Blake Sloan - A Champion, A Leader, A Role Model Artwork

Benchmarked

Welcome to Benchmarked with Marc Messier and J-G Larocque. We are all in on Leadership, Coaching, Mental Performance, and overall support of those seeking to be the greatest version of themselves. It's all about leading the players and coaching the coaches. We will venture through our 9 Elements of Successful Leadership and bring you interviews with powerful leaders and influential athletes, as well as interesting stories from our time on the bench and in the classroom. Being a good leader requires a continued evolution and growth. This show strives to provide you with the tools necessary to grow and become the best possible leader and have the greatest possible impact on those you lead. Are you ready to level up your leadership and coaching game?

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Blake Sloan - A Champion, A Leader, A Role Model

July 19, 2022 • Messier Larocque Performance Group • Season 1 • Episode 29

Our guest in this episode is Blake Sloan who has won an NCAA Championship with Michigan, A Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars and a Word Championship Bronze with Team USA. Blake takes us trough his journey through sports, championships and what it takes to be a great teammate.

Show Notes:
-Winning Hockey's Humanitarian award
-Growing up around sport
-Championship ingredients
-Leadership is the ability to influence others in a negative or positive way
-How much better can I get?
-How can I contribute and be impactful on a daily basis
-Adapting leadership to the player not the other way around
-A multisport approach to raising successful young athletes
-1996 Michigan hockey championship - People win championships
-The Michigan Goal - Goal of the decade - Being on the ice when it happened and witnessing history
-Character has nothing to do with winning games - but everything to do with winning championships
-Buy into what the vision and accountability to each other wins
-What is it to be “a good pro” a good professional athlete and teammate
-Be “coachable” and seek feedback
-Make yourself one of those people who others want to play with and be teammates with
-Be memorable in what you are doing

Connect with Blake:
Twitter: @bsloan2711

We want to hear from you!
Where are you in your leadership journey? What's your WHY?
How are you chasing your 1%?
Connect with us:
https://linktr.ee/BenchmarkedPodcast
Thanks for listening to our show. We would be grateful if you chose to like and subscribe!
KEEP CRUSHING IT!

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0:00:05:18 - 00:00:13:07
Speaker 1
Welcome to Benchmarked the Leadership Coaching and Mental Performance Podcast. With Coach Mess and Coach Larocque. Thanks for joining us today.

00:00:15:01 - 00:00:53:12
Speaker 2
All right, ladies and gentlemen, I can introduce you to Mr. Blake. Mr. Blake Sloan, who played for the University of Michigan from 93 to 96 and won the NCAA championship in 1996 with our own John Arnold. He also was awarded the humanitarian award in 9697 that's given annually to the player judged college hockey's finest citizen I want to dig into that later on started his NHL career with the Dallas Stars 99 he started the 9899 season in the minor leagues with the Houston Aero's that's a great story and a game where Dallas Star Scouts were there.

00:00:53:13 - 00:01:16:02
Speaker 2
Checking on other players, Sloan caught the eye of the stars and promptly acquired he won the Stanley Cup a Dallas 99. His determination and effort earned him the nickname the caffeinated squirrel by the Dallas Stars broadcast oh boy. There's lots and lots of other things to add to this. I can't even say the teams in Europe. I don't want to butcher any names and stuff like that.

00:01:16:02 - 00:01:26:07
Speaker 2
Anyways, super honored to. And ladies and gentlemen, like put everything aside that you're doing today to listen to this show because it is going to be a doozy. Welcome, Blake.

00:01:27:09 - 00:01:29:12
Speaker 3
Oh, gee, that's quite the introduction, man.

00:01:29:13 - 00:01:31:09
Speaker 4
I got a lot of a lot of stuff.

00:01:31:09 - 00:01:45:12
Speaker 1
I got to hear this. I got to hear the more about this caffeinated squirrel, because, listen, you've won Stanley Cups, you've won humanity in awards, but that isn't one of the best nicknames or handles I've ever picked up on. What the cat and how did you get that one? Blake.

00:01:46:07 - 00:01:49:03
Speaker 4
I that was given to me.

00:01:49:20 - 00:01:51:10
Speaker 3
I'm not even going to say fondly.

00:01:52:11 - 00:01:53:10
Speaker 4
By Darryl Ray.

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Speaker 3
Who is one of the most.

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Speaker 4
Who does.

00:02:01:07 - 00:02:07:23
Speaker 3
Throws out some of the most unique vocabulary words in the history of of color you could possibly ever imagine.

00:02:09:05 - 00:02:10:14
Speaker 4
But I think he he.

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Speaker 3
Dubbed that one day when I got to Dallas, that was my a little bit of my role to be.

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Speaker 4
A quote.

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Speaker 3
Unquote energy type player.

00:02:18:16 - 00:02:23:01
Speaker 4
And I think he followed that up with he watch.

00:02:23:01 - 00:02:26:03
Speaker 3
Sloan on this forecheck. It looks like he's going from one tree to.

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Speaker 4
The next banging bodies and grabbing nuts and going back and coming back on the ice.

00:02:31:16 - 00:02:33:03
Speaker 3
And I just sat there and I.

