Empty Netters Podcast - 45. Nate Thompson talks about playing for damn near every team in the league and chasing down Steve Yzerman for a signed jersey

Episode Date: July 18, 2023

Nate Thompson joins the podcast! He and the boys talk about representing for the state of Alaska and shares the manny reasons why Steve Yzerman is an absolute legend. Nate lived in the most fun house in NHL history, and breaks down the definitive list of best Game of Thrones characters. (0:00:00) - Intro (0:01:50) - Nate's favorite teams to play for (0:08:30) - Free Agency (0:15:50) - First Career Goal Against Lunndqvist (0:20:45) - The Best House in NHL History (0:26:35) - Epic 2011 Game 7 Against Boston (0:35:30) - The little things that keep you in the NHL (0:46:15) - Alaska Sport Hall of Fame and Alaskan NHL Players (0:51:58) - Tattoo Talk (0:58:07) - 44 Concierge: Helping NHLers Adjust To Life In The League (1:02:45) - Deciding to get sober (1:06:15) - Yzerman, Stamkos, and Sakic (1:17:20) - Favorite Movies (1:24:55) - Game of Thrones breakdown (1:29:45) - Golfing with the boys Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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that does it better than BetMGM. Click Clack stack. All right, guys, we've got an unbelievable episode of the Antenetters podcast coming up because we are joined by the absolute beauty himself, Nate Thompson.

You're going to see a lot more of him, I imagine. Oh, yeah. He was a phenomenal guest. We had an unbelievable time. Such, such fun stories coming out of him. And it's a long one, so we're not going to waste any time. We're going to get right into it.

Hope you guys enjoy. But I'm going to say one thing. We love you guys. We love all the listeners. It's been a nice little break here after the season. So if you'd like listening to this show, do us a favor. Hop on that YouTube, click that subscribe button, share it around, get more people involved in the video. share some clips, stuff like that,

but we want to keep growing this amazing little community with you guys, and one of the best ways to do that is YouTube. So, this is your boy, Dan, coming to you. Hat in hand. Go right now. Hit Poss. Go to YouTube. Look up empty netters. Click that subscribe button. Let's pump those numbers up.

Those are rookie numbers. Those are rookie numbers, and we got that all the guys in the league have taken a break now too, and now they're back and they are ready to talk. So we're about to be getting real hot again. Massive, massive. Yeah, jump on. Massive list of guests coming through. So this is going to be a blast.

Let's just jump right into Nate Thompson right now. Sit back and enjoy, guys. It's a beauty. All right. Today, we are joined by the 2013 World Championships bronze medalist, a former member of the Boston Bruins, the New York Islanders, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Anaheim Ducks, the Ottawa Senators,

the Los Angeles Kings, the Montreal Canadiens, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Winnipeg Jack. the second most games played in NHL history by someone from Alaska at 844 and the 183 overall pick of the 2003 NHL entry draft. Welcome to the Entry Netters podcast, Nate Thompson. Wow. Thanks, boys.

You like that? What an intro. Dude, I got to say, we... Can we be best friends now? Yeah, we already are. That's actually part of it coming on the show. I love it. Before you arrived, Chris was like, I really hope he doesn't put in his false tooth.

And I'm very proud of you for not. Well, it's funny to say that, like, I haven't had it in for a while because I got a filling or cavity and my flipper doesn't fit in my mouth anymore. Oh, so now I just rock like no tooth and be honest, like my son loves it. Like, he doesn't, yeah, he's like, you can't, he doesn't want me to get fixed, but I'm going to have to get it fixed because this is not normal. So I mean, we're in a good setting for it. True, true. It does work. It works.

Yeah. It works here. Looks badass walking down Venice. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and it does it. Yeah, I fit in for sure. I feel like the dentist needed to know.

that though. Like he did you dirty. I feel like if you're going to get a filling in there, I'm like, you got to be like, hey, I got to you're compromising my. I know. Yeah. Now that I put my flipper in it like, it like hurts putting it in there. Yeah. I'm like, I'm just going to. Yeah, you just got to rock no tooth. And that's how a lot of people like, like when I put a tooth in, like people are like, they kind of look at me weird the opposite, right? Because I have my tooth in. So whatever. Yeah. It's a good luck. I agree on you. Appreciate it. If you, of all those teams that he just listed,

is there a team that you have the most kinship with, do you think? Who, I mean, I think when I played in Tampa, obviously, I was there the longest. The core group of guys that we had there are probably, like, I still keep in touch with all those guys. Yeah. Yeah. You know, like Teddy. I was gonna say I've noticed on your social. You're always like, definitely.

Teddy, Bugsie, um, you know, Stammer, headman, uh, Marty, Vinny, all those guys. Like I still keep in touch with all those guys. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it was a great crew. What a crew. It was a lot of fun.

Yeah. Um. So obviously, you know, close with those group of guys, but like the organization itself, like, is completely different from then we were there. I mean, not a ton. I guess, but you have Jeff Finnic as the owner and stuff, but like management, everything's up coaching staffs all different. But yeah, I mean, I don't know. I had some other teams that I got close with as well, like L.A. because I lived here, Anaheim three years.

And even like, you know, my short stints in like Montreal and Philly, I felt like it was, you know, like I played there longer. I don't know. I think maybe I was just one of those guys that like whenever I went to a new team, I like really just like went all in. Yeah. So like I was like, yeah, I was always like when I left there, I was like, you know, a little bit disappointed because I was. For sure. You know, you go all in with a team and it's like, oh, you start to enjoy it. You know, and obviously the teams that are winning makes it a lot. Makes it that much better. A lot more fun. Yeah, like my time in Anaheim here. I think we went to the conference finals two out of the three years I was here. We were just, we were good. Yeah. And that was fun. That team was a waggon. We were good. It was unbelievable. It's cool to some of those older stops you're saying like Canadians in Philly. Yeah. You have a little bit more of an established role where like, you're like this veteran guy,

you're kind of grooming some of these guys. You know what I mean? Like when in Tampa, you're like, well, I'm still young. I'm up and coming and figuring it out. But like it's kind of nice. And the city embraces you, the fan base embraces you when you've got that, that job. I think that's a good way, with a good point. Like, you know, you go to those cities where like they know hockey and they appreciate

like that type of player where like, you know, Montreal like, you know, I remember like I had a good, like PK or face off one time and they were like cheering and I'm like hey these people know hockey you're not getting that in other hockey markets and like Philly you know like I've got to a fight pretty early right away and like it was like that'll want to move over a guy yeah did you have a conversation about that was anyone in the coaching staff like get out there no not really I think I just kind of knew like yeah you know been around long enough that you know I wanted to be of someone that are fans that liked in those cities right so You know, you sometimes as a player, you have to do certain things to do that.

For sure? So, um, you were there. Yeah, the fight, the fight went well. Oh, nice. Who was it against? Selleys in the building, by the way. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was good. Seattle?

Yeah. You got kicked out after the first. I mean, I'm not, I hit, I'm not bashing the guy because I like the way he plays a good player. I mean, I just, I just, I did well. Uh, it was that Nathan Bastian. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's, it's, nothing against him. it just went well, you know what I mean? So, but yeah, I mean, anyways, but like stuff like that, you know, those, those cities, they love that stuff, right? Yeah.

So, I mean, the one city that I wish when I played in Winnipeg, but I was there during COVID, so we had no fans, like, that's one city that I wish that. Oh, yeah. That changes in it. I had fans because, like, I kind of compare Winnipeg, like, to like playing for like the Green Bay Packers. Great comp. Right. Freezing cold. Freezing cold.

Yeah. That's all they have. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Like, they're the Jets and that's all they want to, that's all they want to see. It's all what they talk about. That's it.

So, like, that was kind of a bummer. Um, because I remember like after we, we swept Edmonton game four, we went to like, the game went to like triple overtime. So we didn't get out the ring till like 233 in the morning. And I remember we pulled out and there was cars wrapped around the whole building and everyone's honking. And everyone was like, it was like three o'clock in the morning. Yeah.

Yeah. Still drove to the rink. Like I was like this, I can't imagine this place was sold out. Seriously. I was saying I felt bad this year when, um, in that first round, Vegas, you know, clipped him in five, but like they didn't even let them win one. Like they lost a, Vegas lost a home game. I was like, you gotta let the Jets fans get one game in Win a heck.

Dude, dude, Toff was saying that about his time in Montreal too. Yeah. He was like, I didn't really get to experience it because there was no fans in the building. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Totally different thing. Oh, it's a, yeah, fans there's another level. Do you think, I feel like right now there's, little interruption.

Yeah, yeah, whenever you want. Toth may have knocked out Winnipeg in an overtime game to knock him out that next round. Oh, really? Yes. Wow. Tye. Killer. Thank God he's out here.

Yeah. Stat guy over there. Yes, yes. You're hired. You're hired. Stat guy, Sully. You fought. No, everybody knows everything.

We're watching the game. And I'm like, oh, shit. Shmoopy, Nate and the Jets lost. Oh, it was Ty that knocked him out. Yeah. Yeah. Those are those tough ones. You're watching your boys go at it.

Yeah. I feel like on Twitter right now, there's, you know, with free agency, which I want to ask you about in a second. Yeah, for sure. There's so much talk right now about different markets and players no trade lists are coming out. Lately this week, there's been a lot of chatter about Winnipeg and just people being like, no one wants to play there. Do you think that's true at all? Or do you think kind of the vibe in the city, the fans kind of overtakes the fact that you're going to hold of the race? I think it's a misconception of it.

Yeah, I'm glad to do that. Misconception of the guys don't want to play there. I mean, you know, obviously you're playing in a cold place, but you're playing in a Canadian market where, you know, you're it. And yeah, that's a fun place to play. You know you're going to get a sold out crowd every single time you play. Team, the city supports you 100%. I mean, I don't know.

I mean, it's like I said, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if there's fans involved for sure. Yeah, no doubt. I think it's a misconception because there are really nice areas to live in Winnipeg, too. People have that, like, stigma of like, oh, it's like, it's so bad around that. But, like, there's nice areas to live there. Yeah. Guys live in some nice places.

So, um, I think it's a complete misconception. I'm, I love to hear that because it is, it's such a cool team. And yeah, when there are those teams in those markets that it's like, this is it, man. It's like, in you're in Winnipeg, you're a Jets fan. Yeah. Yeah. That is sick. And, and, and you hope that that team gets great again because it's, it makes it so much more fun.

It's better for hockey. Yeah. Yeah. Great. But so you're clearly, you know, you're talking with the boys. all the time still and you're like Chris said on your social and stuff you're dialed into the game so are you in the summers like are you paying attention to free agency and the trades and stuff like that do you love consuming everything or do you I am yeah no I like I like I like it all fresh for I mean I just I like keeping

like you know I like keeping keeping track with everything that's going on hell yeah I mean it's just I don't know I think it's just like habit yeah I've been doing it my whole life yeah it's like why would I yeah why would you stop now you know so um yeah I like I mean it's been pretty a It's been definitely an entertaining. What do you like? Anything surprised you from? Yeah, I was going to say anything in the summer. Other than Baderd going first, that was a shocker.

No one saw that. I actually was not surprised that Anaheim took Carlson. Oh, really? I was very surprised at that. How come? Well, we talked about this a little bit. He's, go on. I've watched.

I have some inside info too from people that I know. And like he's going to be probably a more complete player. Carlson. He is going to be like, like this, his comparison is kind of like Copatar. Yeah. So, you know, or, you know, imagine they just had Getslaff for last five years. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now they get this Carlson kid for the next 15 years.

It's like, you know, and he's like, he's still growing. And he's not like fully matured where I think like that fantilly, he's already like, he's a big boy. Like he's already like beard, everything like he's developed, right? So I just think that that Carlson long term is. Yeah. Okay. I like that. Yeah.

I went to. the Instagram and was bitching about Fantilli and Nate was quick to be like, dude, Carlson's the real deal. He's the real deal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I watched, I watched, like, some of them, like, watch them play. I'm like, okay, yeah, there's something there for sure.

Yeah. Yeah. Someone told us right before it happened, we got a message that was like, ducks are, ducks are high on Carlson. And I was like, oh, and then it happens. Verbeek's smart. Like, he's, you know, he's under that, he was in that Eisman era, right? He was always with, he was, he was with Stevie Y when I was in Tampa.

He was under him. He was there. And then he went within Detroit. Like, he's a smart guy. Like, he's going to have that team really good. We were talking before you got here. Um, of the Bruins fucked.

Yeah. No. Really? No, they're not fucked. Berg comes back or what? I, I, I think, I think, Bergey and Kretchie both come back. Wow.

