EP. 158 - Morgan Geekie's NHL Journey - The Road to 33 Goals: - Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You see, a lot of guys get rushed in situations,
especially maybe highly toutedprospects or guys that are kind
of in a different situation andthat's not always the best for
development.
And I think you see it in theNHL too, where they rush guys to
the NHL because they're a highpick or they come out of college

(00:20):
and they're like I'm not goingto go to the American League and
I think being, I think being, Iguess humble is a word, I guess
, but just having an open mindto being like maybe I'm not
ready, and that was a big onefor me.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
That was number 39 of the Boston Bruins Morgan Geeky
and you're listening to the Upmy Hockey podcast with Jason
Padolan.
Welcome to Up my Hockey withJason Padolan, where we

(00:59):
deconstruct the NHL journey,discuss what it takes to make it
and have a few laughs along theway.
I'm your host, jason Padolan, a31st overall draft pick who
played 41 NHL games but thoughthe was destined for 1,000.
Learn from my story and thoseof my guests.
This is a hockey podcast aboutreaching your potential.
Hey there, welcome to 159,episode 159, that is of the Up

(01:22):
my Hockey podcast with JasonPadolan.
I'm your host, jason Padolan,and you are here for my
conversation with current BostonBruins star forward, morgan
Geeky.
And what an exciting podcastfor me Again.
Not always do I have theopportunity to speak with
current NHL players and currentthriving NHL players, and this
week you have the benefit ofthat conversation.

(01:42):
Thriving NHL players and thisweek you have the benefit of
that conversation.
Morgan just came off a careeryear 33 goals, 24 assists, 57
points second on the BostonBruins and overall points second
on the Boston Bruins.
And goals, and that goal totalnot only put him second on the
Boston Bruins behind Pasternak,but put him above household

(02:02):
all-star names like Jack Eichel,like Mikko Rantanen, like
Nathan McKinnon that MorganGeeky scored more goals than
this year.
So really exciting year forMorgan Geeky and his story.
I can't wait for you guys tohear it.
There's just so many, I don'tknow, like interesting
highlights that are not the norm.

(02:24):
Let's say what's an example ofthat?
Like being drafted 90th overallin your WHL draft to being
drafted 67th overall in your NHLdraft.
That usually doesn't happen.
You usually don't move up therankings.
There's also an interestingtwist there for Morgan, because
he was not drafted in his firstyear of NHL eligibility.
He was overlooked and then gotdrafted as a draft plus one, uh,

(02:48):
and went 67th overall.
Uh, he, he was somebody thatdidn't get qualified after
leaving the Seattle Kraken,meaning that Seattle Kraken did
not deem him worthy ofcontinuing to be a Seattle
Kraken and they let him go tofree agency where the Boston
Bruins picked him up and hequickly found a new home.

(03:08):
Another piece that's soincredible about his story is
that this year in his breakout,huge, huge year, he started in
the stands.
There was games three, Ibelieve he says, in a row where
he was a healthy scratch at thestart of this year and look at
the way he finished.
So there's so many remindersand lessons in this conversation

(03:30):
about, you know, perseverance,about your own development path,
about finding findingopportunity where others might
see problems and, uh, and Morganis super humble, super
forthcoming, uh, it was a reallygreat conversation.
Uh, I know Morgan, or wasconnected through through Morgan
, through his dad, craig, whowas helping me with my UMH 68
invitational event in Manitoba.
Craig is my provincial directorthere and was able to connect

(03:52):
me with Morgan and, yeah, it wasan awesome conversation.
You know Morgan now, who I'vealready said you know, owner of
333 NHL games, started with theCarolina Hurricanes, was picked
up in an expansion draft by theSeattle Kraken and then picked
up in free agency by the BostonBruins and all systems are
looking go for him as he islooking at a nice new, healthy

(04:14):
contract here this summer.
So, lots of good stuff here.
Like a lot of good stuff inthis conversation.
Morgan was kind enough to giveus well over an hour of his time
.
We dive into his developmentjourney as a young man growing
up in the town of Strathclair,manitoba which depends on which

(04:35):
census you want to look at, itroughly has a population of 700
people, his development therewith his family and his brothers
.
He is the brother of ConnorGeeky as well, older brother of
Connor, who is a current NHLplayer and prospect with the
Tampa Bay Lightning organization, and is also his other brother,

(04:55):
noah, who is playing baseballdown in the States.
We talk about that.
We talk about his time as aTri-City American.
We talk about his time in theAHL, which I think is fantastic
for these young guys to have ayear or two there to not only
grow their game but to alsounderstand and appreciate the

(05:15):
value of the NHL when you do getthere.
We talk about everything reallyabout his development path, even
how to become a better playerat the level that he's at now,
some of his, some of hisresilience and how he looked at
some of the situationsthroughout his career to to get
through and to get to where he,to where he is now as a 33 goal

(05:37):
scorer in the NHL.
So I really, really enjoyedthis interview.
I know you will too, andwithout further ado, let's bring
you number 39 of the bostonbruins morgan geeky.
All right, here we are withboston bruins star forward,
morgan geeky.
Morgan, welcome to the podcast,man awesome thanks for having
me.

Speaker 1 (05:55):
Uh, I'm excited to be here following my my dad's
footsteps yeah, well, yeah you.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
I guess you sons, sons of dads are always
following in some capacity rightof the footsteps.
Yeah, that's right.
I'm sure he's very proud of thethings you've created and
surpassed his career, but not sowith the podcast.
You have not surpassed him withthe podcast yet.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
No, I'll have to be a reoccurring guest, maybe, and
pass him.
There we go there we go.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, man, awesome to have you on, super great.
I don't even know if you know,but your little bro was on just
when he was in WHL.
Still, he was a fun guest andnow it's great to have you on,
especially after the season thatyou've had.
So maybe we'll just start there.
I do want to get back to kindof you know, living in small
town, manitoba, you know, havingthe three brothers that you did

(06:45):
, and sort of what that waslooking like for you.
But I'd probably be stupid notto talk about 33 girls right off
the bat, like congratulationson a fricking fantastic season.
Second, on the Bruins andscoring, talk to me about just
where you're at right now andkind of where that season went.

Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, thank you.
First of all, I don't reallyknow.
I mean it was a whirlwind of ayear and started a little
uncharacteristically, I guess.
You know I got scratched a fewtimes at the start of the year
and you know it was kind of justone of those things where you
get the full spectrum of the NHLkind of in one season and peaks

(07:23):
and valleys, and that's how itis.
So you know, I was super happywith my year and unfortunately,
you know, we're not stillplaying.
I know our team was a lotsupposed to be, a lot better
than we were, and I thought wehad a good group of guys and
we're gonna have a good group ofguys coming in next year too.
But you know it's good.
Every season in the NHL is aprivilege and, um, I remember
getting playing my first gameand then my 100th and 200.

(07:46):
So it's just one of thosethings that you look back on and
you'll always be able tocherish it and, um, it's
something that no one can takeaway from you.
So it's, uh, it's, it was super, super fun experience this year
good for you, man.

Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, three, oh 333 games and counting, um, which is
awesome, and and I want to getinto that for sure, because it
is like it's it's a process,it's a total process and there's
a lot of things that have to goright, there's a lot of things
that players have to get through, and, and for you to even bring
that up, you know, in the firstpart of your sentence, like I

(08:19):
want I want my guests to hearthat, right, like here, here you
are, and I want my guests tohear that, right, like here,
here you are.
And for those of you out there,like I I haven't done the intro
yet, so I don't know what it'sgoing to be in it, but I'm going
to say this now you look on thegoal leaders for the NHL in
this past season and you'reahead of Nathan McKinnon, mikko
Rantanen, jack Eichel, rightlike household superstar names,

(08:41):
and you are somebody that gotscratched at the beginning of
the year.
Yet you know like that is wildfor someone to listen to.
And you know, and everyone getsstuck in their own system,
right, being a bantam and notbeing on the power play and
feeling sorry for yourself andbeing in major junior, and think
you're not getting the minutes.
And now here you are, scratchedat the beginning of the season.
Uh, you know and and at nh, andat NHL, or you know 300, 200,

(09:04):
300 game NHL or scratched, wasable to get through that and
have the season that you didLike.
Just, I mean, if you canexplain to me at the start,
cause that was not where youthought you would start, that is
not the start that you wantedto the season, how did you get
through that?
And, uh, and, and and prosper.

Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah, um, I think for me you know I finished the year
really well and playoffs, Ithought we played very well.
And going back to the start oflast year, you know the way that
the Bruins ended their recordseason, everyone thought, with
all the turnover and losing allthose guys, that it'd be a
rebuilding sort of year.
And you know, don and Cam andthe coaching staff brought

(09:45):
everybody in.
That was, you know, going to beimportant to you know, take
that next step and kind ofrebuild, I guess.
And you know we started offlike nine and oh, I want to say,
and had a really good season.
And then playoffs, we playedtwo great opponents.
Obviously, we beat the Leafs ingame seven that year and then
lost to Florida in six and endedup winning Florida in six and I

(10:06):
ended up winning.
But, uh, you know, I went intomy summer and started training
right away, started skatingright away and just like had the
itch because that was the themost I've ever contributed to,
uh, to a run like that, and Ithought my game was trending a
lot in the right way.
And then, you know, I wentthrough camp and, um, to be
honest, I didn't have a greatcamp.
I.
I came in prepared for sure itwas the most prepared.
I'd been just knowing the rolethat I could have and build on

(10:27):
the year prior.
So then you know to kind oftake a step backward during camp
and then things kind of slipaway.
The first few games and theteam not start off very well, it
was kind of like an avalancheof things that all just
snowballed, maybe out ofproportion a little bit.
And, yeah, I got.
I got scratched in.
Colorado was my first one andthen, honestly, from there I

(10:49):
don't really remember, um, whatgames I got scratched for.
But I feel like when you getstuck in those ruts, um, or
getting scratched, and you feellike you're kind of just on a
hamster wheel going round andround and it's tough to get out
of that.
Um, you know, I leaned a lot onmy support group and, um, the

(11:09):
guys were awesome, obviously atthe rink and the assistant
coaches and marshy and and someother guys in the team.
But for me it's like I leaned alot on my, my family and and
close friends and my wife andjust tried to get away as much
as I could.
I feel like when you get inthat situation you start
nitpicking at everything thathas gone wrong and you know

(11:30):
where you're at and you kind ofget stuck in this time warp
almost, whereas it's one ofthose things that once you take
a step back and see theperspective of like, okay, maybe
I've been scratched three gamesin a row, but if you look at it
, you know I'm pretty lucky tohave played, you know, 200 games

(11:50):
in the NHL and and to be in theposition where I'm at and um,
you know, have a healthy familyand a healthy dog and um, just
like all the little things, youstart to appreciate more and
it's it's really tough in that,in that situation, to leave
stuff at the rink.
Um, but for me that was likeonce I started leaving
everything I could at the rinkand tried to get away, I almost
thought I started playing betterbecause it was like you
unfortunately have to starttreating it like a job and when

(12:13):
it comes to that, especiallythose situations, you have to
understand that you know there'speople that work nine to fives,
that have bad days at work, andthat's just one of those things
that I was going through and,um, you know, I was lucky enough
to get another shot, um, youknow, playing up in the lineup
when I came back and just triedto make the most out of my
opportunity.
You know when it when it cameyeah, good for you, man.

Speaker 2 (12:36):
Yeah, one of the things when when I'm when I'm
talking with players who are ina similar scenario is like I
think there's a fine line andmaybe you can speak to that
about the idea of, okay, you'renot in the lineup, also for a
reason deemed by somebody.
Right, like somebody deems younot in the lineup, now, that
probably means you have to begetting better at something,
right, you need to improve someaspect of your game.

(12:58):
So, yes, we do need to do theextra, but we can't be there 24
hours a day either, cause that'sreality and everyone needs a
little bit more of a break.
So, like, how did, how do you?
How did you balance that inthat time?
But the art of you know,working on your game while also
trying to find a passion and adisconnect from it.
What when you left?

Speaker 1 (13:16):
yeah, and I think that's the tough part is you
don't want to get too involvedin, or too, uh, engulfed in,
everything that's going on,especially when you're in that
scenario.
You know you want to be on theice all the time and you want to
, you know, be working on thosethings that you know maybe you
don't think are up to par orthat have went wrong and led to

(13:36):
where you are now.
But I think for me it was liketrying to get the most out of
the hours I was there.
I think you know you have yourroutine.
When everything's going right,you go and you have a cup of
coffee with the guys and kind ofshoot it while you're having
breakfast and talk with thetrainers.
But you know you've got to maketime for that and be a good
teammate and be there for you,for the guys off the ice.

