Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Day In The Life With Mike Commodore | FN Barn Burner - August 13th 2024

Episode Date: August 13, 2024

FlamesNation Barn Burner with Boomer, Pinder & WarrenerOn today's summer edition of Barn Burner, Pinder is joined by former Calgary Flame Mike Commodore for a round of golf at Stewart Creek.https://www.youtube.com/live/RQ91pXx0Tfo?si=3EqYxhCavriJaUwbBARN BURNER BLONDEhttps://originbrewing.myshopify.com/products/barn-burner-473mlFLAMESNATION MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/flamesnationBARN BURNER CLIPShttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it’s Never Ordinary at bet365.Download the App today and use promo code: FNBONUS. http://www.bet365.ca/👍🏼 McLEOD LAW https://www.mcleod-law.com👍🏼 VILLAGE HONDA https://www.villagehonda.com👍🏼 OUTDOOR DENTAL https://www.outdoor.dental👍🏼 GRETA BAR https://www.gretabar.com/locations/ca👍🏼 ORIGIN BREWING https://originbrewing.ca👍🏼 BeAroused https://www.bearoused.ca/👍🏼 SPRING FINANCIAL: http://SpringFinancial.ca/barn💻 Website: https://flamesnation.ca🐦 Follow on twitter: @FlamesNation @BarnburnerFN @960boomer @PinderReport @warrener44📺 Subscribe on Youtube: @Flames_Nation💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.comFollow us on Instagram @flamesnationdotcaFollow us on Twitter @flamesnation @barnburnerfnFollow us on Facebook @FlamesNationReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey guys, it's Pinder. Welcome back to summer. We're definitely live in studio. Working hard. Why am I smiling? Okay, yeah, you know what's up. Guys, look, it's busy between October and the end of July or end of June, I guess. We floor pretty good. And in the summer, we love to dive into some longer form stuff, some big chats.

With people we hope you think are interesting. Now, this is an interesting one. So last summer, Commodore was around Calgary a bunch. Everyone loves Comey. super fun guy to be around. He is absolutely, like, sick for golf. Like, you want to ask him about hockey? He's like, yeah, I don't really watch much. And then you're like, hey, what do you think about the president's company? He's like, oh, my gosh, big decision here for this guy. And this guy's form here. It's crazy. And, you know, think about this course is, like he's an absolute nut for golf.

So my idea last summer was, let's get on the golf course, get Tommy into his happy spot, get him loose. He's like a scratch, really good golfer. Have some fun on the links, maybe play a little game and then we'll sit down on the patio afterwards have a beer and tell some hockey stories thought maybe we could spin this in something bigger but commie just can't get out of scottesdale he loves that summer heat in the desert apparently so this is from last summer at stewart creek big shout out to our friends in canmore who had us out for the day one of the most breathtaking mountain golf courses period and uh a splendid day with some wild weather with Comey. You and I hit the links last summer. We both kind of looked like cavemen at some points of

our life. I had the big flow going. Comey was tight and trim. Back in his heyday, he had the big hair going. We play a little golf with Comey and he tells us how a young kid from the prairies ended up making his NHL debut. Mike Commodore, Ryan Pinder, I had a dumb idea. I thought it was pretty dumb about 30 minutes ago with the weather. Well, we got here somehow. We'll wind it back to that. I had a really dumb idea. I always was fascinated you'd come on the old show.

And he'd be like, yeah, I could talk hockey, I guess. But if we ever sort of like got into the golf lane, Mike Commodore, the eyes would light up. And the stories got amazing. It always tied back to hockey. So here we are at Stewart Creek, one of my favorite golf courses in the mountains. Just an hour outside of Calgary. And we did get here. We did.

You almost tried to pull shoot on me. I wasn't going to pull shoot, but I was. I mean, we drove through, what, two major rainstorms to get here. The drive is only like 45 minutes to an hour. I saw a bunch of lightning. I'm like, I'm not sure if this is happening. But we're here, and I'm actually sweating right now. Yeah, I didn't think it was going to be possible.

Did we bring suntan motion or whatever? I always got suntan motion, so don't worry about that. So Stuart Creek, you played it a bunch or no? I have. I've probably been out here, a few scramble tournaments, but I've probably played out here. It's got to be a minimum dozen times over the years. So there's been a few changes over the years with their ninth hole. But I've played it before that.

