32 Thoughts: The Podcast - After The Horn: Arber Xhekaj

Episode Date: February 1, 2023

Arber Xhekaj's unlikely road to the NHL is about more than just not being drafted. The Habs rookie learned about fighting for opportunities from his parents' unbelievable journey. Elliotte sits down with Arber along with his parents, Jack and Simona, to get the whole story.Watch the “After The Horn” feature on Arber XhekajWe would like to thank Chantel Machabée & Charles Saindon-Courtois from the Montreal Canadiens communications team for helping us with this piece  — the feature was directed by Jeremy McElhanney, edited by Mark Wade and produced by Amil Delic. This story was told by Elliotte Friedman. Video management was handled by Zack Hajas. And finally, thanks to Simona, Jack and Arber for sharing their story.Email the podcast at [e-mail] or call The Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemailThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Right when I say we're sharp, I throw a ZAW. I gotta handle that. No man. Right when I say we're sharp, I throw that. Oh! Slipped him. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, we're going.

We're going. We're going now. Late last year, I traveled to Montreal to get to know Canadiens rookie defenseman Arbor Jacki. His path to the NHL wasn't easiest, but neither was his life. We produced a 15-minute feature on Arbor and his family for Hockey Day in Canada but with such productions a lot of the conversation gets left on the cutting room floor we felt that it was important to share these conversations

unedited with our audience in this special edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, you'll hear our chat with Arbor and then later with his parents, Jack and Simona. If you'd like to watch the entire feature, we have left the link in the show notes. With that, let's head to Montreal for our sit down with Arbor Jacki. We're good? Okay. I want you to look around. See where we are. What jumps into your mind?

Can't even believe it, man. It's so surreal every day waking up and knowing that I'm here. I'm not a guy who soaks things in easily. I just keep pushing in and pushing it until it's no longer there. Like, obviously we won a championship last year in Hamilton and I just couldn't put it into perspective until I left and it was over. So seeing this Montreal logo in the middle of the room, it's unbelievable.

It's obviously a dream come true. Do you remember the day you walked in? Your stall is just over your left shoulder. Do you remember the first time you walked in and you saw a Canadiens jersey with your number and your name on it? Yeah, it was preseason last year. Just to see that and just to hold the jersey, and I'm like, this is my name on it.

Obviously, I wasn't signed or anything yet. I was still trying out, but just to see it with my name on it, I was like, this is it, man. This is the real deal. Did you sit there with it in your hands for a few minutes? I did I like I held my breath when I put it on I don't know why it was just something I did but it was pretty funny. Arbor was there a point this year where you I mean I don't know what you expected did you expect that you would make the Canadiens this season? I personally I thought I was going down to the AHL and I was going to have to spend my time there, like spend my years there and develop as a guy and a player and a person.

But just in the back of my mind, I'm like, I can crack this roster. I was seeing how I was skating with the players on the team. And I was like, like, I'm there. It's there. And I was like, I was feeling very comfortable with my game on the ice. And just in the back of my mind, I had that, I had that, it's there, like I can make it. And when was the first moment you began to think, okay, this might be happening? There wasn't like really a moment because they kept so many young guys till the very end. So, and they never told us anything. So we were all good buddies and we're just sitting there like looking at each other.

And we're like, man, like what's going to happen here? Like what's going on? And we didn't know, like we're just sitting there, like, looking at each other. We're like, man, like, what's going to happen here? Like, what's going on? And we didn't know. Like, we just controlled our own games. And we obviously worked hard and played our games and let the rest fall into place. But there was never really a moment until that day when they pulled us into the office. Describe it. Yes, we were in the gym, and it was me, Ghouli, Slav, and Harris.

So they called us all in the room, and we're walking in. We're scared. We're like, oh, no. What is going on? But obviously, they're all good players, so I'm like, this can't be bad. This can't be bad. I'm trying to think positive. We get pulled in, and then they're like, congratulations, guys.

You made the team. And chills just ran through my whole body and, like, so many thoughts going through my mind. I was like, I was speechless. I was just like, thank you. Like, I didn't know what to say. I was like, wow, this happened. Like, I just made it.

Who had the best reaction? We were all frozen. We were all just looking at each other, like, started smiling. We're like, oh, man. Like, because we were all really good buddies throughout camp. So when that happened, it was like we were just like, started smiling. We're like, oh, man. Like, because we were all really good buddies throughout camp. So when that happened, it was like we were just like, man. And like we left the room and we were giggling and we're like, oh, man, this is it. Like, it was awesome.

You know what's interesting was when we were talking to Gallagher and to Marchand San Luis about you, they didn't talk about any of the physical stuff. Yeah, I think, you know, we had seen the clip of him in the prospect camp, him fighting, and there's guys that can do that. But if you can do that but you can't play the game, you're not going to last very long, and there's a lot more that goes into it. And that's a huge skill. I mean, there's only so many guys in the league that can do what he does.

But in order to be able to do what you do, there's so much more that has to go into your game, and he's able to do that and to play at this level and to also bring that little bit of intangible that guys are going to have to be aware when he's on the ice. At the same time, the other 90% of games when he isn't doing that, he's still an effective player and making good, smart plays for us. He's been a good player.

We've enjoyed having him, and he'll keep getting better. They talked about your hands. They talked about your skill in making a pass. They talked about your IQ. You know, he can break the puck out. What the effect is that? Well, it allows us to play in transition in possession to the neutral zone. Yeah, can he go off the glass?

Absolutely. But he's got high intelligence with a good skill set that allows him to do what his brain's telling him to do, and his brain is pretty creative, or in the ozone. You know, he's got a great shot, and I think early on he was getting his wrist shot block and stuff, and we worked on changing the angle a little bit, and he's got a nice little snapper that he throws these wrist shots on net.

They're heavy. They come off his blade quick. But obviously he's got a one-timer too, which we haven't seen that as much. I think it's harder for defensemen up high now to take one-timers from there, unless you're on the power play. Because the defensive schemes

are more in your face a little bit, where those little quick wrist shots probably happens more, and he can do that, right? So he helps our offense. But also, you know, you see his physicality, big hits. You know, he can take care of himself if he has to drop the glove. There's a lot of things that Arbor brings to the game that helps us. You know, it's not one particular thing,

but it's a collection of all these things, and I think he uses that at the right time as he's still learning when to use what and how. But so far it's been good. The fans love you for the rough stuff, but your teammates and your coaches talked first about your skill. Yeah. I mean, it's pretty special to hear that because I always, everyone always used to say when I was younger that, like,

you're a goon, you're a goon. I'm like, I'm not a goon. I got good hands. Like, I can make plays. Like, I make pretty good breakout passes. I got underrated hands. Like, I got a good shot from the point. Like, I've always known I've been a skilled guy offensively,

but not a lot of people have seen that. And now I'm obviously, like, I'm the second power play unit sometimes, and it's, like, it's pretty crazy I'm the second power play unit sometimes and it's like it's pretty crazy because I never played power play my whole life because that that's just not the role I was put with but but it's pretty special to hear that that they like that that side of my game they see the best in you there's no question about that they see the best in you is there anything like any of the whether it's been a hit or a physical play or a fight or anything like that where you were like okay this is big I'm a little bit nervous about this yeah I don't know I don't

seem to put that kind of pressure on me it's like kind of like whatever happens happens and my first fight obviously that was that was huge but in that moment I was just thinking like I have nothing to lose here like I'm going against a pretty tough guy like he's been he's been a tough guy his whole the whole career in the NHL so it's like I got nothing to lose so even if I would have lost the fight or just done well it would have been a win to me and it would have been a win to the fans so it's that was a pretty big moment for me. I would think the only one that might have made you nervous was DeLorea just because of who he is. Yeah that one was tough because I was kind of thinking like, I thought he was going to ask me at the start because they were on a five game losing streak. So at the start of the game,