(13:59):
But I mean, when it comes timeto work, you know if it means,
you know getting dressed alittle quicker and going out 10,
15 minutes early and you knowstaying out 10, 10, 15 minutes
extra.
I think that's really all thatyou need to do in that scenario,
you know, and just maybe up theintensity, because at that
point you know practices areyour games and that's where
you're going to improve.
And you know coaches noticeeverything and, as unfortunate

(14:27):
as that is sometimes, um, inthat case, I remember um, it was
like right before I came backinto the lineup, um, I think for
good at that point.
Um, I've had like two or threereally good practices in a row
and I'm not a notoriously reallygood practice player, um, so it
was nice to see um to getnoticed, for that, I guess, is
just like the intensity that Iwas trying to put in and and the
effort.
So it's good to be able to likelearn those things.

(14:49):
And now, if I was faced withthat situation again, you're
already two steps ahead of whereyou were last time.

Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
I love that.
Like what.
What was there?
What was there about thetraining camp?
If you were to take a lessonfrom that that, you would have
done different or stopped sooner, or whatever the case may be.

Speaker 1 (15:13):
I think I got a little too worried about maybe
producing in the role I was.
I remember going in I was kindof slated to play right wing
with uh Marshy and Charlie Coyleand you know we had success
last year and, um, you kind ofjust automatically assume that
you did well the year prior and,um, things just human nature

(15:34):
that you kind of carry thingsover.
But you know it's a long summer, guys get older, you know, um,
maybe some injuries over thesummer or or just not being
prepared.
But I think for me it was justlike got so wrapped up in trying
to produce and, um, you know,when I look back on it now, I
remember like we lost a Floridagame one of the season.

(15:55):
Um, we lost like six, three andI had a one timer with like a
minute and a half left that Iput off the crossbar, um, and it
didn't go in.
And as soon as it didn't go inI just kind of automatically
thought, especially with the waythe camp went, I was like, oh
boy, this is how this year isgoing to go.
And that was like kind of thewormhole that I started going

(16:16):
down already.
And it was such a harmless playbecause it was like I did
everything right going into thatand you get the opportunity to
score and you don't put it in.
It's just crazy how things canchange.
Maybe just try not to get sodown on myself.
I think I got wrapped up inthings that were products of a
good on ice product.
Just focus on more things awayfrom the puck and get back to

(16:40):
playing the right way, insteadof just being too wrapped up in
producing.

Speaker 2 (16:44):
Yeah, I love you mentioning that.
That is totally something thatI know that I did personally get
back to playing the right wayinstead of just being too
wrapped up in in producing.
Yeah, I love you mentioningthat.
That is totally something thatI know, that I did personally,
and it's also something that Ithat I do help some of the
junior guys I'm with now is, youknow when that, when the
results is the focus right, likethe scoring or the assist,
sometimes it takes, it takes ourattention away from what it
takes to get the goal Right,like you said, like the details

(17:06):
of the game, and so maybe takingtwo steps back and you know
whatever, focusing on on a fourcheck or focusing on puck
protection below the goal lineis where you create your offense
from.
So I should make sure that Ihave the puck down below the
boat, below the goal line more,which is now going to give me
more opportunities, right?
So so it's kind of interesting,when we let our attention go in
wrong directions, how it canmanifest in problems sometimes.

Speaker 1 (17:28):
Yeah, it's crazy and it's tough to get the confidence
back when you get to that point.
But I think being able tomentally get over that and
figure out personally where youneed to go from there is
something that everybody canlearn from and grow, grow from
and what a great story for youto have in your, in your resume.

Speaker 2 (17:49):
Now, too, though, like to have a start like that,
you know, to be a healthyscratch, to hit that crossbar
and have that mental dialoguegoing on in your head yet to
overcome it and then have acareer year still, you know in
in the same season that that'spretty good.
You can look back and that tosay say I can, I can conquer
this.
You know what I mean.
If it does happen again, I canget out of it.
Um, I love when guys have a,you know, have have their own

(18:09):
story that they can relate toand and and refer to.
Uh, speaking of Boston, I mean Ihome, you know, and I don't
know if that's the way you wouldput it, but you know from a guy
who was traded a ton and allover the place, there are some
places where you just feelcomfortable and better, um, and
it works.
You know, and I I saw your gameevolve.

(18:31):
I thought in the playoffs, uh,again, like last, last year was
you really took a step forwardas an individual and um and you
know, and and it showed it thisyear as well what?

Speaker 1 (18:50):
what about Boston assuming I'm correct that you,
that you've enjoyed your timethere, like, what about Boston
has been different for you?
Um, you know, I'm sure it's acollection of a bunch of things.
Um, everyone speaks about theculture there and when I got
there, um, obviously the teamlooked a little bit different
when I got there to what it isnow, but, um, I just remember
going in there.
Um, it's one of those placeswhere everything is earned and
you don't have to be somebodywith a lot of pedigree or
somebody that came fromsomething that was above

(19:12):
everybody else, like you couldbe.
You know, put up 100 points andyou still got to earn your spot
on that team.

(19:33):
You know, when I came in there,it was just about.
You know, the culture again isjust one of those things where I
came into camp and I knewnothing was guaranteed,
especially with how the previousyears of my career gone and I
knew they lost some guys inBoston and you're never going to
replace the guys that they lostcoming in.
But it was just one of thosethings where you want to fit in
and you want to be a Bruincoming in.
But it was just one of thosethings where you want to fit in,
you want to be a bruin and yousaw how.
You know marshy and and coiland, um, you know brando.
I could go on and on aboutcharlie mcavoy, those guys that,
um you know, how they carrythemselves at the rink and away

(19:55):
from the rink and just how muchthey care about you know
representing the organizationand the city for that matter.
So, um, just a lot of pride andand I think for me it was I felt
really valued going in there,and that's one thing they do
really well is you could be, youknow, a fourth liner on their
AHL team or you know a firstliner, you know, on the first

(20:15):
power play in the NHL and you'restill worth the same amount to
every guy in there.
So there's there's no hierarchyor anything like that.
It's, it's everything, is'severything is a team.
And I think one of the otherthings that nobody really knows
about or it's a little quieteris that everybody that played
there and lives there is aroundthe team all the time, and so
you know Char is there all thetime, bergeron is there all the

(20:37):
time, and so all these guys arearound the team and just the way
they carry themselves and yousee the respect that they
command around the room and it'sjust kind of.
You see what they builtthroughout their career and
they've earned that and you knowthey're great people first and
foremost.
So that kind of just helps setthe stage for everybody coming

(20:58):
in and you understand, as soonas you walk through those doors,
what it's like to be a Bruin.

Speaker 2 (21:03):
Yeah, that's special and that's a.
Those are people skills rightat the end of the day.
Uh, I've told.
I've told the story like my, mylimited story on the podcast
here before about my experiencewith the detroit red wings.
It was like right at the end ofmy career and I was able to go
in there and try out for thatteam and trying to make the red
wings kind of during theirheyday and it was exactly what

(21:24):
you just said, like it was themost comfortable.
I never I played one exhibitiongame, I think, for them or
whatever.
I got hurt and that was the end.
But like that experience, thattraining camp and being there
was unlike any other place thatI had been.
You know like just how I've,yeah, how respected I felt, you
know how valued I felt, howincluded I was, like all these
things that make you feelcomfortable, which allow you to

(21:45):
play your best hockey are alljust people being good people to
each other and it seems simplebut it's hard in that
environment because you meanyou've been on other teams and I
mean you're not going todisparage any teams you're on, I
know, but I know that when Iplayed it felt different in
different places.
You know it wasn't that wayeverywhere I went.
The NHL felt different indifferent spots.
So is there any lessons inthere for you?

(22:06):
Like now that you've definitelyestablished yourself as an
NHLer, but as you've grown intothe place you are now, how does
that change the way you operate?

Speaker 1 (22:17):
You know, I think for me I'm kind of at that age
where I'm old enough to kind ofplay both sides of the coin,
where you know I get along withthe older guys and you know,
obviously I grew up watchingguys like Marshy and Z and those
guys.
So you know I'm friends with alittle bit of the older guys.

(22:37):
But you see, guys come up andConnor, my younger brother, I
mean he's those ages, the sameage as those kids that are just
coming in.
Connor, my younger brother, Imean he's the same age as those
kids that are just coming in.
And I think I do a good job oftrying to like bridge that gap a
little bit, because I thinkthings have changed.
I think with coaching and theway the game's played and it's
just something that you know.

(22:58):
Sometimes there needs to be justa little bit of, you know,
teaching, trying to keep guys onthe right path.
And for me it was like you go inthere and you know I didn't
really say much my first coupleof years and you just kind of go
in as a young guy and obviouslyget a little more comfortable,
but you try not to step onanybody's toes, but you know I
had guys throughout my career,kind of just like you know, keep

(23:19):
me on the right path, and Ithink I'm at the age now where
you know things might be alittle bit different old school
and new school and I think I'm agood combination of that to
where I can kind of bridge thatgap a little bit.
So I think for me it's justtrying to make guys comfortable
and just have it be fun to cometo the rink.
I remember, you know, some ofthe best times I had are

(23:41):
practice days or days you don'tskate, just hang out with the
guys and um, just that'ssomething that I want you know
to try and bring to everybodyand I think that brings a group
closer together as well.

Speaker 2 (23:52):
Yeah, that's great.
I'm just going to take a shortbreak from the conversation with
Morgan Geeky to give a shoutout to Iron Ghost Construction.
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(24:33):
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(24:54):
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So thank you to Iron Ghost.
I know there's a lot offamilies out there that are able
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Now let's get back to theconversation with Morgan Geeky.

(25:22):
I want to talk about new school,old school I'm going to make a
note on that.
But I think your connection ofhow the generationality, let's
call it of the NHL Because thereare guys, the studs, stick
around to their 30s, right Totheir late 30s, and when the
younger guys come in, you know,an established NHLer kind of
comes in 21, 22 and you mighthave a 32-year-old there that is

(25:45):
like that gap, that 10-year gap.
In the real world isn't reallythat much, but when you've been
watching these guys as a10-year-old right to the time
that they're 30, you've watchedthem play in the NHL for 10
years and now you're a part ofthe club, it is surreal in a lot
of ways.
You know, um, can you talkabout that like that, that that

(26:06):
idea of having these guys thatare on posters and hockey cards
for you that you're now peergroup with, and then getting
from the spot of potentiallylooking up to them.
I'm sure you still do, but thenfeeling somehow that you're
equal.
You're supposed to be therelike these.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
This is your competition yeah, um, you know
it's it's very tough to describeto non-hockey people, I think,
for sure, or non-sports people.
But you know, in the hockeyworld it's crazy.
I think when I was in Carolina05, but kind of slid under the
radar and I remember gettingdrafted and didn't really know

(26:45):
much about them as anorganization.
And then you spend a few yearsin the league and you go to we
went to Seattle and obviouslythey had the expansion and there
was a wide range of playerspicked from prospects to older
guys and you know our captainwas Mark Giordano and you know
Jordan Eberle was on that team,jaden Schwartz.
So for me going there it was alittle different.

(27:06):
I think I'd only played like, Iwant to say like 70 games maybe
at that point.
And you know I played a fewgames with Jordan Eberle and I
remember coming home and I wastelling my wife and I can tell
the story now because me and Ebsare good buds and then our
wives are really good friendstoo but I'd come home and be
like I don't know if I can playwith this guy, it's just like

(27:27):
because you know him as somebodyelse.
That's just high and abovewhere you are and you're like
I've never been good enough toplay in the NHL.
I don't know why I'm playingwith this guy now and it's
definitely a mental hurdle toget over and you don't want to
mess up because you're like Iwant to prove that I belong here

(27:49):
.
But you know you're playingwith somebody that, um, you
watch score the the world juniorgoal against russia.
So it's just like you, you dothose things.
Then when I went to boston, it'sthe same sort of thing.
You know, know I, uh, I gotintroduced to Marshy and Dave
and, um, I was like I know whoyou guys are.
I'm sure you don't know who Iam, but it's just different.