00:02:34:02 - 00:02:34:15
Speaker 4
There were some.

00:02:35:01 - 00:02:39:01
Speaker 3
Some fans that really like that, too. And we started to see jerseys in the stands with.

00:02:39:06 - 00:02:40:02
Speaker 4
A squirrel.

00:02:40:04 - 00:02:43:00
Speaker 3
On the back with my number. And I'm going, this is crazy.

00:02:43:00 - 00:02:45:01
Speaker 4
Like, I was one of those one of.

00:02:45:01 - 00:02:54:11
Speaker 3
Those very interesting things that you just get dubbed and somehow it's on Wikipedia now. So the kids that I coach ask me about it all the time, and.

00:02:55:18 - 00:02:58:08
Speaker 4
I think they get the they get the the.

00:02:58:11 - 00:03:04:16
Speaker 3
Feeling right away that I'm pretty energized by a lot of different things. And that's the way I played when I when I was out there, too.

00:03:05:01 - 00:03:10:02
Speaker 2
Love it. Love it. Can you play rewind here. Let's go back in time. Let's go. Grass. Yeah.

00:03:11:01 - 00:03:13:00
Speaker 4
Yeah. Growing up where you grew up.

00:03:13:11 - 00:03:21:22
Speaker 2
What argument? You monkeys. I know you. I talked about the past, about multisport. Walk us through that. You know, middle school slash high school. I would that not.

00:03:23:12 - 00:03:24:00
Speaker 4
I grew up.

00:03:24:16 - 00:03:27:19
Speaker 3
In a relatively small town outside Chicago on the north side.

00:03:29:01 - 00:03:30:11
Speaker 4
And my my.

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Speaker 3
Mother was a physical education teacher.

00:03:33:00 - 00:03:34:03
Speaker 4
My dad was from Chatham.

00:03:34:11 - 00:03:40:07
Speaker 3
Yeah, from Chatham, Ontario. So he kind of had the hockey roots. My mom had more of the.

00:03:40:18 - 00:03:41:16
Speaker 4
You know, the.

00:03:42:03 - 00:04:08:21
Speaker 3
The softer side of sports and doing a lot of different things right I remember as a really young kid, you know, she was a gymnastics coach, cross-country coach. She even taught a little bit of track as well. So I remember just being, you know, right out of the womb. And I'd be in the gymnastics gym when I was four or five, six years old, and I'd just be running around on mats and flip it around and climbing on bars and all that kind of stuff.

00:04:08:21 - 00:04:15:17
Speaker 3
So I think that was a really awesome experience for me. And then also when I was really young, I got to my mom was.

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Speaker 4
Very involved with with her.

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Speaker 3
With the women that she she coached, as was my dad. So I grew up from a very young age of being in locker rooms, being.

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Speaker 4
And.

00:04:27:00 - 00:04:31:22
Speaker 3
Having those cross-country women at our house. You know, in the summer they'd be training and they'd come back.

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Speaker 4
After and I could.

00:04:33:00 - 00:04:50:21
Speaker 3
Hear them right outside my window talking about their run, having a pineapple and some some juice after their workouts in the morning. And I would often go down there, they'd bring muffins and whatnot. So I would sit with these athletes at a very young ages who were probably very instrumental to me as I kind of grew up in my journey there.

00:04:50:21 - 00:04:53:01
Speaker 4
So but I did all.

00:04:53:01 - 00:05:01:24
Speaker 3
Sorts of sports I played baseball, I did karate, and then I obviously played hockey. And I think karate for me, I was a little bit of a.

00:05:03:07 - 00:05:04:18
Speaker 4
I was probably ADHD.

00:05:04:18 - 00:05:05:07
Speaker 3
Before that.

00:05:05:07 - 00:05:11:03
Speaker 4
Even in college. Right. And I think my.

00:05:11:03 - 00:05:12:11
Speaker 3
Karate instructor, Jeff.

00:05:12:11 - 00:05:12:24
Speaker 4
Cohen.

00:05:13:17 - 00:05:15:10
Speaker 3
Was really impactful in my.

00:05:15:10 - 00:05:15:21
Speaker 4
Journey.

00:05:16:20 - 00:05:21:22
Speaker 3
Of just helping with the discipline piece of school, how important that was.

00:05:23:03 - 00:05:23:10
Speaker 4
Having.

00:05:23:10 - 00:05:29:07
Speaker 3
That focused attention to do a lot of, you know, in front of a lot of different people and to memorize movements.

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Speaker 4
And.

00:05:30:03 - 00:05:31:21
Speaker 3
Focus and all of those things right.

00:05:33:00 - 00:05:34:23
Speaker 4
And then I had some unbelievably.

00:05:35:05 - 00:05:45:00
Speaker 3
Outstanding baseball experiences. And I just think here in Minnesota, hockey is a your own thing as it is now in a lot of different sports. Right?

00:05:45:00 - 00:05:46:01
Speaker 4
But I think.

00:05:46:01 - 00:05:46:10
Speaker 3
There's so.

00:05:46:10 - 00:05:46:20
Speaker 4
Many.