It's a really good golf course. The front is tough. There's a couple of holes that are a little mountaine is in that, you know, if you don't hit the ball on the right side of the fair where you're in the bush running down the mountain. But I think it's a great course. I really enjoy the back nine, but I enjoy the whole thing. Yeah, this is one of my faves because every hole,

it feels like there's a mountain view. And you're not chasing the postcard T-shots. It feels like a golf course. It just happens to be in the mountains. Yeah. And that's a fine balance that you'll, notice when you're golfing around this part of the world. What is it about golf and when did you become a nut?

Was it with you got all this time in the off season? Was it you get down to an area like Carolinas that's world famous for golf? Or were we always growing up in the Evanton area loving golf? You know what? I enjoyed playing, but as a kid I played a lot of baseball. So I hardly played golf. Maybe took one lesson. I regret all that now.

I wish I would have played a ton of golf as a kid. And basically you kind of nailed it. Once I turned pro, I didn't play in college because I had no money. And then once I turned pro, the summers are coming around. and you work out, skate, let's say a maximum day is, you know, three, four hours maybe. Yeah, yeah.

And then you got the rest of the day. So I first started playing a lot after I turned pro and I spent my first couple summers back at the University of North Dakota. And then ever since then, it's a great way to hang out with the guys, have a couple beers if you want. It gets you outside.

It takes up some time. It's a game that I don't, even the guys on TV, I mean, we're never going to come close to mastering this game. Yeah. So, like, every day, a new problem. So maybe I like being frustrated and pissed off. But I do enjoy playing.

It's nice to get out. If you're if frustrating if frustration leads to beer, this is a great sport if you want to have a beer. You'll be an alcoholic in no time. There's always this goddamn sport. It's driving nuts. So part here 71 used to be 72. You talked about nine. It was par four. It's now par three. Yep. Course record 63 come me. Okay. That's that's tidy out here. That is tidy. That's that's going to be something that we're not going to have any. worries about. No, no, no. I can do that in nine. That's not a problem. Yeah, maybe in nine. Yeah, we got, shoot under 63 in nine holes, I hope. The, uh, the yardage just over 7,000 from the back opened in 2000. And, uh, I don't know. It doesn't feel like it's that young. And yet here

we are coming up on a quarter century. It's one of those bucket list courses. If you're in the Calgary area or a guy like yourself, if you got pals coming to visit, by all means, if there's a hit list, Stuart Creek's on it. I would say for sure. Yeah, you come out here. I mean, first especially for people that haven't you know haven't really experienced the rocky mountains i think coming out for people that come into calgary whenever i've buddies come in or whatever i definitely try to make a point and bring them out here because you don't see yeah most people don't live close to the rockies so it is it is special it's a different kind of golf for sure and not unlike what we saw today you can usually get three or four seasons in a day uh-huh we've driven through two heavy

rain storms and we're seeing off and blue skies perfect weather we've got a group in front of us that are We're looking for an extra nine. It'll be holes 19 through 27 for them. Yeah, perfect. Let's have some fun today. Yeah, let's do it. I'm going forward to it. I don't think you want this.

It looks like somebody chewed on it. We've got the match set up. We're on third T-box. Caveman, getting five strokes on the front. That's a lot. Five strokes. All five are in the first six holes. You somehow saw it off hole one.

I'm actually lucky to get through that first hole. You were on net. We had a punt for bird for three for two. I was in with a par. to three jack from 12 feet, right? You really wanted that birdie put. You gotta get those out of the way early. A little far past.

So I'm one up through two and as Mike said, I gotta make you the first six. No stroke here. No stroke, 789. Three in a row, four, five, six. And those holes are tough. You're up. Major problem.

Even I could three put from there. Well, I might need you to. Great shot. Thank you. Right there. Okay. Yeah, pin high. That's not worth an F bomb.

I can put that. Here comes the moisture. Tan men, cover your gear. I think we can play through this. Oh, here's the hail. Holy shit. We're rain delayed out here, Tan Man. Okay, so we're even through four.

We drove through like insane rain to show up to blue skies here. Rain and hail. We're into the third system of the day. Yeah. You got some hail. And this is absolutely what makes. Mountain golf, mountain golf. Lightning strikes, hail.

The guys in front of us just thought they were coming back to this tent. No. Nope. Sorry, boys. Oh, my God. Oh, dude. Oh, my God. Get it.

Oh, my God. See ya. Oh, boy. Jesus. All right. Well. I do have a rain suit. I'm not sure why I don't have it on.

I mean, if you want to. If there's any chance. Once you want to play more golf, I would say we wait here for like five minutes, but if that's enough, then we just go back. I mean, it is blue. Let's give it five, see what happens. Unless we got chainsaws in our bag, we're not getting through here. So I guess we're shaking here.