(28:09):
And now that I've been here afew years in Boston, you get to
understand that.
Uh, you know they're just guyslike me and and at one point
they were all young guys comingin trying to, trying to break
into the league and and they'retrying to help me as much as you
know I want to stick.
So it's tough to uh, to practicethat scenario or like, or maybe

(28:31):
understand it if you don't liveit.
But I think the biggest one isjust like, understand that, uh,
we're just all, all guys at the.
You know, at the end of it and,um, away from the rink,
everybody gets along and it.
I've been in the nhl for, youknow, four or five years now and
you don't meet too many badguys and you can kind of, you
know, call up on anyone.
I'm sure you've kind of figuredthat out even through the rest

(28:53):
of your hockey career where it'sjust like you meet a lot of
good people and and you can, youknow, build those relationships
for after the game.
So, um, you know, at the of theday it's a lot bigger than
hockey.
You just maybe get a little toowrapped up in it, for good
reason, you know, during yourcareer.

Speaker 2 (29:08):
Yeah, no, I, I, yeah, I love like the lesson there, I
think, is like those guys let'ssay Jordan Eberle, for instance
, who now you're you, who youjust play with him, and an ultra
superstar in the NHL If theymade it uncomfortable, it would
be that much harder because theycould, if they wanted to, right

(29:28):
Like they are in a controlposition because of what they've
accomplished in their careerhighlights and stuff, and that
matters.
You know, and that's one thingthat I think is really, really
important, and that's whetheryou're on a U13 team or an NHL
team is, you know, that idea ofteam and camaraderie and how do
we allow each other to playtheir best?
And that is one of them, right,like being supportive in that

(29:50):
scenario.
So I'm I love that you bringthat up, because I do think that
that's a fun piece of it for meand I and I think again like a
30 year old journeyman cominginto Troy, that was the best I
ever felt, like I I knew I wasgoing to play my best hockey
there, because I felt like Ibelong there and they made me
feel that way.
It wasn't because I changed mymindset about it, right, they
helped me feel that way.

Speaker 1 (30:09):
Yeah, no, it's and it's.
It's definitely one of thosethings that I think um
definitely helped shape you as aplayer and, more importantly, a
person.
But you're right, it helpsbuild your confidence and if
they allow you to go out thereand make mistakes and, um, you
know, play the right way.
Obviously you're there for areason.
They're not just going to putany Joe Schmo with them.
So you have to understand thatyou belong there and they feel

(30:31):
like you belong there and, uh,just do your best to go out and
play your game.

Speaker 2 (30:36):
Yeah, that's a good one too.
I was going to say that, thanksfor saying that.
Like, somebody thought you weresupposed to be there.
Right, somebody put you therefor a reason and if there is any
kind of waning self-beliefabout that, like trust the
opinion of that person in thatscenario, right, like, yes, I am
supposed to be here, cause thatis a tough transition, you know
, even stepping foot from the HLto the NHL.
I mean that that initial ideais, like am I ready?

(30:57):
Am I supposed to be here?
Supposed to be here?
Who am I to be here?
There's a lot of self-doubtthat can creep in.
So, um, I do think some there'sdifferent ways to go about that
, to start creating, creatingthat confidence.
Uh, tell me, though, like fromthis scenario I, the names I
mentioned that you were ahead of.
Like how does that sound thatyou scored more goals than Mikko
Ratnan this year?
You scored more goals than JackEichel, like that's so freaking

(31:19):
cool in my head.
How does that work in your head?

Speaker 1 (31:29):
To be honest, I haven't thought about it at all.
I've been told a couple timesthat that's how things played
out.
I was like I don't know if theyplayed all the games this year.
It's just one of those thingswhere I just try to keep my head
, you know, or keep my game, youknow, in my lane and I, I,
obviously I watch the hockey.
I'm a big fan of hockey and I'vewatched a lot of the playoffs

(31:49):
and um, those guys to me, arestill like, above and beyond, um
, the player I am right now andum, you know, I think that just
kind of, in this league there'sa lot of things that you can
always do to grow.
And you know, you see the waythat you know McKinnon skates,
or Ranton plays, and Eichel, andall those guys you just

(32:10):
mentioned, it's like they bringso many different things to the
game where it's like they couldscore 20 goals and still bring
an impact to the game everynight.
And you see that, and you know,it's like mcdavid scored 60 or
50 and it's like he scores 20 or30 and we still treat him the
same.
You know, every game we playhim.
It's not like, oh, he's got 60goals now, like, um, we got to

(32:32):
keep an extra, an extra guy onhim.
It's like it doesn't matter whoit is.
It's like if 97 is on the ice,there's one, maybe two guys on
him.
So, um, it's just about growingyour game and being able to be
an impact player, and I had alot of things go right for me
this year, towards the endespecially.
But, yeah, it's just, it'sdefinitely cool for sure, and,

(32:55):
looking back on it, if you wouldhave told me that that would
have happened this year, I don'tknow if I would have believed
you, but you know, it'ssomething super cool and, like I
said, lot of these uhaccomplishments you don't think
of, but I think when you lookback on it and your kids look
back on it, it's pretty cool.
So, um, you know I'm I'm abigger fan of hockey as anybody

(33:15):
else, so it's cool to say thatit's cool.

Speaker 2 (33:18):
Well, it's the social proof, like and I kind of
brought that up almost for thereaffirmation, reaffirmation
just even for yourself, right,like sometimes we won't believe
it, right until it actuallyhappens.
Now that it's happened, it issomething that needs to be
absorbed and digested and maybeallows even another step, right,
like, yeah, I do belong, right,and I am a goal scorer in this

(33:39):
league and I be a 30 goal guyand will be a 30 goal guy
Sometimes.
That that mental manifestationis needed as well, right?
So, anyways, I think that'scool.
Congratulations on that.
Maybe it's a good time to tojust veer back a little bit and
go back to the grassroots aspectof it.
One thing I love about yourstory, because my kids are all

(33:59):
going through that WHL age, nowdraft and everything else, so
I'm a little bit more, let's say, absorbed in it and the stats
and seeing what's going on.
And for yourself to be I thinkit was what I wrote down here
90th overall to Tri-Cities,which was a fifth round
selection, to moving up in theNHL draft to being a 67th third
round selection is not somethingthat happens very often.

(34:21):
So I just kind of would like totalk about maybe that, you know
.
I mean like the idea of how yougot there, where you felt you
were at as a bantam, like whatkind of hockey were you playing
at the time?
Did you?
Did you want to be in any aplayer?
Was that something that was onthe radar for you?

Speaker 1 (34:35):
yeah, um, I think, coming from a smaller center the
way I did, I think you're kindof sheltered to just how good
players are, especially in theage group that I was in.
Um, so going into the Bantamdraft, um, I honestly had no
idea and maybe that was my dad'sdoing, just not really telling
me anything and, um, I think itall worked out for the better,

(34:56):
so it's fine.
But I mean, you get, we used toget I don't know what it's like
now, but we used to get likethe questionnaires.
I mean, you get, we used to getI don't know what it's like now
, but we used to get like thequestionnaires.
You get the emails and you fillout like all these things and
you get like 10 of them andyou're you always wonder in the
back of your mind like, oh,who's getting these?
And it was an interestingprocess, for sure.
And I wanted to play in theWestern League.
I think you know, growing up,watching the Brandon Weekings

(35:18):
was was our team and they,brandon weakings, was was our
team and, yeah, they had thememorial cup there, which was
really cool when I was growingup.
So I think when you go throughthat process at least for me, it
was just like my parents, atleast, didn't really put much
pressure on it, um.
So I obviously knew when it washappening and I I felt I was
good enough to get drafted.
I didn't know when it was, um,and I hadn't really told anyone

(35:41):
if I was going to go college orif I was going to go junior.
So it was just one of thosethings that was going to happen
when it happened.
And I think I was in school atthe time and I thought it was
Prince George initially, becausemy, I think one of my teachers
had told me it was Prince George, but they traded the pick I
guess the year prior orsomething, so a little bit of
confusion, but it was all good.

(36:02):
And yeah, guess the year prioror something, so a little bit of
confusion, but it was all good.
And uh, yeah, after that, Imean it was good.
I missed my first camp.
I went to baseball nationals my15 year old year and then a 16
year old year I um got cut.
It was like after the firstexhibition tournament, um.
I went back to play u18s andthen I made it as a 17 year old

(36:28):
um, and that was kind ofhonestly the same story as this
year where I, you know, wasscratched at the start of the
year, playing six, eight minutesa night, and then towards the
end of the year, um, my coach,who's uh, you know, honestly one
of my favorite coaches and Ithought mike williamson, he
helped kind of shape me intomore of a professional player
and, um, you know, kind of moveme up in the lineup towards the

(36:50):
end of the year and I grew mygame there and then had a really
good year, my 18 year, um,which was the year I got drafted
.
So I got drafted the year tothe nhl.
The year after I was eligible,um, so I didn't get drafted my
first year and after thathappened I kind of was like, hey
, well, I'll just go to school.
And you know, my now wife wasgoing to school at University of
Regina, she was playing hockeythere and I kind of just like in

(37:14):
the back of my mind I was like,all right, well, I'll just play
up my WHL.
They got a good scholarshipprogram and we'll go from there.
And then I think honestly, atthat point, when you stop
worrying so much about theoutcome, it helps a little bit
with the On Ice product and Ihad a really good year, my 18
year, and got drafted toCarolina and then, yeah, it's

(37:35):
kind of led me across thecountry back and forth and I've
kind of been everywhere now, butit's good.

Speaker 2 (37:41):
Well, it's okay, so I love that again.
So I didn't even realize thatthat didn't play as a 16 year
old, uh, obviously baseball wasa big piece of what you were
doing at the time, or even the15 year old camp.
And now your, your dad spokeabout that on on the interview
with him and he was prettyimpressed with how supportive

(38:07):
Tri-City was.
But just even where you were atas a player and as an athlete,
right, like that you, you, thiswas still important to you,
right, and that was an importantthing to to keep a part of uh,
but didn't play at 16.
Like that's the end of theworld for some of these guys
right now.
Right, not playing as a 16 yearold, uh, and and then again and
playing as a rookie and thennot getting drafted in your
draft year, that's the end ofthe world.
Again, the road's over, uh,just speak about that like your
timeline and how your timelineworked out to be a timeline that

(38:28):
was successful for you yeah, um, I think, when I was so, I came
in as a 16 and I mean, I wasdrafted at like 5, 10, like 135.

Speaker 1 (38:40):
I was tiny, like I hadn't really grown and, um,
really light.
And then, um, when I was 16, Iwent I think it was the tri-city
always had like the preseasontournament in um, seattle, so
there was like five, six teams.
I remember playing like two,three games and I was like this
is really fast, guys are reallybig, and, um, I played a game at

(39:01):
15.
At 15, I remember um, and Idon't remember much from it.
That was with Tri-City.
So at the end of the year Iplayed one game and then came in
full-time as a 16 to try andmake the team and I just
remember being like I don't knowif I could do this, like I was
kind of just um, overwhelmed anduh, maybe a little, you know,
scared of the rejection, ofbeing cut, and I remember

(39:24):
texting my dad being like Idon't know if I can play here
and it was just a lot of likenot knowing and I think it ended
up being really good for me notto go.
I think you see a lot of guysget rushed in situations,
especially maybe highly toutedprospects or guys that are kind
of in a different situation,right, and that are kind of in a
different situation, right, andthat's not always the best for

(39:46):
development.
And I think you see it in theNHL too, where you know they
rush guys to the NHL becausethey're a high pick or they come
out of college and they're likeI'm not going to go to the
American League.
And you know, I think being Iguess, humble is a word, I guess
but just having an open mind tobeing like maybe I'm not ready,

(40:07):
and that was a big one for meand I still got cut, I still
didn't make the team as a 16year old and I played maybe nine
games that year or so and Iremember going in at Christmas
is when I played a game inPrince George and I felt like I
had so much more confidence,just ready to to play, um, more
apt to the competition and justlike getting puck touches in my

(40:29):
skills and and one more year ofjust getting stronger and a
little bit faster and developingmy game more definitely, you
know, helped me do that as awhen I became a full-time junior
player at 17 and, um, when Ibecame a full-time junior player
at 17.
And you know it's hard, I think.
Every level you go up when youobviously you go first line to
fourth line and you work yourway up to the first line

(40:50):
hopefully, and you go back tothe fourth line.
So I think physically andmentally it's tough, especially
going you know, I was playing inU18s, I was playing 25 minutes
a night and you're going outevery other shift and that's all
you're used to.
And then trying to go intojunior as a 17 year old and be a
difference maker in eightminutes is it just helps you
grow your game.