00:05:48:00 - 00:06:08:07
Speaker 3
Integral pieces that you can start to fit together from some of those other experiences, sports, different personalities, you know, intermixing as you as you grow. And I think it's one of the things that was really paramount in my journey you know, having to play in Europe with different people, different cultures, different cultures. I think Jjie the last time we spoke.

00:06:08:16 - 00:06:09:16
Speaker 4
I think I counted.

00:06:10:12 - 00:06:23:06
Speaker 3
Just at my professional career, I think I crossed paths with 68 different coaches and assistant coaches in my time, and that's not to count general managers and other people that were, quote unquote, my bosses. Right?

00:06:23:06 - 00:06:25:02
Speaker 4
So that's a.

00:06:25:02 - 00:06:43:02
Speaker 3
Lot of different people that you have to adapt and influence and try to not try to get them to like you as a person, but sell yourself as someone that can be impactful in that organization. Right. So so I was a little bit of my story growing up.

00:06:44:00 - 00:06:46:11
Speaker 2
What to unwrap on that one. Mark, I let you go to my break.

00:06:46:11 - 00:07:06:24
Speaker 1
Well, I'm just thinking you said so many different things here that I want to tap into. Like I said, my notes look like a war zone for Blake because I have so many questions. Obviously, I grew up watching you and we're very similar in age and I know a lot of people that you played with or against. But here's the other thing that I was thinking, as you just said, something like, how crazy is that?

00:07:06:24 - 00:07:24:13
Speaker 1
When you put that into perspective, of that number, about 68 people just direct coach. And I'm sure you had coaches that you loved and managers that you loved and games that you loved and others that you maybe didn't love. As much. How did that shape you and doing what you're doing right now in your coaching and leading stuff?

00:07:24:13 - 00:07:35:01
Speaker 1
Like you pull out ingredients from those that you like and less. I know this was done to me and I going to do this to the people I'm leading share with us.

00:07:36:08 - 00:07:37:17
Speaker 4
You know, I think.

00:07:39:05 - 00:07:41:01
Speaker 3
You mentioned something that's really important to me.

00:07:42:08 - 00:07:45:03
Speaker 4
That I've really started to study more.

00:07:45:03 - 00:07:47:07
Speaker 3
As I've gotten older is that leadership is right.

00:07:48:06 - 00:07:48:16
Speaker 4
When you're.

00:07:48:16 - 00:07:51:06
Speaker 3
Younger, you hear that word leadership. You don't really.

00:07:51:06 - 00:07:52:12
Speaker 4
Have a.

00:07:52:13 - 00:07:56:03
Speaker 3
Definition wrapped around that. You don't really understand truly what it means.

00:07:57:07 - 00:07:59:16
Speaker 4
And you know, from what I've.

00:07:59:16 - 00:08:09:00
Speaker 3
Taught and been taught and what I've read, you know, leadership is the ability to influence others in both a positive and a negative way.

00:08:09:13 - 00:08:11:03
Speaker 4
Right. And what.

00:08:11:03 - 00:08:20:08
Speaker 3
I really didn't know is I didn't realize all the the crappy leaders that I have and the leadership wake that they leave behind is a really crappy.

00:08:20:08 - 00:08:22:20
Speaker 4
One and how impactful.

00:08:22:20 - 00:08:31:05
Speaker 3
That is and how detrimental that can be in an organization or a team, or even if you're a player on a team, being a being a more veteran member.

00:08:31:14 - 00:08:31:23
Speaker 4
You know.

00:08:32:05 - 00:08:36:24
Speaker 3
People use the word cancer, if you will, within the organization. And that's.

00:08:38:03 - 00:08:39:17
Speaker 4
So I think that's that's.

00:08:39:17 - 00:08:43:23
Speaker 3
One of the things that I've tried to really reflect on in my journey.

00:08:43:23 - 00:08:48:16
Speaker 4
And I've had I've been so blessed to have.

00:08:48:16 - 00:08:54:17
Speaker 3
So many different and powerful leaders, whether it's been, you know, starting at a young age with just my mom.

00:08:54:17 - 00:08:55:02
Speaker 4
And dad.

00:08:56:00 - 00:09:15:11
Speaker 3
Moving into my my karate instructors. When I went out to prep school in Boston, I had a really instrumental person whose name was Ted Kelly, then went to Michigan and obviously just had a legend of a coach there. And Brad Berenson, who just personified to me everything about leadership. Right.

00:09:15:11 - 00:09:16:07
Speaker 4
Was he old.

00:09:16:07 - 00:09:19:20
Speaker 3
School and his dealings with with players as far as what.

00:09:19:20 - 00:09:21:15
Speaker 4
He expected and thought?

00:09:22:00 - 00:09:27:02
Speaker 3
Absolutely. I think for the first three years of my journey there, I think Red said five words to me.

00:09:27:11 - 00:09:36:20
Speaker 4
But I tell you what, those five words were really, really impactful. And the messaging was like if he's not.

00:09:36:20 - 00:09:49:19
Speaker 3
Talking to you, you're doing exactly what you should be doing. Don't worry about it. Right. Which is very different from the type of player today that needs constant reinforcement, constant, nurturing, constant.