That's too bad we couldn't finish the match. Yeah, you know what? Fortunately, I don't know how we're going to get through it. I guess we're going to have a couple beers and figure this out. Yeah, I think so. It's a great start to the match. The first one, we have to call after five because we literally, we literally, we literally League can't get past these trees. Boomer always said five, five holes you could get behind.

Yeah, that's 18 nonsense. Yeah, 18 is too much anyways. We're going to change. We're good. It's been fun. Yep. We're going to go in some hockey talk here. Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta Junior League, North Dakota, an NHL debut. That's the early, early chapters. We've heard a lot about bathrobes and the Carolinas and we know a lot about the 04 run. We got a conversation coming up right after this. We'll start to. back from your roots and take it right through to your first NHL game. Sounds great. Hey guys, it's Pinder. All throughout the year, Village Honda brings you the Pinder report. For the latest in what's happening in the sports world, and maybe the odd crocodile and snake.

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and make a real change in how you. you live your life, man. Be Aroused.ca. The Mod Medical Clinic is here to help. Hey guys, it's Pinder, the NFL season, not that far away. Let's take a peek at some NFL futures on Bet 365. They've got over under rushing touchdown totals for a ton of running backs around the NFL. I'm keying in on Bejohn Robinson. What a good, but maybe not the spectacular rookie season we expected last year under a oddly not-dly not-duty. dynamic Atlanta offense. Well, there's changes that have been made in Atlanta new head coach.

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Trees coming down. Tents flying around. Saw some bear shit right at the air shit. Hale. And we played five holes. This is the full day. Mountain golf experience right here. Yeah, it is.

It is. Yeah. And we've played this track enough. Not like, oh, we shouldn't finish. But I love this course. Yeah. We've played it. Let's go back to the beginning.

Sure. When did you know you were not just a guy playing sports with his buddies, but you might be able to actually do something with hockey, because it didn't seem like you were a heavily coveted guy as a junior player. I can't imagine before that. Like, what happened? You could big, like walk us through how that all came to be in Fort Saskatchewan. Yeah, sure.

I mean, I would say, no, I mean, I think I would be fair to say that I would have been considered a late bloomer, for sure. Really, in my own head, you know, I was okay, you know, up through. I played all my minor hockey in Fort Saskatchewan, and then I played one year of Tier 2 Jr. You know, I went through the Bannam draft to, I didn't even know what the Bannum draft was. I had no clue when somebody told me I was drafted.

I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. But I think it was Tacoma. They ended up moving to Colonna, like a year or two later. But Tacoma picked me, if it wasn't the last round, it was right pretty close to it. It definitely wasn't the first round. So you found out there was a Bannum draft? I did find out, yeah, and I found out after I was picked, I'm like Tacoma.

I literally just played hockey because I enjoyed competing. It was cold in Fort Saskatchewan. And I just liked to play. That was it. I did hockey and then in the baseball, or sorry, in the summers, I would play baseball. But I would say in my own head, you know, Bantam, I was all right. My first year midget when I was in grade 11, I was terrible. I played in the max, but I broke my ankle that year.

I wasn't very good. I'd barely played. The head coach didn't really. wanted anything to do with me. And then the next year, I went to camp. So when I was in grade 12, which would have been my second year midget,

I went to camp, actually in Strathmore with Colonna. Yep. And I don't know what happened over the summer, to be honest. It's not like I grew. I didn't grow. I was always kind of bigger. I just, something happened where I was pretty decent. So as a 16-year-old,

Colona wanted to keep me. Now, how much would I have played? And I don't know, but at the end of camp, they definitely wanted me to take me to Cologne. Sign with us. Yeah. And I would have done that. But my parents were both educators. You know, my mom would get, and it's way better now.

It's a different thing now. But back then, you know, my mom as a principal would see, you know, every once in a while, the horror story of a, you know, guy going somewhere to junior and not finishing his high school. Play one or two games. Right. That kind of stuff. Exactly. And my dad works in the WHL.

He's been a sculpt in the WHL for 25 years. So I have absolutely nothing. against the WHL. But at the time, it wasn't for me. So my dad yanked me out of there. So I would say, like, I thought maybe junior hockey. So I played a year for the traders in tier two. And then my plan when I started that year was, well, if I can maybe have a good year

with traders, you know, when that's done and I get my high school done, I'm going to go play for Kelowna. That was my kind of plan. If they want me, I'm going to go. Oh, and actually let me rephrase that. The year when I was 16, so that, yeah, the year I play with the traders, I'm now 17, that camp I was on the team. Peter Anhold, Bruce Hamilton, they wanted me, like, I was going to play. And so anyways, didn't end up doing that with the intentions of going back after I was done high school.