(41:10):
But you know, mentally it's astruggle and I think that's
where I kind of get into like,okay, well, maybe I'll just go
to school, maybe I'm not cut outfor this and um, you know it's,
it's hockey's a, you know,mentally tough sport and
especially when there's otherpeople making the decisions for
you, you know, based on yourplaying time and stuff.
So I wouldn't change anythingthat I've done to be where I'm

(41:33):
at.
You know I didn't don't need tobe a first round pick and I
think you understand that whenyou get here, that it doesn't
matter how you get here, itdoesn't matter how long you've
been here.
It's that when you get here,that it doesn't matter how you
get here, it doesn't matter howlong you've been here.
It's like you can say you're inthe nhl and it's all the work
that you've put into this and umyou know a lot of it's luck,
but you know hard work will,will go a long way.

Speaker 2 (41:52):
Yeah, what a great.
I mean so as a 17 year old 25points in 66 games.
And it's not all about the statline, of course, and you know
minutes and opportunity mean alot with that.
But to your point, like thenext year, the year you did get
drafted as a draft plus one, uh,90 points, you know 65 point
difference.

Speaker 1 (42:10):
Uh, there had to be something in your game that
changed as as well as I, I wouldassume, like the, the person
and or or the, or the physical,the physical size too, like what
was the biggest differencethere, to have that great big
leap um, I'm sure getting bigger, stronger was a big one, um,
and my dad always says, likeit's an 18 year or sorry, 17

(42:31):
year old rookie league whereit's those are the kids that
really make a difference in theleague and obviously there's
exceptions to the rule and yousee, then, you know that
mechanic kid now that's betterthan any player I've ever seen
in the western league.
But, um, you know, I think forme it was just confidence and,
um, you know, mentally, Ifinished the year really strong.
We didn't make the playoffs, um, which you know maybe was a

(42:55):
blessing in disguise to get alonger summer and get, you know,
stronger.
And, and I came into camp and Ijust knew, you know it was a
lot of self-confidence, just tobe like I know I can compete and
play and be a difference maker.
And, uh, you know MikeWilliamson I mentioned him
before but, um, he kind of justpulled me aside and said like,

(43:19):
uh, there's a lot of potential,there's a lot of room to grow,
but it's something that you haveto kind of, you have to grab
the bull by the horns and andtake it, and I think you know.
So, like, selfishly, I was likeI grew a lot that year and it's
just like you face problems youdidn't have to face, but I think
when you start to see your gamegrow and trend in the right
direction, it's, it's good.
So, um, I think for me the mainmain one was confidence and

(43:43):
just being given the opportunityto, you know, grow as a player.

Speaker 2 (43:47):
That's awesome.
So how did that?
How was that whole draftexperience for you?
You know, meeting a thirdrounder is obviously a lot of I
mean discussions, I would assume, and phone calls and interviews
, and from going not on theradar and, you know, not feeling
great about it, I'm sure to bebe in one of the guys.
That must have been a funjourney as well.

Speaker 1 (44:04):
It was good yeah, honestly, it was probably a good
thing that I was a draft plusone, just because, like you
don't, there's no pressure atall at that point and I just
kind of went out and played.
I was never like, okay, well, Igot to be a top ten player or I
got to be a first-round pick.
I got to be a top 10 player orI got to be a first round pick.
There was never that I guessgoal or stress or weight of

(44:26):
anything on me.
I just kind of went out andplayed and you know it was good.
You know, as the year went Iwas having a little bit of
success.
It was just you get a few phonecalls and my agent at the time,
you know, would reach out witha few things and it was good.
I went to the Combine, which wasa really cool experience.
It's very intimidating when yougo in, especially just the way

(44:48):
they have it set up in Buffalo.
Everything's all connected.
They don't tell you but theyonly space the interviews 15, 20
minutes apart.
Teams don't really care howlong the interviews go.
Some teams have the timer for14 minutes At the Key Bank.
Everything's in a circle.
So you could have one with thenew york islanders on the uh,
the east side and you have to goall the way over to the west

(45:08):
side at, you know, five minuteslater and um, it's super
stressful, it's a greatexperience and and they don't
tell you that stuff.
So it's like, if you're latefor the interview, it's not,
it's not your, it's not theteam's fault, it's your fault.
So, um, you know, it's not,it's not your or it's not the
team's fault, it's your fault.
So, um, you know it's alwaysfun, um, looking back on it now,
like how much stress and uh,how important that was.
But I think, like it's such agreat experience and um,

(45:31):
obviously it's one of thosethings that not everyone gets to
say they did, but looking backon it, I think you know I
improved a lot.
You know, speaking wise, um, um,just how to carry myself as a
pro and um, teams put a lot ofweight on that stuff, and um,
how you are off the ice and um,it was lots of fun.
So, uh, to do it as a, as a guythat wasn't supposed to be
there was, uh, maybe a littleawkward because you see, all

(45:53):
these guys that are like highlytouted prospects and some of
your buddies that are, um, youknow, I've always been there,
but you know, it kind of justproves that you know if they're,
if you're out there and you'regood, they'll find you.
Like, it's just one of thosethings that there's not.
There's not a lot of playersthat slip through the cracks,
especially in in a sport likethis in Canada.

Speaker 2 (46:10):
Yeah, for sure, what you mentioned, your agent there
and that's one thing that I getasked about all the time and you
know when do you get one, orwhen should you, and if somebody
isn't fine trying to find you,is there a problem?
And you know, I mean all thiskind of stuff, uh, that people
get wrapped up in.
What was your process like forfinding an agent and when did
you do it?

Speaker 1 (46:30):
yeah, so we got our first agent, um, me and connor
actually had the same agency.
Uh, when we were I think I wasgoing into the just after the
bantam draft maybe I didn't haveone for the bantam draft, um,
and then connor had the same one, I think a little bit earlier,
just because the family aspectwas already there, um, but yeah,
I mean it was more of ahandshake thing than anything

(46:52):
and, um, it was just one ofthose things where we kind of
had an agreement and andobviously, you're not making any
money, we weren't, we weren't,you know, paying anything to
have him work.
He was more of an advisor, Iguess, and he definitely kept us
on the right path, especiallythe Western League, and I'm
definitely thankful that I hadone, I guess.

(47:13):
But I mean, I agree, I feellike now everyone needs an agent
, everyone needs an advisor, andyou're paying thousands of
dollars to these guys, butthere's only so much you can do
at that age.
Um, I do think it's important,but it's just one of those
things where, like I saidearlier, you know they'll, if
you're good, they'll find you,and and it's not a matter of if,

(47:34):
it's a matter of when.
So, um, I definitely advise asyou get going up the ranks and,
um, you know, get into juniorhockey.
You may need need one, but youknow, playing U18, u16 is just
one of those things that youknow it's not crazy important.
And in my opinion, I'm also 26,don't have a kid.
I'm pretty well versed in thehockey community.

Speaker 2 (47:55):
Well, yeah, exactly so as far as value provided like
what do you think would be bevalue, like what?
Why parents maybe shouldconsider or be looking, or maybe
not be looking like what wouldbe your, your suggestion in that
where's the benefits and maybenot the benefit?

Speaker 1 (48:11):
um, you know, I think the benefits are, you know,
especially with a reputableagent, those guys are very well
versed and you know everythingbehind the scenes, whether
that's you know camps or orscouts, different things like
that, and they can maybe get youan in.
And I know we had like ascouting camp almost where they
brought all the agency guys inand had camps there and scouts

(48:33):
come in and watch everybody.
So it's definitely good forexposure.
But I mean what you guys aredoing with the Up my Hockey
thing, and you know I'm goingback to hockey thing and, um,
you know I'm going back to helpmy dad for his, you know, this
weekend.
Um, I see the exposure that kidsget now, especially with social
media and everything Like itdoesn't seem like it's that hard

(48:54):
to get out there, especiallywith great programs like like
your guys.
So, um, I mean it's, it's oneof those things that it's like
if you want to, you can, and ifyou're nervous about you're
going to miss out on things,then sure, but it's not the
be-all, end-all, I wouldn't say,of a kid's hockey career and I
think some people put a littlebit too much stress on it.

Speaker 2 (49:13):
Yeah, a little bit ego-driven too, I find right,
like who they're with and do youhave one or not?
Yeah, have one or not.
And uh, yeah anyways to anyoneout there.
I think you know that no one'sgoing to get you drafted, I
think that's like that's howsome people think right, like
they're not going to get youdrafted, like if you, if you
find a good relationship, thatyou value the relationship, I
think it's, I mean, I would, Iwould kind of push people that

(49:35):
way.
I don't know how you feel aboutthat, morgan, but like if you
value, like the phone call andif you value the, the
conversation, the input, inputmore as an inner circle type
person someone to share with, Ithink that is the relationship.
It should be relationshipdriven, not necessarily results
driven.
For sure, because if you're init for a result, you're probably
going to be disappointed, andif they're telling you they can

(49:55):
give you a result, they'reprobably also not telling the
truth.

Speaker 1 (49:59):
Yeah, no, I think that's totally correct and the
relationship, I think, is thebig one.
Yeah, no, I think that'stotally correct and the
relationship, I think, is thebig one, because you know agents
are normally in it for the longhaul, if that's the thing
you're into, and being able to,you know, call them up whenever
you need or just have that thecomfort of a phone call when you
need one is super important inthat process, for sure.

Speaker 2 (50:19):
So making that move for you from well, first off to
to ask you I played in spokanefor four years.
I see that you were in tri thewhole time and and we, we back
in the 90s, had the biggestrivalry in whl, at least
according to the referees that Italked to.
Uh, you know, like they werewaiting to mark their calendars
in the western conference to seeif they would play, uh, get
assigned the spokane tri-citiesgames.
Uh, did that?

(50:40):
Did that rivalry still exist inyour time there?

Speaker 1 (50:42):
Yeah, it was huge.
I mean we played them.
You play so many times in teamslike the US division and I mean
we played every game.
New Year's Eve was always inTri-City, I don't know if it was
like that, so that was like youalways look forward to that one
, just because it was so nutsand Tri-City we got.

(51:02):
The fans that were there weregreat, but we didn't very often
sell out a crowd, I wouldn't say, but we always sold out that
game, at least when I was there.
So it was just like one of thosethings and I think when you
come in the older guys, I meanyou same way for you, it's just
like the older guys hate them,so you hate them and it's just
it's so fun to play and, um, wehad so much fun, um, during

(51:23):
those games.
They were so good too.
They had the Yamamoto brothersand um, I know some guys that
played there before I was there.
Same thing.
It's like they hated coming toTri-City because the rink sucked
and it's like you.
I know how bad your guys lockerroom was, the away locker room,
but it's like we love playingthere and the fans were great
and kids taking off their shirtsfor Cotton Eye, joe, and it was

(51:43):
awesome.
So it's one of those things,those rivalries, that I don't
think will ever get old for sure.

Speaker 2 (51:49):
It's only two hours down the road.
I know that was wild.
It's funny.
You bring that game up becauseone of the years there and I
can't remember which one, but wegot shit kicked on that New
Year's Eve game and our, we gotshit kicked in on that new
year's Eve game and, uh, ourcoach at the time it was Brian
Maxwell, so I guess it was wouldhave been one of my first two
years there.
He, we weren't allowed.
Like new year's Eve, like yousaid, right, so everyone's, you

(52:11):
know has something going onafter the after.
You know, when you get homethere's a party you're lights on
.
We weren't allowed to talk.
There was no, there was no,nothing.
So like it was, it was like,legitimately, I remember being
underneath the going trying togo to sleep in the bus and it's
like happy new year, happy newyear, like that's.
That's the way.
Like we were.
It was like, oh, one of thosejunior memories that, uh, that

(52:33):
you never forget.
But uh, yeah, good stuff, we,we played any funny you say that
I think we played tri-cities 20some times one year, like when
you considered like three orfour times or five times an
exhibition, right, like the ninetimes or whatever it was in the
league, and then we had a sevengame series with them and uh
yeah, and it was a freaking war.

Speaker 1 (52:52):
It's a bloodbath every time, yeah, every time.
No, it's great, it's, it's uh,it's a story and like the fans
love it too, like it's not justa player thing, it's like it's
everybody in the building, soit's lots of fun what about the
step to uh to the nhl?