00:09:50:02 - 00:09:51:03
Speaker 4
And I think that prepared.

00:09:51:03 - 00:10:03:20
Speaker 3
Me for some of the things that I've dealt with now later in my life and even in my professional journey. It's not about impressing other people in a sense. It's, you know, how much better can I get tomorrow than I was today?

00:10:04:04 - 00:10:05:13
Speaker 4
Right. And I'm not.

00:10:05:13 - 00:10:07:05
Speaker 3
Gauging myself against others.

00:10:07:23 - 00:10:08:23
Speaker 4
And that took a lot of.

00:10:08:23 - 00:10:12:09
Speaker 3
Work with me because I wasn't the most talented player ever on the.

00:10:12:09 - 00:10:12:16
Speaker 4
Ice.

00:10:13:14 - 00:10:19:20
Speaker 3
But what things could I contribute and how could I be impactful in a game, in a shift, in a.

00:10:19:20 - 00:10:21:21
Speaker 4
Period with.

00:10:21:21 - 00:10:27:06
Speaker 3
Very limited ice and that's that's really hard to do.

00:10:27:24 - 00:10:32:14
Speaker 1
So he sounds like he sounds like he's been listening to our podcast.

00:10:32:20 - 00:10:35:02
Speaker 2
Yeah. Some of those words spinning out better.

00:10:35:02 - 00:10:54:07
Speaker 1
Better today than yesterday. Better tomorrow than today, right? Like these are the things that we kind of always preach. Now, I love that you said, sorry, guys. I want to jump on this I'm not letting this one go. You talked about it takes somebody very self-aware when you talked about leadership being the ability to influence others in a negative or positive way.

00:10:54:21 - 00:11:12:23
Speaker 1
I think that's the idea, too, is you learn from that and you're like, oh, that was that. You know what the effect was on that person or that team or that moment. So I mean, to be some some coaches are just going about their business, not really reflecting on the ideas like is what I'm doing, right? Is this working or is this not working?

00:11:13:12 - 00:11:22:14
Speaker 1
Which is cool that that's where you're at and somebody that's had the career you've had wanting to continue to get better because it's easy for you to sit back and say, I'm Blake's Sloan.

00:11:23:08 - 00:11:24:08
Speaker 4
Think you know?

00:11:24:19 - 00:11:33:21
Speaker 1
Yeah, I've won national championships. I've won Stanley Cups. I'm Blake Sloan, but you're still looking to get better, which is super, really refreshing. To hear.

00:11:35:19 - 00:11:37:14
Speaker 4
Yeah. And I think that's that's part.

00:11:37:14 - 00:11:38:08
Speaker 3
Of the DNA.

00:11:38:12 - 00:11:42:09
Speaker 4
I have. You know, I in the company.

00:11:42:09 - 00:11:53:01
Speaker 3
I work for now, our enduring purpose is building great leaders. That's that's our our model as a business. And it's one of the things that attracted me to the organization.

00:11:54:16 - 00:11:56:10
Speaker 4
And I.

00:11:56:24 - 00:12:06:10
Speaker 3
We've done all sorts of different types of assessments on that. Self aware and testing and all sorts of different things, which I've learned a ton about myself. But it's a.

00:12:06:10 - 00:12:06:22
Speaker 4
Journey.

00:12:07:17 - 00:12:19:15
Speaker 3
Each and every day, and my ability to adapt to those that I'm leading now is really it's not where it needs to be, but it's an evolving thing at each and every day.

00:12:19:15 - 00:12:20:22
Speaker 4
And I've got to.

00:12:21:01 - 00:12:28:06
Speaker 3
Realize that how I talk to JG might be very different than how I talk to you. Mark, if I'm trying to coach you in a slightly in a different way.

00:12:29:14 - 00:12:29:20
Speaker 4
And I.

00:12:29:20 - 00:12:36:22
Speaker 3
Guess one of my biggest mentors was coach parents. And I think I think that's one of the things I respected most about him is, is kind of.

00:12:37:07 - 00:12:37:17
Speaker 4
What.

00:12:37:23 - 00:12:42:09
Speaker 3
You saw was what you got so I originally thought that what.

00:12:42:22 - 00:12:43:13
Speaker 4
The people that.

00:12:43:13 - 00:12:49:05
Speaker 3
I lead are going to have to adapt to me, right? Because this is and I respected the heck out of that because.

00:12:49:17 - 00:12:54:13
Speaker 4
There was no there was no movement. You ever did he hold you accountable?

00:12:54:13 - 00:12:58:24
Speaker 3
Did he hold you, you know, to a to a to a high standard? Oh, God, yes.

00:12:59:04 - 00:13:02:05
Speaker 4
Right. But I think I.

00:13:02:05 - 00:13:08:19
Speaker 3
Really appreciated that. But again, that was me. I know some of my teammates didn't really appreciate that as much because.

00:13:09:20 - 00:13:10:23
Speaker 4
They they needed.

00:13:10:23 - 00:13:12:20
Speaker 3
A little bit of different coaching in a.