And then, anyways, this is a long-winded to answer your question. No, it's good, it's good. didn't know anything about U.S. college hockey, about a month into the season, had coach came down and said, hey, B.U wants to talk to you upstairs. I'm like, in my head, I'm like, I just go, okay, yeah, sounds good.

In my head, I'm like, what the hell is BU? I mean, I didn't even know college hockey existed. So I'm like, okay, get upstairs. B.U. B. You? I'm like. Brandon, U. What is this? I have no idea.

And so get up there, the assistant coach for B.U. He ever thought about going to the U.S. college. I'm like, oh, yeah, for sure. I have no clue what this guy is talking about. Absolutely. He hands me the little, you know, brochure or whatever they have. You know, take a look, Boston University. I'm like, okay. That's a big use to. Yeah. So then a couple more schools came. So then I ended, I still didn't really take it seriously, but then they have a thing called flydowns. So the University of North Dakota was probably like the fourth or fifth team that came to see me, which I think maybe

grand total. They were the only one to offer a fly down. I want to say I had four or five teams maybe maximum that we're thinking about, that we're saying at least they were interested. So I went on a flydown. The only reason why I went is it was a trip by myself without my parents. Yeah. Like North Dakota, I've never been there. I never been anywhere. So I went.

And at the end of the day, I went and watched two games and the University of North Dakota. And I had watched junior games in various spots, you know, Saskatchewan and Alberta. And some of them were awesome, just like anywhere else. Some of them were awesome. No, other ones, maybe not so many fans. If the team's not that good. I went to North Dakota. They had a good team at the time.

I mean, North Dakota hockey for nobody who's been there. I mean, it's a big deal. It's the biggest sport in the state. I know the state isn't that big, but it's a big deal down there. So I left there. I'm like watching these games. The place is packed. I'm 17 years old.

Big one now. Back then it was like, I want to say, $5,500 or $6.000. So real tight before Engelstad. Yes, yeah, before the one they have now. But it was like, I mean, it was a cool place to watch a game. It was a hard place for visitors to come in and play low roof. So anyways, I left there and I'm like, well, that was awesome. I mean, half the arena students, there's a bunch of college girls running around.

I'm like, this is unreal. And I'm like, why would I, if I can get a scholarship, you know, I never took professional hockey into. That wasn't even, that didn't even cross my mind. And I'm like, well, if I can get a scholarship, why wouldn't I, do that, then I can play hockey for four more years, and then do whatever I'm going to do. So to answer your question, halfway through my sophomore year, my freshman year, I was, you know, I was very young. They just won a national title the year before. You know, there wasn't a whole lot of minutes up for grabs. I was scratched a little bit at the beginning of year. Then I played all

the games, but I wasn't playing a whole lot. They had some pretty good D there. They were eating up a lot minutes. And then halfway through my second year, something clicked for me in between my year. I still remember we were playing Notre Dame, Fighting Irish at Christmas time. And the game was always so fast for me. Yeah. Like it was, and I had a lot of improving to do, like, all the practicing was good for me because my skating was trash.

It wasn't, it wasn't very good at the peak of my powers. It was very bad back then. But I was getting better. I was getting better. And then all of a sudden, something between the years, halfway through my second year, it was like the the entire game, the pace of the game went down.

And all of a sudden I didn't feel like I was rushed. All of a sudden I was seeing more plays. I was moving the puck. I was a better player. And then I guess I would say the first time that I thought that maybe professional hockey was an option was when the central scouting ratings came out during that year.

And I want to say I was ranked like, I don't know, maybe at the peak and maybe by the end of the year, because I had a really good second half of the year for me. I'm guessing now. I can't remember, but maybe 20th in North America. So there was the Euro's two, obviously. Yeah, 20 to 30.

Goleys and skaters, Europe and North America. So in the one corner, you got skaters in North America. Yeah. I want to say around 20. Yeah, definitely under 40, definitely over 10. That's for sure. I think it was something in the 20. So that was the first time that I was like, well, okay.

And then once I actually got drafted, then I was like, okay, well, maybe this is something that somebody likes me. So that was the first time. Before then, it never even crossed my mind. It's weird to hear that because you see kids now and it's like they've had agents since they're 14. It's crazy. My nutritionist is telling me, it's like, you're 12.

