summer yeah skating has been with uh Barry KS Josh wter all those guys

Growing up uh here locally uh skating was never thankfully it was never an issue for me um that’s something I just show up and do just as muscle memory but I wouldn’t like say I needed to go work on it it would just be year after year I

Do it just because it’s just something that you Contin get better at but stick handling and shooting are things that I’ve continually worked worked on year after year but then when you start to work with Adam o and you figure out okay the details to what you need to work on

Are broken down even more simpler than uh shooting and and doing that it’s passing it’s the way you catch the puck on your stick it’s the it’s the position that you put it in versus like if you catch a a puck you can tell by a player

Shot if you catch a puck and you don’t load it correctly if you load it just at your um kind of right in front of you you’re going to get a totally different shot than if you load it in the right position kind of parallel to your

Skate where the everything is so much faster it’s so much harder it’s so much more accurate if I take a puck and I’m it’s 2 in in front of me from where it needs to be maybe I’ll hit the top right corner three out of eight times three

Out of seven times if I get it loaded I’ll hit the corner five out of six times so it’s just like it’s that it’s it’s a game of inches and you need to have it loaded in the exact area at the right right time because you also need

To know where to have the puck while you’re carrying because at any time I need to be able to give a pass I can’t have it here and all of a sudden I can’t make a backhand pass to the guy to my right because then I have to go here and

Then there versus if I’m right here I can make a forehand backhand drop it shoot it so it’s like the little little details like that that matter and picking up rims uh passing and everything so it’s it’s it’s crazy you know back to the basics is what it boils

Down to and you know we didn’t discuss this but for our listeners what position do you play and how did you choose that position uh played forward I play forward and there’s nothing I like more than scoring goals I love that it’s and it’s drives my grandpa and my Dad nuts

If I ever pass up a shot because they’re just like you got a great shot you got to shoot the puck because you never know which one’s going to go in you could take 10 shots on net and maybe one will go in you can take three shots a net and

All three will go in or you can take 10 shots and none of them will go in so you you never know and that’s the shooters mentality that Kobe Bryant had that Michael Jordan had you never know or Steph Curry the next shot could be the

One that goes in and just because you miss you’re just one step closer to making the next shot so versus people might say I took 10 shots I’m done shooting cuz I can’t score but it could be the 11th shot it could be the 13th the 15th shot you never know but you

Know that you’re one step closer to having that butt go in y so law of averages keep firing the biscuit yeah w I know we’re going to jump ahead a little bit because you were on the on the subject and that is you you love the

Ice you love being on the ice so run us through are you the type of guy when when it’s practice time for the wild are you like the first guy on the ice last guy off or or what’s your Dynamic when it comes to practice time always the

First turn out there um it bothers me when someone beats me out there I also have to keep in mind how early I get out there because hey I don’t want to rip up the ice too much uh I’ve gotten kind of good at knowing what I can do and can’t do

I’m not going to do figure eights in the middle of the ice and stuff like that where it’s going to totally carve up the ice um but after practice I don’t know we we always do our our uh split four split D and then little one timers and

Face offs and stuff like that but you know how bad the ice gets after practice not even worth it at that point because it’s like you can’t even really work on much um so for me I usually get 20 to 30 minutes every day on the ice just by

Myself and then a couple of guys will jump out there with me do H likes to do that stuff uh you know Marco’s always out there early uh but then you go and see like guys like Carill who you can’t get them off the ice doesn’t matter the

Snow it they it’s just like it’s just fun to be out there and you you just get into competitions with people and um just trickles down with everyone zukel loves doing that um but for me personally since I was a kid I was always always the first one on so some

Guys have that Superstition they you know during a warm-up before a game they want to be the last guy off the ice and then other guys on the other team kind of pick up on that and they kind of play that little mind game like marshan and

Sean yeah so is there anybody on your team that knows you want to be the first guy out there and he just waits till you’re coming down the down the down the hallway and he pops out it used to happen a little bit like that uh some

People try to do that but I mean if they beat me out great that just means I pushing him to to try to beat me um but it’s yeah it’s funny cuz but I’m not like out there exerting a lot of energy I’m SI cuz you know in the middle of the

Season you’re tired and there’s days where you can’t do too much cuz you’re so Gass try to save some energy so I kind of I I work in small areas try to do some small area stuff I’m not out there skating circles and stuff sure yeah yeah understandable all right let’s

Go back to uh to high school obvious viously you were noticed because you ended up playing in the USHL were you drafted and and if so did you uh when were you starting to get looks um I forgot how early they drafted in the USL but um thought I remember I

Was what year it was I don’t even remember if it was my so but it had been my sophomore year cuz that’s my first year in uh playing varsity because my freshman year I was still playing bantams um so I had two years of high school but it was the freshman year and

Then or sorry sophomore year and then junior year I knew that that year I was going to go uh to the USHL it’s kind of hard as a a kid that in high school there’s nothing like playing in front of that student section there’s nothing like playing at high school hockey in

Minnesota uh state tournament I obviously never got to um but it’s like how do you that’s the sacrifice that you take to become a pro it’s just like how do you leave the comfort of your home the comfort of your parents homecooked meals getting into a routine playing for your High School

Playing front of the student section like that’s a lot to give up to go leave with a Billet family in Nebraska it’s a lot different but I was so fortunate that the conveys took me in and I had an unbelievable time with them they were my Billet family and they were unbelievable

People uh I lived with um one guy Brad hackinson um and it was it was so fun but it yeah it takes a little bit of growing up I was homesick a little bit but then I don’t know thankfully I had him too um but yeah that’s how I ended

Up going to uh Lincoln and that was it was a great experience a great growing opportunity for me as well so your high school conference is quite competitive though too I mean you’ve got some some teams in there that you got to have your aame every time you show up what was that

Like the games against the smaller schools were a little tougher um but you would always mark on your calendar the days you’d play a I mean wi that and Eden prair are huge too do you just like to go to against big schools like that uh especially going away and

Playing in front of their student section there’s something that I love more I I don’t know why but I love playing away even to this day going to away Arenas it’s just something about putting on trying to put on a show in front of their fans and showing us like

That we’re coming in and we’re going to steal a win from you guys and having to be silent that’s that’s a cool feeling um but then there’s no greater feeling than playing in front of your own fans and the Exel energy too to this day is one of my favorite places probably the

Favorite place that I’ve ever played I’ve grew up watching uh the wild forever um but uh going back playing Dina I caught the third period yesterday after the wild P Tampa I zipped on over to Brar and I caught the third period over time of that Edina manona game oh who won

That one Ty oh they yeah minona still hasn’t lost I don’t think I think they’ve tied to wetta I believe um and they tied against Idina last night I could not believe a how big and how fast and how skilled these guys are compared to when we were there