00:13:12:20 - 00:13:13:04
Speaker 4
Sense.

00:13:14:15 - 00:13:18:21
Speaker 3
So I just think it's it's taking those positive things, those things that.

00:13:19:06 - 00:13:19:13
Speaker 4
You know.

00:13:19:19 - 00:13:20:13
Speaker 3
I've seen.

00:13:21:12 - 00:13:23:00
Speaker 4
In a lot of the.

00:13:23:00 - 00:13:32:02
Speaker 3
Really wonderful experiences that I've had and being able to craft them and leave them into you know, the journey that I'm on now in my business career.

00:13:33:24 - 00:13:37:22
Speaker 2
I'm going to go back even going back to gymnastics and go way back there.

00:13:37:22 - 00:13:38:24
Speaker 4
Oh, boy. Yes.

00:13:38:24 - 00:14:04:00
Speaker 2
I thought that was that was amazing. Personally, same thing with our kids when they were younger. Gymnastics, soccer, karate, all the Obama saints, same travels, I guess, that you were on. And then we end up you know, we ended up saying how your Minnesota hockey, whatever hockey, soccer, basketball, whatever it is these sports are going year round. You know, at a grassroots level, you're going to get to a point.

00:14:04:00 - 00:14:21:22
Speaker 2
You're going to have that. You know, there's a crossroads. You can only manage so many, so on, so forth. But at the beginning, how important was it you think now, now that you look back, how important, how amazing was it to have gymnastics, how to have a different voice? You know, when you get to karate, to have somebody else's voice mentoring you, I guess.

00:14:21:24 - 00:14:40:20
Speaker 2
And you never looked at it that way. I'm sure you do now. But just to hear a different voice besides mom and dad, the structure, I guess I'm going to go back to gymnastics. I think that's just such a every kid should be in gymnastics. And I think swimming, those are the two, in my opinion, that they should be in at a young age to really learn themselves, I guess in a sense.

00:14:40:20 - 00:14:53:22
Speaker 2
But it just seems like some people are just so like they got to play hockey. They got to play baseball. The like when they're four years old, they never get off the ice. They never feel that's only got to be what I know you have a say on this or what you think of that. So how about it?

00:14:55:03 - 00:14:55:23
Speaker 4
Well, I.

00:14:57:06 - 00:15:03:18
Speaker 3
I consistently hear from the kids parents that I coach that. I mean.

00:15:04:04 - 00:15:06:08
Speaker 4
If Joey could you could you.

00:15:06:08 - 00:15:08:06
Speaker 3
Would want to skate 24 hours a day.

00:15:09:10 - 00:15:11:07
Speaker 4
And I'm like, OK, really.

00:15:11:11 - 00:15:12:14
Speaker 3
I'm like, that's awesome.

00:15:13:02 - 00:15:14:18
Speaker 4
And I'm like, if Joey.

00:15:14:18 - 00:15:15:05
Speaker 3
Wanted to.

00:15:15:05 - 00:15:16:05
Speaker 4
Eat Mike and.

00:15:16:05 - 00:15:19:23
Speaker 3
I. S 24 hours a day, would that be something that would be really good for him.

00:15:20:12 - 00:15:27:01
Speaker 4
You know. And they look at me like, excuse me and well obviously no. And I'm like, well.

00:15:27:01 - 00:15:28:15
Speaker 3
It's the same gosh darn thing with your.

00:15:28:15 - 00:15:33:00
Speaker 4
Damn sport. Like what? You can't you see that different? Like, it's.

00:15:33:00 - 00:15:35:09
Speaker 3
Our job to give them those different experiences and.

00:15:35:09 - 00:15:36:20
Speaker 4
Different abilities.

00:15:36:20 - 00:15:37:15
Speaker 3
To adapt and.

00:15:38:09 - 00:15:40:11
Speaker 4
You know, is I really.

00:15:40:11 - 00:15:45:00
Speaker 3
Like the philosophy. I had a lot of really good Finnish friends when I played in a.

00:15:45:00 - 00:15:47:15
Speaker 4
Little boy and, you know.

00:15:47:16 - 00:15:58:23
Speaker 3
I just, I respect that. A how the hell out of, you know, the Scandinavians, the Swedes and the fans and the philosophy there is like whether it's education or whether it's sports, it's like.

00:15:59:12 - 00:16:00:00
Speaker 4
We want.

00:16:00:00 - 00:16:20:11
Speaker 3
Our players, you know, or educational folks to be as smart as they can or as great as they can. They just 25, 2728 years old. We're not trying to have the best 13 year old on the planet, you know, like the runway for that is so long and they just I think they have a really good perspective on that.

00:16:20:11 - 00:16:38:16
Speaker 3
And I think we've in the US anyways have started to say like we want to have the best 14 year old ever, you know we want to have the best 15 and 16 year old ever. I want to look at it and say like where are they at when they're 18, 19 and point you know what experiences can we give them where they.

00:16:38:16 - 00:16:39:17
Speaker 4
Can they can.

00:16:39:17 - 00:16:40:05
Speaker 3
Tell that.