I was thinking I'm getting ready, mentally ready. I'm like, okay, like this is a true heavyweight. Like he's, he's the toughest of the toughest in the, in the league right now. So, and then he kind of, he kind of got me at the end of a shift and he caught me with one right in my eye right away. And I was like, they punched a lot harder than Junior here and yeah, it ended up being a tougher one, but it was my first loss, I think, so it was a tough pill to swallow, but it had to happen someday.

Well, also, like, that's, as you said, the best of the best. Like, you're stepping up to deal with him. Yeah, so it's like, in the fans' eyes, it's like, man, that's as tough as it gets there and it's like, that's not a loss in my eyes. What do your teammates say after moments like that? What do they say to you?

They're extremely supportive and that stuff. They're always coming and giving me a tap. They're like, man, that was the toughest guy. It doesn't get much tougher than that. You held your own, so they love to see that. Tell me about Simona. Simona, she's the best, man. I've never seen a woman as strong as her before.

And the way my parents started life from nothing, it's like you can't see that. And I think they brought all the toughness on the kids. So my mom, she's so caring. And they put all their money in those kids like it's every penny they got they put it towards the kids and that's that brings them joy like to see us do well in life and I never understood I'm seeing all everyone else's parents like they go on vacations and all that I never see my parents go on vacations like obviously it was it was pricey and they

couldn't afford at the time and it's just they actually dumped all their money into us so it was we never understood why like why but it was just like they were like like we want to bring you guys a good life you know and to see them like working every day and like not enjoying it we're like you got to enjoy it too and it's obviously as the kids started moving out and I did what I did and my brothers now playing in the OHL, it's, it's been a lot better for them to start going on vacations and start enjoying and that's, that brings me joy. What has she told you about her journey from Czechoslovakia as it was known then to Canada? Yeah, she obviously wanted to, to find

something else and go, go try a different life. And her friend was here. So she, she came over here to start a life as a nanny and she was a teacher over there so like she didn't have to leave like she just wanted to try something else and ran into some family stuff so she she got out of there and started a life as a nanny like from scratch and like obviously her journey was was very tough to to leave your whole family she had nothing no one here like she just had her one friend, but at a young age, I think she was 24. So it was extremely tough for her to start a life from scratch and to see where she's came to now. It's special. Tell me about Jack. Jack, he's about as

tough as they come. I don't think I've, a lot of people say their dad's the toughest guy they know, but he's something else. He tells us, he says, I have no fear. It's not a good thing to have no fear, but he's like, the things I've been through, he has no fear. He grew up probably as poor as they come. He said between his three brothers, he had one pair of shoes. The oldest brother would get the biggest pair of shoes, and they would all wear them.

Obviously, where he was growing up, it was tough with all the wars and that so he he didn't want to get involved in that so he he found a way to make it out and he got passports made and packed his bags no he didn't even have a bag he didn't have anything to pack so he just he got out of there and my dad actually came here with with zero dollars in his account and he found his way and he's extremely tough and he's he's a super kind guy and whenever you talk to him he's you think he's like shy almost but he's not he's he's amazing man and he's he's about as strong as man as i ever met and to see him start a life again like my mom from absolutely nothing it's it's amazing has he ever told you about his journey from albania to sweden to here about what he had to do to get out

yeah he he has it's like we can't believe it like you know when people say like when their parents tell you about their the way they walk to school and it's like they're like going through forest jumping over fences like going all this way just to get to school like that the way they walk to school it's like they're like going through forest jumping over fences like going all this way just to get to school like that's how they got to school like he actually he had that and I mean he had to he actually had to run away from home like to get out because I mean if they found out he was leaving they they probably would have brought him to the army and he didn't want to do that and that was not something that he wanted he was interested in he so he had to leave and he obviously went to Sweden for a bit and played soccer there for a little bit and then he went over to England with his buddy and then finally they made it to to Toronto so that's where they started their life and the things he had to

do it's like we can't even imagine like Like, he would always remind us, like, my parents, they were both big and reminding us, like, you guys don't know what you have because we weren't the richest family. Like, my parents, they grind for every dollar they have, and we're seeing all these other kids with this nice stuff and this nice gear and these nice sticks, and we're like, why can't we do this? Why can't we do that?

We never really understood or appreciated, and they're like, they always reminded us, you guys don't know what you have. Like, you don't know where we started and the kind of things we had to go through. And that was big for them to keep that in our heads. Did they ever tell you how they met? Yeah, they actually met at the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton. The one right downtown? Yeah. the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton. So my mom came over and I think the first week she was here she met my dad and then the next day they went on their

first date. So yeah I was snooping around one time in my house and I found their first year together and I was tearing up it was like you can't find love like that. They have pictures and things things yeah they have like a photo book of them uh their first year together so i was like i i was tearing up i was like man like this is like a love story like it's it's unbelievable how they stay together because normally an albanian man will find an albanian woman and the same with the czech like that's just in their that's. But it's pretty rare for them to go off the grid like that. And it's crazy how they ended up meeting. Is there a picture in particular from that scrapbook that you remember?