Um but this fan base was nuts we couldn’t it took us 25 minutes to find a parking spot it was down the road all the way past the Dome people were parked in legal ways I didn’t even know were possible and it it’s just like that’s just minona or

Yeah minank D but just High School hockey in general got two powerhouses going one verse three I think there was about nine commits um D1 commits I’m Inka I believe something something crazy like that I was like that is a that is a big thing

Oh and they are so good the true state of hockey exactly right but yeah Edina number one that’s the best play as like you should have Edina versus men honka once a week like it is it is that great we’re going to give a quick shout out to

A couple sponsors Riverside Bike and Skate o oar’s hockey headquarters which is the oldest hockey store in the state of Wisconsin buy hockey gear from the people that playing the game and don’t forget about their bicycle sales and service as well as paddle Sports Center for kayaks and canoes and Hertel law the

Law firm you want on your side focusing on criminal defense and personal injury and Harry hertell ironically has had season tickets for the Minnesota Wild since the Inception so a true hockey fan uh he obtains results for clients in the chipa valley since 1981 when you need

Help for legal uh help or injuries call Harry hertell moi all right so Vinnie you had a really great season your your one full season in Lincoln you were you earned a spot in the top prospects game and you were named of the all rookie team so when did colleges start reaching

Out to you was uh in high school a little bit uh my junior year and then right after that Lincoln season my first call was from North Dakota ironically enough my first call Pro was the Blackhawks so the same logo pretty much wow so it was very

Weird how that worked out they were both the first teams that reached out but I’ll never remember never forget my uh the first call I got um from North Dakota I was in Ritter Arena and this like unknown number was calling me and then answered and I was right in the

Lobby of Ritter and he told me who he was and I mean I had chills going down my spine I was like this is actually happening my first you go offer from if not the best school in college hockey them Minnesota I was like this is insane and

So uh that was my first offer then the offer started coming in from there Ivy League schools I was like no chance I cannot go to Harvard and do that I like as cool as it is and they’d always sell you on the bean pot cuz that’s like the biggest thing sure um

But I was like I don’t care what school calls me I don’t care if a 100 Schools call me Min uh Minnesota and North Dakota called those are my schools I’m going to one of those two and I took my first visit to North Dakota obviously when you go to North

Dakota you’re not looking at the Farmland you’re not looking at the schooling you’re not looking at the dorms it’s a lot different than going down Twin Cities and being at maruchi and um seeing all the beautiful dorms and stuff in Minnesota but when I step foot in the

Ralph it’s like that’s it this is it like the the lock room the the waight room the facility you’ve seen it what what I don’t know if you guys have seen uh their locker room now in their training facility I have not been there it is the most incredible thing I’ve

Ever seen they have a full bike room that they can type in out a certain elevation if they’re going to play Denver or Cc or something the whole entire room changes to the elevation holy crap wow they have like 50 bikes in there and they can change to whatever altitude

Whatever they want it’s a full seared uh sealed uh glass area and that’s how they get ready to go play Holy Cow so like Colorado College in Denver any other high elevation spots just those not off the top of my head anything in Colorado just I don’t know that’s that’s what you

Train for that the altitude as far as hockey goes but I couldn’t believe it that’s there a video that came out pretty recently just showing how great their facilities were so obviously that impressed the heck of you going on that visit yeah so now you come to Minnesota

With their phone call what was the deciding factor the Rangers did the same thing to me uh Minnesota did the same thing they know they got you right when they got uh the phone call they came in late they Minnesota was one of my last calls

Really yeah wow that in Wisconsin I was pissed that Wisconsin didn’t offer me right off the bat cuz I was like I was like what what’s your guys’ problem like am I not doing enough for you guys I didn’t even want to go there I just

Wanted to see that that get an offer an offer uh that offer came the day I committed to Minnesota by the way the Wisconsin daylight doll short yeah exactly um my grandpa he was sitting in my house after I came back from not he was so pissed I

Went to visit northa I wondering how he thought about what he thought about that my parents were going out to dinner one night and my grandpa was sitting in the porch all the lights were off and there was a little lamp that was on he said no

One no’s home and he want to speak to you they didn’t know why so I walk in it’s like out of a movie the guy is in the porch is in the corner there’s only one light on pretty much he’s sitting with his legs crossed and he just goes

Take a seat oh like a thriller it’s literally it’s like The Godfather and he goes do you know what you want to be when you grow up do you want to be a potato farmer do you want to be a pilot it’s like no he goes why

The hell are you going to North Dakota visiting that school and I’m like okay now I know why you’re here he goes Minnesota’s got one of the best business schools in the country goes Minnesota’s the best best hockey school you can go to they got all the academics they got everything you

Could need why would you ever ever want to go to North Dakota I was like well the hockey I’m not going to to going there for school he goes goes that’s not the point he goes life after hockey that’s what’s Mo most important looking out for your future yeah I said yeah I

Know uh he goes well you’re going to go on a visit to Minnesota I already know you are he goes I I don’t want to hear anything else about it he goes you need a future after after hockey and for your sake if you’re not going to be a potato

Farmer or an aviation a diploma from uh Minnesota is a lot heavier than the diploma at North Dakota and you’re going to have great schools there you’re going have a great major there he goes and that’s what you’re going to do and I go okay yeah thanks a lot so you want to

Call Minnesota and tell them that you’re committing for me and and uh so I went to but I went on a visit with grand patoni I actually didn’t even have an official visit now that I think about it I had a little visit with the coaching staff and

He took me out a golf cart around the campus stuff and I mean it is amazing and it’s four of the best years I’ve ever had in my life and I am just so beyond blessed that I have a diploma there and I graduated with Communications major which isn’t uh

Nothing nothing like the Carlson business school it’s a guy like huton dashing had um but in bu’s dad those guys are smart as whips but those guys uh those guys grinded through college and we just try to get a good major get Communications get our degree and and

Get out but uh it was I mean I would not have it any other way as much I love North Dakota’s uh system as much I love that they live and breathe hockey um life after hockey is more important than hockey because you think it’s you’re

Playing hockey for if you’re lucky 35 36 years old looking at guy like flower and uh those guys that are still playing uh they’re close to 40 that’s insane that doesn’t happen that’s beyond the smallest percentage I could think of so it’s like you you got another handful

Of years that you’re going to need that diploma so it’s it’s important that I went to to Minnesota but like I said was the best four years of my life and I wouldn’t take it back for anything so you did earn AC all academic status three years there are you saying that

It’s all about who you know oh okay and and and your major it sounds like too yeah no it’s I worked hard in school it’s and I was honestly scared of my mom that I’m so scared of my mom in college they harped on me my dad didn’t he he

Didn’t really care he never went he never graduated high school so he was all all sports everything he would just be the dad yeah it’s important that you get good grades but uh my mom I mean I was scared from the get-go from high school and getting grounded being threatened to be shipped