So that is because not only because not only are they for sure, I think they're coming back because. Well, now you had Looch. Yeah. Yeah. And we just need to get Horton back. Yeah. I mean, you know, and you guys know what it's like.

Well, like think about when you're like with your buddies and you guys all get together. And it's like, I'm not going out tonight. And then you always get super excited. Yeah. And that's what it's, that's what it's going to be like. They're all going to get together. And it's going to be like, all right, let's fucking do this again.

If both of them come back, yeah, it's, it's, they're in a good spot. I was a little shocked. I think for agency, I was shocked that they weren't able to resign Bertuzi. Me too. Me too. Dude. I felt like the haul trade was for that. So did I.

Yeah. But I think it was maybe for two. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Obviously it was obviously they weren't on the same page. But they did the minus one plus six, right? Yeah, they let Bertuzi go, or they trade hall rather.

And then they bring in JVR, Luch, Chattonkirk. Like it was great, like, deals too. Yeah, yeah, all like one year. And like geeky was in there as well. It's like they, they were just. Like what I'm trying to go other group free agent signings. Like I really liked what the Rangers did, like signing Blake Wheeler for, dude, I love him.

800 grand. Yeah. That could be like he might get 70 points. next year. You put him with Ziba. That's what I mean. Like he can still play. Yeah, definitely.

And he's in great shape. Like, great guy. Like, I don't know. I think that was a great sign by the Rangers. And then trying to think other ones refresh my memory, some of the other good ones.

Dutchie getting bought out going to Dallas was wild. Yeah, I mean, I think, yeah, Barry Trots, I think is just coming in and doing his, making his print. Which is there. Yeah. Which is, that's how it goes.

Yeah. I mean, that's, every GM does that. Dude, there's such quick triggers this year or these days with coaches, I should say. You don't get a five-year runway to, like, slowly build your team. So if you're going to be on that short leash, it's like, bring in who you want right now. Yeah, well, I mean, you look at even Chicago, like, right? Like, yeah, they got badard. Yeah, they're, they're rebuilding.

But, like, they go and trade for Hall. Corey Perry. Like, you're getting, like, three veteran guys. Like, we've got to start, you know, moving the needle a little bit. For sure. You know, you only have so much time. So it's, but at the same time, it's like every team, any good, team you have to do it through the draft or you know you end up in a bad spot so

and then the eyes are playing is and then the eyes are playing yeah I know full effect yeah they're good they're gonna be they're gonna win a cup they're gonna be old Detroit yeah yeah I completely agree so they're gonna win a cup in three or four years and and and and people like us are gonna be able to sit there and go yeah obviously Steve Eiserman yeah well you look at their team in Tampa like it's you know it's all him yeah it's a lot of him. I mean, he, you look at a guy like with like, like, Braden Point, like they get him in like, what's the third round or something like that, you know, I mean, you just have so many

Killorn, all those guys are just such good hockey players. So, yeah, he, he's doing the same thing there. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. For sure. It's absolutely amazing. What about PLD to the Kings? That one, I, I thought he was going straight to Montreal. Yeah. Everybody. That way, it felt also the, how vocal him and his camp were while in Winnipeg of him being like, I'm leaving the second that they will trade me. I was kind of shocked by that, but I look at what Blake's doing in L.A. and it just feels like, you know, the Copee two-year extension is perfect, and it just feels like PLD is going to do so well with the wings he has now in L.A., and he's going to slide right into that first-line center role. Yeah, I think that's why they did the term in years.

I think that knowing that Copee will be out. but I mean, man, L.A., they're, they're deep now. Yeah, we got those three centers. Yeah. And not to mention Byfield waiting in the wings. And what's crazy is he's going to have to play a wing now because he's, he can't play fourth line. No, he's, I mean, but which I thought he did great actually last year when they had him with, um, with Kempbe and and. I think they're going to start that way.

I think so, too. I think they're going to start. I thought you played great. And it's, you know, it still takes, takes time to play center in the league. So, and then, you know, that's a good problem to have. Like, yeah. If you have that many good centers, that's a really good. to have and you have a guy like Phil Dono and who could like you know I played with

Phil in Montreal like he could win a sell key possibly yeah if he has a really he's he's got to be in the conversation for best third line center in the NHHs he's he's for sure I mean he always get he always gets Selky votes every year yeah so I mean he's a hell of a player yeah and then you had Copa Tartan and I mean that's it's gonna be interesting yeah Pacific's pretty stacked up but that's that's a good team man I just think of them playing you know it's gonna be Vegas and Edmonton right those are the that is two other horses. Yeah, and our boys.

They make that move. Yeah, I mean, they bring back Gavrikov. They get PLD and you're still going up against Edmonton and Vegas the whole time. It's like, Jesus Christ. It's such a stacked division. It's unbelievable. It really, I mean, I don't know, who knows what, I don't know, Calgary does too. I mean, at Seattle, too.

Yeah. I mean, it's pumped about them. All these teams are just, there's so much parody league. It's awesome. Yeah. It's the best. It's the absolute best. Hell yeah.

Okay. I want to talk about your career a little bit. I know you've told this story. a million times, but I want to hear it in person, especially because producer Brian's a Rangers fan. Fuck you, Brian. November 4th, 2008. First career tuck,

shorty at MSG on Hank Lunkwist. At a midair. Yeah. Dude, unbelievable. It's funny that you say it. So I'm sure you guys watch the replay. Yeah. Every night before I go to bed, actually.

Yeah, that's right. It's good. So who is the guy who does a call that he still does a What's his name? Rosen? Is it Rosen? Do you know, bro? No, it's not a hockey guy, not a known hockey.

No, maybe it's Micheletti. Maybe it's Micheletti. Oh, oh, yeah, that is right, I think. It might be, I can't remember the hook. But anyways, like, when it starts a two-on-one, he says, Tambalini. Yeah. And he doesn't realize, and then he doesn't say my name until after I score.

Yeah. So it's like, Tamblini on the two-on-one, and then I knock it puck out of it. And then it shows me and he goes, Thompson with the shorthanded goal, like when he watches. Yeah, it doesn't really make any sense. But I just remember like, yeah, making a pass over to Franz Nielsen. He made a move, went off the pole. And I just went right towards the net.

I saw the puck of the air. Went right towards the net. And I like, it was one of those things where it kind of like surprised me. Yeah. Because I like hit it perfect right into that. I was like, holy fuck. Dude, and you kind of like, that's like just inside the post. It was like perfect.

And I was like, I did it. And I was like my moment I was skating away and I was like, holy fuck. I just scored my first initial goal. And then you turn around and you could see. my reaction in pictures and I'm like doing this one I don't know what to do both hands are like you're full of Ricky body I had stitches on my like right like zippers or something

like right here I had a terrible warrior helmet like I don't know why it was so fucking bad so my head just looked gigantic yeah the number 45 and I was number 45 Rudy Rudiger yeah so what's up and I was just like but then I was you know I just scored my first initial goal

you know on her dream short handed too yeah I shoddy against hand I think it ended up making like top top five top whatever plays on sports center too so there's one two one we won two one and we I was at the time living in a house with Bruno Jervais Kyle Oakhoso and then we added Josh Bailey and Tim Jackman oh yeah dude yeah it was a five bedroom house and anyway so anyways we had so after the game that night I remember that night because it was the night Obama was elected the first time. And we only had a travel day the next day. So we, we hit it hard. Went for it. Yeah.

I mean, after first NHL goal at MSG, a night out in the city seems to be the right thing. You got the puck, right? You always get the puck. Oh, yeah, yeah. I want to get into that night. Yeah, as I'm saying, it's great transition. But before that, obviously, there are tons of different parts of your game. Yeah. But when you get to the show, how much is that idea of the first NHL goal in the back your head when you're playing or you're trying to just put it out of side out of mind play your game see what shakes out uh i think it i think it does like immediately i think my first couple games like my first few games when i was at boston yeah i think it was like hit hit me big time we'd be like oh man i got yeah yeah yeah yeah sick and i got one yeah yeah yeah i'd be sick but then i after that and like not

getting to play because my last year in providence i had my like best year but i never got called up once that year we were the best team of league i was captain and i was like at that point i was like I didn't care about I just like I just want to play in the NHL right yeah you know so I think when I went to New York got picked up waivers by there I was just like more concerned about like playing my game doing all the things I'm supposed to be doing keep me up here yes staying in the NFL then like worrying about scoring a goal yeah first NHL goal so I think it was like 15 games it was dude it's like your 16th career game is pretty quick yeah it was wasn't it wasn't too long but I

was glad that it happened because I feel like once you get like past 20 you're like oh shit yeah and you're like starting to think about it. Like, shit. It's just going to happen. Do you ever give Hank words about it? I don't know Hank at all. But I mean, I'm happy that I scored on him.

Unbelievable. Hell yeah. All first ballot hall famer. Like, handsome as shit. Oh, he's the most handsome guy in the league history. You know. Did you think about that sitting on the bench?

After we were sitting there like, I just tucked on hay. Yeah. It was cool. I mean, yeah, it didn't really hit me to kind of like after the game because I can't remember. I think it was Scott Gordon was the coach and he was my coach in the minors in Providence. And we were like walking down

like there's like a tunnel that goes but like goes down out of the rink and he was like first NHL goal. Hendrik Lundquist too. And I was like kind of thought about it. I was like holy fuck yeah that's pretty cool. Henry Lundquist, yeah.

Not bad. Take that one away from me too. I'm like all right. It's a pretty good night. Yeah. And then I think I was like where are we going boy? Yeah.

Okay. So this night out. Yeah. tell us all about it. I want all those war stories and then get transition that into that, that animal house. Yeah, we heard some,

we heard, because I, I've heard legends. Yeah. Like, you're walking down the street in old England, people are talking whispers about that house till this day. I mean,

we had a good time. Yeah, that night, I mean, I just remember, it wasn't any, like, crazy story or anything.

I just remember being like we, and I'm going to a nice dinner somewhere, which at that time, I couldn't even tell you because, you know how it changes in New York every, three months, right? So I couldn't even tell you what club we went to that night. But I know that we, I do know one thing is that we came back to Long Island when it was light

outside. Yep. Good, good, good start. We had just enough time to get home and pack for the road trip and go to the airport to leave. And that was about it. Crash on the plane. Yeah, slept the whole flight, right? Yeah.

No sleep. Yeah. So it was a successful night. Put the puck under his pillow like his tooth, dude. Yeah. It was a successful night. I would say it was a good night after scoring your first NHL goal for sure. Yeah. How did that house come together? Yeah, dude. Like what, we're talking about like a lazy

So I got I got picked up waivers by Long Island and then I was still in the hotel and Auposo and Bruno were both, you know, younger guys. Ocposa was a rookie. Bruno I think it was like a second year in a league second or third year in a league and when they told me to get a place they were like, hey, do you want a room with us? Like we're going to get a house. I'm like, fucking right. Let's do it. And so we ended up getting this house in Roslyn Heights, which is like a super nice area in Long Island. And it was like a five bedroom house like huge like big big backyard, big front yard. Like you like you pulled in. You'd be like think, oh, this is like a really big family house.

Yes. Not the hellas. Us. Yeah. Yeah. It's the. It's the voice. Burning the place to the ground.

Yeah. And so then Josh Bailey ends up 19 years old making team. sick so then we're like all right bails we got another room Tim Jackman I think was like called up or whatever same thing he was and then eventually they told him just he's like so Jacko joined us we had five bedrooms I'd say everyone had their own bedroom we had like a ping pong table we had uh like I had a black lab at the time diesel rest in peace but he he he uh he was like our house dog yeah so he was spoiled he was so spoiled he was a huge backyard huge back yard huge yard and like and diesel was so smart where like he would like like guy would leave guy would come

home he would go and act like he'd have to go outside so he'd play fetch yeah so that guy would go to the he would go to go sleep or take a nap another guy would come home he'd do the same thing to him so he'd do that all day so it's like what a fucking life but we had like team parties there diesel was probably getting fed 16 times a day oh my god it's like going up to same people like I've not eaten yet we had we had we had a couple team parties there I think we had like we pulled a fake arrest on Chris Campoli Wait, tell me, tell me about that. At the house.

Okay. What did you do? And begin that story. So, you know, the teams that I play for in Long Island, we had, you know, I play with Billy Garon, Doug Waite. Yeah. Like Richard Park, like, just old school. Brendan Witts, like old school guys. And I think it was Billy's idea.