Speaker 2 (53:07):
I know the first pro camp is usually a pretty big
eye-opener, you know, um, as faras like being around nhl
players as a young teenager,right, and seeing that uh and
speak to that if you want to.
But I think you know putting onthat being an ahl and being a
pro is is is a whole new world,other than the WHL, even though
the WHL prepares you really wellfor that league.
It is a different, it is adifferent level.

(53:29):
So, yeah, talk to me about,about either your first camp
experience or maybe that being apro for the first time.

Speaker 1 (53:35):
Yeah, uh, I mean it's definitely an eyeopening
experience and um, it's, I meanit's everything that you kind of
dream of as a kid, I guess.
I mean you go in there to, youhave development camp, um, but
it's just normally prospects andsome some guys that have been
there a few times and you go tothe actual camp and, um, we went
in like a couple days early forrookie camp, so you kind of

(53:56):
it's the same feeling asdevelopment camp and you're a
little more comfortable.
And then you see, like thenhlers walk in and you know this
is their job.
I mean, they're putting food onthe table for their families
and it's their livelihood andit's one of those things.
That's a super eye-openingexperience.
And um, you realize how quickit gets and I think for me the
first like couple practices werejust like how crisp everything

(54:20):
was.
Um, my guys just don't misspasses, guys, you know, don't
screw up drills, and executionis just like so clean every time
and as a guy coming from junior, obviously it's a lot faster.
Um, so, like the first pro camp,I remember um like our first
couple practices.
I think we had bill petersthere um the first year, second

(54:41):
year and he was like notoriousfor not using a board, he would
just like point at the ice andkind of draw his drills, like if
you didn't know the drills, youdidn't really know anything.
And um, even his morning skateslike my first morning skate
with him he kind of just wasshouting drills and I'm like I
have no idea what this guy'sdoing at all.
So I'm getting in the back ofthe line just like continually,

(55:02):
like you know, getting to theback, can't figure it out and um
, it's crazy to look back on nowbecause I'm like how do you not
understand what's going on?
But it's just like the pressureand you're so nervous and, uh,
everyone's so good and and, likeyou'd said, like you see these
guys that you watched on tv, um,you know, growing up, so it's
just like one of those thingswhere, uh, it's it's an

(55:25):
eyeopening experience but it'ssuper fun.
I mean, um, you walk into theirlocker room, they got the Bauer
tent set up and they got the CCMand the warrior, and you see
all these things as a kid whereit's like, uh, you're not paying
for sticks anymore and, um, youkind of get to pick your custom
curve and get your name on yourstick and um, it's just like

(55:45):
you know it's.
It's when you take a step backand realize where you, where you
came from as a hockey player.
It's one of those things whereit's like you just try to take
it all in and even looking backlike I'm only 26,.
But it's like you look back onit as a 19, 18, 19 year old and
it's like, wow, it's, you'vecome a long way and it's, it's a
lot of fun and you maybe takethat for granted during the
process.

Speaker 2 (56:05):
Sure, what was your big takeaway as far as the game?
I know you said execution, buton a personal level, like for
you, for you to not make theteam that first year and I don't
know what your expectationswere like with that.
If they mean if that's reallywhere you thought you should be
or what your you know where yourheart was at.
But you ended up being in theAHL when was?
Where was your individual gameat compared to compared to where

(56:26):
you were playing?

Speaker 1 (56:28):
Um, I think for me it was the speed of the game.
Uh, I was never like a fastskater, um, never really big on
like the power skating orwhatever, and I kind of relied a
lot on my brain and a lot of myshot and, uh, you know some
skills like that and I thinkthat goes a long way, cause, I
think, you know, to me anyways,hockey's getting a lot faster,

(56:49):
it's getting a little bit dumber, it's a little more straight
line and, um, you know, there'sa lot of skill in the game, just
maybe not as much IQ as asthere should be, in my opinion.
Um, and so being able to dothose things is like one thing,
but being able to do them at ahigh speed is another.
So, you know, if you can't keepup, it's tough to do anything.

(57:10):
And you see guys like MarkStone and how well he thinks the
game and you know plays well onboth sides of the puck, but how
much he's had to work on hisskating to be, you know, an
impact player and stanley cupchampion and things like that,
where, um, you got to figure outways to, you know, stick at

(57:30):
that next level, and for me atthat time it was just like I got
to improve my skating and thatwas always like my big thing
through the draft growing up.
I was just never a good skater.
Um, so just try to improve asmuch as I could at that, while
trying not to take away fromother things.

Speaker 2 (57:43):
Right, Awesome.
What was your process toimprove that?
How did you focus on that?
Because I do think and I'lljust preface this with the idea
that sometimes kids get toldwhere deficiencies may lay, but
then they're not really told therecipe card for how to do that.
So what was your recipe cardfor improving it?

Speaker 1 (58:03):
card for how to how to do that, you know.
So what was your recipe cardfor for improving it?
Uh, for me it was just, um, Ithink one of them was being able
to change speeds.
Was one just being able tospeed up a little bit and slow
down?
Um, you know, if you're alwaysslow, it's pretty easy to play
defense against you, and samething if you're always fast, you
understand what's coming.
But for me, I had a good powerskating experience in carolina.
They helped me a lot.

(58:24):
And then the skills coach there, uh, sergey sanford I guess he
wasn't skills coach, he was, uh,player development.
But uh, I dropped an eyelid onmy skate and that was like the
one big thing.
That was like, wow, this is somuch easier, because I remember
growing up I would just cinch myskates tight like all the way
to the top.
My, my dad was the only onethat could do them, because he
was the only one I could do themtight enough, and, um, that's

(58:46):
how I did it all growing up.
And then, you know, I got to proand they're like it was the new
thing to like drop an eyelet.
I'm like I don't really feelsuncomfortable, it feels like my
it's gonna fall on my skate.
And one practice I just decidedto do it and that's like been
the the be all end all of myskating journey, like that way,
just being able to get intopositions a little better and

(59:07):
then, um, a lot of strengthtraining, just getting stronger.
And I think that comes withmaturity, like um, just being
able to like feel your body moreand you see how, like, the
really good skaters are allpretty smooth, um, so it's like
trying to get to that pointwhere it's just like you don't
want to.
You want to make it aseffortless as possible so you

(59:28):
can put more focus on to otherareas of the game this episode
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(01:00:48):
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It's amazing when sponsors wantto step up and be involved in a
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(01:01:09):
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(01:02:13):
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Use that.
It's in the show notes andthank you, biosteel, for being a
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Now let's get back to theconversation with Morgan Geeky.

(01:02:37):
The ankle flexion and the footstrength.
And I don't know, like if thatis in your training repertoire,
but it sure has been just in myown house and even with me
personally.
Like I'm into the barefoot shoething, yeah, I'm into like the
individual foot balance boardthing.
Now, like to be able to haveand maintain strength and and uh
and stability through your footis I think that's like to me.

(01:02:59):
That's like to me.
That's like the un on, likepeople aren't doing that, like
players aren't doing that, likeit's it's you're in your skates
and you're doing squats anddoing all these things, but can
your foot actually work properly?
And I think there's a lot ofpower in there that guys aren't
finding.

Speaker 1 (01:03:12):
Yeah, and I mean the big examples they use are like
crosby and mcdavid, like allthese guys, like how much ankle
flexion they get on their skates, and obviously everyone's built
differently, like legs aredifferent sizes, shins are
different lengths and it's allgoing to come into play.
But I mean you might as welllearn from the best when it
comes to things like that.

(01:03:33):
And I totally agree, it's likeyou would never think that it's
important because you have yourfoot in your boot the whole time
and you kind of overlook it.
But it's like if you can learnto use it and and be able to,
you know, move your skate backand forth.
I remember reading, like thethat hudson kid in montreal.
His dad was like making him goout with their skates loose and
just like mess around with theirskates and I was like I might

(01:03:54):
start doing that, just forsomething to try.
I was like if you watch himskate and how well he moves
laterally and how good of askater he is, it's like why
wouldn't you try things likethat Just to?
You may never be as good as hewill, but you know any helps
good help.

Speaker 2 (01:04:07):
So yeah, I agree, I agree, yeah, and when I, when I,
when I'm talking with players,it's like, well, especially at
your guys's level, the powerdistribution across the blade of
your skate does matter.
You know 100% when it comes toedges or whatever, and if and if
we're talking like like 1% islike a big game where you guys
are at, you know, if you canfind that little edge right,

(01:04:29):
that incremental increase, uhthat's huge, you know, and that
can be, and that can make thedifference.
So I, I do think when guyscurious about their development,
even at the level you're at,you mean it, it totally helps.
And I think that, uh, you talkabout the culture piece that's
what I've heard a time and timeagain too is when you get into
these environments, uh, you knowthese professional,
high-performance NHLenvironments, where the culture

(01:04:50):
is right, the guys are alwaystrying to find something right,
like and you're looking overyour shoulder at what Jimmy's
doing down there and Johnny'sdoing and kind of sharing
secrets, and you know and andtrying to and trying to just get
better all the time, and Ithink that's a that's an
exciting environment to be in,you know, a growth environment.

Speaker 1 (01:05:05):
Yeah, and, and that's one big thing I think I've
learned Uh, I mean everywhereprofessionally.
It's just like there's nosecrets anywhere and especially
on teams like that's, the endgoal for everyone is to win a
championship.
And, uh, we won in charlotte myfirst year, so it was that was

(01:05:29):
a super cool experience as a pro.
Um, just a good entry way andyou kind of get every aspect of
the game.
But, um, you know, guys arealways out to help other guys.
There's nobody gatekeeping anysecrets or, you know, not
telling you or sharinginformation with you.
It's just like I'm trying tohelp you as much as you can like
.
Uh, you know I learned so muchfrom Dave this year, pastor Mac,
sorry, just like things thatI'd never thought of before that
make total sense when you thinkabout them.
But I could give a coupleexamples.

(01:05:52):
It's just like he's like I likeplaying with a righty all the
time, and he played withBergeron, he played with Krejci,
like all these righties, and Inever understood why.
And and he's like if you playwith two lefties, you, you have
a one-timer on every side allthe time.
So it's like you given, if yougive a pass lefty to lefty,
there's always a one-timer andthat's a lot more common than it
is to play with two righties onthe line.

(01:06:13):
So he said like all growing upI played with righties and
things like that and it it'slike you see in his game just
the ability to make plays.
You know, laterally you can't dothat with a lefty.
I mean you can, I guess, but itdoesn't attribute to much or
the chances and as high as it iswith a righty and that like

(01:06:35):
leads into you know a one timera lot of the time.
So I think like I improved myone timertimer a lot.
I try to learn a lot from himthat way.
Um, the way he hides pucks onhis stick, like when he's
passing, and like just all thesethings that like all you have
to do sometimes is ask his guyswill tell you and they might not
be able to tell you, you knowexactly how to do it, but

(01:06:56):
they'll show you what they doand, um, you know everybody's
trying to learn all the time.
So it's just like I'm trying tostick around as long as I can
and any little bit ofinformation helps.

Speaker 2 (01:07:06):
Yeah, that's great.
Did you happen to see thatGranlin shot where he rolled his
wrist over and like lost thetop hand on a stick?
Did you see that?

Speaker 1 (01:07:15):
I don't know if I did .
Was that in the playoffs?

Speaker 2 (01:07:17):
Yeah, I think I did yeah.
I understand what you're saying.
Yeah, yeah, my kids and I brokeit down.
It was pretty wild because hewas like to me and I think it
was very obvious to the goaliethat he was going low right,
like probably five-full, andthen, as he was rolling the puck
down his stick to open up thatblade to then have it go top

(01:07:38):
shelf.
It's like oh god, the masteryand the and you know the time
spent to, you know to have thetiming of that but like talk
about deception.
You know and you know you'retalking about Pasternak doing
that with his passes, likethey're you to do to to execute
it at the level you guys are at,with the pace and how good
everyone is also trying todefend.
Like all those little thingsmake such a big difference yeah,

(01:08:00):
no, it, no, it's, it's crazy.

Speaker 1 (01:08:01):
I mean, and he's told me he's like you've probably
seen a shootout goals where helike tucks it behind his back,
skate kind of, and like I can'teven like try to do it with the
curve I have.
I got a couple of his curves tolike see if I can maybe add
something.
But you see the way he does.
I'm like where did you learnthat?
Like, how you see the way hedoes.