There's a lot at Gage Park. That was like one of the parks that we grew up in. And it was close to our house. And our parents were taking us there every day and making sure we got our outdoor activities, and we would put the kids in the wagon and bring us to the park. So they had a picture at the fountain,

and that's one I'll keep in my mind. I understand one of your mother's big sayings is, if you dream it, then you can do it. Yeah, if you can dream it and put your mind to it and believe in yourself anything's possible so she always she was huge into telling us to believe in ourselves and she's like you have to believe in yourself and i never understood it when i was younger i'm i'm thinking i'm like man like i'm trying to believe myself but you never really know until until you know and your father's i think your

father's big line is don't compare us to anyone else yes what does that line mean that's a special line he would always tell us like don't compare yourself to other people like you don't know how they started how they have money like you don't know how they got to where they got you know like we don't have that like you don't compare yourselves because we started a completely different way and we were raised a different way so that's a big line here you would always say do they have any other favorite sayings that you remember really well one that always will stick in my head is my mom saying believe in yourself like if you believe in yourself and trust what you can do like that's how you can succeed what is the angriest your parents ever got at you oh i'm not sure i mean i think one time i took my mom's car out or whatever and i i scraped it scraped the side there's a brand new car and i like she would always wait

for me i was younger so she would always wait for me on the couch before i came home and she fell asleep so i tried to sneak by her and i was like, man, I gotta, I gotta tell her, like, I can't, she can't see us in the morning. So I think that was when I told her she was, she was pretty angry. So that was, that was one of the most actually. Well, you're a car guy. So could you fix it? Were you able to repair that one? Ah, back then I didn't, I didn't know too much about that. And also like I was telling her I'd pay for it and I didn't know how expensive it was going to be, but it was, it was pretty expensive and I paid for it now, obviously, but, but back then I couldn't afford it either. So she kind of let me off with that one. Okay. I heard when you got your first payment

that you bought your parents all new appliances. Is that true? Yeah. So I was thinking of giving them a chunk of money, but I'm like, like I can do something better than that. Like they wouldn't, I don't even think they would take that. If I, if I offered them just like a big chunk of money, they would just be like,

no, like it's yours. Like you keep it. So I went to Costco and grabbed new fridge, new washer, new dryer. And like when I said, whenever you guys want to go on vacation, I'll pay for it. So I've given them three or four vacations.

And for Christmas the one year, I wrote down, you guys can have a free trip back home or a free vacation for you too. So they took one of those. And that's just something I do. Any chance I can get to just give back to them it's i'm gonna do it must be incredible feeling it is when we were rolling in the fridge and all that it's like we had a fridge downstairs that like came with the house like one of those old white fridges and that fridge will never break and we've went through so many new fridges like

so once it breaks they just push it aside and push it aside. That's the big thing with my parents. Like they'll push something for, for years. Like, no, we don't need a new one. We can use that one. And finally I was like, I'm getting you guys a new fridge.

Like, I don't care what you say. I'm getting you a new fridge. And I've heard, apparently you've told them that you're going to retire them someday. Is that true? Yeah. So that's, that's my next goal, actually. So I would set, obviously, goals every year,

and my goal was to make the NHL, and then now my next goal is to retire my parents as soon as I can. What do they say to that? They were tearing up. They get very emotional, and they didn't have much to say about that, but that kind of quieted them a bit but yeah that's that's something I want to do for them who's the best athlete in the family we got a pretty athletic family I'd say I'd say me my brother was going to tell you him but

I'd say I am I'm pretty good at most sports I did and growing up and my mom also was was very good at anything she picked up my dad was a good good soccer player but I like basketball and like the racket sports he was he says he's good but he wasn't the best but my mom was also always really good at pretty much anything she did so growing up I think I was I was pretty skilled at most stuff and same with my younger brother he was he was probably the same who's the most competitive probably see myself again but my brother is competitive like he he takes his losses to me personal like he hasn't beat me in much in anything and we always we always go at it in every sport and i think one time i lost him in ping pong so then i i was training like i'm like

i'm not letting this guy beat me like Like, it's just something I have on. I'm like the big brother, little brother type of bond. So it's, it's great. You know who did that was Michael Jordan. He lost a ping pong to someone on the bulls and he bought a table, his house, put it up against the wall and became the best ping pong player on the team. Wow. That made him crazy.

It's one of the, one of the great stories about him. Your parents here, when they first came to Montreal to see you play, what was that night like? Yeah, it was special. I mean, the most special encounter with my parents was when I first signed my contract. So, or when they told me I was going to sign. So I went to the rink, they told me I was going to sign. They were waiting at the hotel. And it was like the last game before they were going to make a decision. So I went back and opened the hotel room. And I was like, Jack guys, we made it. We did it. And then they just completely broke down. And that was probably the most special. But

my dad was here for the home opener. So he got to experience that. And that was an excellent game. When my mom came with my dad, they just enjoyed the atmosphere, and they're like, wow, this is the real deal. I brought them in the room and showed them around, and my dad was like, can I take a picture? I was like, Dad, come on, take a picture, man. You can do what you want. Whatever is mine is yours here.

This is ours together. They're taking pictures of my stall and all that i'm like i'm getting like teary-eyed i'm like guys like i have a game like get out of here you know like i don't know it's just it was awesome for them to soak it all in your dad albanian so he liked taidomi right but then he switched to the montrealadiens. How does your dad switch from loving Tidomi and the Maple Leafs to the Montreal Canadiens? Yeah, so my dad was never a big hockey fan. He never knew much about hockey, but he obviously came here and it's the biggest sport here.

So he started watching with his buddies and he found out Tidomi was Albanian and he thought he was the best. He was always a tough guy, my dad. So he loved Ty Domi and his toughness and how he was a smaller guy and wouldn't back down to anyone because that's another one of my dad's big lines is don't ever back down. Like, don't back down to anyone. Like, don't give anyone an inch.

And, yeah, so he loved that about Ty Domi, and that's how he got into hockey. But in Hamilton, there's a lot of Montreal and Leaf fans, but he thought everyone was a Leaf fan. He's like, so many guys are Leaf fans. Is there any other team that's Canadian that I can cheer for that the Leafs don't like? And it was Montreal, so he's like, okay, I'm a Montreal fan. I'm going to be a Montreal fan my whole life.

So that's how he ended up switching over, and I obviously took it upon myself to be a Montreal fan because of him. He got me into that. Is that why you signed with the Canadians? Because I heard at that time there were some other teams starting to look at you too. Was that the reason you chose Montreal? No, actually, there was a few other teams that I was going to go to their camps. But I knew one guy here, Matt Turk, and he was in my corner.

And I've trusted that guy my whole life, and he's helped me out with, like, having skates for the summer and payments. Like, he's been the best for that. And I trust that guy with everything. And he was always like, man, like, come here, you have a good chance. Like, they got some Ds that have a similar style. Like, they got Edmondson, they got Weber, they got Chirot.

Like those guys were kind of like the guys I was modeling my game after in junior. They said they like your style of player. So that's kind of why I directed myself towards this team. Tell us about Kelly Reed. Yeah, actually me and Kelly Reed, we go way back. And when he first came to Hamilton I switched over to his skates because they were pretty cheap at the time and I was like his guy like after a couple years like I was showing

the drills for everyone and I was like the guy for him and he did a camp actually and he didn't charge us anything and I think it was like 500 a week like it was a pretty expensive camp and he had Sub charge us anything, and I think it was like 500 a week. It was a pretty expensive camp, and he had Subban there and both Subban brothers, so I got to meet them, and Kelly Reed's just been a great guy who's helped me my whole life, and I'll always thank him for that.