Billy was the captain there. And, you know, all those Long Island cops, like they, everyone knew some of these guys, right? So they had a guy and. I think Campia he was just showing up or something like that and we were downstairs and they had they had us all all planned out and they like

I can't remember exactly but the cops showed up and they're like hey we need to see Chris Campoli and they brought him out and they like took him to the car and handcuffed kind of like kind of got a little rough but the best part is is like Billy was trying to act too so like I do remember this part is like Billy was like whoa whoa whoa because like, whoa, whoa, whoa, you can't take,

you can't take him, you can't take him? And the cop was like, yes, we fucking can. He was like, oh, okay, okay, okay, okay. Like, did that one? Like, that one at the cop, right? Yeah, like trying to make it look like he was stopped in the whole situation. We gotta pull Bill out of the GM's office,

but like the cop, the cop got like really aggressive with it on him, like to the point where Billy was like, oh, okay, we over did. We're good, we're good, we're good, we're good. And I think, uh, can't be said he knew, he knew that it was a prank, but like, I don't know. know, like they basically put them in the cop car and they like shut it and they kind of walked

around. They sat in the front for a bit. Yeah. And then everyone came out and said that I laughed. Yeah. It was pretty good. That's one of those situations where you're like, this has got to be a joke, right? Right? It was pretty good. It was pretty good. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's beautiful. We had a couple team parties area where it got got pretty much. Was the house just like trashed all the time or were you? No, because every guy was pretty clean. Okay. And we had we ended up, we might be like made a pack that we probably should hire someone to come house. Smart. Every couple weeks at least to keep it, you know,

because it was a nice house. It was a nice house. Yeah, you don't want to leave it. No. Delapitated and it's some poor family. Yeah. So, but we had a, we had a good time. You know, we had a lot of trips to the cities and, you know, to go see the sites and shows.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Culture. You guys are culture. Yeah. Yeah. Broadway. Broadway.

Broadway. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was a good time. That is the dream. Yes, dude. You make it to the national and then you get a beautiful house. You and the fellas get a black lab.

What more could you have? I mean, yeah, first rookie year in the league, it was like, this was fun. Actually, it was a lot. It was fun. Unreal. Insane. Yeah. Okay, so we're Bruins fans.

So apologies in advance. That's right. I mean, you don't even apologize. I really want to talk about that. 2011 Eastern Conference final series when you were on the bolts. Yeah, let's talk about that. Stat guy again. Yeah, yeah, that guy.

Wonder where he's from. Chiming in. Yeah. Because that, I have two things to tee you up and then I want to hear your experience. But that game seven was like some of the most tense I've ever been as a fan. Like no penalties, one nothing. Just like absolutely insane wall to wall action. So stressful.

And two, you can put this in your answer. But I remember talking with Dan before even game six maybe or something. A couple, several games in that series where I was like, Tim Thomas just has to get a shout out. He has to get a shout out, and he was just, he just did. Like, he was so on another planet. So just what was that? Because you guys were stacked, obviously.

No, we were, and we were good. And it was funny that even that year, we, you know, we were down 3-1 to Pittsburgh in the first round, came back, beat them in seven. Yep. And then the next round. And then it was one of those things. It's like, we were kind of like, I mean, maybe not as low ranked, I think, as Florida, but we kind of had that vibe where we came in the playoffs that we were playing good.

And like, once we came back against Pittsburgh. We ended up sweeping Washington in the second round. They were the President's trophy that year. You beat the wheels off them too. We yeah. It was a crazy series. Yeah like we had a couple I think we had one overtime game but for the most part we like we You were in control yeah and uh so we rolled through them and then we ended up winning the first game against Boston.

We won eight games in a row. Oh my god, fuck that's crazy. And I didn't even think about that. So we were rolling. That is super similar to Florida. Yeah. Yeah. Very similar and we had Dwayne Rollison as our goalie and really the goalie man, Roli was

a gamer. Like he just like game was on the line. He was making the stop. No matter how he did it, he was stopping the puck. And he was late. So we so we had so we had and we kind of had that same vibe. He had that same vibe as Timmy Thomas like both maybe a little bit different, but both older guys been around forever. Both still competitive.

Unique style. So good. All over the ice. Yeah. All over the place. So like we got to Boston though like they were deep and we had battles against them during the season. But more times or not they kicked the shit out. out of us.

Yeah. But luckily, you know, like another reason why our team was that was our power play. Like our power play was so lethal in that playoffs because, you know, you have stammer, Marty, all these guys in the power play. And that was almost, I look back on it in that game seven. I was like, if we get a power play. Yeah. We're probably going to stay like a play.

Agree. We were saying the same thing. Yeah. Um, but I will say like that game seven was probably that was, I'd say one of the hardest like playoff games I've ever played. Like it was like, it was like, it was. was like a war. Yeah. Yeah. You know, like you had to fight for every single inch on the ice. Like, every time you could touch the puck, you were getting hit. Like, it was like, no mistakes.

Like everyone was like tape to tape passes, chip in, chip out. Like there was like nothing. And then ironically enough, I remember like between the second and third period because we did that famous one three one. Yeah, right. Yeah. And, uh, we were kind of and I'm not saying it's again, we, we, we, we were, I think maybe it was a miscommunication with the guys on the ice or whatever, but we had the one three one, and then we were switching, like, we were going to be more aggressive. And then Boston ended up, like, breaking through it. And that's how they scored.

Yeah. And I think we got, we kind of got, guys got caught in between or whatever happened, but it was ironically enough, we didn't be getting beaten. And I think it was what, like, with like six minutes. Yeah, yeah. And you, like, Horford just. And you, you had a feeling in that game, like, just because both, it was a sick, it was a sick pass by Critchie over to Horton, right?

So, so, and it was, it was, it was, came from behind the net, breakout. Yeah. Yeah. the neutral zone gets it was almost like a harmless come through and then all of a sudden they're two on one and crechie and played with i played with the minors like he's going to make that pass every time um and you kind of had the feeling like basically in that game whoever was going to score was probably going to win just because the way broly and timmy t were playing but it was like i remember like right before that maybe like two minutes before that i think

steve downy tipped the puck and it i think he tipped it like just like he had empty net but it just went wide or maybe Timmy T got a stick on or something like that and it was like holy fuck we can't like we're gonna score on this guy yep and so that one you know six minutes left you knew like this is gonna be tough to score trouble yeah for sure in in I think you kind of said it being the hardest game but yeah obviously the result is crushing but with time do you look back and you're like that was an unbelievable hockey game I think it was amazing the whole series I mean it was just like back and forth like I mean it was you know it's like playoff hockey it was like ebbs and flows were like they would be well

we'd win and they win the next game. It was just back and forth, right? Like no one could ever get a hold of the series. And, but like it was just every game against them. Cause that was like they were like the big bad Bruins then. Yeah. Like they had, they had everything. They were.

Yeah. They were like skill, but they had meat and potatoes. So, you know. And we had some of that, we had a little bit of that, but like not as much. But like still like it was fucking, it was a war though. So it was that was, that was fun hockey. I remember. I think I, yeah, I brought, I shattered my foot in that series.

Yeah, I remember. Block and shot. Big Z on a phone on three. I should take a guitar, a slap shot. And like, that's why I remember that series too about is like that series kind of sucked for me because I remember I didn't,

I couldn't skate. Yeah. So I didn't, I didn't have, I didn't practice. Yeah. So once I broke my foot, I didn't, I literally would go to the rink. So when we were home,

we were staying in a hotel like right there next to the rink. They wanted the guys. Oh, we, when you were home. When we were home, we were staying in a hotel during the playoffs. Yeah. Just like keep guys away from, distractions, all that.

Yeah, yeah. A lot of teams do that. They always do that, yeah. A lot of teams do that during the playoffs. Or they give guys the option. Yeah. Well, so every day, like we had game day, someone would have to come take a golf cart, come pick me up at the, at the hotel,

which was really close, drive me all the way to the locker room. No way, dude. Every single game. Jesus. Literally drive me, and then I had to get my crutches and I'd walk all the way, go right to the training room. Were you wearing a boot? Yeah.

Yeah. Wear in the training room. Get treatment. for the whole how two hours, no warm up, go on the ice, go on the ice for warmups. That would be my warm up and then play the game. Oh my, my, and that would get shut. Obviously, you know, you get, you get,

yeah, yeah, you get jacked out. Whatever you need to play. Give you the Russian gas to be. Yeah, I don't know what it was, but I mean, I don't, it wasn't illegal. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and then. Did you put your own boot on?

Yeah, I mean, I would have to numb it up and up. Yeah, yeah, no doubt it. And it just, it was just like, oh, it was fast. Dude, it must have been hell at the end of the games when you're like taking, when you untie that skate. That it was never like, because I was adrenaline, I think it was, it was

that night in the next day. Yeah. Yeah. Where I was like, oh my God. I'll never walk again. I'm like, this is awful. And I honestly, I felt that injury because it was like a stress line fracture on the top part, like the top part of your foot. But like it's so hard to get better there because you're

constantly being. Oh yeah. Where I still had like, I was still felt it in August before training camp. So that was brutal. But yeah, I remember that about that series is that I remember that I couldn't walk.

Yeah. Every time you're seeing Big Z in the hardest shot competition. Was that game one or two? I was, I think, yeah, maybe game two.

Jesus Christ, dude. Yeah, maybe it was game two. I think it was game two. Playing five more games with that. That's absolutely insane. That's, I'm telling you, that game seven is one of the best

playoff games in the last 20 years. I always say, always joke like if aliens came down and were like, what's hockey, I'd be like, watch this game. I know, I haven't ever watched it. I would actually, I mean, it might be painful. No, I know, but I, that's, that's why I haven't, obviously, but like I would like to watch it now, I think, just to see, just to watch that, that view of it, because I remember it being an absolute war. Yeah, it was, it's one of the most back and forth even games. And you could tell, you know, anything happens, but as a fan watching it, in the first period, you could tell the refs for swallowing the whistles.

Oh, yeah. Like these two teams are so evenly matched. They're playing such a good, clean game. Nothing's getting caught tonight. And there were still like, there were some big hit. Oh, yeah. I remember I lit up, I think Sidenberg or something like that. But then I think Rekie, the wrecking.

The wrecking ball. Killed somebody. And if everyone forgets, too, we had Matthias Olin. Oh my God. I did forget that. He absolutely used to truck guys. Like guys cut through the middle. He was kind of like Scott Steven.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, because you come that offside. Oh, and he would like. Like he would time it perfect and he wasn't like, you know, it wasn't the most fleet of flip, but like, we used to call him like Papa Bear because he was like just, he's just a big man. Yeah. So guys would come to the middle and it was like lights out game over, you know, so. Jesus Christ.

That was a, that was a battle of a series for sure. It was fun though. Dude, one of the, um, there's weird stats in hockey that I absolutely love and there are things that I don't think people consider that often. And I got to give you some stick taps here. You were elite at the dot. And I don't know if you know this, but you have the, you were a 46th all time, face-off percentage in NHL history. I did not know that. You got to set a minimum because like some people take, you know, a few draws and it's all-more.

If you set like a reasonable minimum, you are like top 50 of all time NHL at the dot. Rod the bod first. No, I think it's got to be. Berseron is like. Oh, I say Bergeron is like. Berge is really high. Yeah, Berge. Burgundy fluctuates because he's still playing, right?

Yeah, yeah. He'll have a season. He's one. For sure. He'll be three. But I think he's like two. I didn't even know that. It's like high 50s.

No one's in the 60s. Well, I think one dude's in the 60s, but he didn't take that many drives. That's pretty cool. That's cool that they have that staff. Me too. Yeah. But you're like 53, dude.

Like you were, that's cool. Very, very legit. It's awesome. I'll take that. Yeah. But I want, talk to me about that.

Were you always good at that? And like I said, it's so, I mean, you play damn near a thousand games in the national. So where do you get to you in points in your career where you're like, I'm really good at this.

I'm good at that. Like, there's things that keep you up that you know teams I appreciate it if you have tips dude our men's league team hasn't want to face up in two years so it would be sick if I just love to pass that on to the boys to snap one back to me at the blue line that would be nice come help out yeah this is true let's just get yeah yeah I got a guy yeah yeah you know I think I I started kind of learn that it was kind of like I mean it's such a underrated skill and art and hockey that still I don't still I think's underrated but

But then, and I think that's why some people, some people get like the, it was like us. We were talking about J.T. Confer. Yeah. Yeah. There is a great free agent signing. Yes. And people will look at the money and they'll look at the term and all that.

And you're like, okay, well, he didn't have this many points. Yeah. So it's like, okay, what, have you seen what else this guy does? He can play first line. He can play fourth line. He can play wing. He can play center. And by the way, he's really good on face offs.