(01:08:25):
I'm like where did you learnthat?
Like, how do you decide thatyou're just going to like put
the puck behind you and almostlike sweep it back to the strong
side?
And he's like have you watched?
Like those floorball guys, likethey, they do like the where
they have it on the toe and theyjust sling it around and then
they whip it in the net.
He's like that's where I learned.
It is like, if they can do itlike you hide it behind your
skate, almost so it's like thegoalie's got to look around and
if he leans over to his gloveside, you go back, blocker.
It's like you're alreadygaining an advantage on that so

(01:08:45):
you can learn to shoot it fromthere.
I mean, you see it in hispasses he does the same sort of
thing, like off that one leg, um, so it's just like a lot of
these things that you'd neverthink about, but it's like
there's no secrets.

Speaker 2 (01:08:56):
It's everybody wants everybody to get better yeah,
but the beauty is he has thoughtof it Right, and I love that,
yeah, because he's curiousenough and is and is engaged
enough right To to be seeingsomething and finding an
opportunity for him to use itsomewhere.
And I, I why I like that isbecause that's definitely a
mindset piece, right, like, howare you engaging in your
development and in your growth?

(01:09:16):
And some of these guys becomeelite because that's the way
that they approach it.
You know, super cool, I wantedto bring it back.
You were talking about the kindof you being a bridge between
some of these old school guysand some of the new school guys,
and there is a bit of a more ofa generational gap, I think,
than there has been in a longtime in the NHL.

(01:09:37):
You know, and and and this isfrom me, an outsider, right,
like, I am totally an outsidernow I, I don't see it, I just
see it through through my lensfrom my office here.
But can you speak to that alittle bit more?
Like what, what would be thedifference between an 18 year
old coming in now that's reallygood and and maybe that 35, 36
year old that that's on his wayout the door, like what?
What's the difference betweenthose two players?

(01:09:58):
Right now, I think.

Speaker 1 (01:10:02):
I mean honestly, like you said, there's a lot
different.
I think the I don't know whatyou want to call it, but the
it's tough to describe it Justhow not how they carry
themselves, but like the olderguys like how the older guys
were brought in was very oldschool.
Everyone was very, it was cutand dry what was right and wrong

(01:10:28):
and there was no tryinganything new and um coaches got
on you right away and um, justlike coaches yelled at you all
the time and it was like one ofthose things where, um, that was
kind of how I grew up was likeeverybody, like at least my dad
at the time felt like he waskind of a hard ass and was like
more vocal and like telling mewhat I was doing wrong, and it's
like I'm going out there toprove him wrong and be like I

(01:10:52):
can do it properly, like justwatch me and I'll show you Right
, whereas now I feel like, withkids coming up, there's maybe a
fine line just with how you know, generations of kids have
changed and um, just being ableto convey that message a little
differently.
So, um, I think you know theold school guys maybe on the way
out or are, you know more usedto the the first thing that I

(01:11:14):
said and then having new guyscome in where you know it's a
lot more skill oriented, um, thegames you know, you see, like
the mich Michigan goals guys aretrying or the moves they're
trying on entries, and it's likethose things didn't exist when
guys were breaking in a leaguebefore.
So it's like that gap to seeguys come in with that kind of
confidence and not really have awaiver is maybe where there's a

(01:11:36):
little bit of a teaching point,being like hey, for sure, that
might work in game 25.
And it looks really cool andit's on the highlight reel.
But you watch the playoffs nowand it's like there's no goals
like that.
There's no, everything's earned, everything's in the hard areas
of the ice and with so muchskill you're always taught at
least I was growing up it's likeyou want to be physical on

(01:11:58):
those guys because you want topush them out of the game.
So it's like there's a reallyfine line.
You see players like McDavid hasall the skill in the world but
he's not trying these things.
You know, when it's one, nothingwith three minutes left, and I
think that's just like a bridge,or, yeah, a bridge you need to
gap a little bit or maybe mywords are wrong, but just being

(01:12:23):
able to, you know, focus more ongame management, necessarily,
than skill development and Ithink that's one big thing is
like games are won and lost andyou know, wins and losses kind
of define how long you stay inthis league.
And you see guys that win thestanley cup, that were on a
fourth line, they get a reallynice contract and it's not
because, you know, you put up 30goals or 40 goals, it's because
you're a winner and teams wantwinners and any way you can

(01:12:45):
contribute.
That's, you know, up and downthe lineup, that's going to be
important.
And you see, like guys like patmaroon went three in a row, uh,
alec martinez, like these guysthat are, you know, getting a
little older teams, see whatthey bring to the table.
Um, you know they're not goingto go undressing guys and
scoring 50 goals, but it's likethey bring things that are
important to the team.

(01:13:06):
So it's like just being able toadd a little more structure to
the game and make it importantto do the right things.

Speaker 2 (01:13:15):
Right, yeah, I appreciate that answer.
I think maybe you can add somecolor to this, uh, but it sounds
like what is good about, Ithink, like the way the game is
changing, that you are allowed alittle more individualism I I
think I think that piece is good, like, I think, from a, from a
skill standpoint.
I also think from like adressing standpoint.

(01:13:38):
You know, like we all woreblack suits when I was there.
We all dress, we all look theexact same.
You know there was no, theconformity was a big thing,
right, and now you can.
You know, you can be anindividual, you can wear your
own style.
I think that's celebrated andprobably still chirped in its
own circles.
But it all with good, with goodhumor, right and um.
So I think that there's roomfor that and I like it.
But I do think that there seemsto be a little bit of a step

(01:14:00):
back from the value of team,potentially too from these
younger guys that are coming in,maybe a touch more entitlement,
if I'm allowed to use that word.
I guess that's where theculture and the value of the old
guys come in.
Too right To try and help moldthat this young, budding,
talented individual into aBoston Bruin or into a Calgary

(01:14:22):
Flame or wherever you're atright am I?
Am I fair in saying that?

Speaker 1 (01:14:25):
totally and I think, um, I mean, for example, like my
younger brother has the most,like Connor has the most amount
of confidence I've ever seenlike when we play against each
other, the stuff that he triesI'm like I don't know how you're
doing this, I have no idea, andI'll rib him about it all the
time.
Like when are you going to trythat he tries.
I'm like I don't know howyou're doing this, I have no
idea and I'll rib him about itall the time.
Like when are you going to trythat?
He's like I have no idea, Idon't know I'm going to do.

(01:14:47):
And you know he came into theplayoffs with with tampa bay
this year and, and you know wasphysical, played the right way
and, and you know it neverreally crossed his mind, but I
think he came into thatorganization was like you see
guys doing things the right wayand it makes you want to conform
to the way they've done it,like you don't just win two cups
and go to the playoff or thestanley cup finals three years

(01:15:08):
in a row without doing thethings right.
So it's like it's always niceto have you know all the skill
in the world, but to be able toknow when to use it, you know
when to back off a little bit.
Um, that's the big part.
And I mean you still see in theplayoffs that the teams with
all the depth that play theright way and uh, that's like
one thing about florida.
It's like you see how hard theycheck and how hard they defend

(01:15:31):
and those things lead to goals.
And then that's when the skillcomes out.
So it's just about picking yourspots for those and, um, I
think now, especially with allthe skill everybody has, it's
like well, I can do this, like Ishould have the leeway to be
able to do it, and it's.
It's almost one of those thingswhere you have to realize it's
earned, not given, and once youearn that ability to do it, go

(01:15:53):
ahead.
There's obviously a reason thatyou're allowed to.
But I agree, I thinkentitlement is maybe the right
word, and it's not to say thatit's not easily moldable,
especially with good people.

Speaker 2 (01:16:04):
So yeah, yeah, I can't believe I haven't touched
that yet, but you're kind of.
You have a little brother whois just a rookie in the NHL and
who's part of the new group.
You know and I'm not sayingthat he's an entitled one, I'm
not saying that at all he's ariot.
I love his personality, I meanlike he seems like he's, he's a

(01:16:24):
really fun guy to be around andI imagine the guys in tampa bay
probably, probably appreciatehim a lot too.
But so you have a firsthandexperience is all I mean from a
family standpoint of of watchinghim grow up and watching his
journey.
How have you, how have you,served to be that bridge with
him?
Are you somebody that he callsduring the season when things
are maybe not going the way hewants them to?

Speaker 1 (01:16:45):
A little bit.
I mean, honestly, I think I tryto stay out of his way as much
as I can.
I don't want to, like, be ahelicopter brother or anything
like that, and I think a lot ofthose scenarios, situations you
go through, help mold you as aplayer too.
And, uh, I mean he got sentdown, you know, I think around
the all-star break and you knowwe talked something about like a

(01:17:08):
little bit about that and um,just those situations that you
get put in.
But it's one of those thingswhere it helps you grow as a
person and and I'm more there asuh, you know, mentally, if you
need to call somebody like I'veexperienced a few things and I'm
always here to lean on, butit's not like I want you.
I wanted him to shape his careerthe way he's going to do it,

(01:17:28):
and we've had completelydifferent paths to the NHL and a
lot of things that I'veexperienced.
He may never, or maybe he'llexperience even more when it
comes to the variety of things.
He'll experience even more whenit comes to the variety of
things, but it's just like oneof those things where it's his,
it's his path and he's going toforge it the way he wants to and
I mean you see it, you knowwith how loud and and outgoing

(01:17:51):
he is, I mean he can talk toanyone and and kind of lights up
a room with with how he carrieshimself and he's awesome, but
it's just like I could neverexplain to you how to do that,
because that's just not who I am.
So, um, when it comes to that, Imean we honestly talk more
throughout the year about otherthings.
You know, we play video gamestogether to keep in touch, we
facetime, and he calls me morein the summer because he loves

(01:18:13):
getting you know differentsticks to try and and showing me
them.
So it's like that.
That's more about what we talkabout, not necessarily the X's
and O's, but it's a.
It's lots of fun and and not alot of.
Not a lot of people can saythey had a brother play in the
NHL, for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:18:27):
Yeah, no, that's really wild.
What a cool.
What a cool thing to share theAHL.
How much did you value yourtime there?
I could generally, in my career, spot the guys in the locker
room that never been in the AHLand the guys that had been and
even if they were stars at thetime that had been the NHL.
There was something that wasmore grounded about them, more

(01:18:49):
appreciative, more grateful.
It seemed to be.
Uh, do you look back on thatAHL season as being a really
important piece of of yourpuzzle and and puts you in a
better place to be ananti-sheller now?

Speaker 1 (01:19:00):
yeah, it was huge.
I mean, it's always tough goingback down.
You know, I got sent down once,but I think for me, looking
back on it, um, my wholeexperience it's like, though,
you spend so much time with theguys, uh in the ahl just because
, like normally at least nowanyways it's a little bit
younger than it was uh before,just with the veteran rule and

(01:19:22):
and things like that, in themore of a developmental league.
But I mean, those guys you goto development camp with, you
make uh good relationships withthem.
You go to the ahl and I went tothe ahl and didn't really know
what to expect out of uhcharlotte, and it's a great city
and spend so much time with theguys and um, it's just like one

(01:19:42):
of those things that I agreewith.
We always bug the guys that havenever played in the NHL.
They're just silver spooners,they, they got the easy path and
but it's something you're right.
It's just like I don't evenknow if there's a way you can
kind of just tell and it's not abad thing by any means, but
it's just like I don't know badthing by any means, um, but it's

(01:20:03):
just like I don't know, I don'teven know how to how to word it
, but it's like it's almost likea grind, like every game's a
grind.
You're um, you're on the bus or, like when we flew, you fly um
with everybody else, like you'renot charting a jet, you're just
flying west jet, or you'reflying delta and you're getting
on the early flight to get thereand you're pre-game nap and
you're having subway forpre-game and like those things.
Like it's just like there's somuch more camaraderie, I feel

(01:20:25):
like amongst those guys and justlike how you, you know, grow as
a player and like just therelationships you build.
Um.
My time in the in the ahl waslike I don't know I would be at
all where I am, especially thefact that we won.
I think it kind of helped.
It was a really good team and areally good situation that we

(01:20:46):
came into.
Our leadership group wasawesome and our coach, mike
Vellucci he's the assistant inPittsburgh now he was awesome.
He put me in my place, I think,a couple games in and scratched
me a few times the first yearand I think he figured things
out pretty quickly and at thetime you're like I don't know if
he's right, but looking back onit now, I was maybe one of

(01:21:08):
those entitled kids that thoughtI was then bigger than anybody
else.
But you know, development wiseit was huge.
And then the second year beforeI got called up, ryan Warsawski
was the coach.
He's the head coach in San Joseand just developing things that

(01:21:29):
he sees that maybe you're alittle biased to.
I'm sure every game you go outthere and you have two points
and you're playing well, he wasreally good at seeing these
little things that I need towork on.
That definitely helped grow mygame as an NHLer.
So looking back on it, it'slike one of those things that
I'll cherish forever and it'snever a bad thing, I don't think
, to go to the NHL.