What do you need your nutrition? It's unbelievable. And I'm not saying that's bad because it's clearly. No, times change. They're getting better at eating and training than the players once were. But to think you didn't know, I mean, that would be impossible. to explain to a kid now that you weren't aware that this was an option for you or that you just there weren't people hounding you letting you know like I didn't I never had an agent I don't think I don't think an agent said a word to me my freshman year I could be wrong on that maybe towards the end yeah maybe but definitely now once the central stouting rankings came then some people were coming then then I'm kind of on the radar so to speak but yeah like you know I've always when I've talked about it to people and, you know, when it comes up, like, you know, it'd be interesting to go back if I knew what I knew now.

And like, and I love my time at the University of North Dakota. I had a blast. It was awesome. Do you think so? The guy with the N1 T-shirt and hockey in North Dakota? I had fun. It was the practicing and stuff was good for me. Yep. I mean, it was no joke.

Like, people kind of, I laugh with some of the guys who went to junior and stuff. And where I went to college where, you know, at least back then, you know, it was like, oh, be careful going to junior because you'll be going out and doing all this stuff. And then like college was supposed to be like the, oh, he wants to go to college. Good and good and his two shoes. Yeah, exactly. Where it's like, who do we practice? We play two games a week for parts of the year. It's like a 40 game schedule if you go to the national championship.

Like you got lots of time. But the practicing and stuff was really good for me. But it would be interesting if I knew what I knew now, like to go back and, you know, do it the other way. So instead of, you know, even if I play my year of traders. and finish my high school. You go to Colonna and then go to Colonna, yeah, at the end of that year or the next year. And just to see how, you know, in some ways,

I think it would have been, I don't know, it'd be interesting. In some ways, I think it would have been good for me for sure because it was more of a pro game. There was more of the fighting. You know, I missed out on some of that stuff in college and stuff. And so it took me,

I don't even know if I ever really got there, but like if I could have gotten more comfortable with that younger, and I fought like in the traders and stuff, but like if, you know, if I had a little bit more experience, with that, I think that would have done me some good, especially early on, but whatever, I can't. Well, like you said, you're in the gym and there's your skating work.

Yeah, big time. There's not a lot of time for that when you're traveling across four provinces and a couple states. I mean, there's absolutely not a right and a wrong way in these things. There's just different advantages and pros and cons of each. Yep. Was it Dave Haxstall there? No, Dave Haxstall was there.

It would have been a few years after I was gone. I stayed for three years. So who was your coach and what kind of impact? was through there. Dean Blaze was my coach. Oh, no way. Okay. Yeah. So the World Junior guy was the associate head coach in Columbus for a little bit, but then he was at Omaha for a long time. Yeah, I like Dean. He was, he was good for me. He was, I mean, he didn't mess around. He was very serious. But at the same time, he also like, if you worked hard for him, by and large, and if he knew you were working and putting the work in and showing up on time,

you know, he would cut you some slack too. So. Yeah, I like Dean. I mean, like any other head coach, there were some guys that didn't have a greatest experience. Sure. But I would say by and large, he was real good. I mean, his record speaks for itself. I mean, he won two national titles in four years, you know,

and with different players, too, like the guys that won in 97 weren't there in 2000. Okay. So it was like two different teams and a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, the second goal in 2001 when we won. But yeah, yeah, he was great. I mean, I haven't had a whole lot to do with them. I shouldn't say, it just haven't really seen him since college. But no, I liked him.

He was, I mean, Speed Kills was his motto. So, like, I mean, the practices and stuff, I remember when I got there, the first practice, like, I'd never been in a gym before. I've never done a squat before. I'd never, I've never worked out before. So getting there and then doing the Iron Man and bench press, and I'm supposed to be able to do a pull-up, everybody's ripping on Sam Bennett. I mean, I couldn't, I don't even know if.

I still do a pull-up. He had a bad shoulders. I definitely couldn't do one then. And like just that whole thing. And my first practice where Dean is like, go, go, go. Like, I remember my first practice at North Dakota. And I remember, you know, we were skating towards the end. Like, I don't even think we were close to the end of practice.

And I remember skating around there. And for like, you know, 10 seconds, I'm like, I don't know if I'm going to make it here. Like, I am, this is really, really hard. But get through it. And I just, I'm like, you know what, I'm here. I'm doing this and, you know, get better and have fun with this. And so, yeah, in a lot of ways, it was really, really good for me for sure. Hello, friend.

