WHEN, WHERE, HOW
AND WHY DID YOU START
PLAYING HOCKEY?
MS I think growing up in
Canada in general, it’s cold and
there is ice everywhere so you
play hockey. My dad played
hockey growing up so that
was a big thing. I had an older
brother, Kyle, who played and
I was on skates pretty early so
it just happened. I remember,
we used to skate on the pond
by our cottage. We never had
a backyard rink because my
dad was too busy driving us all
over the world to play hockey.
We had a community rink in
Kitchener that was only five
minutes away and we were on
it all the time. I played a lot of
outdoor hockey growing up.
AS A YOUNGSTER,
WHO WERE THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN
YOUR HOCKEY LIFE?
MS It would have to be my
parents (Brad and Mary Lou).
They did everything for me
and my older brother and older
sister, as well. They did a lot of
work, getting us all from Point
A to Point B. They had to figure
out all that out and work at
the same time, so definitely,
they were the most influential.
They taught me everything I
know and did everything for
me. I can’t think of two better
parents to have.
HOW BIG A ROLE DID
YOUR JUNIOR COACH
IN BARRIE, DALE
HAWERCHUK, PLAY IN
YOUR DEVELOPMENT?
MS Playing for Dale was unbe-
lievable. He’s obviously a huge
mentor of mine. That was the
time when I actually started to
take hockey seriously -- when
I was 16 and then finally at
17 when I played in Barrie for
Dale. We didn’t have the great-
est team, but there was a lot of
teaching and to have a guy like
Dale teaching you every day is a
huge thing. I mean, he really is
a huge mentor for me. We don’t
talk all the time, but when we
do see each other, we always get
into a good conversation. He’s
a smart hockey mind so I love
being able to pick his brain.
THERE ARE A LOT OF
PLAYERS WHO CRITICIZE
WINNIPEG. WHAT ARE
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO
YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF
THOSE PLAYERS WHO
SAY, “I’D NEVER PLAY FOR PLAYING IN THE CITY?
MS I love playing in Winnipeg.
WINNIPEG?”
I live here, not full-time, but I
MS To each his own. Everyone
am a homeowner in Winnipeg
has his opinion, but I don’t
believe you can knock it ‘till you and I love it. There area I live
try it. Obviously, teams come in in, Osborne Village, is unbeliev-
able. I’ve been here five years
and they’re here for a day or a
day-and-a-half and maybe they and every year I appreciate
get a cold day. Well, every place more and more what the city
has to offer. The community
has a problem, I guess. Once
and everybody around you is
you get to know this city, once
you realize what the city has to so behind the team and is so
appreciative of what we do,
offer, then you’ll appreciate it.
not only on the ice, but in the
community. I know my family
loves coming here, my brother
loves coming here and all my
buddies love it when they
come to Winnipeg. My friends
never say, “Ahh, we have to
go to Winnipeg.” They always
say, “It’s awesome, we get to
go to Winnipeg and hang out
with Mark.” I’ve become more
appreciative every single year in
the ways I love the city.
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WHAT DO YOU LIKE
BEST ABOUT IT?
MS I’m not a big city guy.
Winnipeg is a big, small city.
It’s a big Kitchener. That’s
exactly what it is. It’s not a big
city. That’s why I appreciate it.
You don’t have to deal with a ton
of traffic and that’s a big thing.
If you’re sitting in traffic for 40
minutes heading home from the
rink, you’re not going to be too
impressed. I live downtown and
I get to the rink in five minutes.
There are a ton of things to do
within a five-minute walk of my
condo. It’s easy to get anywhere
you need to go. There are good
coffee shops close by. The city
has great restaurants. And I’ve
made a ton of friends here, as
well. You get to know people, you
get to know the community and
you get to feel the pure passion
these people have, not just for
hockey, but for their community.
Winnipeg is a city of good people
and that’s what makes it great
for me. That’s what I appreciate
the most.