So take us back to U14 Hamilton and how you got here from there. Yeah, so when I started playing AAA for hamilton i was like the number one guy there and for four years i was captain assistant captain like i was probably one of the top players in the in the alliance and then we had some friends that went over to the g they were from hamilton and they went to go play in the gthL and they were telling us like man this is the place like the quality of hockey is excellent like it's it's high-level hockey so so we decided to get a release and go go play in in Toronto and to see what that was about so when I got there I went for being like the guy in

Hamilton to Toronto they had their guys on their team so I ended up being like five six on the on a team like fifth defenseman sixth defenseman and that was kind of when I started slowing down because I wasn't playing much I wasn't really taking practice serious either and so for those two years in the Titans that's kind of when I fell off a bit and everyone was growing also and I didn't I wasn't a bigger guy like I I was back then but once everyone started growing they passed me and I was I was like I gotta find a way to to compete with these guys like I used to be able to compete with them like why what's going on now and I was so impatient with the with the growing thing and I would always tell my mom like when am I gonna

grow like what's going on so I went to Toronto for two years or three years. And then, so minor midget, I was, I want to say around 5'10", maybe 160 pounds. So that was when I almost started growing. And I had a pretty good year, but everyone on my team was talking to OHL teams. I think we had nine guys drafted. And I was like, I'm not talking to anyone. Like, who are these teams you're talking to OHL teams. I think we had nine guys drafted and I was like, I'm not talking to anyone, like who are these teams you're talking to? Like I didn't have an agent at the time or anything, but I wasn't talking to any teams there. And I thought I had a pretty good year, but I wasn't the best

skater. So I ended up not getting drafted. And that wasn't the biggest deal for me because I was looking at the players that were drafted, and I was like, I know I'm better than this kid. I know in my head that I'm better than some of these guys. I could have got taken. I didn't really take it seriously. My mom kind of had to sit down with me, and she was like, you can either quit or you can keep going and prove everyone wrong. Like, you got two ways. That's it. Like, you can either stop playing or just play for fun or you can start proving guys wrong.

So I took that really serious, and that was a big summer for me. I ended up growing. I grew to around 6'1"-ish, and I ended up trying out for a couple Junior B teams just for fun, like not for fun, but just to see where I matched up. I wasn't going to make them. I was going to play major midget like it was set. I was going to play for the Bulldogs major midget, so I ended up doing well in both the Junior B skates.

I always ended up, as a kid, like every time I played high school hockey or something, I always played good, as a kid, like, every time I played high school hockey or something, I always played good with the older guys. Like, I could think like them. Like, I was always good at making quick decisions. So that was something that, even though I was undersized, that was something that I always was always pretty good at. So in Junior B, at those tryouts, I was a pretty good player.

And I was like, man, I can compete with these guys. Like, physically I'm there. Like, I can compete with these guys. Like, physically I'm there. Like, I can play with these guys. So I ended up making both teams, St. Catharines and Thorold. As a 16-year-old, that's huge for, especially for an undrafted player because teams usually take a drafted guy that they know are going to go up to OHL next year because they want that for their organization. So I ended up picking St. Catharines because they were a big-time organization

for Junior B, and they always developed good players and always had good teams. So that year I kind of put myself as a player that was going to be physical and hard to play against as a defenseman, but still had that offensive flair a little bit. And I realized how big and strong these guys were. So I was like, I can't just sit here and do nothing. Like, I got to get bigger and stronger.

So as that year went on, I'm training all year. I'm in the gym all year that year. Just trying to put on weight. So after that year, I ended up talking to, like, almost every team in the OHL. So after that year, I ended up talking to, like, almost every team in the OHL. And so when I actually started in St. Catharines, a lot of the guys were like, don't worry, by Christmas, like, you'll be talking to teams. I never really believed them.

I was like, I don't know if that's how it works. Then by Christmas, all the teams started coming in, and I got invited to almost every OHL camp. And then I ended up picking three camps to go to it was Guelph Hamilton and Kitchener so I went to all three of those camps and then I ended up liking Kitchener the best and they said have a good main camp and there there might be room for you so that summer trained again all summer long and a lot of my buddies were saying, you should sign with a Junior A team, like sign with a Junior B team so in case that doesn't work out, like you can go to a Junior B team. And that was just in my head.

I was like, why would you go to a tryout knowing you're already on another team? Like you're just going to be like, okay, if I don't make it. Safety net. Yeah, I got a safety net, exactly. So I was like, I'm not doing that. I'm going to – Safety net. Yeah, I got a safety net, exactly. So I was like, I'm not doing that. I'm going to Kitchener. I'm making that team. I'm going to make that team.

So obviously I went, and they offered me a spot. So that was huge at the time. And playing there for three years was awesome and obviously developed my game a lot throughout the years with Dennis Wadman and Jay McKee. Then obviously the time came, and they ended up trading me to Hamilton and Jay McKee again my coach was it was special and he he's like glad to have you back and obviously he had me when I was a younger guy so I wasn't his guy I was I was working my way into it and then being an older guy on his team and

being being his guy go-to guy was pretty special. So we ended up winning the championship. And then after that, obviously I came here, and I wasn't expecting to make it really. But I kept my head down, kept grinding, and ended up getting a spot here. So it's been a long career, but it's worth it. It's worth starting. Yeah. It's been a long journey for me, like all the ups and downs.

It's been crazy because I've never been the guy. Since I can remember, I've never been the guy. I've never been drafted high or anything like that. So obviously going undrafted in the NHL was pretty tough too, but I just took it as the OHL draft. It's the same thing. Rather you can get drafted and keep going, prove people wrong and it's, or you can just give up like,

and go somewhere else, you know? There's no way your parents were letting you give up. No. No way. It's not in our nature. It's not in the Jack High family nature to give up. It's to see them never give up at what they they what they wanted in life we're we're not quitters so any of those kids from toronto in the nhl are around the ones that were ahead of you no not that i can think of man it's none none so it's it's pretty cool and they

this most of them are texting me actually and they're like wow like to see you do what you do, it's unbelievable. Have you met Shea Weber at all? Or is he still with you? One time I was, when I was here for the first time, I was so nervous. And him and Price were standing there, and those guys are legends. And I'm like, I'm pretty sure they said, like, hey, man, what's up? And I was just like, good, how are you? And, like, head down, walked away. I was like, what am I doing?

Texted my mom. I was like, they just said, Hey, what's up? Like, I've never actually talked to him, but I I'd love to someday. Of all your nicknames, which is your favorite one? I got a lot. I think, uh, the new one's wifi now that it's, it's pretty funny, but I think my favorite is Al. Cause, uh, Dennis Wideman, he was was like what do they call you like what what's your nickname and I was like well my friends back home call me Arbs and he's like Arbs I'm not saying that so he's like I'll think of something so he

came back and said you're gonna be Al like Al Arbor the coach so that he's like you know that is and at the time I was like oh I don't know who that is I know that is now but at the time I didn't know who that was and that know who that is now. But at the time I didn't know who that was. And that was kind of a nickname that I really liked. And I didn't think it was going to stick. I'm like, he's calling me Al. No one's going to call me Al. But in Kitchener, every time I'm there,

I'm known as Al from every player, from people outside of the rink. Like that was probably my favorite. Hopefully it sticks now, now that you've said it. Yeah, it might not. They like Wi-Fi here. Arwer, thanks so much, eh? Thank you, man.