I didn't see you there. I was just enjoying a barn burner blonde here on this beautiful summer day. We wait all year for summer. It is nice to finally have it here. And what better drink to enjoy and quench that thirst than a barn burner blonde from origin brewing. They have a Calgary location now. I don't know if you knew it. that. They had the tap room and the brewery in Strathmore, still there, still pumping out all the

great delicious goodness that goes hand in hand with Origin Brewing, but now also a Calgary location. You can grab a four-pack. You can grab as many as you would like, a keg, perhaps, a growler if you'd like, maybe even some origin merch that I just happen to be wearing. A coincidence who knew? Ah, friends, Origin Brewing, great partners of Barnburne, and of course, Barnburner blonde. It's coincidence that we're all here at the same time. Have a great summer. everybody. Hmm. Orange brewing.

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just to click away, McLeod-dashlaw.com is the website. The very best. Good people making a difference. McLeodlaw. And we're back with more Barnburner. And I ask you a lot of, of college guys about their experience

and not because it's like I'm cheering for it like I worked in junior A for four years I love that route I think you buy development time that's a good thing to do I also think if you're rock solid stud like major juniors awesome for that

and here's the thing I think we can all relate to like oh this guy was a high ban on draft pick and played in the WHL or the O in the Q and this is what his life was like I don't think Canadians have a clue what it's like to go live on campus at UND? I don't think they have much of an idea. No. And like to explain to them,

A, where North Dakota is. Right. B, like what sport you're playing and C, how much it means to that state. Yeah. Like, you're basically like a hockey version of the Green Bay Packers in a way, right? Like, people love that team. Yeah, for sure. That would be a great way to put

it. I mean, obviously, you know, the Green Bay Packers and the NFL is a whole different thing. The Alabama Crimson Tide football as a whole. You know, it's just bigger. But, you know, in the state of North Dakota, which has a million in some people, you know, University of North Dakota hockey is number one. And it's been like that forever.

I would say maybe now there's kind of a close little second with North Dakota State football has become pretty big because they won like eight national titles in the last nine years. Not of like the, what is it, FSB? Not that, it's D1. Okay. It's D1, but it's like the second one. Not the college ball, yeah.

Yeah, not that one. The next one down. But yeah, North Dakota hockey in Grand Forks is definitely king in that state for sure. It was fun. It was fun. I had a good time. You're good having fun. I don't worry about that part of you. So then, you know, Central Scouting comes out. You do get drafted. Walk us towards your first pro game and what that was like. Because we all, it was baptism by fire for flames fans and Mike Commodore.

And it's funny, like, we're sitting here chatting and everyone's asking for pitchers on the golf course. and you walk around Calgary and people know you. Yeah. You have like some of the fewest games played for the flames in the regular season. Oh, anyone that would ever get recognized ever. I got to be down here the bottom. Perfect.

You had more playoff games than regular season games with the flames. And then the lockout after and all that. But it was wild that like you hit it when the iron was hot. Hit it when the iron was hot. But bring us to before that because you weren't a flames prospect. It was your second organization of them, Craig. It was my third actually. Yeah, there you go.

There was a lot of them around. Yeah, I ended up to get drafted by New Jersey. and then went back for one more year. I wasn't ready. I wanted another year anyways, but another big reason was, we hadn't won. I mean,

of my three years at the University of North Dakota, let's say we played 40 games a year, ballpark. I mean, we didn't lose 20. I would say our record for the three years I was there was probably about 100 wins and 20 losses. Wow. We were good.

And so we were the favorite all year, my first year. favorite all year my second year. Like we were number, we might have lost number one for maybe a week or so. But I mean, my second year especially, we were supposed to be good. So you're in the tournament every year. In the tournament every year. Yeah. I mean, the first year we kind of got screwed, in my opinion. We were the number one seed in the entire tournament. We ended up having to play in the quarterfinals. We had to go play Michigan at their home arena. No. It was a joke. We lost in overtime. They won the national title. And then the next year, we played Boston College in

Wisconsin. We were the number one seed, and we lost that game or whatever. So I wanted one more crack at winning at least, and ended up working out. Then after that, I had to make my decision. Lou Lamarillo, the GM of the Devils back then. He wouldn't tell me, he didn't want to be known as the guy that was offering money to players, and that was the reason why they left. So I had to tell Lou, I'm ready to come. He wouldn't tell you, you're ready. You had to tell him. I had to tell him, yeah. And And so I did that. And a big reason why I did that, to be on, I would have went back for my fourth year. I think we would have, I mean, we ended up, North Dakota ended up losing in the national

championship in overtime, which would have been my senior year. Yeah. I knew we were going to be good again. Yeah. But at the end of the day, they had that thing where, you know, I started to think a little bit, I was getting a little bit tired of painting dorm room walls white for $3 an hour. Yeah. I had no cash.