00:16:40:05 - 00:16:41:16
Speaker 4
Sort of difficult. Yeah.

00:16:41:19 - 00:16:48:08
Speaker 1
Depressing they hate they're resentful to the parents that have forced them to do that. Oh don't get me, you got me to just poke the bear blue.

00:16:48:18 - 00:16:57:16
Speaker 4
Oh I see. I talked a nerve with you there. Oh yeah. I'm not a fan of that. So I hear that often and it's.

00:16:57:16 - 00:17:05:21
Speaker 3
Hard because I respect the hell out of these parents sometimes. And for whatever reason, parents come to me and they say, well, what Blake's doing is right.

00:17:06:00 - 00:17:07:05
Speaker 4
Well, do I know.

00:17:07:05 - 00:17:07:17
Speaker 3
What's working.

00:17:07:17 - 00:17:13:05
Speaker 4
Right? No. Do I have an opinion on it? Yeah, I have an opinion, but I, I, I hold it very.

00:17:13:05 - 00:17:25:24
Speaker 3
Close to my chest because it's I don't want to be the person that said. Well, Blake said that we should do this or not do this. You know, I want that to be their own decision. And it's hard enough with my own stinkin kid to say, like.

00:17:26:16 - 00:17:27:14
Speaker 4
Do I have any idea.

00:17:27:14 - 00:17:27:24
Speaker 3
If they're going.

00:17:27:24 - 00:17:28:01
Speaker 4
To.

00:17:28:19 - 00:17:30:20
Speaker 3
Play sports or be a brain surgeon or.

00:17:30:20 - 00:17:33:03
Speaker 4
Frickin, you know.

00:17:34:00 - 00:17:35:07
Speaker 3
Work for Nassar someday?

00:17:35:07 - 00:17:37:13
Speaker 4
I have no idea. But I want to give.

00:17:37:13 - 00:17:42:03
Speaker 3
Them enough experiences that if they ever have those opportunities to do those things, whatever it might.

00:17:42:03 - 00:17:43:18
Speaker 4
Be, play the violin.

00:17:43:18 - 00:17:43:22
Speaker 3
And.

00:17:44:04 - 00:17:47:15
Speaker 4
You know, the Philharmonic.

00:17:47:15 - 00:17:49:12
Speaker 3
Orchestra or whatever it might.

00:17:49:12 - 00:17:50:19
Speaker 4
Be that they can.

00:17:50:20 - 00:17:51:17
Speaker 3
They can excel and be.

00:17:51:17 - 00:17:52:07
Speaker 4
Happy with that.

00:17:53:21 - 00:17:54:18
Speaker 1
And love them for it.

00:17:55:11 - 00:17:56:12
Speaker 4
Yeah. Damn right.

00:17:56:18 - 00:18:14:01
Speaker 1
It's funny talking about Gigi. I've never told you this story, but coming out of peewee baseball, I think it was one year in peewee baseball. You'll laugh at this. I had a growth spurt or something like that. I think I was all for July and maybe almost all for August. Anyways, it was bad, and my dad's like, What is going on?

00:18:14:15 - 00:18:40:14
Speaker 1
So they put me in martial arts figure, and I needed to do something else. And, like, if I had to go back and you kind of sparked a memory, a core memory. If I talked about pivotal moments in the change in my athletic career, doing martial arts and karate and then getting into some major stuff later on as a teenager was the best thing for everything else I was doing, not just sports, but just as a person, training, doing that type of stuff.

00:18:41:04 - 00:18:59:07
Speaker 1
It was amazing. I loved it. And now I tell parents all the time, especially kids, that they say they're the labeled the ADHD kid. I said, put them in martial art. Anyway, it's something to do with discipline. Keep them busy structure. But not only that is the coordination in the movement and in the like you said, the focus.

00:18:59:07 - 00:19:05:00
Speaker 1
So, so many cool things here about being a young athlete, but multi disciplined.

00:19:05:24 - 00:19:06:06
Speaker 4
Yeah.

00:19:06:24 - 00:19:14:01
Speaker 3
So I think you hit the nail on the head with the markets. I can't even offer anymore opinions on it because you're like, yes.

00:19:15:01 - 00:19:15:13
Speaker 1
I mean.

00:19:15:16 - 00:19:17:22
Speaker 4
You nailed it. Just drop them. Yeah.

00:19:18:13 - 00:19:43:23
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah. So we had a great interview with Jeff Michel, who's he's based here in Canada, but he's traveled the world all over the place and talking to organizations in countries and governing bodies about this exact stuff. So if the kid wants to play hockey all the time, especially at a younger age, so let's say we're in a specialized, like you say, here in North America, like 14, which is too early.

00:19:44:10 - 00:20:00:00
Speaker 1
At least get them doing some strength training to support the joints and support the bones and support that type of stuff to handle the load. So that type of stuff is important. So it doesn't have to be I'm playing hockey all the time, but I'm doing something to support that physically, mentally and emotionally.

00:20:02:12 - 00:20:05:21
Speaker 4
Then I think my I give my.

00:20:05:21 - 00:20:06:24
Speaker 3
Parents a lot of credit in.