I really appreciate it. After the break, you'll hear from Arbor's parents about their journeys to Canada and raising a family of four children in Hamilton. Okay. Hey, Mom and Dad.

I just wanted to say thank you guys for everything and I love you guys so much. I know I'm just starting my career but it's going to be a long journey and a great life. In early December, I traveled to Hamilton to meet up with Arbor's parents, Simona and Jack, at the Sheridan Hotel, the place the two of them met almost 25 years ago. Everybody good? Here's our conversation with Simona, and then you'll hear the sit down with Jack. Everybody rolling? Yeah. All right. So, Simona, what were you doing today before you came in for the interview? What I was doing, I was changing tires. I was doing my job and as I said,

I'm working in a co-school in a tire shop and yeah, pretty big tires. Winter season, right? That's right. And how long have you been doing that for?

About three years. Yeah, just in a season, like in the spring and fall and otherwise, I'm working on the floor as a stalker and whatever

it's needed to be. So that's where Arbor gets his hands from, right? No, it's from his dad. Just what's it been like the last, not only to see your son in the NHL, but the overwhelmingly positive reaction to your son's arrival in the NHL? Yeah, it's crazy. And it really reflects on his character because he always knew what he wanted and for us it was kind of, you know, okay, just let's go with the flow. But

yeah, I think it's just reflection of his determination and will to succeed. And I feel that he knows where he came from, what kind of struggle myself and my husband you know I've sacrificed kind of for him and all our children really and I felt that he's doing this for all of us and he want to prove really what we came from here right tell me what it means if you believe it you can be it if you believe you achieve what does that mean this mean that uh you know like we came to canada for better future i didn't mean to stay here really i just came for a little bit and uh i seen here opportunity and i think like anybody can be anything here like Like anybody can achieve whatever, you know, it's desired to yourself. And it depends how hard you want it and how hard you work for it.

And, uh, you know, I just say to my kids, like, don't take no for an answer. Tell me about your journey. You were born in the former Czechoslovakia. That's right. I read that you were there during the velvet revolution. That's right. And so how did you come from there to here? Actually I went to England right after the revolution

and just to you know sharpen up my English because I was teacher over there and it was something that it was just coming into our country like more english than russian we were occupied by russia right so just to go to england learn a little bit english and it didn't turn out as i expected i went to school there but it was mostly working seven days a week and so i came back two years later and I started teaching and I had my own bar. I was working in the night time in a bar during the day as a teacher. I fell in love and unfortunately it didn't work out very good. The girl that I have met in England, she was already here. And I was talking to her and she said, you know what, just pack your bags, come here, apply as a nanny and just get your mind a bit. And, you know, come here. It's good.

So I did apply. And luckily enough, because I spoke in English a little bit and I was teacher and like family, we connected within three months and I came here that's how it really turned out and how long ago was that 25 26 years ago and did you ever imagine that 26 years later you still be here with a family absolutely not no as I said, I just came, you know, to have a break. And I was here one week and I met Jack. Of course, at that point, I didn't want to do nothing, you know, with any man ever kind, ever. So he was pretty persistent. So, yeah. Now, I understand that we are like meters away. I know that's That's pretty surreal.

So, can you tell the story of how you and Jack met? I was here with my girlfriends that I just recently met for the first time. It was one week that I was here. And really, I was sitting right there. Right there. Right there, yes. And one of the girls, I guess she had a crush on his friend or whatever and she kind of poked me and she said you know it's after 11 the boys finished work and

and they are coming and yeah it's like yesterday I can see him is the is the huge baggy pants and red velvet bla Wizzy's cowboy boots that he always loved. And yeah, he just was standing by the piano and kind of stared me down. So when I get up to go to the bathroom, I pass him and he just said, hi, can I introduce myself? And yeah, the rest is history. Now, was it attraction right away or did he did he have to work i think he did yeah because uh i think uh for me you know meeting somebody from different

country like there was no question that i would ever marry somebody else that czech guy like it was kind of and for him i think it was as well like we like all odds was really against us like my grandmother didn't like it and I think his family was against you know him to finding some other you know nationality girl and his friends and they were all telling him that I want to just marry him because of papers and stuff like that. So, yeah, we kind of proved everybody wrong. You talked about the journey, and there were people who helped you along the way and helped your family, not only Arbor along the way, but what kind of generosity did people show?

Oh, definitely, like with the sports, right? Like it's time, money, you know, dedication of the other families, taking the kids for tournaments where we were working. People really giving us a break because they see... It's different when you grow up here and you have got your parents here that you can pick up the phone and say, Mom, I'm running out out of milk can i jump over and whatever but uh it's uh it's different when you depend just on each other and we had uh just

each other and four kids and um so as i said like with the with the time we found people that uh you know give us break even financially they always made some kind of, like, deal. There's always good people. Yes, always, always. You find good people everywhere, right? And as I said before, we always, you know, kind of found that we don't belong. Like, I was, when my youngest one was four years old, I started working in Tim Hortons night shifts.

That's the only thing that I could do because Jack was the main bread maker, right? And the sports got expensive and with four of them, you know, it was difficult. So I have started working in Tim Hortons to help out financially, right? So like having kids in the sports and everything, it's you meet doctors, police officers and teachers and, you know, so on. So I couldn't take every Friday off. I couldn't, you know, take them to Toronto. I couldn't take them to other cities for tournaments. So it was mostly Jack who did driving on the weekends but on

friday we always needed help right and this is with the kids so kelly reed i heard he was very helpful to this he he was that it's really golden guy this yeah it's one of the you know people that you meet and they stick right so and and he was always i think i think he liked us because as i said like we don't have no families it was just jack and myself and uh yeah like he let arbor skates few times here too many times for free and yeah i mean it's it's hard because it's people's business and you just feel you know know, you don't want to take advantage, right? Then they're like calling you and they said, no, bring him. Like I can.

And he, it's funny because Kelly always seen something in Arbor. You know, other people's like, like, oh, whatever. But there's few people that, you know, seen something in him since he was little. Like he was really, really good hockey player when he was little. Everybody was saying, wow, wow, wow, right? But there are so many kids like that. But it's something. It's something that caught his eye, and he was very, very helpful.