I mean, I was content. I mean, I wasn't, you know, I didn't need much back then. I still don't. But you know what's next? Right. I'm like, you know, would kind of be nice to get some of these signing bonuses on here and about. So, you know, I, the main reason I was like, I'm ready to go would be because I'm not sure if the same now, but it's like the R.J. Umberger thing where if I would have went back to college,

okay, I want another crack at it. And let's say I'm even, let's say by some total fluke, I have the greatest year of my life and I'm an all, I have the best year I can possibly have. I'm an all American. and let's say I score 20 goals. Sure. Lou Lamarillo could have, the signing bonus could have went from 450 grand,

which I ended up getting after my third year. He could have came at the end of my senior year and been like, hey, great year, here's five grand to sign. And I have no leverage. My only leverage is I sit out a year, and then I'm an unrestricted free agent. So that was in my mind, too. So I decided to leave.

But anyways, Jersey. Jersey was good for me. Larry Robinson was awesome. Slavitisov was awesome. They had just won the Stanley Cup. in 2000. I came that summer. No kidding. Yeah. So it was, you know, everybody pretty much there plays in the miners,

which I actually, if I was running a team, that's what I would do. But there wasn't much. I mean, the D-Corps was Scott Stevens, Ken Danico, Scott Niedermeier, Colin White, Brian Ruffolski. And like the sixth spot was kind of maybe up for grabs a little bit. There was no. But somehow I managed

to play 20 games that year. I had to scare my ninth game pro. I took a puck to the eye for, yeah, that was no fun. That messed me up for a little while. But I ended up playing two years in Jersey. I think I ended up playing 50-some games in Albany and 50-some in the minor, or in New Jersey, sorry. Then I got traded that summer. We had some coaching changes in New Jersey, which didn't help me.

They fired Larry Robinson. Larry loved me. He was the main reason why I got a chance. And they fired him and they brought Kevin Constantine in. And I still, to this day, have never, I mean, I was playing when I got fired in New Jersey. Kevin Constantine, and I kind of get it. He went with the veteran guys. There was some heat on him.

But to this day, I've still never even, so I said a word to Kevin Constantine. He pretended like I wasn't even there. So I didn't know what was going on. I would say I could have handled that a lot better. So to shorten the story up, Lou traded me that summer. I made some mistakes at the end of that year, off the ice stuff. And so I got traded to Anaheim. my first run in with Babs.

Obviously, that went terrible. So I was down to Cincinnati, so I'm back in the miners. And then I still tell them, I don't tell them every single time I see them now, but for a long time, it was every single time. The flames traded for me. Craig Button traded for me at the deadline when I was in Cincinnati on the road. There you go. And every time I, I mean, I've eased off over the last five years or so.

I mean, it has been two decades. But I thank him every time. because if he wouldn't have traded for me, I'm not sure what would have happened. Because I definitely wasn't going up to Anaheim with Babs there. It would have been, I don't think it would have been a good thing if Craig didn't get me out of there. So I let them know that it's very appreciative.

And then I was with Calgary. Yeah, so you were a Ducks organization, but you didn't get to play up. No, it took one warm up. Third organization, but NHL teams and Jersey and then to the Calgary system. And that's another chapter. Take us, like you mentioned the scare with your eye.

I want to hear about that. But game one, where are you? Is it the beginning of the, the year or because you said it's such a veteran-laden group in New Jersey. Is it a few games? Oh, game one. Oh, game one. First game period. Okay. So where is that? How much lead-up do you have? Okay. Okay. Gotcha. I get sent down. I have a very good training camp. I get sent down to Albany. I play nine games for the Albany River rats. I take a puck to the eye. I have to go immediately into eye surgery because my retina is detached. No. Yeah, it was not fun. Like the worst weekend I think I've ever

had in my life was laying at the Turtle Brook Inn, which is a motel because it happened in Wilkeshire. I was with Willie Mitchell because Willie Mitchell got caught up. So I sat in the car with him. We drove to New Jersey. I went and saw the eye doctor the next morning. Within two minutes of him because obviously it might have been a couple days later because my eye was so swollen. So once he could get in there, within two minutes of him getting in there, I was out the door and on my way to surgery. And I remember spending like, man, it was miserable. I didn't know anybody in New Jersey.

It was like almost a week. I was in the Turtle Brook Inn with a patch over my eye. Light was like sensitive. So I was laying in bed. I couldn't do anything. I was supposed to take it easy. I couldn't look at the TV. So I was just listening to it, staring at the ceiling.

And the only thing I had to eat in like a week, I would just stumble down to the front desk because they had bagels sitting there. That was it. You're not supposed to move on that. I didn't hear from anybody. Retinus surgery is like, stay still. It was still for a while. They said it could move a little bit, like just nothing like strenuous, though.