Out to boarding school to shatak that’s why I hated shatak cuz I thought it was like a place I was getting grounded for and I’m going off to like Alcatraz if I had bad grades uh so I always tried hard in school I was also always close to my

Teachers I think that was the the best thing you got to find a way to get good grades and the teachers are always going to be in your corner if you have good relationship with them that’s true and uh I always went to after after hours

Tutoring with them and got help on my essay and what I needed to do and I think that’s just as important of of a lesson than it is showing up and and doing your work wow that’s a great message for our L younger listeners too academics was important to you and that’s that’s

Fantastic but let’s focus now a little bit on the championship game against Union you guys unfortunately didn’t come out on the winning end yeah what was that atmosphere like you know you’ve been you’ve had your ups and downs and now that’s a downtime how do you rebound from a national championship

Loss well I don’t think you could have been as high as we were when we beat Noak with 6 seconds left with Justin Hall scoring that goal that that is that is the Pinnacle that’s pretty much winning a national title is doing that because that’s the biggest rival

And you’re playing him in the biggest stage for college hockey um there are riots there are helicopters horses everything at not uh at our campus that night back in Minnesota it was it was insane we were like like the things were being on fire cars everything it was

Like like what what did we just do what did Justin Hall just do it like it was the most and the puck was all the way in our end the left left Circle it was like for that all to happen was just just like we’re winning the national title

You don’t just beat Noak with 6 seconds left your biggest rival and now you’re going the state championship it was a shoeing that we were winning this thing it’s like it was a perfect script um but College hockey is different it’s it’s very bothersome to me that it’s one

Game but that’s just how it is uh if we played Union in the series of seven I don’t care who you are I think we’re winning that one yeah Union was I have one of my best family friends actually is dating my cousin Sam Kota was on that

Team I did not know that yeah he won the national title that year um one of our best family friends he’s from minetonka Max Kota was uh in my grade and so we were best friends growing up uh but their team was so gritty they had so

Many older guys on their team they get true true true veteran team uh the age limit on that team was nuts it was like all 26 year old 25y old 24 year olds like they were really really deep and then you had gossip Spirit put on a show

Where you have seven points at night um it’s it was hard to take in but at the time at the the same time I was a freshman so I didn’t know what the heck was like was going on that year I show up to campus and we win every game there

Wasn’t any time we we came to the rink where I didn’t think we were winning like that’s just how it went and that’s what probably a team like Tampa Bay uh would would have told you too every time they showed up they knew that they were

Winning and if they lost they’d be like that’s it’s it’d be pretty crazy that they lost that that’s how confident that they were that’s how confident we were um so like winning was just natural and I didn’t know anything else and then when we got there it was just like a

Whirlwind for me cuz it was like the big big stage going from link and Nebraska to the national title game at the end of at the end of the year um so it was kind of hard for me to take in everything the game I took in

Everything around it how cool it was um but yeah that that one definitely hurt that would have been pretty cool yeah that’s for sure let’s let’s jump now you end up with the New York Rangers after college how did that transition occur cuz I don’t think uh I

Don’t think you were drafted you ended up signing with them is that correct yeah free agent free agent so how did that transition occur and how did how did they eye you up um I started getting offers through my senior year I had looks to my junior

Year I went to a bunch of Developmental camps I went to Wild I went to national predators um who else I good I went to a handful uh but during my junior year after my junior year I had looks but nothing really too appealing I knew a

Senior year as last kick of the can um for me I grew every year with confidence I grew with uh how to play the game I grew with maturity and I also grew with a lot more minutes from being the fourth line to being on the top line top two

Penalty killing uh units top power play so I had I mean we played a lot yeah your points really really showed you had 8 12 26 and 37 yeah and so till this day it bothers me I didn’t have that um 19 to 19 i I don’t know my goal count that

Year if it was but I was oneof what I what I wanted to be um and I still remember I missed one against nor Dame too I think that year right across the goal line against my buddy Cal Peterson I think it was um dang yeah but

Um what were we saying again I just we were talking about the transition from New York sorry um so right when we started entering kind of the playoff mode for the Gophers my senior year that’s when I started having real offers and that’s when I told you

Chicago was my first uh my first offer and they gave me a disc uh to put in and see like this is how Chicago plays I was like this is amazing like this is like I I have a chance to become a Chicago Blackhawks after my uh

Senior year and then they’re giving me like thing of how we play and stuff like that like great um fast team it loves to make plays great with the stick like Duncan Keith was unbelievable with the stick um so then that happened and then after my senior year after the season

Ended then I was figuring out where I was going to play and like I said Minnesota and New York both came in late uh and I was looking just at the depth charts of the teams and Chicago Blackhawks I’ve always wanted to play for that was like a really cool team um

But then New York came in I was like Wow playing on the the biggest stage yeah MSG yeah it was like nothing gets better than that and I knew I wanted to leave home wild wasn’t even on my radar from day one I was like I’m probably not

Going to play at home and I’m fine with that cuz that that it comes with hockey it’s traveling it’s making memories it’s it’s seeing uh different parts of the country so I never actually thought that I was going to play for Minnesota it’d be unbelievable if I had the chance to

But no it was I was going I was I was leaving um and I was actually going to play center I was like okay they don’t have a lot of depth on their Center okay in a center position so and I played center in college um so I signed there

Play a center I never played center once wow yeah it’s just how it works there’s there’s some teams because the opportunity came uh Chris crder went down and that’s when I got my first call to play against Detroit and I was a Winger that game and

Then after that I was a Winger pretty much the whole time I was there which is funny cuz I signed to be a center I never got to play center but some teams do do that some teams will play you if a right winger goes down they’re bringing

A right winger up it’s a first line Center going up going down they’re bringing a first line Center to fill that position and then other teams will do okay there is a third line Wing that goes down we’re taking uh the or sorry fourth line but we’re taking a first line guy and

Putting him there okay so it’s it’s different how certain teams do it Boston really works that way they they want position for position and keep everything sound um and others it’s just who’s playing the best we’re throwing you in whatever position I don’t care if you’re rightwing leftwing uh grinder goal scorer so

That’s just how it worked out for me um didn’t play any Center there I just played Wing but it was a awesome start to my career and got to play my first game against Detroit and that was pretty cool with my family and in attendance and you scored your first goal then

First goal first shot it was like yeah it was Unreal I can do this yeah I I got off that uh the first like warm-ups I was like holy [ __ ] I was like I can’t feel my stick I can’t feel my gloves my heart’s racing I was like I don’t know

How I’m going to compete tonight and I was looking around like this is the coolest thing ever but I don’t know how I’m going to play and it took me a little bit uh to get into it um to calm myself down and then I scored that goal