So it's like, okay, that's why, like Stevie Y is smart. Like he signed that guy. because of his points because he does everything. Yeah. And like you see in the playoffs when, you know, you look at it like you know, it's so funny because no one talks about during the regular season and then all of a sudden the playoffs you get to like those conference finals and finals and everyone everyone's talking about the face off percentage and okay this team and done it out okay this guy's

been struggling tonight because it's possession right. It's you get the puck and for me I kind of started learning this in junior and then when I got to pro big time. And I really learned that like, you know, obviously when I got to pro like I was like I'm not going to play in the NHL as a top six guys. It's just not going to happen. Like those guys are like the elite elite elite like there's no one that's like that's insane. And yeah. And so you know the coaches at the time that I had there Rob Murray and Scott Gordon and Rob Murray was like a career minor league HL guy. But he was so good in the face off circle. And he was like listen like you want to play NHL you're going to have to get good at like. penalty killing winning face offs like sticking up for your teammates that kind of stuff like being physical yeah you know add in the big goal here and there whatever but like these are things you need to be good at and and i remember scott gordon was like okay do you want to play in the minors and score a lot of points and you know whatever is like he's like or do you want to make a million bucks and he's like where do

you want to make a million bucks and you know be good at those little things and maybe play in the nashel for a long time i'm like that that one that one sounds pretty good that's the one i want to do want to play in the NHL. So, you know, I learned that real quick. And I think the first couple seasons of playing the American League, I really kind of learned and develop into that role. And then I think that was kind of like, it became my MO. Like, that was, that was, that was my thing.

And that was, that was what I was going to come and help with different teams. And I think even more towards the end of my career, you know, when you become like, when you, those are the things that, like, get you in the league, keep you in league, you like you take pride in it like I'm like you know I want to fucking win every single face off I want to kill every penalty I want to block every shot right like yeah like take pride in that so like when guys know too right yeah someone lines up against you at the dot and they're like fuck this exactly exactly you know where it's a good feeling honestly I think that's part of the reason why I kept playing yeah kept getting deals teams kept trading for me the deadline for playoff

runs like you know I mean to the average fan they're like why are they getting this fucking plug, but at the same time. Not in those good hockey cities, though. Yeah, but like, they know. They know. They know. They know, right, for like, you know, big playoff runs, like, I'll come in and I'm going to, you know, do that, the little things that you need.

Yeah. Yeah. You know, where you look at, like, I'm trying to think of guys on teams now, I mean, like on Florida, who's their, I'm trying to think of their bottom guys who, uh. Well, I don't know who it is on Florida, but I was. you know, the things that you were saying, I look at a guy like Jordan Stahl and Carolina. Exactly. And he's such a good example of, to the layman fan.

They're like, this guy's scoring like 22 points a season. How are they bringing him back so long? But it's when it comes to playoff time, he's playing all over the lineup. He's killing penalties. He's winning huge draws. I mean, fucking A man. You talk about Bergeron, first ballot hall of famer. And every single time the Bruins play the Canes,

Stahl is on Bergeron every show. Yeah, yeah. And like, there's a reason for that. You know, he is a very, very good. player at all of those little things that people don't always know. And I even add, well, that's who I was thinking of. So on Florida, you had Eric Stahl. Yeah. Who's probably gonna be a Hall of Famer. Yeah, definitely. And we were drafted the same year.

He was second overall. Right. And like obviously scored a lot of points in this league, but like look at his game now like totally transformed. Yeah, he, you know, he's, he was out of the league for a year, which is crazy and then he came back. Yeah. And, you know, he was still like, he's winning face off, he's, paling killing, you know, like, that's what he's doing. Right. Like, those are the things. that you need but like it's pretty amazing for a guy like that you know but like guys that that transform themselves into that right because you need that stuff like you have to have those guys to win yeah at the dot as I always wondered this do you do you get do you cruise in

there and you're like this you just decide what you want to do you're like I'm going backhand on this one I'm going forward on this one or is it like the team has said when the draws are here do this like how do you make that decision no it's a team I mean it's it's it's I mean with a team they like win the fucking draw win the fucking draw draw where the fucking draw right especially the D zone yeah that was majority where I started my yeah base offs were in the D zone on the Pellinkiller 5-on-5 which is tougher which is why my coursey was so fucking shit yeah yeah yeah but if like I always say like if if they would have like if teams would have tried to sign me off coursey I would have

been retired like fucking seven years ago you know what I mean it's like like like I'm not a coursey guy yeah yeah it's not my stat so but I mean no I think going into face-offs like like you you play against so many guys you know exactly how certain guys take face off. Yeah. We're like some guys I know I can go just go in there and be like, all right, I'm gonna go like this. I'm gonna get my thing and I'm gonna snap the back. Yeah. Some guys you're like, go against Bergeron, I'm like, I gotta fucking dig in here.

Yeah. It's like, if I don't, he's gonna step back in me or chances are it's probably be like a 50-50 puck tie up. The way we're both going against into each other, right? You just like certain guys you know that like, you know, maybe, maybe I have to tie him up or maybe I have to to do like little things. It's hard to explain over here. No, but I know what you mean.

If we were on the ice, I can really show you. Yeah, but it's, it is. It's like, it's people, it's like a game within a game. Absolutely. Cause like you start. Yeah, you, I mean, you start off with, I, I know, like sometimes I, if I'm going against a guy and I snap back like the first five on them, I'm like, I got. Yeah, you're dead.

Yeah. I got them. Yeah. I got them. The rest of the game. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's like mental, right?

Yeah. It's like you, you, the same thing. If I lose first couple few, I'm like, fuck. Dude. And then it's in your head, right? Because I know for me, like, when I was playing better, when I ever got in like a rhythm of like win a draws, like my game was usually better. Yeah.

I was playing better. No, I played center, you know, all through prep and junior and everything. It was like, you're right. If I started losing some, then I'm like going early and I'm like under the pocket. And I'm just like, kick me up. Let me play the rest of this game. Like I am worthless right now. For sure.

Yeah. Amazing. So it's a huge, I think it's a huge part of the game. Oh, yeah. extremely underrated. Okay, so we mentioned, I don't know if I think we said, but from Alaska,

obviously very cool. Second only to Scotty Gomez, who you love in games played, pretty sick. And obviously you played in the WHL for the Thunderbirds, so you had some time playing in Seattle? So I'm curious,

are you a cracking fan now, being the Alaska guy, like that's your team? Because we get a couple buddies on our men's league team from Alaska and they're a huge cracking guys. I mean, I don't know if it's my team. Yeah.

But I think it's awesome that they have a team there. I mean, it's great. I mean, when I played there, you could tell that if they got an NHL team there, it would do well. They would love it. They did it right.

Yeah. And they've done it right. They really have. No, they've done it right. And it's been really. And obviously being competitive right away like they have been. Like, that's huge. So I think it's awesome.

I think it's great for this. I mean, Seattle's a cool city. Same. Awesome city. Yeah, yeah. And it deserves a hockey team. Oh, yeah. You spend a little bit of time there, like you just said, you know.

You're like NHL team would do it. I was there when they had the, uh, the Supersonics. Yeah. Oh, sick. I went to a couple games with Gary Payton. Sean Kent. Yeah, the rain man. Yeah, you said it was Ray Allen probably playing there?

The best intro. Best intro would they go, show your love for the glove every time he'd come out. Wow, that is nice. Wow, I love that. I love that. You've got it every night. Man, I think about all the time the struggling teams in the league right now who've been struggling for a decade. Yeah.

And then Vegas. Seattle pop in and they're both just playoff teams looking fantastic and you're like, God fucking damn, dude. So savage. Just Yotes fans are just dying. Poor guys. But it's great for hockey though. It's great. Absolutely.

It's amazing, you know, city like Seattle and, um, yeah, I mean, I enjoyed my time there. It was, it was not like the normal, like, because it was obviously part of the Western hockey league, but like you're not in like a small Canadian city. It was a little bit different. Yeah. Um, like, guys were kind of going to two different high schools and like, you were a little more spread. out with guys, but it was still a fun place to play and cool still be in the U.S. too. Yeah, yeah, that's nice. That's nice. I was close to home too because that's a, there's a direct flight from Seattle. So much easier. It's nice. Do you ever go to Seafar?

I did, yeah. Seafar. Good time. Good time. Really cool. That's fun stuff. Yeah. Um, but like C.P. just said from Alaska. Yeah. Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in September. Yeah. Yeah. When do you, when do you find out was that a surprise? Do you have a speech ready? If not, we can help you write it? Like, I don't have one ready yet. We're writers, so we can dappy up on. Yeah, we might have to hang in the office. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, no, I found out, I don't know, a month or so ago maybe.

And yeah, I mean, it's cool. I mean, really, really cool. Are you going to go back home for it? Yeah, it's in September. So I'll go back for that and they have like a ceremony and the whole thing. How many people are getting inducted with you? I don't know who's getting inducted with me this year, but like it's funny because we grew up together, but Matt Carl.

Yeah, yeah. He got inducted, I think last, last summer. Okay. Last year. So, um, and we grew up playing together. We're same age. So that was cool. So it's cool to like, you know, be inducted with him and like, I don't know, it's, I feel like anything, Hall of Fame is pretty cool, right? So epic.

Yeah. Yeah. It's a cool honor. Like I'm, I'm proud to, probably be from Alaska. It was a great place to grow up. You guys talk about Scardy Gomez. Like he was, Gomer was like, he was a big, big part. of like kind of me like developing into like player and then he helped me when I was the

NHL like yeah it was kind of like my mentor a little bit so yeah it was all it was cool to like you know because when I grew up in Alaska like growing up in Alaska like I was more like what really got me into hockey was the sea wolves oh no way university Alaska Anchorage yeah that's cool because like my that was my first hockey game live yep yeah yeah was going to see the sea wolves so like and my dad's from the Midwest, but he got into hockey, like, because of the 1980 miracle. Yeah, sick. Right, because he was living in Hershey, Pennsylvania at the time. And it's just, I'm telling me what he told me.

And he would go to the Hershey Bears game. So that's how he got into it. So anyways, we're in Alaska. I'm like two or three years old. And he ends up, we're now part of the booster club. So I'm going to like every single game. Like I'm waiting in the hallway for the autographs for these college hockey players. Like they were to me.

were like they were like NHL guys to me of course. Yeah, of course. So as I got older, obviously got more into it and you know, uh, we started hearing about this kid, Scott Gomez from Anchorage and I think I was like seventh grade and he was playing high school hockey. High school hockey at the time up there was pretty big. Was good. Yeah, it was pretty good. And he was probably like a freshman or sophomore and everyone's talking about this Scott Gomez kid, how good he is and stuff. And remember going to watch and play when he was like a freshman or sophomore and I was a lot younger. was he was so so so nasty yeah he would literally the breakout like literally they would if they had a set breakout or like power play go over would just go behind the net pick up the puck and just

skate it all the way all the way through everyone down the ice make a play stop up they score i mean it was like yeah it was crazy so so like when i got older like as i got older and i got better develop and stuff and like we they had like these summer skates at home where it was like and it was older guys and it was like Gomez and you guys don't know if you guys know the name like Ty Jones Mike Lee Brian. Brian. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, Ryan Swanson. Like some really good players from Alaska, like some guys or Ty Conklin, some of these guys that have played, some guys he's had played in the NHL. UNAH do. Yeah. Some of these guys that play in the NHL but like not like Gomer and he was you know, obviously 19 years old wins a rookie

of the year and Stanley Cup. Right. And so me, myself, Matt Carl, we're kind of kind of like Tim Wallace, if you guys were kind of like the, you know, I guess the guys for our age group and we got like the call to like come skate with these guys in the summertime. And it was like, for us, it was like, I remember they were like at Thursday nights like 7.30 and these guys. And like, I remember like me and Maddie are like fucking nervous before these skates, you know, like skate with these guys. Like we're like, Jesus like, it was like games for us. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And I think like for me like that helped me so much. And then I got to train with Gomer for a. few summers while I was still in Alaska and we worked out together and he was like just like huge for me right um you know also probably taught me a lot off the ice as well yeah uh for sure as a mentor 10 yeah yeah he was a mentor all over the place uh but just a great guy and um i mean that was kind of that's how i kind of fell into hockey to be honest like you from alaska but i mean it's the sport up there yeah i mean growing up there is awesome because obviously outdoors stuff like fishing hunting all that stuff it's I mean it's top notch up there

obviously so is the family still up there yeah mom and dad are still up there my mom lives in Anchorage my dad lives in a town about two and up our south uh smaller town so he's he's big outdoors man guy so yeah it's it's a great place to grow up cool place to be from like you know it's always a like gomer like taught me he's like yeah you know we always take care of her own so like it's awesome to see like you know Jeremy swayman now yeah do we also like sway is awesome like you know sway is awesome like great kid like and kind of told him the same thing go over told me like dude like you're you're you're past the torch to the other lasca guy you got to do it you got to do it right and you got to

take care of the next guy and so um but that's a you guys got a good one though he oh he's he's unreal yeah love the kid yeah that's cool that it's such a small community it is it is like especially the hockey community yeah too that part is so awesome it's cool yeah it's really being somewhere where hockey is the thing it is just such an awesome experience yeah yeah um all right i want to talk to you about some of your ink we got going on here okay because your boy here is pretty inked up too so what do you call these ones hand tattoos are job stoppers job job stoppers job stoppers yeah isn't that good job stoppers so okay so i was reading that this i think this sleeve yeah i think is more last you got done in three days yeah yeah despite

everyone telling you that that is not The artist, right? He was telling you it's not a good idea. And you practiced between day two and day three. Yeah. So I have a couple questions. One, what the fuck is wrong with you? Two,

How much time do we have? Two, how much did it hurt? Like just going over like the healing skin. And then three, please, because I know it's a home, a lot of home theme. You know, you got a bear, fishermen, some mouths and stuff. So tell us about the inspiration. So first question. Many things.

Yeah, I'm a little sick. I'm a little sick in the head. Yeah. I do like, I like. I kind of like the pain a little bit. Um, yeah, we, so I was playing in Ottawa at the time, uh, yeah, our guy, Luke Westman, who's, I mean, he's incredible. He's unbelievable. So I, good buddies with him and we, I talked about doing a sleeve.

And I was like, we, we, we just went and played in that global series. Yeah. In Sweden, but we had like five or six days in between like, that's the window. And I was like, well, listen, I was like, we can get this done. You come out here and it was like, we bang it out in a few days if you want to do that. And he was like, really you not recommended he's like he's like he's like he's like all right this is your tattoo guy yeah yeah okay so i flew him out oh no no no i flew him to ottawa okay i was like what the fuck so we we

sorry sorry sorry we clear that so we get back from sweden we have all those days off gotcha all those days i have three days off right and the third day we had like a light practice so yeah so anyways we flying out to ottawa six hours the first day six hours a second day and then like a little over like three the last day. Post practice. Hold on. For context, like how long did that one take?

This one took longer because it, um. Or like how, you know, is that like over weeks? This one was spread out. Yeah, yeah.

I was in the summer. That's what normal people do. That's what's what normal people do. That's what's what's right out their sleep time. So I, yeah, I did it. I think the worst was like,

when I got to like five, six hours every day, it was to the point where I was like, like pools of sweat. Underneath me, like, and he, and he looked at me.

He was like, all right, yeah, we're done for the day. Yeah. And then the third day, it wasn't, it was only three hours, but yeah, I mean, I covered it up. I covered it up. I obviously wear a full sleeve and then I had to go to the practice one day. It was a little, you know, it tingled a little bit. Yeah, I'd imagine.

And then, uh, and then we had a game. I remember there was one time in the game. I think a guy hit me in like this and I was like, oh, oh, oh, I got a full sleeve in three days. I kind of hurt. Did you have it all? It wasn't the smartest thing, but like, you know, I was fine. It didn't affect my game at all. all. Or the tattoo. The tattoo looks great. I don't, I don't think it affected my game, but, you know,

he did a great job. Did a great job. Did you have it all drawn out or did you kind of have the idea? I had a few ideas. See, that's the thing with Luke. Like, he's so, he's so amazing. Like, I just gave him like a few pictures and then he just like puts it all together. Yeah. You know, has he done all your stuff? Everything. Yeah. Wow. And are you done? Or are you going to keep going. No, I think I'm going to get one more. I think. A famous last one. Yeah. I was going to say, no chance. Like I said, like I have one more will have in several times. Like, like I have one on chest here and I said I told myself that was it I said oh I'm only gonna get the

one side of the chest and well that's bullshit because I'm gonna go get the other natural at all yeah it doesn't work yeah one so I gotta do two so yeah insane and so but you got home stuff right yeah so like you know I grew up fly fishing so I kind have like a little fly fishing guy yeah get in the camera the bear and then like he like this was part cool like I did like the coordinates for Alaska whatever then oh that's cool he added in like the the compass uh well no I that That was kind of my idea of the compass, but he did, he added in like the state flower, which Yeah.

Oh yeah, yeah. Forget me not. It's like stuff like that. That's awesome. Pretty cool. So yeah, he's telling a guy. Is he based in LA? He is in Orange County.

Orange County, really. I guarantee you're the fastest sleeve he's ever done in this whole career. I think he said it. I think he said it was. Yeah. I think it has to be. I mean, I'm sure he has, I mean, he's been doing it forever. I'm sure he has a lot, he has a lot of wild stories.

Yeah. That was pretty quick. Yeah. And not very, but. And not very smart to do during the season. Yeah. Oh my God. I really wanted it.

Yeah. I get it. I get it. So I was just recently in New York and flew in two days ago, flew in on Wednesday. Yeah. And this was just a topical thing. Saw that you had mentioned on Twitter that the LAX Delta Sky Lounge is National League. It is nice.

And we've got to talk about that because we've had a few, very randomly guests talk specifically about the Delta Sky Lounge. And I just, I need to dish about it. Like it is, I've never been in it. They don't let peasants like us in the sky lounge. So I gotta get in there. You guys got to find it. Maybe, maybe we just, maybe we should go on a trip together.

Yes. See, that's what I'm getting to. And here's, you guys need a vacation from your vacation. Yes. Yes. I'll give you some passes you can go in. I'm, I'm literally in like a week getting, I'm getting that Delta credit card for this reason alone.

It's so good to the point where you're like, I don't want to go on my flight right now. Dude, I told Dan, I was, I don't want to leave. Like, even when I go there in the morning, I'm, like, if I get there early, I'm like, like, now I'm like going to the airport super early. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Just so I can go to there and like hang out for a bit. Yeah. The way you guys talk about it, I keep telling Dan, it makes me, it feels like a happy Gilmore's happy place. Like I'm just like, there's part of it. It's like outside. No. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The pictures are, I mean, I'm telling you, I'm getting this credit card just to do this. It's amazing. It's, it's worth it. Yeah. Oh, Jesus. It's just like. It's just like. It's just like,

It is National League. Yeah, it's National League. It is. The fact that it keeps coming up randomly is like this place is just heaven on earth. Yeah, I got to get in there. Okay, that's a big goal. Trip, Team Trip. Team Trip, Team Trip, Delta Sky Lounge. Very cool.

Okay, talking, well, talking to the finer things, man. We want to hear more about 44 concierge. Oh, yeah, okay. So, yeah, tell us about how it came about, why you had the idea, you know, what it does. Tell us all about. Um, so just, you know, a friend of mine, Jamie Carroll, uh, I don't know if you guys know the name. Just, just from reading about. Yeah.

So anyways, yeah, uh, buddy of mine from home, him and they played college hockey together at, uh, Providence. Sick. And so I met him then. And I was, I was playing in Providence at the time too, actually, which was, we didn't get to that part. That was fun playing there too. Um, but anyway, so, you know, fast forward, I was with Anaheim and he was with a concierge company

and he came to me and asked if I, you know, wanted to, you know, wanted to join his company and I did and help me out and stuff. So he ended up whatever he was going on with the company he was with fell through. And he kind of came to me when I was, I think it was maybe my second or last last year in Anaheim. I can't remember. Um, and he, 2016. Stat guy. So stack guy. Stack guy. So second last year then. Um, and he asked, we wanted to start concierge company. And I said, yeah, sure, let's do it. And so me, him, him, another guy named Ben Gott, who was also involved. And we started then and, you know, it was kind of like, you know, the way we have it run is,

it's very family oriented. Like it's not like it's like glitz and glamour, like trying to be like too exclusive or you know what I mean. Like we actually want to help guys. So want to help guys with whatever, right? Not just like obviously dinners and, you know, concierge companies what they do, but like, you know, if guys have families and need like help or whatever it is moving and, you know, all like, Basically everything, right, that you need help with for guys during, during like a grueling season, right? Yeah.

Well, by the way, dude, we went on this trip for the cup and I'm not, we're not even playing. And the travel is exhausting. So I totally hear you that these guys get in this 82 game season. Yeah. And then they don't want to deal with having a book stuff or like this and that. And like, honestly, Jamie, who does, he's the best. He does a lot of it. He says he talks mostly to the wives or girlfriends.

Yeah. Like that's who he's talking to mostly. That makes sense, honestly. But like they love them because, you know, it's, it, it basically helps guys. Obviously, you guys don't want to be worrying about that stuff during the season, right? And it, hopefully guys enjoy it and they don't have to worry about that stuff where we come in and help with whatever they need, right? What are some of those things that, you know, as you were playing that popped up in your head that felt like those distraction moments of the things that you're like, God damn it, I can't. You play for nine different teams.

So, okay. So that's what I was getting to. Suitcase here. Like, God, dude, I did a way back sponsor. Yeah. You wonder why, yeah, like, I have so many fucking, I know so many guys in the league. You know, you know, you know a lot of guys. I'm like, yeah, I fucking played for almost every single team.

So good. Yeah, moving. Yeah. That's a big one. That's a huge one because, like, moving, you guys know, it's hard. It sucks. Yeah. I mean, moving sucks.

Moving sucks within the city. If you're in a studio apartment, moving to another studio apartment, moving sucks, let alone being in the national moving and then being expected to show up to practice. And then know, like, and then. And then, like, you know, towards the end of my career, like I pretty much knew I was getting traded. Yeah. So it was like, here it comes.

Call up Jamie or what you know, be like, hey, get ready. It's going to get busy again here. Gas up the trucks. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, I mean, I mean, that's a big one. But I think for me that was probably the most stressful thing would be moving for sure.

Yeah. That checks out. Yeah. It's such a grind, isn't it? I mean, everything else, you know, dinner is all that stuff. It's great. But I think, I think that's the stuff we, Everyone has like this stuff that's like real.

Yeah. Yeah. Real life stuff that people need help with and, you know, maybe I blog going on that we can, we can help them with. Massive. Yeah. That's true. It's such a, I mean, it's, it's a factor of when you think about how much of the game is

meant, how much of life is mental. Yeah. And it's like, if you can just take away some of those stresses for guys as they're going through. Even, yeah, even a single guy too, right? Even a single guy that doesn't want to worry about that during the season, right? I mean, I think it's, you know, I know, I know when I was playing, like, Like you have to be like selfish and you have to like there's once the season starts like you

you have to be dialed in or you know it's just not going to work or you're not going to stick around. So to like come in and like I know a lot of a lot of guys like doing all that stuff themselves but you know a lot of guys don't want to have to deal with. Don't think about it. That's me dude. You kidding me. Yeah. Same. That's a week coming. I mean I just wanted to worry about the season and that was it. So yeah. Another thing I want you to talk about as much or little as you want. Yep. And you know, on the the topic of these things like mental health and the stress that come through the season. You've been sober now for how long?

Almost seven years. I haven't had a dream. Unreal. Unreal. Is there anything that you want us? Because I mean, that's such a huge factor. And we're starting to hear more and more tons of athletes speaking up.

Yeah. I mean, about it. I think it's great. I think it's definitely become like being sober for sure now is way more accepted than it was even like when I came in the league for sure. It's way different. And I think it's awesome though.

I mean, you need, I think for me like that if I didn't get sober like I wouldn't have extended my career. Yeah. The way it is now. Absolutely. That's an awesome feeling. Oh yeah.

I mean that was that was a game changer for me life changer for me. So I mean everything not just on the ice but off the ice as well. And, um, I mean, yeah, mental health. I mean, that's, that's a big part of it as well. Absolutely. I mean, I think that, you know, I think it's getting there. I mean, I think that, you know, I mean, I think it's, we're a lot further than where we were, you know, people are talking about it and you have athletes that are coming

out and talk about it now. I think it's, it's awesome. That's, yeah, it's good for not just sports, but it's good for fucking society. Dude, absolutely. You know, it's bigger than sports. Yep. Way, yeah. Society, right?

I mean, it's. And the thing too, you can touch on it, but it's the openness, right? Like that's, we had the thing at Friday beers, like, hug your bros, but it's like, for real, you know, like, you support each other, be here for each other. 100%. Yeah, it's willing to be vulnerable. It's in the workforce, too. Exactly.

Absolutely. Everywhere. Yeah. You need to, you need to be able to like, everyone says it not being okay. Being okay would not be okay. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.

And you know, be like telling someone like, you know, when someone says, hey, how's it going? Oh, pretty fucking shitty today. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like I'm sure like, hopefully you guys, I'm sure you guys have, I mean, it seems like you guys do. I walk in here, it felt like, you know, comfortable where you like, Dan, how you

feeling today? Not fucking good. Yeah. Exactly. But that's good. That's healthy. Absolutely, man. It's the only way you get better, honestly.

You made this decision while you were playing. Did you feel like that was, you know, a difficult thing to do to tell your teammates? Was it helpful being around the boys all the time and being like, hey, I'm going to be sober? How did that feel and how did that vibe with your teammates while you were playing? I mean, I was nervous about it at first. Yeah, I could imagine. But like anything.

and I'm biased, but like hockey guys are the best. You know? It's just the truth. And, you know, and like we had a good group of guys that was in Anaheim and like, you know, they also saw me before. Yeah. So I think they were happy that I was, you know, they were super supportive of it. But yeah, when I was around him, it was, they were awesome about it, right?

Like, they were so good about it. And, you know, I remember being on the plane and whatever, like, we're playing cards after, after a game, having a, you know, guys are having beer and, you know, camp Fowler's like, yeah, get, get Tom or sparkling water. Yeah, yeah. Stuff like that, we're like, you know, it's supportive. It's awesome, right? That is awesome.

Guys were great about it. And we had a really good group of guys like, you know, Getslapp, Perry. All those guys were just great dudes and, you know, and it's been like, but it's been like that everywhere. You know, every team I've been on that knows that I don't drink has been, you know. Yeah. They're great. I fucking love that. Super supportive, right?

I mean, guys are, fellas are, you know, hockey guys are the best. They are the best. They're the best. They're the best. They're the best. Absolutely agree. Yeah. All right.

We want to play a game with you that we do with all. guests. Okay. It's called pass shoot score. Okay. Basically, it's a ranking system. So passing the puck's great. It's a good thing to do, but we're going to put that third. Yeah. Shooting's great. You got to get pucks on net. Second. Then the score, light in the lamp. That's the ultimate goal. So that's one. Okay. So I'm going to give you three things. You're going to rank them, pass shoot score, score, score being the highest. Okay. So we're going to start with some all-time legends that I know you're a big fan of. Some NHL captain. It's going to be a tough, tough go for you. Some captains in the league.

This is going to be hard. Okay. Pass shoot, score. Okay. Stammer, Yep. Sackick, and Stevie Y. Fuck. All right.

I'm going to go Sackick pass. Okay. That's just because you hate it. Stammer shoot, Stevie Y score. Wow. Okay. All right. A lot of follow up questions.

Yep. Go ahead. A little surprise that Stammer didn't get score. Only because I know that you have talked about him and ranked him as one of the all-time captains. in any time. I do think he is. Yeah.

I think he will be. He's still, like he still has more. He's a lot more. I want you to talk about that because, man, you called that shot early. I mean, you said that a while ago. And he is only getting better and better and better. What is about, is it about him that's just such a natural leader?

I mean, Stammer, he was like that when he was 20, 21, you know? And it, and he was, you know, people forget he was hanging and playing with Marty all the time. Like, that's that guy. Yeah. So true. I mean, that's a guy you guys, you guys try and get on because like I could, you can listen. I can listen to Marty talk about hockey all day long. Yeah.

You know, he's just so smart and like the way he taught Stammer. But like Stammer, I mean, yeah, I have Marty help, but like stammer's such a mature guy who's so mature when he was like 20, 21 and he just had like a, he has an understanding of the game. He knows what he needs to do. Obviously he can shoot the fucking puck. Yeah. Oh my God.

And he's extremely, and he's extremely talented. But like you see now his game is like so well. rounded like he's really good in the face off circle yeah like he's he was taking all those draws on the right side as a righty yep i mean he's finishing checks like he'll fight like he just like does it all now you know and it's fun to watch and yeah and i saw it like you could see it like it was there when i played with him he was a lot younger but like yeah he was just kind of those guys that just natural born leader everyone wants to be around him like he's has a presence about him you know like he's just i mean stammer's the best great guy

you know, good team guy, everything. Yeah. You just, you know, so that's why I got him and, but like, I have Stevie Y at the top because Stevie Y was my favorite point. You grew up on him, dude. Yeah, so like, I can't, I can't waver from that. I, so that, that transition into how elite were those avs, wings, rivalries? Yeah, what's a favorite memory?

Because I'm with you, dude. I'm, I'm, we're Boston guys. When I was growing up, the wings were as popular for me as the Bruins were because of like, watching Stevie, McCarthy, federal. Chelyos and then going into Dotsuk, et cetera. I was like, this is the best team ever. It was so fun. It was so much fun.

Like, well, and like Alaska's behind in time zone. Yeah. Oh, yeah. So like we would get like, it was perfect because I would get home from school and literally the games would be starting. So it would be like 3.34. Like 3.3.30 games would start because we're an hour behind Pacific. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so I'd get home for school and it's, it's wings and abs. Yeah. And that's, that's what I grew up on. So it was like, yeah, I mean, all those serious. series, the games they had, obviously the one they did on the documentary was so sick. Fucking unbelievable. But like, yeah, I mean, just, and I hate, I, at the time, like, I was such a wingspan that I hated the abs.

Like, I hated everything about him, right? I hated Claude Lemieux, like, which was funny that I got to know his son. And I met Claude one time, nicest guy ever, but like, you're like, fuck. I know. So, but it was, yeah, I mean, that, I, and then I just love Stevie Y because he, same thing, you know, I mean, it's kind of similar. Like, I kind of look at him and stammer a little bit. similar or not, they were not the same players, but like,

like Stammer played a certain way while we was younger, right? And then they kind of like, same thing, Stevie kind of evolved his game as well over time and then, you know, five cups between the two of them later, you know, so it's like, and the Stammer's not done. No, they're not even close to done. Yeah, agree. So that's why I have the ranking,

Sackick, unbelievable player. So good. So good here first. But I was not an abs fan. Yeah, yeah, that's it. So he's on the pass. These guys are just such hockey brains, too. We are talking to Shelley, and I read this unreal story, Stevie Y on the wings.

They're about to draft Federov, and the GM called Stevie Y and was like, hey, you played internationally against this guy. What do you think? And Stevie goes, well, he's better than me, so grab them. And, like, that's the type of thing that I'm just like, these guys are the best. Oh, yeah, that's such a team. He's like, yep, he will make our team better and he just sees and understands the game. Got a couple of good Stevie Y stories, too.

So when I, you know, I get picked up by Tampa. Yeah. And then the next year, they hire him as the general manager. And I was. Were you buzzing? Oh, dude. Dude. Because you never met him, right?

Dude, I'm not, when I talk about CBY fan, I'm talking about like posters in my room, like wings, like 19, everything. Like, yeah. And I got a good stories here. So like he, yeah, like my first time I met him, I think I was like, it was an exhibition game because he wasn't really around. But then he came around in the training room. But I wasn't playing with it. So we're growing, he like came up to me. He's like, hey, Nate, uh, Steve I hasn't been here. And I like, literally, it was like a deer in the headlights. Yeah. I couldn't talk. Yeah. I was like,

I was like, hi, I'm Nate. Like literally that's, I'm not exaggerating. Like I did it like that. No, I would have done the same thing, man. Where he was like kind of laughed and smiled at me. But like he was, he was awesome, man. He just, he was a good guy, like just so smart. And he was funny. He's funny and witty too. Yeah. Quick. Yeah. Like very quick. We're like, like, I remember we, it was ironic, we, we played a game in Boston that year. And Teddy and I were roommates on the road. Yep. And so we were.

That's a fucking dynamic. Yeah. So we were close. We were always together. And we just got fucking smoked by Boston 8-1 in Boston. Walking back to the bus. Everyone's quiet, obviously, you know. And I'm walking back with Teddy.

We're kind of like one of the last ones on the bus. And Stevie Y is like off of the side. And he kind of like pulls both of us over. He goes, looks at both of them. us and he goes hey I know we just lost 8-1 but teddy don't ever wear that fucking tie again and I was like oh like this and Teddy's trying not to laugh too and he's like he kind of like does like this half smile yeah and it was like just the timing of it because he knew like we just got pumped boys need to pick me up he got pumped but he knew how good we were and he was like just kind of

like boys whatever you got fucking smoked big deal rush it off it was a tie's a big deal you know he's like just don't ever wear that fucking tie again that is so good and like like We were literally getting on the bus, like trying not to die and die lap. Yeah, of course. And then you look at him and you could never chirp him because you look at him and he's always so well dressed. Yeah. Yeah.

Like just, you know, there's Stevie Y, man. Top player of all time. What could you possibly chirp him about? Yeah, nothing. Yeah. And then like, I mean. Blazes tree, which is awesome. Fast forward.

So he trades me. Yeah. Which, yeah, how did that feel? So. Oh, God. Which is, which was, which was, which that day was like crazy amount of trades. I think we traded. J. Crom Bean, who was another part of great group of my guys there.

And then Teddy got traded to Edmonton that day. And then like, I've heard that story. Yeah. And then like two or three hours later, I got traded. And it was like a Sunday night at like a little after 10 and he calls me. I see it my phone pop up to see why I'm like, oh boy, Sunday night in the summertime. Yeah. He's probably not calling a chat.

And, uh, what are you up to, bud? Yeah. But yeah, but he's so nice, but he's like, hey, Nate, how's it going? You know, whatever, done a small talk. And he's like, well, I, I'm going. You know, I traded you to Anaheim, you know, you obviously goes through, but he was so nice about it. And he's like, is there anything else you need? Whatever.

I'm glad I traded you to do a good team and everything. And I'm like, I'm like actually actually to you. There's one thing. He's like what? I was like, can I get a signed jersey? Oh, dude. Nice move. So and he's kind of like he's kind of like so shocked.

Caught off guard. And he says, what, like a Tampa one? And I'm like, no, dude. I'm like, no. I'm like, no. I'm like, no. I'm like, no. Detroit,

Iserman. And he kind of starts laughing. He's like, yeah, yeah, we'll figure that out. So like we fast forward. I never ended up like, you know, so much shit happens and you forget and whatever else, you know, life happens. And I didn't end up getting it. But fast forward.

I'm playing in Montreal. And I was in Montreal? Yeah, we think we're in Montreal. And I got it. I get a whole of team services guy and say, hey, listen, like, Steve owes me a signed jersey. And the guy's like, what? He's like, just go and ask him. Yeah.

He'll remember. and I guess he went up to them and Steve was like, I guess laugh and said, yeah, oh, yeah, he remembers. I do. I do. I do. Oh, so after the game, I had it on the bus and it was to Nate, you know. Unbelievable. From Steve. Where is it now? Uh, it's, it's at my place. Yeah. Yeah. And, uh, so yeah, I mean, he and then we ended up texting out for the game. So thanks for the jersey finally. Yeah, yeah. He laughed, but it was, I mean, it was awesome. I mean, that's, that's what I mean. Like, that was to play in the NHL. but like to experience something like that.

Yep. Like to be man, right? You know, to have a conversation or like talk all the time. We had a good relationship with like my childhood idol. Like yeah, it doesn't get much better. Dream comes to it. It doesn't get much better. It's, I was just thinking it's, you have those moments.

It's like there's this guy that I've watched idolized. Then you meet him and he turns out to be just as good as you think. Yeah. And I was like, I was always like an awe of them even like, you know, I've always listened to to him talk or, you know, we'd have, I mean, he was just, I just like wanted to learn from him all the time, you know? And like, but then again, he would like, he would, he wasn't afraid to like pull punches on me too. You know, like when, and he's a shark when it comes to like negotiating deals. Oh my God, dude.

That's how he's built two dynasties. Like basically, I remember at the time, like I was, he signed me to like two extensions. But the first one or first or second one I can remember what was he basically said he's like, yeah, you don't sign this. I'm trading you at the deadline. I basically told my agent that and I was like, oh, fuck. Yeah. Like, all right. Okay.

Where's the pen? Yeah. we'll take the deal. That one, that one, that one. Not the toughest negotiator. We'll take the deal. Yeah. But I remember after, I signed my long-term extension of like a four-year deal.

I remember that in an afternoon when I got on the bus and he's like, he joked around. He's like, well, we'll see who lasts longer. Me or you. And he was joking. Yeah, that's what he said to me. I remember. Obviously he lasts a little longer. Yeah, yeah, it was him.

It was him. I mean, I could have guessed that. He probably lasts longer in me, Stevie Y, but yeah. That was pretty cool. Stevie makes that joke pretty confident. Yeah, unbelievable. Yeah. Okay, here's your next pass you'd score.

We're going to movies. Okay. Braveheart, straight out of Compton, a river runs through it. Ooh. Straight out of Compton. Pass. Yep. Okay.

Braveheart. Yep. Shoot. Wow. River runs through it's your goat, right? Yeah. Yep. Yeah.

Round out, round out, you know, a top five-ish for me. Besides those three? If they're in it. I think those three are in it probably. I mean, the two of them for sure, Braveheart. Like, I mean, Brad, I mean, there's a lot with Brad Pitt, man. Brad Pitt. Dude, he's gold.

He's gold. He's gold. Like, legends of the fall, too. Yep. So good. Like, I like those kind of movies. Yeah. Like, those movies in the 90s were like, they were pretty elite.

He's amazing. Hell yeah, dude. You know. So good. Goodwill hunting. Goodwill hunting. That's up there. Yeah.

That's up there, too. That's a classic, too. But Brad rarely misses. Yeah, and then, I mean, he's another guy. He's handsome. Oh, my God, dude. I was watching, uh, look at him now. He's still like, I see him.

Like, I'm like, he's in, he's in, uh, Barbie. He, is he in Barbie? Yeah, he's, is he in Barbie? He's Ken. No, no, no. Ryan Gosley. Oh, sorry. It's another wrong guy.

But also, terrible time to chime in. How old is he? Oh, yeah. And you're 24 now? 23. That's why. Yeah. That was so.

That was movies. That was movies we just listened up. Yeah. He's, He's like, what the fuck of these guys talking about? But he's just in, like, Goodwill hunting. He's shredded and then, have you seen bullet train yet? Yeah.

Oh, God, dude. It's unbelievable. I was watching. But it's still that. That's a bad movie, though. Bullet train? Yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, great movie to watch on an airplane.

Yep, that's a good airplane movie. Yeah, I was in the hotel in New York the other day, and Moneyball came on, and I'm just sitting there watching it. So good. And I'm just watching it. And I literally just, out loud, I went, this guy is so fucking handsome. He is. It's crazy.

He's like, he's in that, throughout that whole movie, he's wearing cargo pants and a windbreaker and he looks like a GQ model all the time. I'm like this fucking guy, dude.

Yeah, but then he can like, you know, you can look like trashy. That's what I'm saying. You look at Fight Club. It's like, he's still hot.

He's like, dirty hot. You know, I'm like, I'm like, you fucking dirty boy. And I aspire to it. I'm like, how do I look more like this?

Yeah. Long hair, legends of the fall. You're like, Jesus Christ, Troy, don't you get started. Yeah, Troy has another one.

I know. I don't know. So I mean, top five, that's, I mean. I heard you're a Rocky four guys. Oh, I love Rocky movies. Yeah. That's true. Rocky four.

Yeah. Yeah. Of the Rocky four is your number one, though, right? Of the Rocky. I think that's number one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Do you like the Creed ones? I do like the Creed ones. They're good. I think they're well done. They're great. Where are you out on comedies? Comedies, I mean, all the classics, too. Yeah.

Step brothers. Step brothers. So, okay. Wedding Crashers. but I even like the old school like Ace Ventura too. Yeah. Oh, dude. Dude.

Ace Ventura is the first, they're both great. Yep. Ace Ventura Pet Detective is still just as funny. Yeah. And it's elite. Oh my God. That movie. I always laugh and because I go back and watch that movie.

Yeah. And there were definitely some jokes in there that I did not get when I was watching it when I was like 10 years old. And I was like, he's getting blown by the girl. He gives the dog back to him. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I was like, oh, I thought. Or no, like the bet when he's like, I love part.

He goes, excuse me, your balls are showing. Yeah, yeah. Bubble be tuna. Bubba be tuna. Like that's fucking like, like, like, I could say those lines over and over and I laugh every fucking time. Like there's not a lot of funny movies like that anymore. Yeah. Dude.

Oh God. You're like they're classics, right? You put me on a balcony with a sliding glass door and I will do the Roger Prodactor joke. You know how many times? You know how many times when I was a kid, I'd bend over and I'd talk with my ass. Yeah. Like, to the point, my mom and my sister are like, what the fuck?

You have real fun. Sick thoughts. Like, you're sick thoughts. Like you're sick. We're doing that, Nate. Like, asshole, me, Leo, you know what? He did all that shit, right? You're like, fuck.

Like, that's classic. It's so, yeah. Excuse me, do you have a breathman? Yeah, yeah. Or some Chabaca? From Vanaka? Well, yeah, whatever it is, yeah. What about, I'll ask you guys,

pass shoot, score hockey movies. Oh, whoa, okay. So I'll go three. Yep. The three would be young blood, slap shot, and. Wow, I'm actually shocked right now. Mystery Alaska.

Well, that's what I thought was going to be on the list for sure. Do not like it? I mean, I like it, but it's not like, no, it's not top three. But just I thought it would be, the Alaska thing would get you. Do you know that wasn't even filmed in Alaska? Oh, that makes me sad, actually. I did know that. Yeah.

That might be, I think that's in my top three. I love that movie. It's a great movie, but I don't think I put it, like, my favorite movie. Well, that's, I was going to say maybe Miracle in those top three. That's a pretty good hockey movie. Yeah. Okay, so my one, I think Miracle is the best sports movie ever. It's unbelievable.

It's so that would be, that score? Okay. Yeah, that's my score. So those three, Miracle, Slapshot, Youngblood. Those are, that's yours, yep. Yeah. I think I go,

I think Mr. Alaska is probably in there. I think I go Miracle 1, Youngblood 2, Mystery Alaska 3. Wow. So would that be reverse pass, shoot, score? Yeah, that was score, shoot pass.

Okay, so I'd go, so we're going, are we going miracle, Slapshot Youngblood, right? That's yours. Okay, so I would go, my three would be slap shot pass.

Yep. Miracle. Shoot. Really? Blood score. What respect. What a movie. Yeah, I know, like I was so young that my dad, like, and I was VHS.

Yep. So he obviously there were like some sex scenes in there. Yeah. Yeah. So he like, I don't know how he rigged it, but basically the VHS, my version of young blood. Doesn't have them. It would like play and then it would like fast forward real quick through that or I, or like, it like did like the, uh, what's that black white fizz?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It would go to like that. And then it would go to the next scene. I'll tell you exactly what you. So that's what I watched. But then, obviously, you get a little bit older.

And I, I mean, the sex scenes in there. Now the virgin he has is only the sex. Yeah, yeah. It's just the hit list. Yeah, and then I got old enough. I saw it sexes. Like, man, this movie is even better than I thought. This really is now my favorite movie, you know?

But yeah, Youngblood is like, I mean, that's, that's. It's so good. That's what I just watched it over and over. Yeah. I got a, no disrespect. I gotta say, I love that the Mighty Ducks movies aren't your top. Dan hates the Ducks movies.

It's insane. Yeah. It's not, I mean, those other ones are just so much better. For sure. It's just not hockey in the Ducks movie. Well, yeah, they're kids movies. The other ones aren't. Yeah, I mean, it's Disney.

Yeah, sorry. I score Miracle. Love it. Miracle, I think, is a great movie. And I've said, a guy I played junior with is one of the guy, he's one of the Russian players. Oh, very cool. So is Wilksie.

Wilkesie, I think it was just tryouts, but he's, yeah. I have said multiple times. If Miracle came. out in the last like 10 to 8 years. Kurt Russell will get nominated for an Oscar. Oh, 100%. That was just, that came out at the same time as remember the Titans. Yeah.

Where it was like, people were like, oh, it's a Disney movie. It's a Disney sports movie, whatever. But like, if remember the Titans came out recently. Denzel would get nominated. Yeah. For sure. You're so right about that. And then I'm, I'm passing Youngblood shooting Slapshot, putting Slapshot over,

but for the same reason to you because Slapshot was the first on-screen boobs I ever saw. And that was pretty sick. I remember being like, yo, dad, this movie. Movies are sick. This is happening movies a lot. I already know what scene you're talking about. Yeah, yeah, you sure do. Of course.

So, yeah, that happens. Boobo. Boobes. We love, gotta love boos. Yeah. All right, let's kick it to TV. Okay.

And this is, this one special to me because I'm a huge fan. Okay. You're a Thrones fan. Oh, yeah. So Thrones characters, pass shoot score. John Snow,

Tyrion, Lanister, Deeris, Stormboard. Wow. Fuck, that's hard. I would go De Nerius. Uh, Pass? Yep.

My guy. Yes. It's hard between those two. I know. That's hard. I picked him specifically. I would probably go Tyrannian shoot and then John Snow.

My guy. Dude, same. Dan, Dan, I gave him a huge list. I was like, you've got to pick the three we're giving Nate and he picked those three on purpose. Yeah. That's what I would go with. Well, does John Snow because you dressed up as John Snow for Halloween when you?

Did you? No, no. Perfect costume. I did. Didn't you should? No, no, no, you're thinking because when I went, well, when I played Montreal, the player of the game, they gave a, uh, like a John Snow. Like a fur, like a fur.

Yeah, that's pretty sick actually. Yeah, yeah, which was cool. Yeah, that's really, yeah, that's really, great John Snow for Halloween costume if you ever need one in the future by the way. No, I've heard that. Yeah. Did I, I don't, did I, do? Are you sure?

I can't remember. I don't think I can. Uncle Nate might have been John Snow. Anyways. No, no, I know I was Beetlejuice. Oh, that's good. I do remember beetle juice. Yeah.

Um. Um, how good is that fucking show, dude? Oh, it's, I mean, I think it's, that your favorite show? One of the best TV shows of all time. I completely agree. It was amazing. I was like sad when it's, me too. Yeah.

I've still been, I've been sad. There's not, we have a little, I was a little disappointed last season. Yeah. Definitely. Definitely. Yeah. You know, but I mean, it was, I mean, it was, it was, it's, it's amazing. It's not for everybody, obviously.

Yeah. Because some people hate it. Yeah. I don't understand how. I don't get, I don't get into fantasy stuff. Like, so do you guys like, what is it called, House of the Dragon? Yeah. I do.

It's not as much, but I'm still. Not as much. Yeah. I'm still very happy to be there and, you know, be in the world again. Yeah. Where did you, where did you watch the Red Wedding? I think I was just at home. Just absorbing that.

I don't, yeah. I don't think we had a, I don't think I had like a big viewing party or anything like that. Yeah. No, I remember that was a, that was tough. Oh, man. No one saw that coming. I know. That was crazy.

Yeah. You watching anything now? Um, what shows am I watching now? trying to think here. I'm kind of in a lull, honestly. I mean, right now is a lull in the summertime. Yeah, yeah. I don't really watch it.

I'm not really watching it. Yeah, because like, Succession's over. I watched Severance. You watch Severance? Severance is cool. That's true. I never watched that. Like Yellowstone.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I love Yellowstone. Good. Dude, I, I started watching that. That's good. That's a really good ones. Like, Ted Lassow. Yeah, let's go.

Fucking awesome. Yeah. So good. God, I love that show. Like, that's, that's a good. I think that's one of the best shows, too, of all time. Yeah. So well done.

Yeah. Really well done. Season one of Ted Lassau was just the most enjoyable time I've ever felt watching. It was good. It was good. Okay. Sunday, NFL football, you're just chilling. Jalen Hertz going off, maybe.

Some sick. Rory McElroy pummeling irons on the back nine of Augusta. Or Nick Curios just firing up the crowd at a U.S. open. Fuck, that's hard. Damn. We do our research. Oh, I think I'll say this just based on it's a lot harder for him to, I'll say Rory, Augusta. Is, is pass or that score?

That I'll say, okay, so I'll say, what was it was, I'll say Nick Curios would be past. Okay. Then I'll say Hertz. Yep. Shoot. Okay, so Rory, yeah. And Rory, because like, Hertz is going to have days where he throws a lot of dimes. Yeah, he is.

Like, but I don't think. Rory is going to, you know what golf is like how often, yeah, exactly, it's impossible. Like you see Rory, do that at Augusta would be all time. Oh, I need it, dude. I need it. I would love that. Oh, my God. That would be one probably.

He'll get there. He'll get there. Watching Ricky win a couple weeks ago. That was awesome. That was awesome too. Oh, my God. I'm a huge Ricky thought. I'm the big.

And the golf is better with him doing well. When he was doing well at, was it the U.S.? Yeah, yeah. He was in LA. When he was doing well at the U.S. open, I was like, is Ricky back? and he's back. He's back. He's back.

swing coach, Ricky's back in it. Swing goes changes putting stroke too. Yeah. Did you watch like full swing and break point? Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. Those are sick. Oh, so well.

Like can you imagine this like, I cannot wait, dude. All the shit that went down. It's crazy. Sick. I don't, I think that we were joking or though. I think the full swing title sucks. Like I think there was a better golf title out there in the world than full swing.

Yeah, they could have done it. Like break point is a sick title. Yeah. Like F1, they did it right. Yeah. You what you, you, F1 guy? Yeah.

I mean, after watching that show I am. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, so fun to get into it. So well done. All right. Next one, it's kind of staying on the golf train.

Hobbies for you. Pass you'd score. 18 holes with the boys. Okay. Course of your choosing. Yep. Anywhere you want. Wow.

Nice chilling at home, relaxing the backyard with Eddie. Okay. Or fly fishing back home in Alaska. Fuck, man. Can we all score? Yeah, get a hatty, buddy. Oh, that's hard. That's the hardest one.

I'll say adding Eddie in is unfair yeah correct yeah like that's tall on that's my guy right there I'll say I'll say Eddie's the last well Eddie's the yellow lab I can't remember if we said that yeah yellow lab yeah for the listeners yellow lab the current and he's living yeah yeah uh shout out diesel yeah shout out rest and peace yeah but I'd say I'll say Eddie's last one because because he knows you love we do that a lot do it all time yeah a lot um um fly fishing second. Okay.

Wow. Just because... I'm stunned by that. Just because there's only so much time you can do it. Yeah. Right? And golf with the boys. And golf with the boys is fucking awesome.

The fucking... It actually is awesome. Didn't you just take a trip golfing with the boys? I did. Yeah. I went with some buddies, went to Band of Dunes. Oh shit. Boys.

How'd you hit them? Pretty good, actually. But this is the worst part is... I'm putting my country club on blast, but that's all right. I'm a member at Braymar. And they it wasn't their fault. Like so it was not their fault. On record.

I was mad, really mad. Yep. Because you can leave your clubs there, right? Well, I left my clubs. I went to back to get them gone. Oh my God. Oh shit. Gone.

Are you kidding me? Gone. That is a devastating. Gone. And I was going to Band of Dudes in a couple days. So when I went to Band of Dudes, I had to play with rentals. And you smashed it? And I had one day where I, a couple days I played.

played well yeah a couple days I played pretty well but still with rentals so we I get back from this trip band and dunes by the way unreal unbelievable I turned 40 next year I mean I don't know just thought we not about yeah I was Delta sky lounge first we go we go then yeah well obviously have you played at the troube in Nashville uh no because maybe we hit the delta sky lounge fly the Nashville play at the true yeah we do that too yeah game for that so anyways I get back from band and dunes great trip rentals were whatever they're fine they find my clubs some random guy thought it was his bag and just grabbed his,

put it in his garage, set it down. He didn't look at it. We go by, grabs his clubs. Oh shit, these aren't mine. I see how it's not their fault now. It's not their fault.

Yep. So did you get, do you have two sets of clubs now? No. But I was in the process of, I was in the process of, I was in the process of getting new ones. And then they found him.

Did, where was that guy's back? Did you just leave it at the country club? I have no idea. Yeah. But he said it was like, similar to looking to mine. I mean, I had my initials on it. You know what honestly?

It's probably like an older guy. He's probably there just at the clubhouse. Yeah. And it's like I think he leaves and he sees a bag. He had a white black bag like me and it's like, all right, you know, and he probably just picked up, grabbed it, but I was not happy for a week. Yeah. Oh, I bet. I can't imagine. For the big trip. I would lose my mind. It's a nightmare.

Talking about being a Ricky guy, dude. I got, I've got orange cobras and an orange cobra guy. Yeah. Yeah. And I that would be if someone yanked my bag. Yeah. And I, when I get titled but they're like either extended a little bit you know, some tall. Yeah, no, mine are custom.

Yeah, so I'm like, dude, you can't take my clubs. Well, that's the thing. I was like, yeah, I was like, yeah, I get to get new clubs. But I was like, but I have to go through the whole process of like doing it all over again, right? Like, it's like, oh, I've been waiting, you know? So I was like, oh, thank God I got my club. Massive. Massive.

Follow up with tattoo and the pass sheet score, how hard is fly fishing? Because we were just at a bachelor party in Montana and I tried and I looked like a fucking because I love, we love to get. Yeah, but how long did you try it for? And not less than a lot. I mean. So like fly fishing, you guys have, you guys are athleticism. If you have any kind of athleticism or like, yeah, fuck yeah, we are. If you have any kind of coordination, like you got to be doing it for a few hours and you get the hang of it. Yeah. Okay. It's just like a rhythm

thing. It's just a rhythm thing. And you're, and like, I think you just have to, you have to like, like as if you would use a club or use a stick, you'd use the rod, right? Yeah. You don't want to like over, use your arm. Right. So you would guys. This is a moronic question, I think. But is, is the process literally just to get it out? Or are you, like is that when you're catching the fish as it lands? It's both. You're getting it out there and you're, and it's like a presentation. Okay.

Or the fish. It's like, so like the way you, so the way you like bring it back and like launch it back out there and the way it lands on the water. Yeah. Will help you catch it. Okay. If you do it. If you do it right. But then when you get it all the way out, you're just pulling it back in. Well yeah. Then you're like, usually, usually you're in a river, right?

So like it when you're, when it's going down river like this, you have to basically have you cast it 45 and then you mend it. So when you're, like you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, the line you do this thing where you like go like this against against the river where it it causes the line the line in the in the uh the fly on the hook to kind of like make this like jerk the twitch mode so it presents like it's a fly on top of the water so they come and they hit it and then do you make your own no i i mean i used to do a little bit when i was younger my dad did yeah sure he's the outdoors man right yeah he knows how to do it but yeah it's it's like tedious that's pretty sick yeah it's cool though yeah oh my god but i mean you're you're

We don't have time for that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I agree. Just set me up. Yeah, yeah. Okay, here's your last one, but I don't even have a past shoot score for it because I can't find you ever mentioning anyone else ever. So I just want to talk rappers real quick. Okay.

I know you love Eminem. I do. We love Eminem. Yeah. My girl goes hard on Eminem. She's like on the treadmill. Everyone thinks she's like listening to country. She's actually just banging.

Banging Evan. Yeah. Hit me with your top three, top five. Just let's talk rappers real quick. Or Eminem song. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you gotta have like Eminem, you gotta go like Tupac, Biggie. Yep, yeah.

I mean, I even think like Nipsey Hustle too. Yeah. Is it there? I love that. I think he was so good, man. I, that was devastating. I remember when he was on, uh, what the fuck is that young list that comes out like every year.

He was on like the cover of XXL magazine. It was XXL. Yeah, Brian. I got that right. Do you do sell? I got that. There he is. He was on the cover of XXL's like new generations.

class. I know what I already know what picture you're talking. Yeah, yeah. And I, I remember him coming out and I was like this dude rips and fucking A man. Yeah, that was that was and then you got to go like, I mean, I think just like those like, like I mean, I love that old school like NWA like Ice Cube. Like those guys are all like the OGs. Yeah. Yes. Yeah, you do OG. You're OG guy rapper. Well, it's different. I mean, the newer guys, I'm trying to think who. Kendrick's good. Kendrick's good. Wizz. Yeah. Drake's obviously Drake. Yeah. Drake's. Drake. Drake has bangers. Yeah.

You know? I find now, or at least in my opinion. Drake's best summer, though, was like, was it like, 2014, maybe? Yeah, that sounds about, you know what I'm talking about? That guy. What was it? When, like, came out with, like, back to back? Yeah.

Yeah. Like, that summer, that summer, he was like, that was, I was like, he's the guy. It was every song in the radio. Every. Yeah. And I was. Jesus Christ.

Yeah. And I was going out a lot, too, at that time. And it was like, every time you heard it was like, Drake is just banging right now. Yeah, but I don't know. They go in waves now, more now. I think they did back. Like back then, these guys were the guy for so, like, Lil Wayne does Carter 3 and I'm like, he's literally the best rapper I've ever heard.

And then it's gone and someone else. But I put Eminem right up there with like Tupacupac and those guys. Oh, 100%. He's so talented. He's on that Mount Rushmore. Oh, yeah. So talented. Snoop, too.

He's right up there too. He's got to be up there. Yeah. Just because of how long he's been doing it, I think. Incredible. So, yeah. I think those guys are probably good loss. Yeah.

That's a good OG list. Yeah, it is. All right, dude, we've taken up so much of your time. You just smashed that pass shoot score. So before we- Actually, even before this really quickly, you have to look into camera and say what up to our mutual friend, Johnny Lazarus. Oh, he texts me today, actually. He's like, heard you're going to be on the show.

He's going to be watching. Yeah, and I wanted you to say what up to him. So give him a quick one. What's up, Johnny Lazarus, you big pigeon? God, that went perfectly. But yeah, before we sign off, is there anything you want to shout out? anyone you want to say what up to? Yeah, like what are you up to?

What's summer looking like? Other than our future golf trip. Yes. No, I mean, summer's just being a dad right now, golfing, hanging out with friends. I mean, that's pretty much it.

I'm not playing anymore. Okay. I am retiring. Is that, is that, did we just break news? Did you just, I guess I, I mean,

I haven't like officially announced anything. So yeah, I guess. Yeah, this is it. That's an incredible moment. Yeah. That's a break. Speaking news, Nate is retiring from the NHL on the empty news podcast. Unbelievable career.

Wow. Yeah. Yep. Um, so that's new, obviously. How, but just real quick on that. Yeah. I mean, dude, you are, we can talk more. A kid.

Well, just like you're a kid from Alaska, you know, you get into hockey, Gomer, all that stuff. 844 games later, dude. Like, what does that feel like? It's, I mean, sometimes I guess, have to pinch myself a little bit sometimes because it's, you know, I never dot in my wildest dreams I'd play this long. have this long of a career. Yeah, yeah. And even, you know, last year, you know, played in Ontario in the American

league still be able to play like, like, I think I still get over 1100 professional games. Yeah. It's like, you know, just, it's just wild to, you know, like I said, when I was younger, I remember telling my mom like when I was like four or five, like, I want to play hockey someday. I want to play in the NHL and she'd kind of be like. Okay, buddy.

Okay. Okay. Yeah. Go do your fucking homework. Go back to bed. Yeah. Like, you know, to say that I wanted to do it and I did it for long as I can. It's a big accomplishment.

It's really cool. And it's funny. You talk about Gomer. Like I actually called him after I decided and like told him like, you know, I'm going to do it and stuff. And he got like, he got emotional. Yeah. Which was cool. It was really cool, you know, to have a guy like that that I looked up to and him, you know, be proud of another Alaskan, you know, even with a career he had and stuff.

So it was, it was awesome. I love how you mentioned that you've talked to sway because it is, that's such a cool thing of. the passing of the tour. Yeah, yeah. There's always an Alaskan guy in the league that's doing it right. Yeah, no, 100%. I mean, I think it's just, you know, there's good people up there in Alaska, right? And, you know, we don't want any bad guys from our state.

Soiling the name, you know. What he's not telling us is that they have a system where when someone's coming up through the ranks is a piece of shit. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But like, no, Sway is, you know, great kid, works hard, really good goalie.

I think he's going to be a stud. Me too. I honestly think he's going to be a stud. Yeah. think I are, I mean, he's going to be, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's going to be their guy. Yeah. Yeah.

Um, so yeah, I mean, it's, uh, yeah, I mean, I guess I'm just humbled, right? It's, it's, it's been such a long, crazy career and journey and, you know, so many different stops, so many other experiences, it's just, it's well, but at the same time, like hockey is giving me so much, like, I mean, a lot of the stuff that I've have and gone through or whatever I've done is because of hockey. Sure. So it's, I mean, it's. I mean, the doc kind of just comes full circle, right?

Yeah, what a ride. What's Gomer up to these days? Umar is just being Gomer, you know? Yeah. Where's, is he in Jersey or where's? No, he's, uh, he's got a place down here actually. He's in San Diego and then he's got his place in New York too. And he still goes back to Alaska as well.

Nice. He kind of bounces it around. Gomer, Gomer does Gomer. Yeah. That checks out. And you're here, you're here till September when you go back up for the Hall of Fame. Yeah. Well, then.

I got something lined up too. I can't say anything when I'm going to be doing yet. But something cool. But something I'm still going to be involved in the game. Good, good, good. Yeah. So I'll start that in the fall as well. So yeah.

Yeah. Well, when you can talk about that, we'll let us get you back out. I'll definitely know what's going on. Beautiful. I love it. So, all right. Well, dude, we can wrap it up here and then get on to our other stuff. But thanks so much.

Yeah, thanks, what an absolute blast. This was fun. Yeah. Incredible. We'll do it again. Oh, yeah. Definitely do it again. Oh, yeah.

For sure. For sure. Thank you.