Like, it's not you can do activities. Like, you're trapped in a room all day. Trapped in a room. And nobody you know nearby. Nobody I know nearby. Nobody, I mean, I'm sure there was the odd phone call. Like, don't get me wrong. It's not like they left me there.

But I was there. Like, there was nothing really, you know, they would check in. Every once I would call on the, I didn't have a cell phone. Like a call on the house phone or whatever. But anyways. That's five weeks out. I come back to play in Albany. I'm playing pretty good.

Just for a couple more games. And so I think my first game was the beginning of December 2000. I got called up. My first game was in Florida against the Panthers. So it was kind of a whirlwind. I get called up. You know, I remember being in the room. We're going out for the game.

And as I'm about to walk out, Scott Stevens steps in front of me. And he's like, hey, Mike, we shook my hand. He's like, hey, Mike, welcome to the NHL. And I remember that. I'm like, oh, Jesus. I'm like, this is for real. Don't turn it over. So got out there.

I remember that game going really well. I actually remember thinking like, man, it's almost, it's not. But in a lot of ways, I was like out there on the ice. And I'm like, it's, in some ways, it's easier to play in the NHL than the American League. because every time I would look up, everybody's where they're supposed to be. The sticks right on the ice. And if I give a bad pass to Scott Gomez, it's off that skate, up to his tape, and he's gone.

And I'm like, these guys are good. So that was my first game. But I don't remember anything crazy. I was wearing a visor that entire year because of my eye. And then the next thing I remember, game two, I scored. Come on. Yeah. I played in three professional leagues.

I played the American League, played in the NHL, and I played in the KHL, and in all three of those leagues, I scored in my second game, which nobody would guess that. They'd probably say it probably took you 80. But yeah,

second game at all. Was there, like the Scott Stevens moments, that's a welcome to the big leads moments? Yeah. Was there, like, I'm trying to think of a, off the top of my head, a 2000 Panthers roster, like, did you have a beret rush against you or something like that?

I probably got off the, I think he, God, in 2000. He had a 60 goal a year around then, or something close to it in Florida, right? Yeah. You know what?

I don't remember. remember, no, he wouldn't have, because if I would have got torched, you'd remember. I remember that. So if he was there, I'm sure I would have been getting off the ice. Larry Robinson would have wanted me off the ice. So I don't remember anything. Like, we won the game. Jersey was good. We had a good team. See, I don't remember anything. The first, like, kind of moment I remember that was like kind of a check me back into reality a little bit was, because I was, I think I was up for probably 10, 15, 20 games, then sent back down to the miners or whatever.

But the first moment that I remember that was like, oh, these guys are pretty good, was we were in Pittsburgh at the old Igloo, and I showed up for the game. And Larry, like I said, Larry liked me. Larry, my deep partner, that game was Scott Stevens. So I was on the number one pairing. Well, we're in Pittsburgh.

Our job, Larry's like, your job tonight is Lemieux, Yager, and Straca. I'm like, oh boy. I'm like, okay. All right. Yeah, I got this. No problem. He's like, okay, all right. So Scott, and I'm playing with Scott Stevens,

and that's a big deal for me. Oh, yeah. You go through the first two periods. We were, I can't remember all the details, but we were winning the game by at least a goal or two, maybe even three. Okay. It was for sure two, maybe three.

I had to have been, Scott and I were like plus two or three. Really? Oh, yeah. Against the heavy lifting. Again, and we were out there. As soon as they were on the ice, we're on the ice. And I'm like feeling great about myself in the second intermission. I'm like, oh, I'm like, this league is mine.

No problem. The end of the game rolled around, and we had lost the game. I think Scott and I were minus three in the third period. I do distinctly remember Lemieux put one a pass in the neutral zone between my feet, right on Yager's stick for a breakaway. that was one of the three minuses. And so I do remember that third period being like, oh, man, catastrophe. But whatever.

It was memorable for sure. That's pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah. Would I like to finish that one off, but you're going to get lit up once in a while. So I guess we're going to get lit up by anybody. Those three aren't too bad to get lit up by. Thanks for the fun day.

Yeah. Did you notice again, even during the interview? We had like three waves of like lightning light and then it's raining. I know. I know. It's crazy because we could have went back out there. It was still good, yeah. Yeah, I know you can play until whatever, but by the time we get out there, it'll start raining again. That is true. If it's sunny now, by the time we're on the car, we're in trouble. Yeah. This has been a ton of fun. Appreciate it. Yeah. Thanks. Do it again.