Speaker 2 (01:21:46):
Yeah, well, you don't know what.
You don't know, right, as faras, like the NHLers that have
never played there, right, theydon't know what that's like to
play, you know whatever.
Three and four and a halfnights, yeah, sunday in the
sunday in bridgeport, yeah, yeah, the eating on the bus, and you
know, I mean, all the stuffthat happens down there.
So, uh, you know it.
Definitely, I think it groundsthe guys that are there and I'm

(01:22:06):
sure that you're, you know, whenyou're sitting there on the
plane and you got your choice of, uh, of the shrimp caviar or
whatever the heck you guys aregetting that, it's like, wow,
this is pretty good.
You know, like, I got thispretty good, uh, and I think
that puts us in a better spot toplay too and we can stay more
more grounded with that piece.
Uh, but the ahl itself right,like it it is.
I mean, no one there wants tobe there really, right, like,

(01:22:30):
everyone kind of wants to besomewhere else.
No one signed up when they were12 to say like, yeah, I want to
play in the hl for my, for myentire life.
Right, we know how hard it isto do and, like the guys that
are able to do that, like that'snot a disrespectful thing to
say.
But I'm just saying from amental standpoint, like if you
can, if you can invest in theidea of being there and again,
almost like a pasternak kind oflesson of like how can I get,

(01:22:50):
what can I take from thisexperience?
Right, how do I get better, howdo I improve?
That really helps with withwith that environment.
I think you know, because boyexpectation is everything with
that environment.
I, I think you know, becauseboy expectation is everything.
And if you're down there likeif connor went down there, for
instance, and and thought thisis the last place I ever thought
I should be and I should neverbe here and why they sent me
down, chances are you're goingto be there for a little bit
longer than you want to be,right, yeah, no it's, and I

(01:23:13):
think that's a big thing andthat's one of the the few things
that I told him.

Speaker 1 (01:23:17):
I was like you can take it one of two ways.
You either, you know, be theguy that goes down there and
sulks and thinks he's too goodfor everybody and, um, guys
aren't gonna like you becausethey're gonna know your attitude
and things like that.
Or you take it and you'd be agreat teammate and learn as much
as you can and it's a, like yousaid, it's a good league.
Like it's tough to play thosegames to me, um, guys, there's

(01:23:39):
two kind of spectrums guys thatare trying to make it and guys
that are trying to stay playingprofessional hockey and it makes
it that much harder to produceand perform, especially with the
schedule and how gruelingtravel is.
So, yeah, it's just one ofthose things that you know.
It's a developmental league now, but I think there's a lot that
you can learn.

(01:24:00):
You know in the NHL anddefinitely shaped you as a, as
an NHL or for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:24:04):
Love it, yeah, especially with the mindset that
you do want to learn, rightLike it's.
You've emphasizing that youhave to be open.
Open to it, um and and yeah,hopefully that means less time
there.
This break in the action isbrought to you by elite
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(01:24:25):
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(01:25:08):
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(01:26:15):
through Elite Prospects but tohave some of their
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(01:26:35):
definitely love everything EliteProspects has to offer online.
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they've done and where they havebeen.
So thank you, elite Prospects.
Now let's get you back to theconversation with Morgan Geeky.
I never asked this question,but you were talking about

(01:26:56):
curves and so I'm going to askit, because I do geek out on
sticks a little bit myself.
What flex do you use and whatis your pattern?
Do you have your own, or isthere a number that you use that
you can get buy in the storeshelf?

Speaker 1 (01:27:08):
uh, so I use the.
It's actually the Adam Oatescurve, so it's like the uh P92 I
think it is, or the Sackick.
It was a Sackick when I grew up, I don't know what the number
is now.
Yeah, just like the generic onethat you buy on the shelves,
but the oats one's a littleflatter on the heel, it's just
so you can use your backhand alittle bit more.
I found that I got it from him.

(01:27:30):
I use the skills coach.
That kind of implies the samesort of skillish things that
that you know you see a lot ofguys use and it, just that curve
kind of allows you to do alittle bit of everything.
Um, you know, I I screw aroundcurves all the time and I'm not
afraid to change the length ofmy stick or whatever.
I'm pretty standard, like 85flex or 87, whatever bauer is um

(01:27:53):
, but I've tried, like the I gota sample of.
Like the kucherov curve I useda few times last year.
It's a little different andit's only like 77 flex.
Um, we're pretty spoiled.
We get to kind of pick andchoose whatever we want and
they'll send us whatever.
But, um, I'm using that uhtwitch stick.
Um, it's brand new, he.
I got a sample sent to me lastyear in the summer and it was

(01:28:14):
that's my favorite stick I'veprobably ever used.
I was always a ccm guy and umjust switched a couple years ago
I think and uh switched thisbauer one.
So it's good.
I mean, I like it.
It's it's tough to switch umnow, or it's tough to switch now
, but uh, it's good.
And then I agree, it's one ofthose things that, like you,

(01:28:35):
always geek out on what everyoneelse is using.
I think, um, there's no more oflike.
I used to use like the stall.
If they called it stall, it waslike the shovel kind of like.
It was like more of a wedge.
I use that one.
That one's kind of obsolete.

Speaker 2 (01:28:47):
Now there's a couple guys that use it my dad still
likes it I always found that,like once the once the
technology sort of started todevelop, uh with the flex aspect
and where it flexes, that Ipersonally liked like a lower
flex for, like, let's say, awrister, like a catch and
release wrister, but I didn'tlike it for my one-timer.

(01:29:09):
Like I felt like it was, it wastoo much of a banana and like,
being a shooter which I was, itwas hard for me to like find
that happy medium, like did youfind that with yourself?
Or even like what does it got?
Like what does pass to use uhfor a flex uh, I think it's 77,
77 and it's like a.

Speaker 1 (01:29:27):
It's a p28 curve, so it's like the one, the thinner
blade.
Uh, the toe is like reallyheavy, like it's really big toe.
Um, I don't know what the likeI said.
I don't know what the storenames are.

Speaker 2 (01:29:41):
Now I knew what they were when I was.
No, it's a put 28, 28, 92.

Speaker 1 (01:29:44):
They're still using those ones yeah, so, uh, he uses
that one.
Those are pretty generic, likeI bet that's like 85 in the
league.
And then some guys have likelittle little uh kinks in them,
like I mean, you see, likeo'reilly's blades a little crazy
, like with the little thing onthe end, um, but like some guys
will add up to make the blade alittle thicker.
I've tried making my bladestiffer for that, like same

(01:30:07):
reason as you were.
I like the lower flare 85 flexwas good, but it's like whenever
I hit a one-timer I felt likemy blade would give out, or like
after a face-off or somethinglike that.
We're also spoiled that we canuse this new stick.
You know pretty much every game, so it's like you get it fresh
out of the box.
But, um, yeah, it's a lot morestandard than you think,
especially now.
Um, I feel like when I grew upwas like you see, the guys in

(01:30:29):
junior like with the big bladesand like all these fancy things
that you never knew existed.
Uh, you get to the nhl and guysare pretty set in their ways
and and it's pretty a or b, Iwould say right so you can.

Speaker 2 (01:30:41):
Uh, if you wanted to let's say you're a bauer guy
could you send them somethingand they would make your own
like can you get your ownpattern if you wanted to?

Speaker 1 (01:30:50):
yeah, I had one.
I actually had one in ccm.
Uh, it was my first.
It was like the covet year incarolina.
Um, I like lowered the lie um,changed the curve and like
thickened it out a little bit,maybe a little little bit taller
, and they make it.
Um, I like lowered the lie um,change the curve and like
thickened it out a little bit,maybe a little little bit taller
, and they make it um, I don'tthink they like when you do it a
lot, because I think it's kindof expensive for them.
Um.
So it's like if they have italready um built and they have

(01:31:14):
so many curves built, like lotsof times when you ask to make a
curve, they'll be like oh, wehave one very similar, it's just
easiest to use that.
Um, but they would definitelylike I've been with bauer long
enough and um, I'm established,I think, enough now where I
could kind of be like, can I dothis, this and this, and they
would, they'd be really goodabout it.
Um, so, yeah, it's, it's supercool to be able to just kind of

(01:31:36):
pick and choose and, um, youknow, have your name on it, and
it's cool.
It's something like you said.
It's like you don't think aboutthose things, but like when
you're a kid and you had yourname on your stick, or like I
used to put like the black tapeon the name bar, to cover it up
and then put my name on it orthe number, so it's like you
look back on it.
It's really cool to see whereyou started from.

Speaker 2 (01:32:01):
Well, the thing that I feel so bad for you guys about
now is like that was like myget out of jail, get out of
slump piece was like having thewooden blade that I could shave
or like give some more uptick toor whatever I wanted to do.
Like I was in that stick roomall the time like tweaking and
you can't do nothing to thesethings.
Now, can you like I don't thinkyou can right, like no I mean
there's a couple uh.

Speaker 1 (01:32:16):
I mean I remember bergeron, they have a couple of
his sticks still sticking around.
He would like heat up the bladeand like wedged under the door
like you used to, and like bendit a little bit and you could
see like it's fiberglass, likethere's a crack in it and
whatever.
But I mean whatever worksobviously worked pretty good for
him.
But yeah, I mean I'm more of a,if I'm struggling I'll switch
up the knob a little bit or I'llswitch up the tape, like for a

(01:32:40):
while I was going white tape,black tape a lot of the time and
it's kind of like one of thosethings where you just need a new
look and then go back tosomething that you're
comfortable with and it's notnecessarily as permanent as a
blade change, but it's uh, itdoes the job, for me at least so
we're in the off season herenow and and you know one of the
questions that I get all thetime, you know, how much do you

(01:33:00):
need to be on the ice, or shouldyou be on the ice?

Speaker 2 (01:33:02):
I think it's obviously.
I would assume it's differentyou at 26, and with who I'm
generally speaking with, whichis, you know, teenage, junior
type players but how do youhandle your offseason now?
Like, is time off the icesomething that you think is
important?
Is that something you think youcan't afford not to do?

Speaker 1 (01:33:22):
Or how do you?
How do you approach it now?
Uh, I've kind of done both.
To be honest, since I turnedpro, um, you know, I tried to
not skate till june 15th or july31st.
I've never really gone longerthan that, just because that's
kind of, you know, it's my jobnow.
So I figured, you know, themore time the better.
And then, uh, last yearactually, I was skating like two
, three weeks after the season,um, so that was pretty quick.
And then, uh, last yearactually, I was skating like two
, three weeks after the season,um, so that was pretty quick.

(01:33:44):
And then I think I'm gonna startskating.
I'll start skating next week,um, and so that'll be almost a
month, which would be like alittle longer for me, um, but I
think now, with like skill workand stuff, like I don't think
you have to be on the ice a tonor sorry, you can be on the ice
as much as you want.
It's like the intensity more,and like I think you see a lot

(01:34:05):
of things now, like, especiallykids growing up, like they only
play hockey now and like Iplayed all kinds of sports, so
like I never really like mymiles didn't add up very quickly
when it came to hockey as a kidso it's like now it's my job.
I was like I gotta ways,especially now with how good the
lead gets.
You're just trying to find waysto like, get better and at
least for me I feel like if I'mnot skating I'm, I'm losing out

(01:34:26):
on that stuff, even if I'mgetting stronger or things like
that.
I'm kind of at the age where Ihave my baseline and I'm trying
to get back to times a weekstarting next week, probably two
or three times a week untilAugust or so, probably three or

(01:34:47):
four.
Then before camp you go down aweek or two early with the guys
and do some captain skates.
You're skating four or fivetimes a week.
It's kind of just like youswitch the intensity.
You go from off-season trainingoff-ice and it kind of just
switches.
You maybe do that only two,three times a week or at least
the intensity is not as highright for majority of the week
well, good for you.