Yeah, you know what? I would like to think that anybody in my position would do the same. When you find out somebody, hockey is expensive, the training is expensive, ice costs are expensive, equipment is expensive, it adds up. And when you see somebody like Arbor come out and work hard and is focused, is a great kid, he's at the front of the line trying to win every drill and battle, you want to help somebody like that. And Jack, Simona, and Florian, the younger brother,

they're a fantastic family. So the least I could do was help out any way I could. And, you know, obviously it's terrific to see all this hard work's paid off. I always, you know, tell them, I tell my kids, all of them, that it takes just one person, one person to believe in you, right? Give you a chance. And what you do with that, it's up to you. Either you can take it and, you know, run, or you can just pass it on, right? So there are a moment when you, because like you said, you tell your son and your daughters always to believe but I'm a parent we always tell our

children to believe but the odds of it happening and for an NHL player are so slim was there a moment where you actually began to think holy smokes this could happen I think the big big moment was when he actually signed when he signed with the Canadians he got invited in a few camps he got invited in in Montreal in Toronto and I believe in Florida and who was talking to me it's funny because during the COVID like all the interviews and everything was done over the face time or zooming right so there's always arbor like his room is in the basement and and he's telling us like like guys you need to be quiet because i'm on a zoom with whoever right rangers and so me and my husband

like have got the ears on the door like listening think you're listening and like, like what's going on. Right. Like we have the, so after he finished, I'd be all jump, like nothing is happening. Right. So he comes upstairs and we're like, so like, what did they say? Well, nothing like, like it's all good. Like he's very cool. Like he doesn't want to brag, nothing. I can't, he's like nothing. So we're like, Oh my gosh. Like I always tell Jack tell Jack like they he tells you a little bit more like it make sure you know you talk to him so anyway so when all went down so we kind of I think it was with Matt Turk right like they talk and they kind of decide okay let's do the Montreal I think it would be great fit for you whatever so when he was actually leaving

I'm like you know this is fantastic when he was actually leaving, I'm like, you know, this is fantastic. Like he got invited, like people's going to look at him, right? Like important people. So when he was all the time, you know, okay, I'm not caught. I'm not caught. I'm like, oh my God, like what's going on? So we went there for the last preseason game. Myself and my husband, we went there.

We stayed in his hotel. So he went. And I'm online. We came to, we seen the hockey game. We came to a hotel. And we are online. Like, this one was sent to AHL. This one, it's cut for this.

This one, and his name is not coming out. And I'm like, okay. I said to Jack, open the bottle of wine. Like, I'm I'm getting like really anxious like what's going on like we really had no idea right so we're waiting for an hour I said okay let's go eat something because I'm gonna pass out here so we went to eat we came back another hour passed nothing so I'm texting him nothing nothing. Looking online, nothing. Okay, so we're sitting there waiting for him. And suddenly the door of the hotel room opened.

And he's standing there and he spread his wings and he said, Mom and Dad, we did it. And I don't want to get emotional, but it was the moment that I seen him achieve his dreams. And I'm like, this is it. It was something I thought to myself. I didn't, you know, tell anybody about that moment. That moment, I thought anything is possible. So that's it.

It's a beautiful story. I mean, I don't know what could top that, but watching, I'm curious to know what it's like to watch the fans react for him because he gets big ovations, big cheers. Canadians fans, they love him. I can't imagine anything is better than what you just described, but to see the way the fans have embraced yourself. It's funny.

It's funny because I was back in the Czech Republic visiting my family when it was the opening night. Of course, the time difference. So my best friend, she said, I'm working tomorrow, but come, we're going to watch. It's two o'clock in the morning, whatever it was. So we came with my daughters and watching that, I was crying. And it was like, I cannot imagine. My husband was there with my son.

I cannot imagine. My husband said to to Florian he said can you pinch me like can you pinch me and when I talked to him after he was like uh like I felt like I'm it's something unimaginable right so yeah it's it's crazy it's crazy and seeing all the you know kids wearing his jerseys and the other day i was in at the importance in the line and there is kid with the jack eye t-shirt so it's like that's my kid you know so did you say that to the no no of course not but uh yeah do you like the nickname wi-fi no no no i like sharing better i might share it better but whatever whatever does right so i understand he bought you new appliances when he signed his contract yes i actually just told you he wants to retire you he did yeah it's um yeah

it was for my birthday and he sent me text message and he said mom the next step is I want you and dad to get retired yeah so that's huge that's huge what do you think when you saw that message what do you think I'm very emotional person and I cry a lot so my kids warned me please don't cry on the TV like I promise no it's uh yeah I get very emotional especially like with my children and um I was telling your producer that uh when I was pregnant with Barbara I almost lost my husband and uh in uh that kind of crisis I think, you know, I don't know. I don't know how to explain it.

It's just you bond with your child. I know it's hard to understand for the guys, but as a mom, like, I just feel with Arbor, I have got different kind of bond. Of course, you love your kids. Like, it's your kids. And I would, you know, give my life for all of them. But your kids like it's your kids and I would you know give my life for all of them but with him it's just it's it's just different it's just a little different if you're comfortable what happened with Jack when uh he was working in uh it's funny story too because I had broken my foot a few days prior that it happened to him. I was, I think, seven months pregnant,

seven or six months pregnant with Arbor. And kind of don't tell your pregnant wife no. So if she needs something, you need to do it right away. So I asked my husband to put playpen on the backyard. And he said, I'll be right there. Of course it's not good enough so I grabbed the playpen and I was carrying it on the backyard and I tripped. I fell down. So I broke my foot and of course you know you cannot as pregnant you cannot have no you know x-rays and stuff like that. So I was kind of lying on a couch with a little toddler. And, well, she was not really a toddler.

She was almost here. She was almost here, my first daughter, Sophia. And he left for afternoon shift and phone rang. And they called me from National Steel Car that there was a little accident over there and he's taken to hospital just precaution. What happened I asked my neighbor to look after Sophia and her husband drove me to hospital and I show up there and he was kind of in an ER lying or shaking like looking like he's dying suddenly all the machines went like bananas and they took him for the

surgery and seven hours later he came out he said that what happened he was working in in car welding it and they had a jack that it was previously I guess weld on and it broke and 10,000 pound hit him in his abdominal cool so he was thrown far away and because there was no blood or anything they were taking him for a head or concussion. But what it turns out that his pancreas was torn. So he was two years without work after surgery. So it was, yeah, it was very, very tough that time. I want to end this by asking you one question.

How was Arbor as a Costco employee? He was excellent. He was good was good no he was very good and he like actually people really liked him over there he's he was very helpful i think he was a little bit too chatty for the management but uh and uh he was late because he was coming from training that's another story but uh i think he was uh he was very good, very good employee. And I assume the whole store roots for him, right? Absolutely, absolutely. It's not just your son, it's their son. Yeah, actually today the secretary gave me the jersey.

She was so excited that she got me because I'm going tomorrow. And she's got his last name on the jersey. And so she asked me if I could get it signed. And she said, when we have got the jersey day, wear the jersey, right? So she said, I hope everybody who has got anything, like any jersey from him, they're going to wear it. It's going to be like JK Cosco, right?

So it would be funny. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So she was saying that she's so proud. Like, it's good. It's good. That's great stuff. Thank you. That's great stuff. Thank you. That's great.

All right. Now we're going for real. She's going to check all your answers, Jack, and make sure they're good. Yeah. Oh, wow. Three, one, second, six. Everybody rolling? Okay.