And I was like I’m scoring 20 this year that’s how hockey works oh absolutely you think that you’re in a drought then you score one and you’re thinking like oh my gosh we could score 20 to 30 this year this is easy like I feel great and

Then that’s but that’s just Pro Hockey it can humble you and it can lift you up in two seconds so that’s why you like exactly you need to stay even killed and that’s the best thing I’ve learned my adversity in Pro Hockey is like I’ve never seen before and I think my

Position that I’ve been in throughout my whole entire life is is as hard as it gets being on the cusp and going up and down up and down up and down your mind works in crazy ways cuz even with New York there was a pattern going on where

Every five games i’ get sent down and I didn’t know if it was intentional or if it just happened that way so every time I approach the five game mark it happened once by week it happened once Allstar break it happened two or three other times I was like what

Is going on so I knew I had five games and then I get sent down and did you ever figure out the reason no it just it just the way it happened and sometimes it’s saving cap so if you had three days off between games they would send you down to go

Play and then they would bring you back up or they’ send you down on paper um cuz they they technically pay you less yeah and it would help their cap too every time you You Lose a Guy in roster it helps their cap um but yeah it’s funny so I learned so much

Adversity uh how to cope with it and it’s still hard till this day because you never know what can happen uh some people don’t break into the NHL until they’re early to mid-30s some guys don’t break till they’re 20s some guys break when they’re 18 like in a guy like Faber

Like he’s right away yeah um but who knows if he was somewhere else what if uh maybe the coaching staff or maybe the GM or someone didn’t trust him right away maybe he spends a couple years in the miners and gets a couple games here and there you know it’s all perspective

On their end and favor has been insane lights out like from the moment I skated with him I’m like I just came from Boston I was like this guy reminds me identical to Charlie makoy like identical I don’t know it’s the way he skates the way he handles the puck the

His mannerisms everything and makavo is one of the best defenseman in the NHL and I was like I see it right away and he’s just played playoffs pretty much last year right and now you see what he’s done this year so he’s uh the sky’s limit for him and he’s been unbelievable

Play with and uh he’s going to have an upright future ahead so I don’t want to talk negative here but is he are they grinding him down too much too fast I mean he’s playing almost a half an hour every single night and I think he’s played right now he’s played

As many games as he ever played as a golfer and now he’s gone over that Mark right that Mendoza Line whatever it is when I’ve never played this many games before don’t know really know how to react don’t know how your body’s going to handle it

Um as a spectator and as a fan and as an outsider and everything like that you could say he’s playing too much he could say that he’s people say they’re going to wear him down if we make playoffs when we make playoffs um he’s not going to be energized enough but then you

Think from a player’s perspective you always want more and he’s had to take a big step with spurge uh being out a little bit with at the beginning of the year and um and today um there’s nothing better than getting more minutes you’re going to be

Tired you going be gassed he’s he’s had games where he comes out and I’m like holy crap I was like look at that guy that guy’s like a deflated Tire right now and he’s got crazy stamina too so it’s like you never I think the mental side of it is

Just you just keep going you keep going it’s recovery it’s their diet it’s it’s getting ready for the next night and we have all the resources for that and the wild do such a phenomenal job of getting the guys ready each and every single night um the equipment staff the

Trainers strength guys uh the dieti shary uh the dietition um uh they work really well with getting vitamins and doing all that stuff and the chefs like there’s so many behind the scene people that work to make sure that you are ready that next night so I think Brock

Can play as many minutes as you give him and he’s never going to tap out he’ll never surrounder he’ll never say that he can’t go he’ll always go it’s going to take a an army to get him off the ice so um he’s he’s he’s he’s awesome and he’s

Like I said the sky is a limit for him and um he’s just going to continue to get better and better you know as long as we’re talking about teammates right now as we watch uh markk Andre flurry breaking records right now I can’t help

But laugh when I watch him come out of the net beyond the crease he’s in the corner he’s up by the Blue Line do you guys like do you kind of you know [ __ ] your pants when you’re watching him all that far more like just funny it’s just

Like this guy is insane like he can literally do it all and like we’re not it’s you’re like who who who like but it’s like you’re almost laughing at the same time and it’s like this guy can do anything and I’m going to go back to it

Again but how I don’t know how old he is is he 38 399 okay he’s 39 and look what he’s doing Crosby’s having one of his best seasons probably ever he and if he continues he probably will be his best season and he’s how old something yeah 37 somewhere in that range

So it’s just insane what guys just keep doing like he says he might retire next year why would you retire when that good he’s a he’s a a he’s a Stanley Cup Contender one of the best goalies if not the best goalie right now in the league and he’s 39 years

Old a guy like shurin who I played with Georgia I played with they’re young yeah they’re up and coming the guy’s already won azna um he’s so good like and flurry is the best right now so it’s like there you can’t put an age on someone you

Can’t put miles on someone it’s let him play until they say he’s done yeah yeah that’s the right term right yeah oh yeah so it’s I was watching the game the other night and uh I can’t remember who you guys were playing but they hit a

Couple of posts and when he rubbed his pipe like get I like he’s kiss in the crossbar it’s like that’s so awesome but he’s done that his whole career and he’s been like that his whole career and it’s so cool to see him being so youthful and energetic and he’s always smiling this

Guy’s got smile on his face he’s he’s one of the last ones on the ice too the guy’s 39 years old tell him to get off the ice he a lot of 39y olds would be like I’m getting off I’m getting on last and getting off or yeah and getting off

First but he’s taking breakaways till the those doors open Pure Love and he’s so fun he he doesn’t care who you are if you’re 15th season in the league if you’re first game he’s treating you the exact same that’s how special of a guy

He is has he pulled any pranks on you no I I I know my my limits with him um it’s fun to battle with him on the ice but he’s just such a terrific respectful guy that he just want to be around but do hes seen a lot of his pranks uh so

They’re pretty funny though and even when he goes to play Pittsburgh he screws around with M and and L Tang Crosby Still like he’ll go into the locker room and do whatever oh oh yeah he’s yeah till this day yeah and they they they all know it’s just him that’s

His personality but he’s he’s one of a kind and I’ve been very fortunate to play some insane goalies lanquist georgev shurin allmark Swan John Gibson now flurrying guson like I’ve had I’ve had some Hall of Famers Hall of Famers yeah it’s in insane and there is just

A there’s a consistency with all of them and that’s hard work and they want to win that’s all yep so you oh go ahead JC I was going to ask him if you could tell us a little bit about you’ve had a coaching change with the wild this year

Yeah how does that affect the locker room or the atmosphere with the uh the personalities of the players um you know it’s what I’m going to speak on that is that some people have good relationship with coaches some people don’t so whenever there’s a coaching change some