00:20:06:24 - 00:20:08:22
Speaker 4
That in the.

00:20:08:22 - 00:20:11:12
Speaker 3
Thought process, maybe old school.

00:20:12:20 - 00:20:12:24
Speaker 4
And.

00:20:12:24 - 00:20:14:13
Speaker 3
I get challenged on that all the time.

00:20:14:13 - 00:20:16:02
Speaker 4
As you know, hockey.

00:20:16:02 - 00:20:16:10
Speaker 3
Season.

00:20:16:10 - 00:20:18:12
Speaker 4
Ended and the.

00:20:18:12 - 00:20:21:18
Speaker 3
Only time I took out my hockey skates and stick was when I went and did a camp.

00:20:22:08 - 00:20:22:14
Speaker 4
Up.

00:20:22:14 - 00:20:23:13
Speaker 3
In Blanton, Ontario.

00:20:24:12 - 00:20:25:07
Speaker 4
For one week.

00:20:25:16 - 00:20:41:15
Speaker 3
And that was literally to live with my grandpa for a week and to hang out with him more so than the hockey camp. Right and then I got to 13, 14, and I still went up there and I was a counselor at the camp, right, just to see Grandpa Jimmy. So it was a two fold two pronged kind of deal.

00:20:41:22 - 00:20:42:12
Speaker 4
To do that.

00:20:43:05 - 00:20:45:00
Speaker 3
And go up there and visit with him.

00:20:46:13 - 00:20:48:13
Speaker 4
But the, the thought.

00:20:48:13 - 00:20:50:02
Speaker 3
Process was when one season ended.

00:20:50:14 - 00:20:51:11
Speaker 4
That went away and.

00:20:51:15 - 00:20:56:08
Speaker 3
We refocused on what it was that we were doing. And in the meantime.

00:20:56:16 - 00:20:58:02
Speaker 4
And I.

00:20:58:02 - 00:21:00:15
Speaker 3
Wish I could go back to that, I don't think we'll ever get to.

00:21:00:15 - 00:21:03:12
Speaker 4
That now that for whatever the.

00:21:03:12 - 00:21:14:03
Speaker 3
Powers that be, I even look at the, the USA hockey model here with the high school season, it ends in March 15th or something. And then I look at.

00:21:14:17 - 00:21:15:21
Speaker 4
This to select.

00:21:16:14 - 00:21:33:15
Speaker 3
High performance camps for the USA hockey and there I think the 15 year olds are next week they start one camp when they right when they get out of school and then the sixteens go a week after that. So they have to basically be at their highest peak performance.

00:21:34:03 - 00:21:36:06
Speaker 4
Like a month and a half after their season ends.

00:21:36:22 - 00:21:39:17
Speaker 3
So it's like how does that balance all right? It doesn't seem.

00:21:39:17 - 00:21:40:13
Speaker 4
To work and.

00:21:41:04 - 00:21:42:16
Speaker 3
If you really want to try to.

00:21:43:02 - 00:21:43:09
Speaker 4
Have.

00:21:43:09 - 00:21:45:05
Speaker 3
That those types of parameters on it, if you.

00:21:45:05 - 00:21:45:10
Speaker 4
Will.

00:21:47:19 - 00:22:10:07
Speaker 2
I'm going to flip gears here. We're going to go yeah, we could obviously trenched two miles and all those going to go to Michigan now. They're going to go to Michigan. They've got 16. So you got Mary Turco, Steve Howe, go get yourself Blake Sloan. You got Jason Cordarrelle, you got Van Morrison, you got Bill McCall. Like it's maybe more of a thing.

00:22:10:07 - 00:22:28:06
Speaker 2
Like I'm following Michigan hockey more now since I met you, John. But then, like, now it's just like I went to a game with John after Christmas and like, Minnesota's playing Michigan, and I'm looking at the pregame stuff and like, I think, I don't know, 30 guys were drafted from both teams. Like, I'm drafted, drafted. Like, it was just crazy.

00:22:28:17 - 00:22:33:18
Speaker 2
That wasn't necessarily like that then. So what was it like then? Like with that type of lineup?

00:22:36:08 - 00:22:40:18
Speaker 4
I would say it at that time we we had.

00:22:41:16 - 00:23:13:11
Speaker 3
Obviously a crazy amount at that time. Number of players that were very highly touted. You know, Jason Votto was a first round pick in Dallas. Brendan Morrison was a second rounder. Warren Learning, I think it was a third or fourth rounder you know, Billy McCall that I think he was a little bit later, Alex was a little bit later, you know, Turco obviously got drafted as well later later in that.

00:23:14:16 - 00:23:17:21
Speaker 4
Later in that year. But I think you.

00:23:17:21 - 00:23:25:08
Speaker 3
Know, your name and all these NHL guys off this team, which is really pretty spectacular. And I think the national championship game, I think I remember.

00:23:26:22 - 00:23:27:06
Speaker 4
Someone.

00:23:27:06 - 00:23:28:19
Speaker 3
Shot me a screenshot of.

00:23:28:19 - 00:23:29:17
Speaker 4
Who we.