Speaker 2 (01:35:07):
So you mean you're taking, so you're taking four
weeks off and that was, you know, strategic and planned, and and
you know whether you worked outor not.
I mean I, I won't ask, but um,that's.
I do think that recovery isimportant, you know, if some,
but just, but just, even from ahealing standpoint and a rest
standpoint is probably nice.
And then, yeah, ramp up theintensity and the ice sessions
as you get closer.
Has anything changed for you,like in the brief window I

(01:35:30):
shouldn't say that brief, but Imean 20 to 26, since you've
become a pro, like, has thetraining aspect of you getting
better and looking afteryourself?
Has there been any changes tothat?

Speaker 1 (01:35:43):
I think last couple years I started to take a little
bit more care of myself.
Off the ice when I moved toCalgary I had a little bit more
access to that kind of stuff.
It felt like, and I think theone thing for me was my wife
actually mentioned it to mebefore we moved to Calgary was
like, I think every year, um, mylast year junior to like two

(01:36:04):
years ago, I had switched mytraining regime and trainer
every single year and I didn'treally think about it like that,
like I tried, uh, the sametrainer that I always had
growing up, um, and then Itrained in Winnipeg and then I
trained in Seattle and then Idid like a a more of like a body
weight mobility program for ayear and then I finally you know

(01:36:26):
I've been in Calgary for threeyears now and I think for me
it's just like the stability ofknowing what I'm gonna do um is
huge, and like I'm comfortablein the gym and my trainer's
really awesome about days offand like if I'm feeling good and
substituting exercises and youknow I'm getting treatment two,
three times a week, just stayingon top of things like that,
because it's a long year andespecially when you start to

(01:36:48):
play more um throughout the year.
Like games add up and it's uh,someone had mentioned like
morning skates add up to like 10extra games or something.
So it's like you you put on alot of miles as a as a pro, and
just trying to get back tosquare one and Restart and it's
good.

Speaker 2 (01:37:07):
Do you use field work at all in your in your training
?
Are you on the track at all?

Speaker 1 (01:37:11):
Yeah, we're on the track Twice a week, normally
twice a week for like tillAugust probably, and then it's
like two and a half.
I would say Just like a littlebit you'd take a little bit off,
like say, um, just like alittle bit, you'd take a little
bit off like the weights andstuff.
You do a little more sprintsand stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:37:25):
So right, yeah, yeah, a little bit.
So that's been training.
I see, I see a little bit moreof that showing up and and I I'm
seeing a little bit less bike,like it's a bike part of your,
your training existence, youguys on that doing sprints there
or any type of cardio work.

Speaker 1 (01:37:38):
I love the bike.
Um, I think it's depends whoyou ask, um, but I, I was always
taught growing up that was like, oh, your hip flexors they get
too tight, so like that was theyou don't want to bike cause
you're always in like thehunched position and you're.
And I was like growing up I waslike I don't know, you know,

(01:38:02):
I've I got a 10 or 20 kilometerbike tomorrow that I'm supposed
to do and uh, I enjoy it.
I bought a road bike, you know,last year, a couple of years
ago, and um, it's, it's an easyway to train and, uh, it's like
one of those more glow methods Iwould say now.
But we do a lot of like the airbike too.
I guess that's the sprintaspect of the bike, but it's,
it's good, we use it for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:38:18):
Cool.
Well, I want to wish you luck.
Maybe I'd be doing this podcastdisservice and talk about what
the next steps are and evenwhere your mindset is.
You're, I believe, anunrestricted free agent.
Right, correct, restricted.
Oh, you're an RFA.

Speaker 1 (01:38:32):
Yeah, I missed it by 19 days.
Yeah, I'm July 20th.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:38:38):
Holy smokes.
So I'm July 20th.
Yeah, holy smokes.
So as an RFA, that means I'mnot familiar with the collective
bargaining agreement that muchright now.
Does that mean that for you tobe qualified, they have to give
you that 10% raise and that's it?
Or how does the negotiationaspect work in your deal right
now?

Speaker 1 (01:38:52):
Yeah, so it's qualifying offer.
They'll offer a qualifyingoffer, I think on the 29th of
June, if possible, or if theywant to.
When I was in Seattle that'show I came to Boston was I
wasn't offered a qualifyingoffer.
So then you become anunrestricted free agent.
This situation, same situation.
It's like if they want to offerme a qualifying offer, they'll

(01:39:13):
do so on that day.
It's a 10% raise on whateveryou earn now and then.
That's not to say you can stopnegotiating a deal by any means,
but it's just like they have togive you that because you're
entitled to that and they want,if you want, they want you to be
their property.
And then, if nothing is figuredout by that point, you've got

(01:39:37):
to go to arbitration, which islike the court date, where you
go in toronto and all the bigwigs yell at you and tell you
how bad of a hockey player youare and you tell them how good
you are.
So hopefully it doesn't get tothat point.
But, um, yeah, you cannegotiate up until then.
It's kind of just more of aformality gotcha, so yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:39:56):
so I mean, if they were to hardline something, it
hasn't necessarily changed fromeven when I was there.
Because if they give you thatoffer and you say like, let's
say they don't give you anythingover that, just for theoretical
right Hypothetical, I shouldsay reasons, they maintain your
rights, and then you also don'tplay right Like that's, that's
where that is at Correct, likethey maintain your access to you

(01:40:17):
, uh, and that's kind of the endof it.
Right, that was the way it waswhen I was in la.
I remember it was like I didn'twant to sign what they gave me,
but I really didn't have anyother power other than other
than them qualifying me yeah, sonow with that situation, you
get arbitration right.

Speaker 1 (01:40:34):
So it's basically um, I think it's july 21st or late
july you file for arbitration,which basically you take them to
court um over like you thinkyou're worth more than what your
qualifying offer is and so youcan file for arbitration, which
basically you both go to thecourt plead your case.
Um, normally the player comesin a lot higher than what he's

(01:40:57):
worth and the team comes in alot lower and you meet someone
in the middle for one year andit's kind of like a um, just a
good, like bridge deal to figuresomething out for a year and
you can kind of reconvene atchristmas so if you sign a
one-year deal, then you would bean unrestricted free agent at
the end of that, at the end ofthat year.

Speaker 2 (01:41:15):
Yeah, that's good for the players.
So then you do have like.
So there is a value there.
Boston recognizes they have togive you a value over the 10
because you've obviously wouldhave, would have had a had a
season that that allows you toget paid more than the 10.
Um, so you're protected byarbitration to get something
reasonable right.

Speaker 1 (01:41:33):
Yeah, it's good, it's huge.
Yeah, you don't have that yourfirst couple years in the league
.
I think you have to like it'seither a time the game is played
or service time in the in theleague, or or sorry, the the
association or whatever.
So it's good, it's uh, it'sdefinitely important and really
really good.
We got that for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:41:50):
Awesome.
Well, good luck with that.
I mean it's it sounds like it'sBoston, then essentially, or or
or not, I guess.
Right, like with yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:41:58):
They get their first dibs, but we'll see.
It's a it's a long summer, soit's like I said, I'm not too
worried about it and things willsort out the way they do.
I think you know I'm prettylucky to play in the NHL and
have the year I did, so it'sjust one of those things where
you know the crumbs will fallwhile they will.

Speaker 2 (01:42:21):
And great timing.
Couldn't have happened at abetter time?
Yes, for sure, and hopefullyit's the start of many more.
So really appreciate, morgan,you being so candid and giving
so much of your day, your time,there.
I thank you.
My fans thank you, and my fansI shouldn't say that I don't
have any fans the podcast has.

Speaker 1 (01:42:33):
Sure, you got listeners, listeners.

Speaker 2 (01:42:35):
Yeah, my podcast has some listeners, so they will
definitely appreciate your, yourtime and your insight, so
thanks for being here yes, ofcourse.

Speaker 1 (01:42:43):
No, it's good and uh, I'm excited to be at the uh, my
hockey manitoba this week.
Yeah, that's right, we're gonnaget a chance to actually shake
hands, so uh yeah yeah, forthose we we had.

Speaker 2 (01:42:52):
We had, uh, morgan's dad on craig, who's my uh
provincial director there for myumh 68.
So we're bringing a the firsttime event out there to brandon
and um, we're going to have someof the best u15s in manitoba
being there and I think you'regoing to be a, an ambassador.
So I hear for for a couple daysI'll be there.

Speaker 1 (01:43:10):
I'll do whatever's needed.
I'm a utility man tomorrow orthis weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:43:14):
Sorry, that's awesome yeah, really looking forward to
it.
Yeah, if you're in the areathere, anyone brandon man, uh,
brandon brandon, manitoba, or onthe outskirts come watch some
great hockey.
Morgan will be there, I think,connor's coming in for a day and
or two and and yeah, we'll.
We'll watch some good hockeyand hopefully there's some good
lessons that are happening there.
So, yeah, thanks for doing that.

Speaker 1 (01:43:32):
Yes, of course.

Speaker 2 (01:43:46):
All right, man.
Well, until then we'll, we'llpart ways and we'll see you soon
.
Awesome, yeah, thank you somuch for having me.
Thank you very much forlistening to episode 159 with
Morgan Geeky.
Morgan, I'm sure you're notlistening.
If you are, you're a rock star.
Super amazing that you wereable to donate that much of your
time and that much of yourinsight about being a hockey
player and what it takes tobecome a hockey player at the
highest level.

(01:44:06):
As discussed in the introduction, I think that there's so many
awesome lessons for players outthere with their own development
timeline when they'reconsidering where they're at in
space, where they might beplaying, who they might be
playing with, how they thinkthat looks in the big picture as
far as what their dreams areand what their goals are.

(01:44:27):
You know, morgan more than oncehad an opportunity to say, ah,
this might not be working outthe way I want it to.
You know, when he, when hedidn't get to play in the WHO as
a 16 yearold, when he did playas a 17-year-old and didn't get
drafted, when he got taken inthe expansion draft and then

(01:44:50):
didn't get his contract renewed,when he was with Boston this
season as a fourth or fifth-yearNHL guy and was getting healthy
scratch at the beginning of theseason.
There's lots of opportunitiesfor Morgan to look at things and
be like, ugh, geez, why me,this isn't working out great,

(01:45:11):
this isn't what I had planned,this wasn't on my schedule, but
time and time again he was ableto push through these types of
adversity, was able to come outstronger on the other side, and
currently Morgan is sitting as a33 goal scorer in the NHL and
is going to be signing a newticket.

(01:45:31):
So I love that.
Everyone's development path isdifferent.
Everyone's journey is different.
You need to embrace where youare, put the blinders on and do
the best you can to control thethings that you can control and
get yourself in the bestposition possible to be the best
player that you can be.
And Morgan is well on his wayto finding where his potential

(01:45:56):
is at.
And that's the fun thing aboutpotential and that's whether I
work with a 12-year-old or a 22-, 22 year old.
It's like what is the ceiling?
Where is the ceiling, uh?
And when we get creative aboutwhat that ceiling is and we
start believing that, hey, maybethere is more out there, there
is more in me, uh, than what Ihave previously seen or what I

(01:46:17):
have previously shown.
Then some amazing stuff happens.
Uh, we talked about a littlebit in the episode, but did
Morgan ever think in an NHLseason that he would score more
goals than Nathan McKinnon,mikko Rantanen and Jack Eichel
all combined in the same year?
I mean, I don't know if hewould have ever raised his hand

(01:46:38):
and said, yeah, I expect that tohappen.
But here he is now in asituation where that did happen.
That is the reality of hissituation.
His potential has been elevated.
The ceiling for him has nowchanged.
What an exciting spot to be in.
Why doesn't that apply tosomeone like you?
Well, guess what it does applyto someone like you.

(01:46:59):
It just matters how you arelooking at your career, how
you're looking at your owndevelopment, the things that
you're doing about it and whatyour belief system is about it.
So, really, really fun.
I love stories like this.
I wish nothing but the best forMorgan.
I'm sure you could tell fromthe interview how humble and
grounded he is about where he'sat.

(01:47:20):
Uh, and that is definitelyanother component of mindset
that is.
Uh, that is a good one.
Right gratitude, uh, grounding,being humble, giving back to
the game which he's doing withthe umh 68 invitational, coming
to supply some value to thesekids who want to be in his skate
someday.
That's a good person rightthere, and good people usually

(01:47:43):
create good hockey players, andMorgan is a definite example of
that.
So thank you for your time,morgan, thank you for those
listening and until next time,this is Jason Padolan without my
hockey.
Play hard and keep your head up.

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EP. 158 - Morgan Geekie's NHL Journey - The Road to 33 Goals:

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}EP. 158 - Morgan Geekie's NHL Journey - The Road to 33 Goals: