Empty Netters Podcast - 86. Nathan MacKinnon is the best player in the NHL w/ Ross Colton

Episode Date: April 8, 2024

Ross Colton of the Colorado Avalanche joins the podcast! The boys talk about his crazy journey to making it to the NHL and partying with the Stanley Cup during COVID. Ross breaks down his unique experience of playing with future hall of famers in both Tampa Bay and Colorado. He explains why Nathan MacKinnon is undoubtedly the best player in the league, and how the boys in Colorado are hungry for another championship. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuf52MHW1O7guPMzsMvv2kA FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/empty.netters/?hl=en FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@empty.netters   (0:00) - Intro (0:52) - Start of Interview (2:18) - First Signed Jersey in the Office (3:53) - MacKinnon Home Point Streak (5:25) - Growing Up in New Jersey (6:27) - Prep School Life (9:11) - Leaving Prep for the USHL (11:02) - Trying to Decommit (13:30) - Transitioning to the Pros (18:08) - Growing Up with Strict Parents (22:40) - Getting Drafted to the NHL (26:25) - Winning the Stanley Cup in 2021 (28:44) - First NHL Goal (29:44) - Scoring the Cup Clinching Goal (33:52) - Playing with Legends of the game (35:47) - Boat Parade (39:22) - Getting Traded to Colorado (48:58) - The Current Playoff Race (54:02) - Playing with Mackinnon (56:53) - Pass, Shoot, Score Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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What's up, squad today on the Empty Netters podcast. We've got Ross Colton joining the show. Such a fun time ripping over to Denver, checking out the Aves facility, meeting all the people there. And Roscoe is one of the coolest dudes in the world. I know we say this all the time, but that's just the reality of the NHL. These guys are the best. But I said the second we finished this interview, if there's anyone I could think of that I could have played with in my career that I know I would have been best friends with, it's Ross Colton. He's just the coolest kid in the world.

Has such a unique perspective of playing with Tampa, winning a cup, playing with legend. over there and then moving to the abs and seeing these other cup winning legends as well. Such a cool episode. Awesome guy. Can't wait for you to enjoy it. Let's let it rip. All right. We are hanging out in Denver right now with a member of the Hockey East all-rooky team with the UVM Catamounts, a USHL first team all-star, a Robbinsville native, the 118,

overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft and most importantly a Stanley Cup champion Ross the boss Colton welcome to the empty netters podcast thanks for having me boys I'm excited be honest with me you have never been in this locker room in your life I have not been no I didn't I didn't I know this locker room existed before five minutes ago so for the listeners we are at the Ave's practice facility and we are in one of the public locker rooms and when we were getting set up we were like I can't wait to get set up in the locker room, see all the boys set up, and then here we are. And the first thing I thought, I was like, there's no way Ross has been in here.

Because some teams want us in, like, the media room. Sometimes we want us in the locker room because they're like, show everybody in facilities. And they're like, you guys are going to be in here. And I was like, okay. That's surprising. I think I should have maybe put you guys in contact with him a little earlier. But I didn't think we weren't at practice. So I think if we didn't have practice, we were in that room.

That's true. That's true. I think that's on us, though, to be perfectly honest. Dude, I think, too, this is extra cool for us because you were the first jersey ever to hang in our office back in L.A. Yeah, that is true. Yeah, so that's pretty sick. Shout out Sam for a hookup. Yes.

We go way back. Dude, you know what's really funny? I think we have now probably 10 signed jerseys in the office. Literally one of them is still relevant. And we got like 10 jerseys. And then last summer, everyone got traded or signed with a new team. And I was like, oh, fuck. Yeah, it's like a Taylor Hall Bruins, Dutchy predators.

Yeah. Killer is up there. There's just so many now. And yours is obviously one of them, too. It's funny. Everybody's moved on. Yeah, ridiculous. People are growing up.

Ridiculous. Yeah, it's true. We've got to get another one. It's unbelievable. Before we really dig in how piss was Nate Dogg that his point street got broken last night. I think he was a little disappointed. I'm not going to lie. The whole bench was a little disappointed.

Yeah. Fuck you. Looking back on it, I think he should have got the assist, no? Yes, dude. I'm assuming you guys have watched it nine times as well as we all did. I was clearly an assist. Losing my shit on Twitter. That happened and I was like, oh, thank fucking God.

And then I saw they ripped it away. And I hopped on the bird and was like, this is a travesty, the likes of which we've never seen. I can't believe it. If I were him, I would have been in the locker room after that game, like tough lost boys. but what the fuck. We always joke in Beer League, like, I hate the dude that's being like,

I had that secondary, you know, I was shut up, dude. But in this case, I was like, yo, dude, that's an assist. I mean, when you watch it, you pat, low to high, shot. Clearly the D-Man's not trying to put it in his own net, so it's unintentional off him in the net. The amount of times, whether it goes off the goalies pat, some guy's stick comes to you, because then you get the assist. Every time.

They're claiming that, I guess, he had possession of it, and that's how it went in the net. I don't, I'm not buying. Can it be appealed still or it's just it's over? I think it's over. And at this point... I think they did appeal it because you can do that. Yeah, yeah.

You'd think the league would want him to... Like, let's grow the game a little bit. Say, oh, keep the street going. Exactly. Something that's unintouchable. You know Kutcherov got in there somehow. You think he's in the mix? Yeah, that's happening.

You can make a phone call, dude. This might be the inside agent. It's unbelievable. You know he has Russian spies helping out somewhere. That's so good. That's so good. All right, so we said before we started recording, but New England guys, some of them prep guys, you are too. I want to ask something about those early teen years of your career, right?

So you do two years at Princeton Day, year at Taft, two USHL, like Dan was saying, then you go to UVM. And my favorite part about the whole thing, and I thought, if I have this right, is you leave Taft because you're like, you were a junior, right? that year. And then but you're like, okay, I might get better looks, USAHL, so I'm going to go. So you go there, commit to UVM, try to decommit because you lit it up. This is a year, too. You're like, actually, I'd like to go somewhere even sicker. Then after two years at UVM, you're like, I'm going to come back. Actually, never mind, I'm signing with Tampa.

So a lot of indecision, man. So talk me through all those inflection points in the early stages. I guess it was always tough because just growing up, I mean, New Jersey hockey is obviously good. There's some good players, but I don't know, you get to each level. You think, okay, maybe just I need a little more exposure, a little more exposure, just want to play with better guys. And my two years of Prince and Day were great because I was fortunate enough to play with my brother. So awesome. I didn't get to play.

I mean, I think the last time I played with him was when we were like mites or squirts or something like that. So that was special for my family. You know, my parents, they got to come to all the games. But then after two years, kind of ran its course. So decided, okay, wanted to do the prep route because it's not like nowadays, kids are getting recruited out of Oh, my God, dude. Yeah. hockey where kind of had to seek it out a little bit more so decided on Taft again went there that

was one of the tougher years just you know academically first time being away from home had to get a little adjusted to that yeah talk about that for a second because I actually you know as all prep school guys I love the fascination with that dilemma because it's so different for so many people some guys get there and they're like hell yeah I'm away from you know my parents, maybe they were a little too overbearing. I didn't have that great of a friend group. And other guys get there and they're like, this sucks, dude. It's like, you get that 10 p.m. curfew and you can't.

I heard you say on a block party is a guy that you were like, sending your laundry to coach, you know, he's like, dude. Guys were doing that. I don't think I was one of those guys, but some guys were definitely doing that. And I guess I was just like those early years of, you know, I had a good group of friends back home, like, you know, and, you know, they start to, you know, party a little bit. Friday nights, guys are going out, hanging out, and, you know, Friday night I was in my bed at

nine o'clock. We had school the next morning, and that it was just like. And people have friends already. Like, you know what I mean? You come in as a junior and everyone's got their crew, yeah. And looking back on it, like, I think, you know, not that I'm not stupid, but I'm not the, you know, Brainiac. So Taff was obviously a little bit of adjustment for me.

For sure. When I went, the coach was like, we're just going to put you with a random student because he didn't want me to room with other hockey guys because he thought that I would, like, get distracted. Yeah. So, like, three of my best, the guys that I became best buddies with were all in, like, a triple together, you know, staying up late, hanging out. You know, playing video games. I'm in my room with some kid.

Nice guy, but just, we had, we had literally negative in common. So it's like, I'm with Stephen Clansberg. No, literally. Yeah, it was Nikki Merrill. Shout out, Nikki. Yeah, Nicky. Great kid. And, like, he was fine.

We didn't, like, butt heads or anything. But just, like, we literally had zero. I might have said, I might have said eight words to him the entire year. And I got to sleep in, you know, the bed next to him. Yeah. So looking back, that was one mistake that I think I would have flourished a little bit more if I was with those guys. Just because, you know, but I get where the coach was obviously coming from.

Yeah. Yeah. And it's funny because looking back on it, the hockey ataph was good, but, you know, I think a lot of guys were there for different reasons. I think, you know, some guys are just there because it's prep school, you know, they could afford it and, you know, they want to go there and get a great education to go on. And there wasn't, there was only a couple of guys that I would say were really there for, like, just to make it in hockey.

Just the hockey. You know, there's obviously other schools, but, you know, my parents were saying, hey, get the best of both worlds. Do we were at Exeter andover and like, same thing? Like, we were there for sports and very few people are there just for that. Listen, I get it. And to each throne, but the most fun I had was baseball season came around and I was on the baseball time. I heard you were pretty nice, dude.

Oh, it was okay. I wasn't anything. My dad was a great baseball player, so I think that's where I got that from. But, like, baseball was like normal. I didn't stress about hockey. and I was like, I was finally having a little bit of fun. And then once that ended, I just decided the coach of the USHL team that drafted me, like came out to my house and, like, convinced my, really my dad was like, yeah, like,

you're going, you're going. And my mom was more like, well, maybe she should. We want you to get your education. Shout up moms. Yeah, no, literally. She was looking out for me. Like, mom, you live with Nikki for a year to talk to me. Yes.

See how you fucking like you. Exactly. And so that was, that was a little bit of convincing. thing on just to get her to kind of say, okay, it's all good. And when I went there, Taft, again, it's like a castle. It's beautiful. Like, oh my goodness. And we drove out there and I went to Cedar Rapids, Washington at the school. And I'm not kidding. We pulled up. She was in tears. We drove out there, first day out there, in tears. Just haven't even gone in the school yet, just because it was nothing wrong with it, but it was just going to this parents. You go from in hundreds of year old New England

prep school. Yes. prestigious everything to, I mean, the school was fine. And I think day, day three or four, two chicks fighting in the hallway. And I'm literally like, where am I? Hell, yeah. Like, that was my first, like, real, like, oh, I got to look in the mirror here. Yeah. This is going to be a battle.

Oh, that's a lot. God damn awesome. It was a little adjustment, I would say. That's amazing. But the prep school years were awesome. I think it really teaches you how to, you know, become a man and kind of the time management thing of, you know, you're not. For sure. Free periods and, you know, get your homework done during the day that you can kind of do stuff after school, which was good.

Yeah. Yeah. So, but were you, so, you know, you're here. We're sitting at the avalanche practice facility with you were on the team. Everything worked out. But when you look back on those like, oh, I'm going to leave Taft, go to USHL, ooh, I'm going to try to decommit, but I end up UVM. Oh, I'm going to stay two years, maybe come. Like all those moments.

Yeah. Are you like, no regrets. Everything, wouldn't change a thing? Or you like, damn, I wish I had gone somewhere else. I wish I had stayed every year. I would say early on, definitely no regrets. Like the leaving the PDS, the Taft to USHL, all that was perfect. The first I would say really like big, big decision was I was trying to decommit.

And that was just, again, I had a really strong second year. We had a really good team. I had two great line mates that still play today, like in the NHL and stuff. So I don't know. I just signed my NLI a little too early. And I, you know, I fell in love with Vermont when I originally. It was gorgeous. I visited the, like, campus was awesome.

I loved the lake and stuff. Yeah. What kind of sold me was I went during, I want to say it was winter break, and it was sold out. Yeah, Packed Barn anyway. And I'm like, there was no students there. And I'm like, so I can only imagine once this is going to be like when there's students on campus. And then, I don't know, I did well. And that was one of the most awkward phone calls I ever heard to make was I called the coach.

And I called him on like just a Tuesday night. You didn't answer. So I just sleep on it. Calls me back like 8 a.m. we have like a 20 minute conversation. He's like, okay, what's up? You called me. You called me because you're so excited. And I was like, and we were just shooting the shit about hockey and everything. And, you know, he was really nice. But I was just like, yeah, I'm actually calling because I want to decommit. And he was like, why? And I was just like, ah, I just don't think this is the right fit.

And he was like, okay, you'll be hearing from us. And then I had to go through the whole appeal process and clearinghouse or whatever it's called. And they didn't let me out. And I was going to go to Penn State. Yeah, right. I heard exactly. I did want to go to Penn State, like, so bad. Because how long had they had they gone to DeLine? I think it was like one or two years. It was very, very fresh. So it would have been, that could have been sick.

Yeah. But I would say looking back, it honestly worked out better just because I was kind of the, you know, big fish at Vermont and just did my two years and got out when I needed to. Whereas I think if I went to a bigger school, you know, early on, I probably would have been, you know, lower on the pole. And I probably would have. probably would have done more use. And I think the due in the two years and getting out when I did was exactly what I'm doing. How seriously were you thinking of coming back for three? Because I didn't sign until summer.

Yeah. I think it was just, I was kind of nervous. Like, I, without this sounding terrible, like, I honestly think I got worse that sophomore year of college. Just our team, nothing again. Like, we weren't really that. We weren't great. We weren't great.

My freshman year, we were awesome. And we had a really good senior class. And I just think my second year, I just, we weren't great. I wasn't getting, it's something I got worse. I just, I guess I wasn't getting better. Sure. That I remember that call from, you know, I want to say it was the Tampa Scout that just said, we think you should leave. You know, we want you to, we think you could take that next step. And I think I was just maybe a little nervous of maybe I wasn't ready. But yeah, then I went home. I started training and I was like, okay, like, I'm ready. Yeah. I'll be fine. And it was honestly the best decision. Amazing. Yeah. Because that coach in Syracuse is like the man. Yeah, yeah. Ben grew, like the man. Yeah. I was so pet to him my first year. Like, I would get a pit in my stomach going to the rink. Like, because there was eight of us that he was. Yeah. like pick on, but he only did it because he saw that. Yeah, it made you better.

We could get better. Yeah. It worked out. When you found out that you were going back to UVM, was there, like when you tried to decommit, you're like, no, you couldn't get out. Yeah. Was that a quick, did you just flip the switch in your mind? You were like, okay, I'm going.

Like, time to focus in or lock in, or was there a period where you were kind of like, fuck, like, I really wanted to go to Penn State? Yeah. I wanted a different scenery. How did that mental transition period go for you? Are you saying, like, originally, like, when it happened? or like after the two years. No, originally.

Originally. Right when you found out that you couldn't decommit, you had to go to UVM. Yeah. I think it was like a little awkward because I was like, okay, are these guys going to hold... Are they going to hold this against me?

Yeah, definitely. Originally, I thought they did because when I got on campus, I wish I had a picture of this dorm room that I lived in. Like, I was a basement dungeon. Yeah. My one other...

It's Nicky's there, too. What the fuck? He's haunting. Yeah, that's how they punch for me with him. Actually, Nicky's coming to. Yeah, too. And the thing that always surprised me, looking back on it, was like the way, like I, my buddies went to all these big schools and, you know, they're telling me they're getting every meal

catered, their gyms are amazing, like in Vermont. Like, I guess the funds aren't as, you know, flown as these, you know, schools with basketball. I guess we had a basketball team, but, you know, football and all these other sports. Sports like North Dakota where they put you in spaceships. Yeah, exactly. Like, we, like, I'm eating dining hall meatloaf the night before. Yeah, Vermont. Number one, BU is coming to town.

And, like, you know, I guess once it happened, I was like, I would never, like, I gave it my all. Like, I obviously want to be there. I'm still best friends with, you know, some of the guys that I went there with. So it all worked out. But there was maybe a little regret at times. I'm not going to lie. People ask all the time when you see pipelines, it's like, obviously it happens with siblings all the time. Someone goes to B.U.BC.

The younger brother goes to B.C. But it happens all the time with guys who have just played together for a long time. You see it right now with BC and the boys like Ryan, Smitty, and Perrault all played the U.S. development program. It's just funny because it's like, that's it. That's the word of mouth. And people are like at Michigan and they're like, dude, the facilities here are. Unbelievable. It makes sense when the guys you played with who are maybe a year below, you are like, I'll go to Michigan.

Who you got in Frozen 4 this year? I'm watching it off. I watched that game yesterday. I kind of wanted UMass to pull that one out. Not that I know I'm in Denver now, but I don't know. Just watching the game. It would have been cool to see. upset but I mean I haven't followed college hockey as great I would like to see like

maybe Maine going to run just I know they lost but like that would have been pretty cool but yeah I'm assuming it's going to be what like BU BC I mean Denver's great yeah BUBC yeah yeah yeah what about like no DAC or Michigan are they solid yeah one of those Michigan State's got the edge on Michigan this year really yeah and I think a node X good yep yeah good but I it does look like I mean I I don't I I've learned this lesson many times. You never bet against Denver. Yeah.

It looks like we're at a crash course for BCBU, which would be a lot. It would be sick. I always love, you know, talking about all these like USHL, college and stuff like that. I love talking about people's journeys, and they're also different. Yeah, definitely. You get so many people who come from a hockey family. They know people, whether it's nepotism or just good connections, people get into the development program.

They get a pipeline into a college. I love stories like yours because you obviously come from a net, athletic family, like you mentioned, dad was a baseball player, your mom was a great basketball player, brother is an athlete as well, and you've definitely not had the most traditional or easiest route. You know, it's like you went to a bunch of different schools, as you said. You were a lower pick for the USHL draft. You were a fourth round pick in the NHL, and you've just had to battle every step of the way to get to where you are. How often do you look back at the days in the driveway ripping pucks and your dad wearing a catcher's chest protector and a catcher's mitt with your

brother and look back at that and realize how important that was for you and why it's made you the player you are, the person you are, and how you are here today with the Stanley Cup champion ring. Yeah, no, I definitely do. And it's actually funny to say that because my parents were just here this past weekend for like a little bit. And we went to dinner the other night and we were laughing about like some of the stories that went on and how I got to here.

And there was one where like, because not that my parents were like strict or anything, but they just wanted like what was best for like my brother. and they weren't big on, like, us, like, drinking or going out. And they were saying one where, like, I think it was, like, 15 or 16. And, like, I had a game the next morning. And one of my, a girl had, like, a sweet 16. And they were saying they didn't let me go, my mom had to call the girl's mom on the morning of the sweet 16 because they said they didn't want me to get home late because I had a game the next morning.

And I'm, I was making fun of it. It was, like, youth hockey. Like, guess what? I could have probably missed the game, and I would have been fine. And let alone, like, you guys were, like, that strict about. Meanwhile, I was social suicide at school. Exactly. I was like, showed up there like, we'd show up, Ross.

I was like, the fact, like, I didn't know that that was going on back then, but I guess like everything they did was just good and, you know, out of good heart. And they just wanted what was for the best of us. Thank God you made it, though. Yeah, exactly. And the stuff that we missed out on, like, it's kind of crazy to see. But, yeah, I mean, I didn't have the most traditional route. And I guess I kind of was always looked at as like maybe an underdog.

and that always just kind of gave me, you know, more motivation. And for a long time, I never really thought, you know, it was always just get, like we talked about before the stepping stones. Like, okay, I just want to play at a higher level. And then prep school was okay, I just want to, you know, get a scholarship and go to college. And then I would say once I got to that second year in the USHL was kind of when my coach, Mark Carlson, sat me down, it was like, hey, you could play in the NHL. Like if you take this seriously and you do the right steps and kind of treat your body right and, you know, be a pro, you actually have a shot. that was kind of when I was like, okay. When that conversation happened, were you taken aback?

Were you like, oh, shit? Or were you thinking that in the back of your head the whole time? I was probably a little taken back. I think it was kind of once the season got going on that I was doing well. And that was like, because when I got drafted, it was my third year of the draft. So, like, I was passed over for two years. And, you know, my buddies on the team were getting drafted the year before. And I was like, that's pretty cool.

Like, I'm kind of jealous. Yeah. Yeah. So, like, in the summer, I'm working hard. But it's still never. like clicked. I never spoke to an NHL scout until that second year in the OSHL. And then once he said that it was kind of like, oh, crap, like, okay, I need to take this very serious. Yeah. So, yeah, it's always cool to hear. But even, you know, just anybody could tell you, hey, we think he could,

you know, get drafted. And even once you're drafted, obviously, you see, like, you're not even close yet. So there was still plenty of steps after that, that it was like, okay. And I think that first, like, once I got to Syracuse, I still didn't think I was going to make it. Like, and that was a big look in the mirror. Do you think that's helped you? Like, I'm curious, because I know your brothers, I mean, most competitive, most professional athletes are,

but I hear your brother say all the time and articles how competitive you are. And do you think not being a super high pick at every level and grinding in the A for a little bit has helped because you're never take it for granted and you're always trying to improve. Is that a factor? Yeah, definitely it is.

And, you know, I feel like what was best for me, especially was just when I got to the American League, that coach was big on like, hey, I'm just going to be honest with you. Like, you're not going to be, like, if you want to make it, you're not a skill guy. And like, okay, you're like, okay, wow. Because, you know, you grow up, everybody could score. Yeah, you're a score.

You know, you're top six, but it's like there's these guys, Kooch, Nate, like those are your top six. Like, if you want to, he was like, if you want to make it, he always said, like, play like Yanni Gord. Like, he was a big Yonigord guy. Like, he loved how he grinded, he killed penalties, he won faceoffs. So that's kind of who he wanted me to, like, emulate my game after.

And so I was like, okay, so, like, I remember just watching clips. He would show me clips of him. And, like, I think that's what helped me make the team that next year was because, again, like, I just needed to come in my first year fill a role. So once Tampa needed that role filled, it was just perfect. Yep. And training for this, yeah. And there's a lot of guys who, I'm just, it's being honest, like, their games can't, they do well in the American leave. They do well in college, but they can't play that bottom six role.

and I think that's what kind of helped jumpstart my career definitely. Amazing. Yanni leaves and Ross is like, my eyes light up. Oh, no. Oh, that's fucking great. On the topic of the draft, dude, you didn't go. I did not know. And I got to know.

I mean, obviously, whether it be superstitious reasons, people in your camping, like, listen, you might not get drafted. You don't want to go and waste your time, blah, blah, blah. How much of you is like, fuck me. I wish I had gone. Well, now I definitely wish I would have went, like, now that we're sitting here talking about it, but, like, even that day, I didn't even know if I was going to get drafted or not, which, like, I don't know, I don't, like, fourth round is, like, not the seventh round. Yeah, dude. Like, I would have loved to be that if I knew I was going to get picked that high.

Also, I need people, like, getting drafted in the fourth round is so high. Didn't you? You are in the 0.002% of hockey players on earth, and you're going going in the fourth round. Didn't you say your parents were, like, doing yard work? Yeah, it was funny. Walk us through that day. I genuinely love these stories. You know, obviously, if you're sitting there in the front row and you're like, I'm

going to be a top five thing, it's way different. What, give me everything about that day. Like when the phone rang, were you like, oh, fuck? Or were you like, this is my buddy calling me if I want to gas beers in the driveway. Yeah, so, well, I remember we went to a party that night before, so I was on the couch a little hungover. I'm not going to lie. And, again, she was pissed.

Yeah, she was probably pissed. She was probably pissed. went out or it wasn't at home. But, and my agent had texted me, I guess he was my advisor at the time, was just like, hey, like, you know, you can go, but, you know, we don't know if you're going to get picked, and, you know, that would suck. And it was in Buffalo, too, so it really wouldn't have been a bad drive. Like, it would have been easy to go to, but, I mean, I knew where he was coming from.

And so I remember I just was sitting on the couch. Like I said, my mom, I think, was pacing around the backyard, and I was just watching the TV. and my advisor text me. It was like, you're going to Tampa, baby. And then two seconds later, Stacey Rose called me and was like, hey, Ross, like, we just took you, whatever. But once my agent texted me, like, I'm like, fuck it right, it's like, popped up.

We were all hugging. I think my mom was crying. I'm sure everybody was crying. She's like, start drinking, start drinking. Yeah, literally. Dad hops off the lawnmower. Yeah, exactly. I'm sure they were just trying to pace

just to kind of take their minds off of it. But again, I think I said this before, like, I didn't know Tampa was going to draft me at all. Like, I thought I was going to go, I think, like, Buffalo or Chicago and maybe like the fifth or six round or seven, something like that. I talked to Tampa like once during the year, and then someone from them called me like three days before the draft and asked me, are you coming to the draft? Oh, shit. That probably should have been a sign. What the hell? I can't believe you had that piece of information.

I know. That's probably my bad. I say that now. He literally called me. The conversation might have been 20 seconds. Ross, this is so-and-so. I don't forget who it was. And he was like, are you coming to the draft next week?

And I was like, no. And he was like, okay, he might ask me something else. That was it. It was like 30 seconds. Dude. I was so on your side until 10 seconds ago, dude. I didn't want to get my hopes up. But looking back that, I should have been right after that,

we're going. We're going. We had the conversation with the advisor right before. Then he gets that call and he's like, fuck you, you douche bad. Yeah. I'm not going to. They're trying to publicly humili myself.

trying to publicly humiliate me. They hate me. Yes, exactly. I feel like you would have because you have some nice fits coming into games. I feel like you would have fucking dafted up for the job. Back then, probably not. Maybe not back then. Back then I didn't have any style. I was back that was just wearing like the Lulmon fans. It would have been like the old taft blazer or something. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, right. Well, anyway, your rookie year, you hit some epic milestones when you get to the big club. It's like, I think you're the ninth lightning player in history to score on their debut. Only you and Kooch have a game winner in their debut, pretty sick. And then fast forward to the summer, game five, baby. I think it's seventh rookie ever to score a cup clinching goal. And five of them are like 1918, you know, like two second rookie ever, modern era. So just tell us a little bit about, you know, the whirlwind

that was that season. I'm sure blacking out in that moment, your wake up after the cup party with your brother. And please tell me what the hell, Kut. got up to you after that press conference yeah so just give us a crash course on that so I guess it started with like that summer I really thought because they won obviously and then that was COVID so it was like 10 months of training and I actually really like I took that really serious you know it was just me and my brother at home like he was kind of he was training with me and then obviously I was back and forth from the gym every day and you know skating five six times a week so like I really wanted to use that time to like my advantage and I remember going to camp and I thought I had like a really really good camp like we had a couple

scrimmages I think had a couple goals yeah um me and this other guy were like battled for a spot I remember I like dropped him in one of the inner squad games which was probably like I probably shouldn't have done that but like I was like I don't really care yep and um we went in the for my exit meeting or whatever and I'm like okay like walking into him like he's going to tell me I'm making this team like there's no way I didn't deserve a spot and he's like pumping me up pump me up and I'm wearing a mask and behind the mask I'm like okay he's pumping me up too much like like he's pumping me up too much Like, here comes the butt. And then he's like, but, you know, we're going to send you down.

And remember, like, that was one of the first times I probably cried for, like, not, like, something family-related. Like, I was just so emotional. I was like it was such a long, like being home, stuck at home. Like, and I felt like I just did everything I could. I thought I deserved it. But I was like, all right, you know, screw it. Got to go to Syracuse again. And but it was fortunate enough.

I was there for, like, three weeks and kind of went down there with the right mindset of same thing. Like, let's just try and get better. Yep. got called up, me and another guy, and we couldn't fly commercial because of COVID, so they PJed us down there, which was like pretty sick. First time on a PJ. And like, I remember it was like a three-seater. Like, we'd see the cockpit.

It was like a snowstorm. I was like, my hands were sweating the whole time. It was like, you would hate that. Harvulence was so bad. And like, you know, you see everything like you're dropping. And so that was pretty good. Like PJ sucked. Yeah, it's miserable.

Literally. I was like, I'll just take the Delta flight down there. But look, that was pretty cool just for, you know, you know, your first came to get PJ down there. And then, yeah. Never look back. First goal, I guess, was nice because, you know, not many fans in the stands. My parents were fortunate enough to come down there with, like, my grandma.

A couple of my buddies, my aunt and uncle, I think, came. And, again, that was just another, like, Victor Headman master class flying down the wall, kind of gifrat me a tap in. It didn't really, didn't really do anything and then get the credit for it. Yep. Hey, you'll take them. We'll take them. cool to say you get your first goal from a Hall of Famer.

So that was special. And then the whole season was just kind of like you said, I feel like I blacked out the whole thing. It was just so fast. I lived in the hotel for like nine months right on the water street there. Oh, sweet. Yeah. I remember the GM was like, yeah, Ross, this was like towards the end of the season.

Like, so where are you living now? And I was like, I'm still in the hotel. Still in the hotel. Like you guys haven't given me like a letter. Yeah. Like I don't even think they knew I was there at that point. Yeah. Which was kind of funny.

But I loved it because it was right on the water. you know, I had to DoorDash way too much. Yeah, but like looking back on, it was, you had a lot of Chipotle. Yeah.

And then playoffs happened, which were crazy. You know, those series were such battles, you know, Florida and who else? I forget, Carolina was pretty safe.

Islanders, Game 7 and then. Oh, my God, yeah. Same thing, Game 5 kind of, it was pretty cool because, you know, myself and David Savard

were like two of the guys that weren't on the team the year prior when they won. So for us to connect for that goal was pretty special, just to kind of, you know, know we're the new guys kind of helped out but um even before the game ended like even before it was for

sharing the winner where you like oh my god oh my god oh my god like after you scored yeah i feel like our shift was like five seconds before that and i scored and then i remember i was like all right i'm getting off the ice because like my heart was like you can't describe like my heart beating out of my chest like that there's that moment it just all happened so i wish you could like obviously slow it down and like sure but um it was that was probably like obviously top five moments of my life slash career I would say yeah I don't know getting drafted you know something like winning and then but being able to score that goal and then this sounds terrible but like after we scored like looking back on i feel like i was probably like no one else score yeah totally let's just win one nothing let's lock this

down like that sounds terrible to say but like no it's kind of cool to you know just be able to say i you know score that goal and um the the parade was yeah electric oh my electric is that is that the wake up in the hotel story? Yeah. Tell Dan that story. Yeah, that was like day. Well, because it's crazy because I feel like all the, like when these teams win now, it's kind of like, okay, just so you went on them Tuesday.

Let's have the parade like Thursday. So you don't have much time to like kind of be idiots. Yeah. But I think someone in our organization high up was get their daughter was getting married on like Friday. We won on like a Wednesday. So the parade wasn't until I think that Monday. So we had Wednesday night to Sunday night to Sunday night to.

party basically. Yes. So that's way too much time. In Tampa, no less. Blackout, basically. So, like, I remember by the end, I couldn't even talk. I definitely had COVID. Oh, yeah. And whole team. Oh, yeah. And one of the nights, I remember I was woken up on the floor of the hallway by security being like, sir, you can't be here, you got to go. And I'm like, in my raspy voice.

You're like, I'm on the lightning. I'm on the lightning. Like, I scored the goal. I was probably being like a total asshole, like, drunk idiot. And he was like, no, you're not. And I'm like, yes, I is. Like, that's my room. And I don't, I think he went down to the lobby because I probably just had like shorts on. Yeah. He came up and was like, okay, you're good.

And open the door for me. And my buddy's like passed out, like, naked on like the little futon. My brother's like face down in the one, because I had two beds. My brother was in the one bed. And I was like, okay, like this is. He's in the hallway. Yeah. I don't know how I ended up out there.

What the hell I was doing? I don't even want to know. I mean, dude, you were definitely bang in the day. door down and they were both just combate it's not opening the door. They tried to drag me in there, but that was those were all cool experiences just to have them and, you know, they all came down and kind of be able to live in. That's the best. The boat parade was honestly, like, that's the way to do it. So sick. It's so sick. I give those guys credit. The way they maneuver those boats, like there's so many of them, like we feel bad too. It's probably like a freaking half a million

dollar boat and we're trashing it. Like smoking cigars. He's throwing us beers. Like he's the man. I'm still really good. friends with the guy that took us out of it. That's awesome. He's really... I hate to even talk about this because I know you're a New York Giants fan, but as Brady guys, when he won in Tampa and watching him and Gronk chucking the trophy across the phone, I'm like, Jesus Christ.

No, that looks so sick. That was insane. Man, what, uh, there's obviously so many different examples of Vegas just winning, right? It's a newer team. It's kind of a, I don't want to say a rag tag collection, but obviously guys like Eichel, who's been on the team for a year and a half, some of the misfits who've been there for the full five or six. Yeah. What was it like coming up to a team like this who had already won a championship?

You're going for another one. And on top of that, you're playing with guys like Stammer and Hedman. Yeah. And Cooch, obviously, too. But, you know, I look at Stammer and Hedman as those, you know, top, top picks that were the cornerstones of this franchise rebuilding. Yeah. And the veterans and future Hall of Famers that they are, like, what is their presence like in the locker room, just day-to-day, helping you as a rookie and then just helping the whole team? Yeah.

No, it's pretty cool to see. And I've been fortunate enough even here in Denver, the same thing. For sure. Yeah, Taser, Kale. Landy's been awesome. Like, just these guys that are so good, like, obviously a little bit, you know, God-given. You know, they just have that natural talent. But the amount of extra work and, you know, I want to say with Stammer and even Nate,

like first guy's on the ice, last guy's off. Every optional day, like, he's out there working on stuff. that it's like, I don't know, just talking about like stammer and those guys. It was like he was such a calming presence. Like he knew what to say. He knew when to, you know, push guys or when he didn't need to. Like he's a leader for a reason. That's why he's won.

Heady was great. We had McDonough. But the one guy that I always like to give credit to was Pat Maroon. He was like so great for me. That's awesome. Just because when I came up, he was on my line. And we played together basically for my two years that I was there. And I remember he was just, you know, obviously he'd won,

but like two or, I guess, three in a row, but two before that. So he, like, just, when I got there, like, I was, like, Starstruck, like, oh, the big rig. Yeah. And then he's, like, the most down to earth, like, normal beauty, like, ever. And he would always just be, like, you know, hey, just play your game. Like, I don't give a shit, like, what you do. Like, I'll never get mad at you. Like, just play your game and just, that goes such a long, like being a rock.

He means a ton, dude. And that from him just to be like, hey, play your game, I'm never going to get mad of you. Like, that's like, it's not like you play with a guy that's, like, you make one mistake. What are you doing? And he was just very calming. And he was a guy that I remember when I first came in, I felt like I had to play a little physical. And he kind of gives you that extra kind of bit of confidence that, you know, you can go out there. You could hit somebody and you got Patty.

Yeah, yeah, right. Right. Yeah, right. Yeah, amazing. So. And real quick, how was it super emotional to be able to bring the cup home to Robbinsville? You know, I know they made it Ross Colton Day. Yeah.

No, that was pretty special. And it was actually funny because my phone broke during the parade because the first. the first six hours of the parade were awesome and then we went to do like the big I guess like I don't know what they were going to do I guess they were going to have like speeches and they had this whole thing set up and it literally like a monsoon happened

so I had my phone in my pocket we were all out there like just hugging the fans mingling with them like just being idiots and when I got back my phone was just completely water water water long it was just if I jumped in the river or whatever so I couldn't like plan anything and the next day we went in for I think to take picture

with the cup or something like that and the our like PR guy was like okay you're getting the cup Friday yeah you got a first right in Tuesday yeah so he was like you're getting the cup Friday and I'm thinking okay like I got a week and a half and he was like no like three days yeah three days and I was like well dude I wasn't even planned I might have not even left Florida yet so now I had to like plan my trip home and I remember I was using my mom's phone to like call people and like try and set everything up so like credits my parents they did a great job of like setting the whole thing up they were calling like the mayor and trying to do everything. So it was pretty cool. I took it to the local rink. I kind of gave it back to my coach who, you know, I still train with this summer, the kids

and fans. And then we went to the town, did it kind of, they called Ross Colton. Yeah. It was like 100 degrees and people were standing out in the blazing sun taking, I was like leaking sweat. Yeah. Yeah. And then we took it down the shore to where I live now and kind of got to hit the clubs. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Had the fun. But at that point I was like kind of like, so Oh, you're gassed. And I was like, looking back, that's why I would obviously love to win again, because now you know. Yeah, you know how to do your day. Good motivation. Yeah. Dude, our boy, Nate Thompson, he's a huge Stammer guy. And as always said, he's like, he's the best captain in the history of the league. What are a couple of things just quickly

that you could say about Stammer that would make someone say that that people wouldn't really expect? Yeah. That's tough. I mean, obviously, just being like a two-time cup champ. I feel like that's just the obvious answer. But I guess for me, just being my two years there, like you go into the locker room like that and he's, like we said, he's a future Hall of Famer.

He's won. But like just such a normal, down-to-earth, good guy. Like, he's a great dad. I love that. He acts around his kids. Like, he brings him in the room. Like, it was just so cool to see how he inter, like, I don't know, like, I guess for the normal person, you look up to this guy like he's not real.

Yeah. But then when you get to hang out, around him like he's just such a normal guy. Yeah. You know, he walks in. Like one of the first guy shook my hand and he needed anything. Like, you know, let me take you to dinner, stuff like that. That's so cool. It's like, oh my God. So that was the one thing.

Even like headman, same thing, McDonough. Yeah. Like those guys like, again, they're all world, but they're just such, they're class acts. I think that's the best word to put it. Perfect answer. It's a perfect answer. Going from Tampa, obviously, I mean, we've been talking about this whole time. Huge Tampa guys.

Like, such a fun place, such a great place. have your intro to the NHL. And it's interesting, you know, you're in a situation where you leave that city and that team, and there'd naturally be so many feelings of going, shit, you know, this is an amazing place to live, amazing place to play, what a good team, and then you come here. And it's like another unbelievable city, great place to play with equally iconic players, leaders, and just a very similar atmosphere. I think you have one of the most unique trade slash, you know, new team situations I've ever seen.

how has that transition been of going from Tampa, all those guys now to being here in Colorado with guys like Nate Dogg, like Landy, like Kale and Moose and all these guys who are just legends and then also there's still that sort of culture of winning excellence here. How's that been? No, it's been awesome. It's pretty crazy, obviously, we played these guys in the finals that there was a little, I feel like a little bad blood there. I have like two career fights. They're both against O.C. They're both against O.C. I love to. that OC played with one of my good buddies from Vermont, and he texted me, and he was like, you know, I know you guys fought twice, but watch, you guys will be like best buddies when you get

there, and he's been one of my best friends on the team. So that was pretty cool, and the whole trade was just kind of leading off to it, I kind of didn't know if I was going to get, I kind of knew I was, I just didn't know where. So then once it happened and found out I was here, I was super stoked, obviously. You and OC linking up on goals is always fun. It is the best. Like every time you see the clip, it's like, nice. It sounds like a mashup of like, it was like me and him fighting, and then they paned to like him scoring and like us like jumping into his arms.

Yeah. It's so cool. Cool to see. And he's the best guy. He really is. But yeah, it's been, it's, I've been fortunate, basically. Obviously, Tampa was great, but the city's awesome. The fans are amazing.

Yeah. Love the, love the city. Love going up to the mountains and stuff. And I've just, like I said, fortunate that the culture here is kind of the same, that it's, we're here to win. Yeah. Again, I don't know, I'm sure every team's like that, but we just, the guys in that room hold us to a certain standard that some stuff's unacceptable. I kind of like that.

And I'm not being biased, but, I mean, Nate is just, he's the best in the world. Yeah, God. A lot. He is. He is. He's the man. Like, yeah, I love it. But, like, nobody's better than him.

Like, you, I mean, I don't see McNavert enough, but, like, I mean, I don't see Mcnavitt enough, but like just Nate is it's unbelievable what he does out there It must be crazy to see it up close to the person Where you're like dude how are you doing this stuff It's insane I laugh thinking about the Like what we just talked about

Going from leaders like Stammer and Hedman To then Landy and Nate And like everything we've heard Is that Stammer is like he's just this calm Cool collected guy And Nate is so intense In the best way So that must have been a fun

Yeah it's definitely different It's cool to see like you said Stammer was calm, kind of led by example. Same thing with Hedy. Like, they didn't have to say much, but when they did say stuff, it definitely went a long way. Definitely. And Nate is, like you said, he's very intense.

And when he does, like, raise his voice or he says something, it's not out of, it might come across as he's angry, but it's just that he wants to win so bad. Yeah. That it's like, it's like, all right, like, I'm ready to run through wall type of thing. Yeah. So it's like, it's cool now that I've been in both scenarios to see,

I guess that's guys lead in different ways. So it's just a matter of the situation you're in. and I haven't been around Landy enough to, you know, kind of comment on him. Just, you know, obviously he's been hurt. But when he's around the room, you know, guys kind of, you know, lift up a little bit and listen when he does say stuff. So it's been nice to have him back around the team these last couple months and excited for him. I'm not sure when he's coming back. But, I mean, he's a great player.

He's a champion as well. I want him back so bad. I'm excited for to get on the nice with him. Have you been enjoying the city at all? I know we were talking earlier too, but, you know, Tampa, you're out walking Bayshore and sitting on the balcony. Did you move to the sunniest city in the world? I was going to say, that was the one thing I didn't know is that they said Colorado gets the most sun out of any state. Yeah.

I did not know that. And, yeah, I've been up to that red rocks. I haven't seen a concert. Yeah, but I've kind of walked around there a couple times. And it's just different. You know, Tampa, you're sitting by the pool. You're golfing here. It's kind of, you have to find other things to do, I guess.

But the weather's been crazy. You know, it's 10 degrees snowing one day. And then two days later, it's 65. Yeah. What the hell? Yeah. It's hot as shit today. Yeah.

Yeah. It's crazy. You gotta get your concert there though. So you're a country guy, right? Yeah, I enjoy country. Yeah. Who do you like? I feel like this is just.

Do it. Morgan Wall. Morgan, Warren. Luke Colmes, Zach Ryan, like those kind of guys. Mainstream's good for reasons. Yeah, okay. Dude, I went to a Mumford & Sons concert, go to Red Rocks and Media. Yeah, I would, I've been dying.

It was like one of their finale songs. It started like lightly drizzling. I thought I was ascending to another, yeah, an ancestral plane after. I was like, holy shit. this. I want to talk the contract ascension you got, right? So you actually just touched on it, but you had said leaving Tampa or doing the exit interview, you were kind of like, ah, cap is what.

I mean, they loved you there, which they really did, but it was like, oh, man, cap is what it is. You might be moved. So you, like Dan just said, you get traded here. That's exciting. And they get on the phone. I think it was right around draft time, right? So they were swamp.

But like, we're going to revisit this. And then, boom, you get the four by four, which you were a raise you were long overdue for. When that comes through, obviously, you're here to win. cups to play hockey, whatever, but that's part of the game. Yeah. You know, so how validating is that when you're like, boom, dude, I have a little security here, a little window, little term, some money that I want. How does that feel when that comes through?

No, it was awesome. It really was. It was definitely that time period of like once I got traded, like I think, I almost want to say my family thought like a, like, you know, you're going to get traded and then the next day like, boom, you're extended. And it's like, okay, well, like, let's take a step back here. So like, I mean, that I want to say when I got traded, it wasn't, it was like a month or so before I signed. So it was like those, that month, like, stress.

So a lot of, a lot of phone calls. My agent came to my house a couple times and like just having to, like, calm everyone down. I'm like, okay, we're going to get this done. It's just let's relax. And then, you know, obviously going back and forth, you got to meet for, like, I think originally I wanted like more term. Yeah. They were like, okay, no. And then it's like, do you take less money for more term?

or do you take, you know, vice versa. It's like you didn't know what to do. So I think where we met, you know, it's fair for both sides. And like you said, it's kind of just a relief of my hard work is, you know, paid off. And, you know, credit to my family who, you know, were there for me since day one and kind of wouldn't have been where I am today without them. Definitely. Absolutely.

Does it give you, because, I mean, you're, I want to say three points away from a career high. You're already career high assist. You're having an awesome year. Does that, does confidence come from that? Like, when you sign that ticket, and you're like, I'm the guy, dude. Like, let's go. Are you able to build off that just with a little bit of the security?

Does that help? No, you definitely did. And I remember, like, my second year in Tampa, so, like, I guess last year, like, there was plenty of nights where, like, I wasn't sleeping. Like, mentally, it was, like, awful. Yeah. Like, I'm just being honest. Yeah, I love that.

You don't have a contract in, like, similar situation to here where, like, okay, you got your top six, you get your guys, you get your power play guys. So, like, there's some nights, you're playing 9, 10, 11 minutes just because of the flow of the game. For sure. You go home, I'm laying in bed. I'm like, okay, I don't have a contract next year. I'm not, I'm not tearing it up.

I'm minus one. What's going to happen? So it's like, not that you want to think that way, but like there's time. You don't have, it's the flow of the game, you know, whatever, it should happen. So it's like to not have to worry about that for the next couple of years, definitely is, takes a weight off your shoulders. I sleep like a baby. Even in this elevation, dude? At the beginning I did.

I would lose my breath a little bit. Just catching up on sleep now. Exactly, but it's, it is, it's nice. And obviously you feel bad for guys who those contract years are not. Oh, yeah. But it's always nice to get extended before. No, and it's also great. I mean, like, fucking A, man.

Like, there's plenty of examples where guys, you know, they do get that contract extension and then maybe an injury happened. Yeah, maybe just some rough play happens. And that sucks too. It is. Then you get psycho fans jumping on you. Like, what a fucking waste of money this guy is. So, you know, to stay healthy, to be playing the way you are, it's just,

I don't even want to use the word relief because it's a result of hard work. Yeah, correct. So it's just, it's valid. It's awesome. No, definitely. It's amazing. What was the first thing you treated yourself to? Was it the house on the shore?

I was beforehand. Then I was a little nervous because I was like, when the contract wasn't happening right, I was like, did I get it in over my head here? But, uh, no, I put. To take out a second mortgage. Oh, you need this mortgage every month. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I bought like a sauna and then a cold tub. Oh, dude. Fair of mind. I want that. A man of my. I'm big on, I love the sauna. No, it's a great. It's so bad, dude.

Such a good investment. I just feel like at times, like it's bad because, I mean, like all my buddies live in, like New York City. My brother has a job. He doesn't live down the shore. So like at times I'm kind of, this sounds horrible. Like I'm alone down at that. But I'm at the shore, so it's okay. I get bored that I'm like, okay, fuck what do I do?

I'll just go on the sauna again for like the third time today. Yeah. But it's like, I'm just depleting my body. water. It probably isn't healthy. Like, it sounds good, but probably to an extent. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You go take a piss, it's orange.

It's like, shit. It's brown. Yeah, like, all right, my name is you go see a doctor here. Oh, man, I would do the same thing. Same. So this year has been insane with, you know, right now, like the player race in the East is mental and it's been funny looking at everyone's predictions of all the divisions and shit. And now,

man, like the Central is a bloodbath. Yeah. Crazy. And it's been wild coming down the wire here with, you know, you guys, Dallas, Winnipeg, all just buzzing. And now Nashville is firing up the ranks. So, you know, I'm curious to hear what's the dialogue in the locker room? Like, are you guys going into games looking at stand? I know you're always, like, taking a peek, but is it a conversation topic?

Or are you guys just every game's a new day, focus on the 60 minutes ahead of you, and we'll see what's up after? Yeah, I think it's a little bit of both. I think he'd be lying if he said, you know, guys don't look at the standings. And, you know, it's kind of, I feel like the West, like he said, is a gone. of playing Vegas as the one seed and they're the two wild yeah right literally insane like because obviously they could there's every team in the west could win it not that you can in the east but um it's been crazy and so I think for us it's just just accumulating as many

points as we can so I mean we try and just you know next guy up kind of who we play and let's try and get two points out tonight and then you know let's go from there but I don't think I don't think there's a right answer for who you want to play in that first round match up He said Nashville's been red hot, Vegas, Edmonton's really good, L.A. And then for us in that division, Dallas's lights out, and Winnipeg's been awesome too. So I think for us, let's just get in that rhythm and play in the right way so that when playoffs do come, no matter who we're playing, we're hitting that stride going the right direction. For sure. Trying to be playing your best hockey yet.

And I don't want to bring up Tom Brady again. But something I love about you being on this team, I love, like we, like we, talked about earlier, I fucking love how intense Nate is and how competitively and how much he wants to win. Because, I mean, obviously I'm a plug, but like, I love winning. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that. And I think it's awesome when you hear about guys like Brady and people who have won a lot and want it more. Because I think it's an interesting dynamic with, there are teams who have never had it, right? Teams who have never won a Stanley Cup who are desperate to get their first. And that desperation is super strong and very intense.

But on the same note, you're coming from a team that won a lot, and now you're on a team that just won recently. And you're with a lot of guys who know what that tastes like. And I feel like that desire is just as strong, if not more. Because you're like, we've done it before and I want it again. How much, especially coming into playoffs now, are you guys starting to feel that playoff itch of like, we all know what it feels like when at all costs.

Let's get it again. No, definitely. You said it perfectly with once you went, like, you don't know. know that feeling of when like till you've had it yeah it's like you want that all the time yeah like it's not like okay we won let's take a step back like there's i don't think there's a guy in the league that is one that thinks that way because there's no like that like we're talking about the day with the cup like you can't nothing in life will come yeah close to that so it's like you get that

itch obviously i think what i've noticed with this team same with tampa it starts in like training camp like you get the vibe like you bring in new guys like you know we have our um start of the year meeting and the coach is talking he's talking about all the accolades of different guys and it's like you know we're building the Stanley Cup champion team from day one and I'm not saying all teams don't think like that but like looking around the room and you see what you have

and like there's just a different energy and a different vibe of like and you said with Naping and intense like every game matters game one to game where whatever I don't know what game we are now but like and I think right now guys are there's obviously those dog days of like I want to say game 40 to 60 30 to 50

something where it's like let's get the playoffs like because it's a grind You know how many days off. So it's like, right now it's more like we just want that itch of like, like I said before, let's hit our stride going the right way and come playoffs. I think guys turn into, it's a different animal playoffs, obviously. So guys play a different way and the intensity obviously ramps up and more physical and stuff. So I think we did a good job at the deadline of we had some guys with some toughness

who could obviously score and, you know, play the right way. And I think we're going to, you know, hopefully going a nice little run. Yeah, got it. I'm sure. Got 10 fingers for a reason. Yeah. Yeah. I love that.

And it's going to ramp even more for playoffs, but you're already feeling it now. I'm sure, right? Like, it's got that vibe already. Especially, I think we play, I know we play, well, we play Nashville tomorrow, playoff team. Yeah, right. Just played the Rangers. We play Edmonton two more times.

I know Minnesota's still battling. Yep. I don't know who else, but like, you'd almost prefer that, eh? Winnipeg, yeah. Like the whole rest of the schedule is those last playoff teams. So it'll honestly be a good test for us to, you know, see how we met. If we're up to those teams, see what we need to do and kind of, you know, lock some things up before we hit that. Yeah, it's a good runway.

Absolutely. We've said it a million times, but there's, you know, tons of legends on this team, right, that you get into play with and that you played with before Cooch and Stammer, everybody. Do, Moose is huge, by the way. He is. He is a- Jesus Christ, dude. He's massive. He's so funny, because, like, we're stat obsessed and all that shit, and you watch games all the time. But every now and then, you just, when you meet someone or you're in front of him, you're like, Jesus Christ, he's fucking huge.

I wouldn't have never guessed he was as big as he. I literally didn't recognize Nate watching this for a second because he looked so much smaller compared to Moot. That can't be Nate because in my mind, Nate's the biggest dude I've ever seen in my life. Moose is huge. He is big. Yeah. And so not to put you on the spot,

but do you have any funny Nate stories for the listeners? Anything that they'd be like, no way, dude. Can be on the road, can be here or whatever, but anything like that. That's tough. Because there's so many. Yeah. Yeah, it's tough because we can tell. I love that, I just love thinking about, like,

one of the weird things that he's a stickler about. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. He's big on, like, the food part of it. So, like, he's very clean eating, and I don't know if it's him or whoever controls it, but, like, I have noticed our, like, meals are very different than from what they were, like, in Tampa.

Yeah. Like, this is probably management. This probably isn't neat, but, like, when we were in Tampa, like, after the games, you know, you get on the plane, we'd have a little snack cart there's like sour patch kids chocolate covered pretzels yeah yeah like doritos and here it's like chickpea uh like uh cheese it's and like granola and like fruit snacks like no like chocolate or anything oh that's Nate dude I got it's like you that's not

there's times we're like like let me have a cookie or something like you know we just want we got to eat our ride home like let me let me get a cookie or something sweet but none of that again, I don't know if that's... Yeah. That is one thing I have noticed. Is he funny? Like, is he a funny guy? Oh, he's hilarious. Yeah, okay.

And, like, some of the stuff, like, when he's yelling at the ref, like, I feel like the amount of times the refs come over to Bedsie and been like, all right, enough out of two nine. Yeah. But, like... That's funny. So it's like, just a little stuff like that that, I don't know. He says some stuff that, again, he's saying it and he's so serious about it.

But he looks... Yeah, he looks. Yeah. Like, once it's done and the game's over and we've, like, won, like, it's funny to laugh about. Oh, fuck yeah. But, like, in the moment, like, he's so serious. Yeah. It's like, okay, nobody laughed.

Yeah. Dude, who did he hit? Who did he hit on the sharks? That reverse hit the other day? Oh, he blew somebody up and they kind of, like, stood over him and said something. It's the best clip I've ever seen. It's the scariest thing I've ever seen. Because he's not even, he, I'm telling you, he's not big-timing him.

Nate is just so fired up. Yeah. Then he's just like, whoa. I'm like, Jesus Christ. If you're on the ice looking up with that, I'm like, I'm done, man. I'm done for the day. It's crazy, too, with him. Like he's so he's like ripped and he's built.

Yeah. And it's like, I don't know how much he weighs, but he's probably like 200 pounds. Oh, it's like, how does he move like that? Yeah. Like I, you can't imagine, like, I don't get how he skates like. Like a lot of these guys are probably like, you know, you think of like the Jack Hughes is. Yeah, yeah. They could skate, but they're a little lighter.

Like he's built like a fridge yet he skates so soft on his feet that it's like insane. We were talking to something the other day about that. It's like every now and then people are like, yeah, Nate's kind of choppy out there. And I'm like, no, it's just because he's a brick shit house going as fast as McDavid. I've never. He skates like insane. The way he turns and he gets out of his turns, he's always moving his feet.

He can carry the game and he can, the whole team could be playing bad and he could. Yep, he's like, I got us. Yeah, God, it's a luxury. All right, Roscoe, before we wrap up with you, we're going to play a game. We play with all our guests. It's called pass shoot score.

It's essentially Mary Fuck Kill. So passing the puck's great. Good to snap it around, but that's going to be your third on the ranking. Shooting a little bit better. Love getting pucks on net. scoring the ultimate goal, so that's your first. So we're going to give you three things, just a ranking system.

There'll be categories of stuff you like, and you'll get three things in each category. And it's, something's pass. One, shooting, two, passing three. Perfect. So your first one's going to be food. Okay. So your pass shoot score is sushi. Yeah.

Maybe at your favorite spot in Tampa. Pickles. And then a pork roll sandwich from Jersey. Oh, that's tough. All right. Passing pickles. Even though I love them, but like out of those other two, like, no, you can't. And then I guess it just depends where you are.

I think I'd have to be biased and go score with the pork roll egg and cheese. Wow. And then sushi, I'll shoot. Where is the sushi spot in Tampa? And what kind of pickles are you eating? Like when you're just snacking, because I'm in the fridge all day. We're talking dill pickles, not bread and butter, right? Oh, okay.

Well, I was going to say bread and butter. Oh, shit. No, I fuck with bread bread. Or there's, like, when I'm down the shore in the summer, there's this, like, farmers market that's, like, right across the street. And, like, they have, like, all these different kinds. And there's one that, like, they're, like, horse radish pickles.

Oh, yeah, I do. And, like, I don't know, you take a bite, and it, like, clears you out. And it's, like, oh, like, I just, all day, I'm just like. Yeah. And it's fine, because it's, like, they're, like, zero calories. And I'm, like, I feel, I'll stuff my face with these. It'll be fine. I'm a big vegetable garden guy.

I make my own pickles. There you go. and I make spicy pickles. They're the best. I'm going to mail you a jar. Yeah. I'm seriously. I'll accept.

Seriously. I'm made you mail you a jar. I love, like just, I don't know. It's such a good snack. I love it. It's the zero calvending. Yeah, exactly. I will open a jar of pickles and eat the whole fucking thing because I'm like,

this did nothing to me and I feel full and they're delicious. So good. Unbelievable. And then what's, explain the Taylor Ham versus pork. Yeah, because I don't understand. I guess that's just like a geological thing wherever you're located. So like, I want to say like South Jersey is porkroll and then North Jersey's or ham. But it's the same thing. But where I'm like central Jersey, even though people say it's

nothing. Yeah, so you're right on the line. I'm literally right in the middle. Yeah. I call it pork roll. Okay. What's, which sushi spot? Because I love eating in Tampa. That's tough. Just a couple of you don't remember him, yeah. I feel like I would always just, because I lived right there, go to that like Jackson's. Dude, yeah. Like there was a new one. It was called Noble Rice, which was really good. That's right in like Sparkman. Yep. And then here in Denver, there's a great one. It's called sushi Den. It's like awesome. What's your go-to order right now? I mean, I usually just get all like the deep-fried rolls.

Yeah, temporal. I don't know. No. He might yell at me. Or like, I don't know, I like the sashimi, like the, you know, doro fatty stuff like that. Oh, yeah. Okay, here's your next category.

This category is New Jersey hockey icons. Ooh, okay. Pass-hoot score, Patrick Eliashe, Zach Preezy, Ben Stafford. I knew you were going to say that. Oh, then you throw Benny Stafford in there. Oh, that's tough. You got to explain the Stafford for you.

Yeah, tell the message. So I'm going to score with Zach Poreasy. Nice. Have to. He was my, like, idol growing up, and it's been awesome. Dude, I was going to be awesome to play. He's my lining now. And, like, he's been great because I've asked him so many questions

since he's been here about, like, different, like, stuff that I remember watching. growing up and some of the stuff he's like how do you even like remember that? I was like well dude I love you yeah you're my like that like that like 2012 cup run I've asked him a ton of questions about just because my brother and I would go to like every home game and still think we they should have won yeah oh my god call by that right yeah great like uh but uh yeah he he's been great and like we scored the other day and I think there's a sick picture of like me and him like hugging you've got to get right in the slot that I don't have to blow that up um

I guess I'd have to shoot with Ben Stafford just because that's kind of how I got into hockey. And I grew up going to the Trent Titans games, ECHL team. My parents didn't really know anything about hockey, but I guess that was just like the local team. And he was number 20. He was my favorite player. That's how I got my number 20. So that's why I wear that now. And then it's terrible to say, but I guess I'll have to pass.

Hey, someone's going to get passed. Patia L, yes. But still, if you're passing him, that's a pretty great list. And obviously I loved watching him too. For sure. He was unbelievable. All right. Next one, similar to food.

This one's going to be post-game snacks that Nate won't let me eat. So if maybe we're in the off season. Yep. M&Ms. Doritos, flavor of your choice. Or shout out to what you said before, Sour Patch Kids. That's tough. Like you're leaving the game in Tampa.

Which one were you grabbed? Which one when I grab? Okay. I would say pass. I'm going to pass the Sour Patch. kids. Okay. Okay. Just because, I don't know, I feel like they hurt my teeth. I agree. They hurt my top. If I eat too many of them, like the roof of my mouth gets like chewed up and then I like brush my teeth that night like back here, it's like, wow, either I have a cavity or

something like that. Um, I'll shoot with Doritos or yeah, I guess Doritos, like spicy, cool ranch or something like that. Like even though I love them, but I wouldn't say it's my like number one chip. What is? that's tough too that is tough I like love this might be weird but like we go to like

Trader Joe's a lot and it's like those spicy like tocky type of things oh yeah yeah not talkies but it's like a different flavor of those like I love those and then I definitely score with like peanut Eminemps

peanut Eminemps okay it's peanut Eminemps not the regular Eminemps but peanut MMMs definitely do you want to talk about putting the whole jar whole bag down at once in a yeah you can definitely

I get in trouble those are uh yeah I pay the price price with those more than the pickles but i do them both yeah like the whole those are like rhesies cups are my two like kind of guilty guilty snacks do you have any have you grown to like anything that's available postgame here like you a you a crunchy chickpeak guy now we have like the it's like the pop smart like white uh white cheddar popcorn oh nice so good like so those and then we have like a bunch of like welches like fruit snacks are my two like two go yeah it's really not it's not white cheddar feels

like cheating that's nice yeah okay last one. This category is called summer day. Pass shoot score. Bringing a cooler down to the beach on the shore with the family. Catching more fish than your brother, Rob. Or beating your uncle in Cornhole. Oh. That is really tough.

Yeah, that's a tough one. That's tough one. All right, I would say, definitely score with cooler at the beach with the family. Hell yeah. That is mostly every Saturday and Sunday. I'll go with shoot with beat my uncle in Cornhole just because he's like weirdly way too intense

and like he's in like leagues and stuff like that oh shit no I swear to God he's been like dude well I saw you playing with Katie yeah yeah yeah and you you get the spin dude you're dialed in yeah like I don't know I feel like it's just like a good summer activity where like you know we're down there you know we put it in my backyard we're by the pool kind of having some drinks

just just passes time and something to do that it's fun but when you know the family's involved then like you You have some drinks. It gets like too intense. I mean, right, screw you. Like, I don't care that you play. I can't play drinking games. Yeah, that's awful.

It's fucking miserable. And then, I guess, pass the fishing. Just because it's like, yeah, like, it's pretty chill. Even if we don't catch anything, we're out there. It's still a great day. We're having a good time. Or even if he does, you know, we're having fun. Yeah.

That's a good day. Who's the good golfer in the crew? On the team. With your brother, you, your brother, your dad. Like, my dad doesn't play at all. So, like, two of my dad doesn't play at all. So, like, two of my, My buddies are actually really good.

Okay. But again, it's hard just because one lives, I guess they both live in New York City and then my brother's kind of far away. So we can't really get out unless it's like on the weekends or stuff like that. But here like Nate's pretty good actually too. Do you play with Killer in Tampa? Yeah, I did. He's a bit of stick.

He's really good. Those courses in Tampa were awesome. And then my really good buddy on the team now, Miles Wood is like he's a stick. Oh yeah. He's like that. He did one of those sandbaggers, I guess. Yeah. He did one with Biz and them.

And yeah, Woody's like, he's nasty. I've heard Woody is. How's your game? It's okay. Yeah. I'm probably like a plus 10 or something like that. Oh, all right, dude. I'm not good, but I'm not terrible.

You're not a liability. No. That's all the matters. When we went out to L.A. this year, we played like Bel Air, which was sick. And then we played Pebble like two days later. Oh, fuck. Did you get good weather there?

Oh, yeah. Oh, dude. Except the kind of, I guess we were just fortunate enough to, like, get out there, but our tea times were like seven, seven, 20. Like, so, like, we had to bus from the hotel in San Jose. at like, I think we left like five. Yeah. And then like we got there like cold turkey or I hit the T.

And I was like, can I like hit the range for like just one or two? Yeah. And like we were, I think we were the first groups out and like they were like, your pace of place too slow. I was like, you know it's like our teammates behind us. And like you know, and like they're not up our ass that like I only get to play pebble once in a while like relax lady. Like I'm going to take my time.

I got no range time. Let me line up this put for like just 10 seconds. I'm going to miss it anyway. But like let me just like enjoy this. for a minute. It's amazing. That's so good. All right, Roscoe, this has been a blast.

We've taken up enough of your time. Thank you so much for coming on. Before we let you go, is there anything you want to shout out, anything you want to plug? I don't know. What do people normally say? Sometimes people got little side business going on.

I don't know if I have any side hustles. Okay. Say how to mom. Yeah, hi, mom and dad. It's hard for all the drinking. Shout out the sauna and cold plunge. Yeah, hey, nice. I'm going to get that info.

All right, dude. This has been a fucking. last you guys can't wait to have you on again yeah thank you awesome