People are take a a deep breath and go like okay thank you you some people might be pissed be like I love that guy um I’ve been fortunate enough to be around so many go great coaches and I had a short sent with Dean Evon and I

Can tell you he’s been nothing but good to me helped me a lot um I wish him all the best he was uh he did a lot a lot a lot of great things for the wild in this organization he’s going to get another coaching job somewhere soon I know it um

But then you bring in Hines and Hines has been great for us too I think think the record uh you’re going to be like oh wow he came in we won 11 of 14 and then oh my gosh we lost eight games and we won one out of

Nine it’s like what is it well at the end of the day the players have to perform it’s not on just the coaching staff and it’s not on just the players it’s it’s it’s everyone I think it doesn’t matter what coach you have if the players stick to the same exact

System and they’re on the same page they’re going to have a good of winning each night and so um for H so far he’s been awesome he’s been a great guy he’s been very talkative he’s a very good speaker uh motivational speaker too he knows how to address the team uh in a

Great Manner and uh when Hines came in it was a spark for us because there’s players that haven’t played with them I don’t care if you’re capric off or if you’re myself you’re still going to have that I got to have this guy like me you

Know and that’s that goes a long way and so from the get-go he’s been awesome and he’s been patient and he’s been not trying to reinvent the wheel he’s been just trying to uh put in systems that can work for our team and work for our identity but he

Was throwing just one little grain of salt at a time he wasn’t coming in and bulldozing the whole thing okay so he he’s been great and like I said Dean Evon awesome wish him all the best he was fantastic for me um in Hines he’s

Been great too so far and the reason why we may have slipped uh a little bit is just because we need to continually stay on the same page as a fiveman unit on the ice uh not including goalies but a fiveman unit on the ice to our systems

And to our identity and um that’s what we need to continue to go forward and doing that’s what we did against the Islanders and they didn’t have a sniff of winning that game like I was like looking at it was like we are bulldozing them right now dominated but that’s what

You saw when we went on the 11 out of 14 yes kind of what I said about playing with the Gophers we knew we were winning yeah I got to the dinner table at my parents house and I literally said I don’t think we’re going to lose another

Game the rest of the year I was like that’s how much how how much it just it’s so contagious and winning so contagious and when everyone’s on board no one’s going to steer that ship off its course no team no goalie nothing and when you when you lose what good teams

Do is okay leave it we’re winning this next one yeah yeah memory so then you’ve been involved in a couple of different organizations you were with uh the Rangers the Ducks the Bruins prior to coming to Minnesota what can you tell us about those different organizations how’

You like them which one was your favorite stop um they’re all different New York uh New York’s New York it’s it’s I don’t care who you are it’s it’s just the place to be if you’re making it it’s like you’re on a pedestal there and it comes with a lot of

Pressure um it was I’m just beyond grateful I got to play for them um like I said playing with guys like lqu Quest too I play with Rick Nash for a little stent there um I made some my best friends still to this day Kevin Hayes Tony D’Angelo um Brady

Shay Jimmy VC all these guys Ryan stro these great great hockey players with great people that I got to play with um and I’m still competing with and paner I was there when he was there and he is like every time I see him the guy will

Come over and talk to me and uh be Soul friendly because that’s just who he is um but they all offer different things like then you go to Anaheim and then it’s like not really a hockey place you love the the weather and you just want

To try to win every night but it’s not the uh you need internal motivation there because the the outside is not going to feel you as much but when getl and salani and those guys were making a run and when they won that Honda Center was absolutely electric so it’s like it

Was tougher to go from MSG oh sure to then Anaheim where it was like a quarter full in the Honda Center a lot and I had an unbelievable time there my wife loved it we loved everything about it we loved the coaching staff we loved the trainers

We loved the the the guys there it was phenomenal but it just offers different things and then you go to uh Boston and all they live and breath is culture look at the guys before them like Chara and berson and marshan and and like Sweeny and um all those guys on

Staff and Kelly they all played too they a lot of they all played for the brunes like there’s a there’s a culture there um that if you’re not a part of it you’re out I don’t care how good you are I don’t care if you’re 30 goal score 40

Goal score if you don’t fit with the culture and with the group uh Adam McQuade one of the best guys I’ve I’ve played with uh in New York one of the best guys I’ve ever I’ve ever met uh but just a killer on the ice and he played

For the Bruins too um winning is that’s it they go to the meeting before the season and their goal is to win the Stanley Cup versus like Anna goal would be to make the playoffs you know right now and because they’re still rebuilding and they’re getting a lot of good

Players coming in um and they’re going to be a hell of a team as as time goes on um but Bruins are just like we’re winning the Stanley Cup if if we don’t win the Stanley Cup is a disappointment and then with Minnesota same thing Stanley Cup now the media will tell you

First round but that’s not what we think we’re thinking Stanley Cup anything less than that it’s a disappointment okay so it’s just it offers different things and you’re coming to the state of hockey it’s the best place to play I played for MSG I I played for Rangers and

MSG there’s not a place I’d rather be in the Minnesota now that I’m back here now that you got the taste back in your mouth coming back to your home state yeah and the best fans most passionate 18,000 every night 19,000 every night it’s insane all right let’s give a shout out

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Decisions on your next electrical heating or air conditioning project you know you’ve talked about the roller coaster of the 11 winds and then you know the the certain amount of losses that have occurred after that and every team goes through that they rebound after a while who is your leader in the

Locker room that tries to motivate you through the tough times um there’s a lot of great leaders and that’s the thing about hockey and sports is I’m even say sports I’m going to say hockey cuz if you take the NBA you can always bet on probably the same teams

Making it and you can you know from the get-go who who’s going to make it football is a little harder there’s a lot of great teams that show up hockey you never know who’s winning it you never know I don’t care you’re taking the St Louis Blues that were dead last in

January how the heck do they win the Stanley Cup yes that’s the beauty of hockey it’s an even playing field because I don’t care if you have the two best players on the ice McDavid and D they just getting 150 points a year you could have a group of average players

That are going to put up let’s say 60 points a year but they stick to the script and they stick to the systems and you’re deep all the way through they’re going to beat you in the seven game series so it’s so hard to predict who’s

Who’s going to win but um as a leadership standpoint we have so many great guys so many I don’t care who it is they and they all want everyone to talk whether they have a letter on their Jersey capris off Spurgeon moose um night ring and Patty maroon won three

Yeah that guy’s got a lot of street cred yeah gooski’s one uh flurry’s one um you have so many leaders that have done it that don’t have a letter on their Jersey so it’s and it’s a full team effort and like moose always preaches like I I

Don’t care who you are I don’t care if you’re a young guy if you want to speak up speak up and you have guys like zuk who been through a lot and uh been through some insane teams too so um I wouldn’t say there’s one leader

Because even when I was uh a captain assistant captain on teams my the way I lead is different than the way someone else leads so sure you capris off isn’t going to be talking all the time he’s going to be talking if there’s 20 me he’ll talk two meetings three meetings

And that’s not to say that his that he doesn’t like to talk and he’s scared to talk he shows it on the ice he shows it in his work ethic he’s more comfortable showing it that way versus moose who’s a a louder guy he’s he’ll always talk and

He’s he’s going to let you know if something’s wrong and come back in the locker room after bad loss he’s going to let you know right away spurge he’s a very calm reserved guy that will talk and that that will keep things like even killed and he’s always he’s always uh

And he’s a welcoming leader he’s someone that you want to go and talk to and you’re not afraid of certain captains will be scary like you don’t want to go and kind of um rub them the wrong way but he’s they they’re such a great group where there’s no the characters and the

Culture like I was talking about in Boston like that’s bred right through the locker room and Billy G’s done a fantastic job of doing that um and I don’t care if you have a letter on your jersey is your first game like I said everyone’s welcome everyone can talk if

They want and that’s just how it is now you’re going to get [ __ ] no one to say that like zuk gell has me I mean he’s got me in the palm of his hands every day he’s going to chirp me about something but that doesn’t mean

That I’m going to Sal about or something like he he likes you and he chirps you and he um that’s just the way guys are that’s how hockey players are they’re always I don’t care they’re always going to give you [ __ ] about something yeah even if you’re you’re trying to do the

Right thing um but that’s just how our team is and we have tons of leaders it’s hard to pinpoint one that’s that’s really good to hear actually it is and and and you need to hear that right now because your captain has gone down for the season now and in

Your mind obviously that that’s rough how do you feel the team’s going to rebound from your leader uh being taken out for the rest of the season uh it’s the next man up and it people are going to like favor he’s probably thinking he’s going to get

Probably a solid 20 minutes night going into the season uh they’re going to lean on him to to grow as a player do we think he’s going to be the top defenseman in leading times in 30 minutes night no you’d be like no he’s not going to do that there’s First full

Season but here he is yeah and he’s done wonders with it and he’s being looked as a rookie of the year things change that’s what good teams when good teams uh find a way that’s when you know that you have something special and spurge is a massive massive massive part

To this group when he gets on the ice he just calms things down he just he’s so he’s so good at the puck he’s such a good skater such good defensive uh stick and his positioning is outstanding and to lose him you can’t just say that someone’s going to go fill his spot

Because he’s someone that it’s hard to fill that but you have to do with what hand you’re given and what hand you’re deal and that’s COV look at how many times look at him in the playoffs he didn’t play the full entire year and Tampa still had to find a way now they

Have a heck of a team but they still had to find a way to make do without him for a whole year and get into the playoffs and get into the position he comes back he has well over a point a game in the Sal Cup finals and they win

So you’re telling me that if you lost a guy like CRA you you’d be like [ __ ] it’s a big loss yeah that’s a big loss so um we obviously hit an injury bug like I’ve never seen it before in my life um usually they’re a little bit

Separated from week to week but no we’ll take seven at the same time and it’s like it was it was crazy when you go to the ring for games and it’d be like like a summer workout like seven eight guys showing up to work out

It’d be like this is a lot of guys and a lot of important guys so um you just had you have to make do with what you have it’s as best I can say well speaking of that uh that injury bug you have been hit with that injury bug as well you

Suffered a lower body injury a couple weeks ago um so let us know how is it progressing and then also tell us how cool is it to be playing with your hometown Minnesota Wild yeah uh injuries that sucks this the first time I’ve well actually second time in a row now I was

Hurt last year the high angle Sprain and then this year I took a slap shot to the foot so that’s put me out for a couple weeks now and I still got I don’t know hopefully I’m back soon uh we’re taking it one day at a time and uh hopefully

One morning the light bulb just comes on and we’re ready to rock but um it’s unfortunate but it’s just part of the game um as for your other question of playing for the Minnesota Wild there’s nothing like it and I will tell you it’s been written by Michael Russo I told

Billy this um I was on Kevin Hayes’s bachelor party in Austin and I got my call from Billy and when free agency opened up and I was like I was never ever ever envisioned myself playing for the Minnesota Wild and I have no idea why I

Went to every single game growing up and you have to take take it with a grain of salt Minnesota hockey is is a little bit like the Islanders for the longest time it’s a grinding hockey it’s not the prettiest to watch they had they had great guys come through um

And I would mark my calendar teams that were coming in town we had season tickets with my grandpa and my uncles and so I would go to every single game I could but if I’m watch going to the Sharks I’d be like okay well Minnesota versus the Sharks I’m not going to be

Too excited but I want to go cuz I hockey but you put the C the capitals I couldn’t wait to to get out of school and get ready to go Pittsburgh Chicago um New York Rangers just players that I just marked I couldn’t wait to go watch

But now you got a guy like caprisa change the Minnesota Wild for forever I think personally then you grab zuk Carell and then fans are like holy crap like what is going on here like this is we’re not dumping the puck every single time like we’re making insane plays and

Then you got to guy like baly now and very talented player yeah so it’s like guy after guy is now coming through and it’s like to they capris off reshaped the Minnesota Wild for who they were and it’s exciting to watch and still I was like I’m not going to be a

Minnesota Wild player ever I never thought of that I never when um my agent would call I wouldn’t even think of hey did Minesota call no it wasn’t it but they were like hey you know who’s got some interest in you is Minnesota Wild and Billy’s going to be calling and I

Took a step back and I was like you’re telling me I don’t have to leave my home and I can play in the NHL and have all my family members watch me and I don’t have to pack up I was like holy crap I was like that’s the best thing that’s I’ve ever

Heard and then when I knew that they were serious then I was like okay this is this is uh this is pretty cool and then my first time I went down the tunnel uh to come out for warm-ups I had the same exact feeling as I went down

The tunnel playing for the Gophers I knew that song that the the marching band played cuz I watched the Gophers so many times and I was like this is I getting chills and then when I went out for the Minnesota Wild I looked up to

The suite that we always sat in at the club level and I was like this is the weirdest thing ever I’m playing for the Minnesota Wild now my home team I was like this is the coolest thing there’s nothing that Trump at as good as that it is to play for MSG

The most IC arena in the world this is this is this beats it for me so uh why number 10 I play like gabri I no there you go I like that no I was uh no I have no idea I usually like 95 uh 95 and 19 were my

Two favorite numbers growing up 19 was a number I always wore if I could growing up through when I was a might all the way through I was 19 pissed me off when I couldn’t get it but I was 19 and then when I turned Pro I was like if I can’t

Get 9M get 95 and then Rangers actually gave me 95 out of the gate for some reason I didn’t even ask for it um so that was just like a blessing I got that number and then I came here and I was going to take 95 or 19 and then I

Couldn’t and so I was just like I don’t know I’ll take okay I’ll take 10 I was like 10’s kind of a great number and I thought back like 10’s a great soccer number too like all the best players were 9 and 10 on the soccer field if you

Haven’t noticed oh I did not realize that there A lot of times they won’t give it to you unless you’re the best player so I I I was always like that’s kind of a cool number uh number 10 and so I had a few options but I was like I’ll just go

With 10 there’s no I don’t know I would never have picked it okay no so no gabric compar I love 10 no and I loved gavick loved him yeah he was pretty cool he was he was great yeah um so yeah that’s my number now and now I love the

Number I love being 10 I don’t know well you’re feeling it very well young man well thank you I got a lot long way to go but thank you so you’re on the ice and Coach says to you pick any two players to be your linemates whether

It’s on the wild or any other NHL team who’s your two Lin mates you want out there the reason I started 19 was Joe sack so I would say I have to put him in there um I don’t know this and then oetkin was

My guy but but I like to score goals too so it’d be a conflict of interest he tough who’s going to pass assist though yeah should we move my grandpup to Ford for that there you go yeah how sweet would that be right yeah but no it’s I

Don’t know there’s so many good players out there but yeah that’d be pretty fun okay current year you’re in the corner and you’re grinding for a puck who’s the biggest prick you go up against in the corner um Tom Wilson’s up there is one of the most physical guys that that’s a tough

Guy to play against um trying to think who else lot a pretty good name in itself right there yeah trouba is a tough guy to go against he’s a tank out there not only just your you’re worried about like cross checks are like how how am I going

To get hit by this guy is am I going to get just pummeled through the glass or am I cross checked in the back or am I going get hit cheaply it’s like you don’t know with with anyone nowadays but it’s like trouba is his he’s made his

Presence known like cronwell used to do yeah okay it’s it’s someone you got to keep your head up all the time and Tom Wilson too he those guys are huge yeah and troops I I played with he was a fantastic guy fantastic leader and he’s

Come into his own with New York kind of like his Winnipeg days um and he’s he’s a terrific player you know aside from flurry who’s your toughest goenda shurkin I played with him in uh Hartford and then I played with him in New York and when I saw him in Hartford

Goalies get absolutely shelled in the AHL shelled when you’re saving when you’re having a backto backto back shutouts and you’re letting one goal in consecutive basis you’re like this is this is a special goalie I feel bad for goalie sometimes any given night because it’s just it’s a hard League to plan very

Hard league and there are so many good goalies out there that you don’t know um because of their percentages are flawed I don’t think it’s a it’s a good way to to show it in the AHL NHL is different um but that goalie was special and you can see why

You watch him and he can Ste he’s like a vasileski you get him in the playoffs he’ll steal you a cup yeah he’s that good I knew Hank going into it like this goalie is unbelievable yeah um there like I said before all the goalies I Nam

Who I played with I was like these guys I knew I did my homework on I’ve watched them all my life like I knew how good these goalies were just St and I knew nothing about and certain interviews this is one thing that stuck with me

Is that uh he did an interview with Hartford and usually players goalies whatever they’re like in the HL I want to I want to make it to the NHL his first thing is I’m going to win a Stanley Cup oh he just went for the Stars right away that’s that was his

Only thing what are you looking forward to doing pretty much and I was there I was just sitting there cuz I was getting interviewed next and he’s like I’m going to win a Stanley Cup I was like not a lot of people are saying that right they’re making it to

The NHL first and then they’re going to win the Stanley Cup yeah like their dream is to play in the NHL he went straight for and he hadn’t play the game yet but he said I’m going to win a Stanley Cup I’m like okay that marks all

The boxes he’s he’s he’s going to be one of the best goes in in the league for sure and sure enough he is he’s proving so uh you’ve spent time in both the AHL and the NHL and um looking at your statistics you’re basically a pointed game player in the

AHL okay how big of a jump is it to the NHL um I think the AHL is faster because there’s sometimes a lack of systems people go on their their own page they don’t understand what it’s like to win every night when you go to

The cuz players move up and down all the time I don’t know how the AHL coaches do it I give them so much credit yeah because their hands are tied every single day they don’t know what roster they’re getting and they make do with with uh what they have and I give them

That so much credit cuz it’s a hard League to coach in it’s hard League to play in um but guys literally run at you 100 miles an hour at all times try and take your head off oh that’s just how it is if you watch it it’s just crazy it

Doesn’t look maybe as fast the NHL but I can tell you it’s faster because the NHL players are so so fundamentally sound in their positions that they never run out when they don’t need to and they know who is coming down in the ice on them Patrick Kane kov they’re

Coming they’re not pinching they’re going to stay positionally sound because they know that if I take one step up they are going to make me look foolish versus if you’re going in the AHL they don’t care who it is they don’t see you they just bolt boom try to hit you um

The passes the NHL always crisp always on the tape yeah different in the AHL it’s sometimes you’re missing sometimes on your feet sometimes your backand um and as you always say mistake in the NHL ends up in the back of your net the mistake in the AHL

Will probably keep you in the dzone for a little bit and then you’ll get it back that’s how good these guys are they’re so smart they’re so fundamentally sound uh defensively offensively that it’s just it’s it’s just a different ball game but as far as speed never have to

Worry about speed because there people are always going to be in the right place so that’s what I think is the biggest difference okay so you’re in your eighth Pro season you played 379 seventh I think right or am my eighth I thought it was your eighth but

Is this my seventh or eighth I might you might even be right I don’t know I thought it was my seventh maybe not all right seventh or eighth we’ll go say I no way am I e so you got 379 AHL and NHL games combined okay so is this

Experience everything you dreamed of when you were a kid no it’s not it’s a lot harder it’s a lot harder I thought it was going to be roses and playing the NHL and uh that was going to be the script that’s what I wrote down it’s a

Playing the NHL I didn’t write down playing the NHL get sent up and down pack every few months uh go from state for state go over on your miles and your lease no I don’t I didn’t expect any of that and that was uh it’s a humbling experience

Now the experiences of the NHL are everything I could have ever thought of and more uh like I told you before on favors recovery the the resources that you have available to you are outstanding and it’s insane it’s like you’re like Beyond grateful for what you’re given

And and what you’re what you can do I don’t I don’t know you can call up a the hardest reservation to get into and all of a sudden you can get into it because you’re in the NHL it’s like that’s something that’s cool that’s a a perk

You get treated so greatly you have ice to yourself you have you’re playing with the best players in League that you grew up watching you I mean the the chef’s meals that they have for you is like you’re going out to a festar restaurant but you have it every day that’s the

Crazy part is that people like people get not sick of it but people like okay I’m having a oh I’m having a Wu steak for lunch at the rink oh this tastes good and watching TV lunch like Wu flank steak it’s like what is going on here but I still see

That and I’m still and I love I’m a big foodie so I under like I see that I love it but uh yeah it’s I’m telling you the sacrifices that I made are all worth it skipping countless countless Spring Breaks as a kid were the death of me but

It was like this is what you want to do this is how you’re going to make it to the NHL this is it’s just some days like my dad said you have to sacrifice your your buddies want to go out late and want to go hang out you’re you’re going

To have to stay in and shoot pucks shooting pucks is like it’s almost like your homework assignment every day there’s days that you want to sit on the couch myself and watch SpongeBob as a kid and and do nothing and then in the back in my head I was like I didn’t

Shoot pux I was like maybe it’s okay okay it’s not okay it’s okay and I’m fighting myself on the couch because you know those days where you wake up you’re like I don’t want to do anything yes but then after you’re like glad I

Did it glad I did it cuz you knew your opponents were doing it exactly so that’s it’s all about getting the edge it’s all about putting in the extra work and that’s what my dad’s in still in me since uh since I was a kid and I’m still

The exact same way and um I’m hungry each and every single day and I like I said just can’t wait to to get back and keep working on stuff so speaking about being hungry and you talked a little bit about food too um so your your dad does

He still run Tino’s Cafe piz no not anymore but it was a blessing when he had it because I lived on right out the front Road went to high school Front Road pizza place and then take the front Road my house oh nice was that every day slice of

Pizza School go back home butter noodles like it was I mean every single day slice of pizza butter noodles sandwich something and it was so so good he’s a fantastic cook and he made if he s his pizza place be one of the best pizza places no doubt in the Twin Cities he

Made a heck of a pizza and he did it the right way organically and um all fresh fresh food and fresh pepperonis peppers sausage everything it was great nice nice you know I’ve only got a couple more questions for you and the first one

Is give us an idea of what a day in the life of an NHL player is good or bad my my my days or let’s let’s assume you you just won a game last night and you’re going into the day after a win uh a game win do have practice yes

Um usually it’s harder to fall asleep so take food back go see my wife now go see my wife hang out watch TV watch movie eat wind down probably fall asleep around 12:31 uh some guys can’t fall asleep till 3:30 4 or 5 that’s just how it is

After games you’re so wired and I also am drinking a venty cold brew at 7:00 at night so it’s also a little bit harder in that sense sure uh but if I really need sleep you know you can take melatonin and you’ll be out in a half

Hour an hour and help you at least uh but yeah wind down around 1:30 uh fall asleep wake up around 7 7:30 go to the rank um for me I go there so I’ll give you just like what I do now but go to the chefs so they know right when you

Walk in hey Vinnie do you want your egg white omelette with vegetables in it okay great thanks go change uh into my workout stuff go eat breakfast go in the hot tub for 3 or 4 minutes then go to the cold tub jump in and out a couple

Times and shock the system and then go to the weight room um I’ll roll out warm up if we have a lift that day it depends on if we’re playing the next day or playing in two days so we’ll have a lift go do all my stuff H my gear set my gear

Out pull my brazers out my skates tape my stick and then we’ll have a meeting generally have a meeting from the the night before um and how to get better and kind of what we’re going to work on in practice go do my stuff on the ice before practice uh practice stay out

There a little longer do a few things come off and then we’ll roll out um I’ll go in the sauna for 15 20 minutes and then go back to the cold tub for 5 minutes and then go eat lunch and then go back and see my wife and then hang

Out with the dogs and relax maybe normat Tech at home take a nap if I have time and then have dinner and boom that’s it wow a lot of time spent at the rink that’s for sure a lot of time on the body sound you think it’s like okay you

Have an some days you I mean now you barely work out cuz you play every other day sure so you have literally if you break it down you have some teams practice for 20 minutes a day some team practice for 30 we’ll practice for 30 45 maybe so really I

Have 35 minutes of work but somehow I’m there from 7: until 2: 7:00 a.m. till or 8:00 a.m. till 2: p.m. so but like just showed you why cuz you have so much stuff you have to do for your body Y and that’s for me like

Is a guy like Faber and a guy that plays 30 minutes a night is maybe a little different um you got to hydrate like crazy you got to take your vitamins you got to take your electrolytes your salts your I mean just so many things you have

To do to take care of your body yeah probably getting a massage too to treat have guys doing treatment so what’s the best chirp you’ve ever heard boy I don’t know um I honestly can’t for me I don’t chirp um if I had a little better like

Ruins a good talker out there um but I don’t know the best is probably really an appropriate from all the stuff that are set out there um but no I don’t know I I I honestly don’t know what I watched a video not too long ago of some guy in

The ice and I can’t remember what team it was chirp and maroon about being fat R just looked at him and said but I’m playing in the same league as you yeah and he’s got three three rings three rings so yeah there nothing to say back

To that yeah exactly yeah and that guy is so talented is people underestimate his ability if you watch him um his sck work and his body work on guys and positioning is some of the best I’ve ever seen wow but people don’t people don’t see that people see a stats

People say oh he’s not looking fast tonight or something like that watch him in the corners he rarely loses a battle rarely and if it’s not if he doesn’t lose a battle or if he doesn’t win the battle it’s a 50/50 for someone else he

Just made a a play stop so if you’re a maroon fan that’s great if you’re you’re not you got to you got to check your facts because the guy I see him every day and he is opened my eyes immensely he’s great it’s nice to have a

Veteran on the on the roster like that yeah yeah he’s awesome Vinnie this has been absolutely a blast and time has flown by a lot quicker than I thought but you uh we appreciate you taking the time to come down and chat with us uh we

Wish you the best of luck holy crap uh you know go wild and the best of luck on your injury too yeah absolutely W be good yeah looking forward to a little bit of a turnaround and I know you guys will bounce back the way you talk it

Makes us feel like we were in the locker room actually yeah it was exciting I’m kind of seeing visions of uh the blues back in a couple years ago yeah they weren’t doing that well halfway through and all of a sudden like you said they’re Stanley Cup champs so it can

Happen we’ve seen it before exactly thank you thanks for having me appreciate it ladies and Gentlemen please don’t forget to leave us a a thumbs up on our podcast and a comment really helps on your social media platforms Moog yeah hey again a huge thank you to our special guest Vinnie

Ler and you folks our faithful listeners please remember our sponsors Riverside Bike and Skate chipa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Hertel law Kelly Heating and electric and righ’s Coach Club please again follow us on your favorite social media platforms and remember folks until next time Keep Your

Head on a swivel and stay on your inside edges it just takes a love for one another it don’t take for love to be a brother oh brother

Coaching change, locker room atmosphere and player personalities are just some of the topics discussed by Vinni who is now playing for the NHL team he grew up cheering for in his home state!