Okay. So, Jack, just before you got here today, where were you working? I was working in National Steel Car. I build the rail cars. And how long have you been doing that? Almost 30 years. And you talked about how that's peaceful for you. Why do you enjoy it so much?

Well, that's my thing, though. I like to work with my hands. That's why I got the job, and that's why I enjoy doing it. Now is Arbor a handsy guy or no? I don't know. I don't think so. So he didn't inherit your gift? Yeah, Arbor's got my side but not handy guy. He's got the other side. What's the other side? The other side is tough guy. He likes to use his hands for different reasons, like fighting in ice and all that. He's good.

You were born overseas in the Balkans. How did you end up in Canada? Well, back home was kind of getting bad situation and all that. My mom was alive. She was saying, leave, leave, leave the country. So I had to, they was looking for me to send me to the army. I didn't want to go to army back home, and I had to escape. So I couldn't get any passport.

My uncle works for government, and then he somehow got me a passport. My uncle works for government and then he somehow got me a passport. So I ran to Macedonia. From Macedonia, I ran to Sweden. From Sweden, I ran to England. And from England, I ended up in Canada. Now that was Albania that you left. Yeah. You mentioned you ran. What does that mean exactly? It was like, because when we, even if I had the passport, What does that mean exactly? It was like, because when we, even if I had the passport, I had a passport. But if I go across the border when they check the passports and everything, still would not let me go through because as soon as they see my name, they was looking for me to send me to army.

I didn't want to go to army because in Yugoslavia was a breaking war between all those Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia. and I didn't want to end up in army. I didn't want to go there. I want to leave the country. So when we went to the border between Macedonia and Kosovo, some people was, we stopped just before the checkpoint and some people was waiting in one small cafe or restaurant. So we start talking to them and they said, we have to walk through village because you can't go through the borders. If you go, they never let you, if they catch you, they never let you go. So we had to walk through the village and cross the border and the car was waiting in the other side. So we jumped in a car and went to Macedoniaonia please forgive my ignorance was that a dangerous thing to do

it was it was kind of but it was a risk you had to take it you have to take the risk it was no other way you couldn't get the other way if you go through you will never leave the country and how did you end up in canada then when When I went to Sweden I started talking to some people over there and then one guy I was telling him my story so one guy gave me his passport and then we switched the pictures and then I bought a ticket and then I flew to England and I heard Canada is the best country in the world. And from England, I bought a ticket with Swedish passport. And when I jump in a plane, I went to bathroom, ripped the passport, and end up in Canada. And so what's the process when you show up at the airport?

Well, as soon as I show up, everybody went through, checked the passports. I was sitting down because I didn't have any papers. And then some lady over there, she was waving her hand, like, come forward. went through check the passports i was sitting down and because i didn't have any papers and then some lady over there she was waving her hand like come up forward so i go and she says passport and i didn't even speak language i didn't speak a word of english or anything and i start talking i said few words and then she's like i said albanian albanian that's what i knew and then she grabbed me a translator. And then she said to him through the phone, I have a translator. She said, where's his passport?

I said, I don't have a passport. I'm a refugee. So I claim as a refugee. So then after that, we did all the paperwork. And she said, you have to leave. And then I didn't even have a jacket. And she's like, where are you going like that? It's minus 40 over there or you're going to die.

So she grabbed some jacket, gave it to me, and I guess they called a taxi, and they took me to Salvation Army because I didn't have nowhere to go. I didn't know anything. And when I went to Salvation Army, it was an open eye. It was like, wow, like, unbelievable. So what happened then? How did you get started?

So I was walking in Toronto streets up and down and I was so one day I was walking down the street and I hear some people talking my language so I start talking to them and I explained my my situation so they took me in and give me a shower and clean clothes proper food and then they introduced me to some other guy and who which is from Hamilton and then he was saying he said you have no job or anything I said no and then he said I gotta get you a job at this national steel car so he got me a job there and that was it and you're still there and I'm still there never left all my friends I had so many friends working there and they all left but me, I never left.

Do you still keep in touch with those people who helped you? Oh, of course, of course. I would, those are friends forever. My friends are my friends. Just, they're part of my life. I still keep in touch with them. And that was 1994? Yeah.

I still got a few of them. They moved to Hamilton, so we go sometimes for coffee just to talk about stuff, so the old days. And what do they say about Arbor, now that they see Arbor? Oh, it's just, they're so happy. It's just unbelievable. they're so happy, it's just unbelievable. Not too many people get involved with the especially Albanian community, they like soccer and for me to put my kids in hockey, half of them they thought I'm crazy because hockey is very expensive sport. But Simona's family was into the hockey

and that's how we started. The one story that Albert told I love about you was that everybody loved the Leafs, so you didn't want to like the Leafs. When we came in, we started watching hockey. Everybody was saying, tie the Omi, tie the Omi, tie the Omi. So we watched game, and all my friends are Leafs fans. And I said, no, I am not going to be one of them. So I chose Montreal, and that was my team. And the thing, Arbor, when I was a little kid,

we always watched Montreal games on TV, and then Arbor started falling in love with Montreal, so it was a funny thing. It must be unbelievable to you that you're sitting here now and your son is all for you something is honored is surreal it's just something I can explain it's just the son of the refugee to make it to NHL is it's huge it's huge for me and because all our lives we were struggling because hockey is very expensive. So we decided to have four kids and hockey is a very expensive sport. But we managed it somehow.

You also had good friends out there who helped take care of you. Oh, of course. We had a lot of friends. A lot of friends. Like, some of them are like our family. So they help us a lot. We wouldn't do it without them. It was a struggle. So two years after you come to Hamilton, you get your job. I understand there's a day where you finish work and a friend says says let's go over to meet some friends at the Sheridan in downtown Hamilton yeah what happened so that's was me and my two buddies I know them for 30 years we are very good friends

one his name is this Matt and the other one is named Dino. So Dino said, I'm meeting my friend. So she said, let's go. And then I was working, so I came from work, shower, changed my clothes, and then we drove here as we were walking up the stairs. The Simona was sitting with a couple of friends right there in the left side. And you were wearing a red velvet jacket? I was wearing a red jacket, yeah. And baggy jeans?

And baggy jeans. So this is all true? And the cowboy boots, yeah. Your favorite cowboy boots? And my favorite cowboy boots. Do you still have them? No. My friend said, you should put those in a museum somewhere.

I never take them off, even in the summer. I don't know. And you were waiting by the piano. Yeah. And then she walks by, and we shook our hands, and that was it. Now, we always joke, me and my friends, does the one you love make you work for them? Yeah. She did. She gave me the wrong phone number.

I have... We start talking and stuff, and we exchange the phone numbers, and then she gave me the wrong phone number. So next day we woke up, I phoned, and I said, that number is not in service. And then my friend says, don't worry, I'll get the number so he called her friend and her friend was give me the number and we start talking and that was it what's the best thing about your relationship with someone oh it's the best she is very smart intelligent she works hard She puts everybody before her. So she always looks for the kids. She's a family woman.

