BRETT, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR JUNIOR HOCKEY EXPERIENCE? HOW WAS LIFE ON THE ROAD AWAY FROM HOME? BL Well to tell you the truth, it really flew by. At first you’ re really young, and going on the road and leaving your family is tough off the bat. Especially when you’ re used to eating your mom’ s cooking every night. It can be difficult sometimes, but you just have to tough it out. It’ s not like your family won’ t come to see you or anything, so it’ s really no big deal. |
WHERE DID YOU PLAY MINOR HOCKEY GROWING UP? BL I played out in the country for the Springfield Ice Hawks growing up, and then my dad moved to the city and I started playing for the St. Vital Vics. Then it was Sharks, Warriors and Wild before heading out to the Blades.
WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOUR LONG HAIR AND CRAZY BEARD? I KNOW YOU’ VE ALWAYS HAD THE LONG HAIR, BUT THE BEARD IS NEW. IS THIS A BRENT BURNS KIND OF THING? ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE MISSING TEETH AND A FULL-SLEEVE TATTOO NEXT TIME I SEE YOU? BL Haha, yeah, you’ re right, I’ ve always had long hair, but I actually couldn’ t really grow a beard up until my first year pro. But when it finally started coming in, I really started to like it and I felt like it suited my style of play and my personality. And totally – I mean Brent Burns is a funny guy and he definitely likes to keep things really light. He’ s a really offensive defenceman and a great overall player, but the guy that I really try to model my game after is Chris Pronger.
FOR SIDNEY CROSBY, IT WAS SHOOTING PUCKS AT A DRYER, WHAT WAS IT THAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH HOCKEY? BL For me it was definitely playing mini sticks at my older brothers’ games all the time. I wouldn’ t even watch, I’ d just be playing mini sticks.
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You know, I loved going to Gateway … now that was a fun rink. It was always a good time whether I was playing, practicing, watching, or playing mini sticks. Red ice or blue ice, it didn’ t even matter to me.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GETTING DRAFTED BY THE CANADIENS – THEY TRADED UP TWO PICKS TO SELECT YOU IN THE THIRD ROUND, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? BL Yeah that’ s actually an interesting story. I figured I wouldn’ t be going until about the sixth or seventh round, because that’ s where d-men like me usually go. And then out of nowhere I get this call from my agent. I was kind of wondering why he was calling me then, but it ended up that my television stream was a bit delayed and he told me that I had been drafted to Montreal, 73rd overall. It was crazy; it was awesome. We celebrated and it was really exciting.
TELL ME ABOUT BEING CALLED UP TO PLAY YOUR FIRST NHL GAME IN 2016. I KNOW IT KIND OF WENT OFF SCRIPT RIGHT AWAY, BUT HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE? BL Oh it was great – it’ s the Montreal Canadiens, like come on! After getting the call, my family and I flew down to Florida. It was just a really great time, and something I’ ll always remember. Like you said it wasn’ t perfect, in the second period I got hit behind the net and fell awkwardly on my knee. I ended up tearing my PCL and was out for about 13 weeks after that. Definitely the worst injury of my career so far, but it was the experience of a lifetime.
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SPEAKING OF FUN EXPERIENCES, HOW WAS IT COMING BACK HOME TO WINNIPEG TO PLAY AT THE BELL MTS PLACE FOR THE FIRST TIME? BL Yeah it was definitely a big deal to be here in front of my family and all of my friends watching me play pro hockey. Some of them had never actually seen me play live, so it was nice that I could actually go out and see them after the game. |