2014 Interview with Devils Goaltender, Keith Kinkaid
you’re listening to bsrn Box Studios radio [Music] network I see things shoot cuz they want I feel for S all around me come [Music] here and now it’s time for another Power Play post Show interview exclusive and welcome back everybody to the power play poo another great goal tender for our all goalie special um comes to us from the Albany Devils he is Keith canade Keith welcome to the show it’s good to have you on and uh I’ve been watching you for the past couple seasons and uh I know the kind of goenda glad some of the fans decided that we should interview you oh thank you thanks thanks for the invite to the show and uh thanks for the fans for requesting um let’s talk a little bit about where you grew up now I think you’re the first I I i’ I’ve interviewed a lot of players uh who have come from New York state but none from Long Island talk a little bit about where you come from I think it’s uh Farmingville if I remember correctly that’s correct uh yeah out there out e on the on Long Island you know you got the beaches in the summer and everything and uh you know hockey’s been growing greatly uh over the past few years and there’s more and more Long Island boys coming uh coming into the pro ranks and uh been good for the sport in Long Island what’s what’s the difference you know maybe now than maybe 25 years ago you know for for um youth hockey out in Long Island uh maybe just more and more people wanting to play and more and more uh parent putting their kids into hockey and giving them that opportunity to Flur now of course we all know about the Islanders and everything but you know is there a lot of rings you know out on the island for you guys to go to and play yeah there’s uh definitely a few more than uh than I grew up with and uh you know I skate over there in the summer and at all these different ranks and you know it’s interesting seeing the new ranks and they’re you know they’re nicer but uh it’s also a good feel when you go to one of the older barns now obviously there’s there’s obviously a lot of you know people that live out on the island you know you’re so close to New York City do you think it’s easier or maybe tougher for a young hockey player to be noticed uh because a lot of times when it when it comes to getting to the good schools getting to obviously uh good places uh to be noticed it’s it’s it’s very difficult no matter where you are but do you think it’s a little bit easier or more difficult because you’re out on the island yeah I think it’s a it’s a little difficult you know you’re not from you’re in the Massachusetts area or the the area which get a lot of get a lot of hype so you know you you have to really do something special out there to get no Lisk and then uh you know if you can go to prep school you go to prep school or just get play on those top teams to get notic yeah it’s one of those things where I I think if you can get into one of those prep schools it’s it’s a great idea up in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Connecticut was that ever on your radar uh no I I don’t think I ever looked at uh prep schools I think I just took the minor Junior out and uh you know I guess PA it off for me now was there ever a time when maybe another sport was your interest or was it always hockey from day one uh I did play baseball lacrosse also and then eventually I had to quit baseball and then High School I was uh pretty decent at lacrosse to be honest and uh I had to quit lacrosse for hockey because hockey was my main one and uh you know there’s no Pro Hockey like there or no pro lacrosse like there is Pro Hockey so uh I I made their no absolutely and uh you know when it came to Lacrosse were you a goenda man uh you know I think the sophomore year I was leading score and uh it was pretty fun yeah miss it sometimes well yeah but but there’s there’s a difference in the mentality between somebody who’s an attacker in Lacrosse um or even maybe a Winger in hockey versus uh golender or more difficult for you or do you think you have an advantage as well as as a golender now in hockey knowing kind of how you know someone who might attack um or come through as as a Winger might come in or a centerman for that matter come in do you think you have an advantage because you understand how they kind of how they think and how they work yeah you know with that and you know just constant practice you know you see people’s Tendencies and what people do and uh you know I definitely think you know with the little offensive mind I have uh you can definitely I guess read a few more people than you normal people would but uh you know it’s it’s the play is all crazy all the time anyway so it’s it situations changed and you know you just got to be ready for it okay so who’s more crazier lacrosse players or hockey players um lacrosse goalies are more crazy than hockey goalies that’s probably that’s a fact just in the sense of you know the ball coming at them versus a puck or or why do why are they crazier uh I think well they they barely wear any equipment and I know for sure I would never be a lacrosse Gold without any of the equipment I have with hockey well I never I I decided and I I’ve told the story many times and I’m sure most people get sick and tired of hearing it but I was afraid of of genders because I thought they were crazy to let people just throw pucks at them at 100 miles an hour I mean to me that’s just nuts yeah there got to be something wrong with uh my brain up there but uh no I love it I love every minute of it and you know you want to be that person to have the game on their shoulders and keep everything out of the net for your team how did it come about for you to actually go um play for Union um collegially and everything how was it just something you went out and visited the school did they kind of scout you how did you become a union Dutchman um you know I I hadn’t heard of a union until I think I was in the USC ja morning and uh you know they started coming to the games you know they gave me their card to give them a call and everything and eventually I just I visited a few schools visited Union and I loved every bit about it and you know they gave me the opportunity to play as a freshman and uh that’s where that’s what I wanted to do and uh you know everything worked out how important was it to go play college hockey for you uh definitely you know the education and Athletics it’s just combined it’s obviously pretty tough to keep up with everything but uh you there’s nothing like it you know uh many guys on the team always talk about major Juniors but once you experience college it’s definitely uh more fun than major Junior would be I’ve always made this assumption and and I know it’s an assumption because I didn’t play major Jr and I didn’t play Kia cocky and I’m not playing pro right now so is it is an assumption on my part but I’ve always felt that guys who’ have gone and played you know collegate hockey and having to go to classes and and then and then go to practice or practice and then go to classes and then play games on the weekends they just come out of college just I I hate to say it you know just a little bit more mature than maybe guys who major Junior were it’s almost like going from high school hockey right into the semi-pros so to speak in major Jr before even turning pro and everything what is your assumption of that uh you know I think that’s correct in a way but uh you know now and out you see uh younger guys going into college uh true freshman more and uh but definitely I think you can grow more as a person in a college if stay all four years and whatnot but uh you know I haven’t experienced AER Jun so I don’t know what this thing is like but you’re definitely you’re definitely closer with your team I think because uh you’re always there you’re in classes together and you’re always on the same campus so now one of the interesting things about Union College it’s it’s obviously been around for a very long time you didn’t know about it much most people don’t know about it much until uh they got into the Frozen for just a few years ago and everything um but another goendale playing in the AHL and for the Worcester Sharks and Troy grck what what you can tell us about Troy uh Troy’s a great guy you know uh he was always probably the hardest worker in practice you know he didn’t play much my uh sophomore year and then uh went in right after I left and took the rins and you know ran with it broke every every record I had so basically uh but he’s just a tremendous kid as a person and uh you know a batt out there so he broke all your records so that means you’re not friendly with him when you see him on the ice uh we always J and text each other about uh dropping the gloves in Center ice when we play each other this year but uh I don’t think that’s gonna happen at all well I mean is it is it because Albany doesn’t fight that much and you know Worcester probably does and they would have to go you guys into it um you know we have a certain group of Fighters but uh I think the goal is stay in the net for that one you know it’ be a great duel now you only spent two years in in college with Union why why is it some guys they they they almost always stayed their four years and everything what was the decision for you to go and and turn pro um to be honest you know I didn’t really care for school that much I I wanted to be a professional hockey player but uh I mean I would have stayed but uh you know our team had a great year and there was just uh tons of opportunity out there with all and you know I had to look at at either going out on top because uh you can’t wait I couldn’t wait till next year I guess to see if I had a worse year you know you wouldn’t get them many offers so uh you know I took took the advantage there now you uh also played with Kelly zjack who also went to Union as well um how nice has it been to have a guy you you you spent some time with in college um with you with the Albany Devils in the time that he has spent with the Devils yeah that’s just another he’s another awesome kid you know he always does the little things right and uh he treats his body well he uh you know he’s mature and he he acts like a professional and uh you know being with him on the team you know it’s just another guy to joke joke with you know coming in I was a little as a rookie I was like trying to make you friends and you know it’s it could be tough at times but uh definitely having somebody you used to play with and no is definitely a positive now you were drafted but I think every year so far since you’ve come into the league and everything you you started in 2011 2012 your numbers have only gotten better as the time has gone along and uh this happens a lot with golender they come in and and sometimes they’re undrafted or maybe they’re drafted late in in in the in the rounds and everything yet they they progress and and goal tenders take a little bit longer sometimes to develop and everything how do you feel your game has come along in these last 2 and a half years um you know definitely it’s come along like you said numbers have increased and uh you know I obviously want to keep increasing them and uh you know at this point in my career I do feel like I’m ready to take the next step and you I’m just waiting for my opportunity but uh yeah I think with go it’s a little different than uh forwards and D you know there’s plenty of forwards and D on the on the ice and there only one goalie so it’s kind of like toing them into a fire and uh think devil has done a great job you know uh maturing me as a goalie it’s tough too obviously for goenda up there and and now they have uh Schneider there as well can you can you can you talk about what it’s like though to go to camp with those kind of guys at the beginning of the season and know that you get to learn from guys who have proven themselves in the NHL yeah it’s uh you know coming into train have Martin ber my idol and uh you know just watching him every day how he how he goes about his days and uh how he battles it’s just it was good to see and you know he’s a great guy and it’s helped me tremendously and then you know this year with Schneider it’s a it’s a younger guy you can get along with him he’s very easy to get along with and uh you know just you take bits and pieces of everyone’s game you know try to use it into your game and see what works what do you remember about last year when you got into your first game uh just when I got the call I was searching around for my gloves didn’t know what the first thing to do but uh you know once I get out there uh the crowd was chearing it was great my family was in the stands and it was just all in all great moment wait wait a second here so you were actually kind of searching for your gloves when you when when obviously you had to come in you were you couldn’t find your gloves at first yeah you know I I put him somewhere and then like behind the bench cuz you know the back R doesn’t really use gloves and uh you know I just I wanted to get right out there and get in the net so I was kind of rushing everything and so it was it was pretty funny but uh you know I I it was one of the most amazing moments in my life and uh yeah I think I can do it again hopefully no absolutely and and you you saw 12 shots you only let in one goal who was the guy to scored on you first in the NHL uh Nate Thompson X Islander so he’s an next Islander now did you grow up an Islanders fan or was a were you a Rangers Fan were you a Devils fan what you know on the island I mean obviously the Islanders are are right there and everything and obviously they’re going to be leaving to go to Brooklyn and everything but did you grow up an Islanders fan or I mean there’s so many teams for you guys to choose from now out there yeah I did grow up an Islander fan uh my hatred grew even more when I sign with the devil devil so I we really don’t like Devils over in my house and uh all my friends are basically Ranger on the island so it’s it’s good to give them a little junk and trash talk okay so so when you signed the contract did did Lou or Chris laru say okay no more rooting for the Islanders you are now a devil’s guy no no they didn’t say that they were just happy that happy that’s awesome that’s a okay so this year you played in 22 games 14 and seven I said if this was any normal year in the American Hockey League you would have been named an Allstar you and Cal heer both I I think that you and Cal heer have been two of the best goal tenders this year without a doubt you have a great goals against average this year you know 14- seven but sometimes when you don’t score enough goals goenda percentage tell me about this year why has this year been so good for the Albany Devils uh I think it’s the makeup of our team you know where we went a little younger and uh I think our team speed and team defense and stick to the systems to every people with uh really grinded in uh into their minds and the game and uh you know hopefully we can keep this going it’s uh we’re basically at the half point right now and uh you know we want to just keep this going and make playoffs early yeah you’re playing alongside a uh rookie as well Scott rwood well you’re not a rookie but he’s a rookie Scott regwood uh do you guys kind of work together in tandem um is there competition to try to get into the games um how does it how does it work between you and scottt there look like uh from competition and uh you know we’re we’re good buds with each other and everything and uh we push each other so it’s a it’s a good healthy competition now um for you what is your goal this year this season for you personally pardon what is your goal this year for you personally um you know I just I want to get us the playoffs team hasn’t been into playoffs for past three years I think and uh you know I haven’t been personal playoffs in the past two years so uh that’s one of our main goals and you know it’s all about the team and then it’s the best best time of the year apparently so and from obviously from past experiences it’s uh just tremendous to be in playoffs and not watch everybody else play yeah when you got up to New Jersey this year I know you didn’t get into a game but tell me about your time up there you know what’s it like to be up there with those NHL guys and just kind of be able to be around them yeah you know uh I’ve been off for uh all my past three years and uh you know it’s just been uh you grow with them they help you out and everything and uh still a tremendous time when you uh first get the call and you know it’s there’s nothing like being in the NH to be honest it’s undescribable feeling no I I I I don’t know personally myself but I I wouldn’t disagree with you on that because uh it’d be stupid for me to say so because I love hockey just as much as uh just as you do and everything Keith thank you very much for uh coming on and talking to us uh good luck this weekend I know you guys got well you guys are going to be uh in UDA and then you got ader rondak probably you against Cal heater uh knowing that game and everything and then of course you guys head down to Hershey so three on a road good luck this weekend um and take it easy on my uh my Bingington Senators on January 24th when you guys uh come down here all right thank you for having me appreciate it and we’ll be right back right after this right here on the power play post show [Music] [Music]
Host Bob Howard from the Power Play Post Show sat down with at that time, Albany Devils goal tender, Keith Kinkaid who is now with the Colorado Avalanche’s Colorado Eagles. Bob and Keith talked about his first game with the New Jersey Devils and playing for the the AHL affiliate in Albany.
Originally Aired: Season 10 – Episode 314 – 1/16/2014
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