She had a saying that Arbor talked about, which was, if you believe it, you can be it. Arbor also said about you that you had a saying like, don't compare us to anyone else. That's what I said. I said, Arbor, don't compare us to anyone else. That's what I said. I said, Arbor, don't compare us to anybody. We doing our best.

I said, we came to this country with nothing. We had no money, nothing. We doing, I said, lots of people here, they have tons of money and all that and this. And don't compare us to any other families because when you go to some of the families, they have massive houses and a lot of money. We live in downtown.

We bought a house right after about 20 years ago, but I said it is what it is. It's just we're doing our best. And was there a time when you started to watch him play and you said, wait a sec, there's something here. This could go somewhere. of course like i always believed on uh on him like uh you could see who's got it and who because i played soccer myself so i lots of people think oh hockey is a different sport so i started watching hockey started learning the game and i i could see he had the protection and then i was telling him all the time, buddy, you got it. You just gotta go and do it. You gotta do it every game. And you know, everybody's got good games, bad games.

And we went through that and sometimes we went through coaches and all that and on the home, he was saying, oh, this, I want to quit. I said, we are not quitters. This year we're going to finish the season. Next year we go to a different team. We're going to have a different coach. We take it from there. Does he play hockey at all like you played soccer?

Are you guys at all similar? Exactly. They go to my friend, my friend can't stay here. When they go and when they went first time, my friend says, holy, you're dead, man. Some kind of soccer player. I was rough though. I like to play like that. I see them, the Arbor plays same kind of style as me. I was telling Simone before that when we did the interviews with Martin Saint-Louis and Brendan Gallagher, the thing that they talked about with Arbor was not that he was tough or a fighter, but that he's very skilled. And Arbor really appreciated that.

He said, for years I was telling people, I'm not a goon, I'm not a goon, I'm a very skilled player. What does it mean to you knowing that that's how his teammates and his coach think about him? Well, it means unbelievable. Because he said it himself in an interview, I'm not a goon, I can play the game. He's a very skilled hockey player, but he's very tough too. So he's got both sides. He can play tough or he can play very skilled too. And I always believed in him, no matter what. I always tell him, buddy, you got it, man.

You just got to push yourself through. You got to do it. So when he was deciding, he had some opportunities, I guess. The Maple Leafs talked to him, the Canadians talked to him, other teams talked to him did you ever say you know Arbor I love the Canadians you should you should go there well like we talked about it but I said to him I said my thing my opinion I said you should go to Canadians but I said you're the one who's gonna make the decision you're the one who's going to make the decision. You're the one who's going to play there.

So him and his agent and Matt Turk, they all talk about it. And I decided to go to the Canadiens, which was a beautiful thing for me. So I just, I love it. And then he went to the Canadiens. So tell me about that night when you're sitting in your hotel room in Montreal. Me and Simona we went to the Montreal and then she always checks in the phone she's uh she does all the that stuff thing and then she was uh she checked in the phone and she says uh she says oh my god he's he's still in a in the roster. And we are just, it's very stressful.

It's not easy. Me and her, we're waiting over there, waiting, waiting. And then next thing you know, she said, he's still in it, still in it. What's going on now? I said, I don't know. He doesn't phone, nothing. We don't know. He just walks in the door and opened that door and said, J.K. family, we did it.

That was, something will stay forever with me. That was unreal. What did you do when he said that? We met her and we got up and started crying and hugging him. And we were so happy. It was something. It's unbelievable. It's a beautiful story.

Opening night. So Simona's in the Czech Republic. She's watching with your daughters. And you're with your son in the crowd. So first of all, you get the honor of hearing your son's name introduced. fans was unreal like i just like i said i took a friend from uh oakville he drove with us he's a hub fan he said i'm gonna drive him do you mind if i come along i said no man why not like let's go to go together so we went and it was like when they announced his name it was like i said to him i said man somebody pinched me or something because i don't know if this is surreal. It's just something is huge, especially from where we come from and all that and from where we work because we struggle paycheck to paycheck to raise the family. And to make it to the NHL, it's something something big it's just i can't describe it the words can't describe it you're proud i'm very proud i understand that uh arbor bought

new appliances when he signed his first contract yeah i also understand he's told you in simona that he will retire you yeah that's what when sim, when Simona's birthday, we was away, and then he wrote our message. He said, my thing is to retire you and dad. He knows where we come from. He knows. We always tell him, this is where we come from. It's nothing handed to us in the how do you say in

the silver plate it's everything we have to work for it and as the kids was growing up playing hockey and we have four kids so it was when there was level simone i was home with them and i i had to work and build the rail cars and the weekend i had to work construction another thing that she want to talk about that she's very proud of, and I'm guessing it's the same for you, is all four of your children. We've seen Arbor and we see what a nice person he is. It sounds like all of your children, you've raised four very nice children, respectful people.

Are your children similar or are they different in any way? Sophia, she's a firefighter. She's got exactly my kind of personality. She's exactly like me. She's a tough girl. She's also very humble, down to earth. If you approach her in a nicer way, she would give her her heart. If you approach her in a wrong way, she would give her her heart. If you approach her in a wrong way, then you've got a problem. And then Arbor is a very nice kid, very humble, down-to-earth. When he goes in ice, when he closes those doors, completely different person.

I always tell him, when you go out there, when you close those doors. There's no friends over there and he knew that And then you got Dominika. She's very Smart intelligent. She's very Unbelievable girl and they do a Florian when Florian was young like Florian was very skilled hockey player and then And he got invited to Kitchener where we said to him player and then and he got invited to Kitchener where we said to him they said Flo everybody knows you can shoot the puck everybody knows you can play the game they want to see the other side he said what is the other side I want to

see if you can drop the gloves so he goes to Kitchener camp and drops the gloves and right away they want to sign him I said this is it man they want to see if you can fight yeah someone said that she doesn't like it when Arbor fights. She doesn't, though. She always asks me, is he okay? He's okay. I love it, though. I just don't know.

She doesn't, I do it, though. I love it. What's the best thing about this? The best thing is to see my kids succeed. to see my kids succeed. That's my, that was always my my dream to my kids to be I tell them, always will tell them, this is the country nothing is stopping you. This is, you just gotta work hard. Whatever you want to become

in this country you will become. Just gotta work hard for it. This is beautiful country. You just gotta do it. The best thing is to see my kids succeed. That best thing is to see my kids succeed. Something is unreal. Thank you so much. We really appreciate your time. It's a beautiful story. We would like to thank Chantal Mashaby and Charles Sandon Courtois from the Montreal Canadiens

Communication Team for helping us with this piece. The feature was directed by Jeremy McElhenney, edited by Mark Wade, produced by Amal Delic, with video management by Zach Hadgis. And finally, thanks to Simona, Jack and Arbor for sharing their story. To watch the full piece, go to Sportsnet's YouTube channel and search Arbor Jack Eye or click the link in our show notes. Listen to 32 Thoughts, the podcast, ad-free on Amazon Music, included with Prime.