00:23:29:17 - 00:23:41:01
Speaker 3
Started in that game and I think it was Marty and that me on defense with Stephen go Brendan Morrison, Jason Botterill and Billy.

00:23:41:01 - 00:23:41:13
Speaker 4
McCall.

00:23:42:03 - 00:23:47:19
Speaker 3
So basically five guys that eventually got some time to play in the NHL fortunately right.

00:23:48:21 - 00:23:49:08
Speaker 4
Now what.

00:23:49:08 - 00:23:54:00
Speaker 3
I've ever dreamt in a million years at that point that I was going to play in the NHL, absolutely not.

00:23:54:13 - 00:23:55:17
Speaker 4
But now.

00:23:55:17 - 00:23:57:01
Speaker 3
You look back at that that's pretty.

00:23:57:01 - 00:23:58:07
Speaker 4
Cool. But the really.

00:23:58:07 - 00:24:02:07
Speaker 3
Neat thing about my experience at Michigan is if you look at that lineup as well, you've got.

00:24:02:19 - 00:24:03:21
Speaker 4
Chris Fox.

00:24:04:24 - 00:24:19:23
Speaker 3
Who's running up the university of Florida Neural Surgical Center. You got Harold Shock, who's an orthopedic surgeon for the Green Bay Packers up in Green Bay. You've got Chris Raskin, who's a.

00:24:19:23 - 00:24:20:10
Speaker 4
Lawyer.

00:24:21:09 - 00:24:30:05
Speaker 3
You got Chris Clark, who's a spine surgeon in Phenix. You've got Jason Botterill who's continued, you know, got his.

00:24:30:05 - 00:24:32:12
Speaker 4
MBA and, you know.

00:24:33:06 - 00:24:57:24
Speaker 3
General manager of the Buffalo Sabers and now the assistant general manager out in Seattle. You know, Mike Legg is a really successful firefighter in Vancouver. I mean, that class, you go up and down that lineup and you've got people that are owning their own companies. John's you know, John is is president of one of his companies, Bubba Barron's Way is president of an insurance company that he.

00:24:57:24 - 00:24:58:10
Speaker 4
Married.

00:25:00:16 - 00:25:06:24
Speaker 3
Into. And he's doing a wonderfully you know, he's wonderfully successful in that. John Richland is doing some commentary.

00:25:06:24 - 00:25:08:17
Speaker 4
For the.

00:25:08:17 - 00:25:16:06
Speaker 3
NCAA Network and Big Ten Network, but then he's also selling annuities and whatnot. I mean, it's just it's crazy. If you look down.

00:25:16:17 - 00:25:18:10
Speaker 4
The quality of people that.

00:25:19:11 - 00:25:21:16
Speaker 3
I was fortunate enough to play, there is top.

00:25:21:16 - 00:25:23:03
Speaker 4
To bottom. You know.

00:25:25:20 - 00:25:34:08
Speaker 3
I would arguably say some of the best human beings that I've been a part of and been able to emulate and play with and been some of my best friends along the way.

00:25:34:18 - 00:25:54:04
Speaker 2
You never talked about goals. You never talked about assists, you never talked about penalty minutes, you never talked about, you talked about. And that's why, you know, I told Mark that we've got to have Sloan on the show and for people to hear what you're saying, because it's the bigger picture. Like I know as a player, you go back to your coaches in college or whatever, you go back to professional and just how's everybody doing?

00:25:54:17 - 00:26:10:19
Speaker 2
And I find the the coaches that are salt of the earth are having the conversations you're having. Oh, Billy, you know, was married. You got two kids. He's not like, oh, Tom, yeah, he's drafted. He's playing this. And they don't like not that they don't care, but they value the person more than the sport, if that makes any sense.

00:26:12:00 - 00:26:12:24
Speaker 4
I think you have to.

00:26:12:24 - 00:26:14:12
Speaker 3
You have to value that human being.

00:26:14:12 - 00:26:14:19
Speaker 4
Right?

00:26:15:21 - 00:26:17:10
Speaker 3
Are we there to do a job and to.

00:26:17:23 - 00:26:20:16
Speaker 4
You know, to.

00:26:21:01 - 00:26:26:08
Speaker 3
Quote unquote, promote the university and the hockey program? Absolutely. I mean, it's it's it's a.

00:26:27:17 - 00:26:28:20
Speaker 4
You know, I think the hockey.

00:26:28:20 - 00:26:32:04
Speaker 3
Team is, quote unquote, making money. Does it make as much money as the football team?

00:26:32:04 - 00:26:33:00
Speaker 4
Absolutely not.

00:26:34:07 - 00:26:56:18
Speaker 3
But at the same time, it's I was very I always felt very proud and I felt like I had a duty there to represent the hockey team, to represent the student athlete there, to show up to class, even though I didn't really want to sometimes getting home at 330 in the morning after a game because I didn't want to be that person, that teacher was like, well, these guys are catered to.

00:26:56:18 - 00:27:02:02
Speaker 3
And I was like, no, I want to show up. I want to put my best foot forward and I want.

00:27:02:02 - 00:27:02:06
Speaker 4
To.

00:27:02:16 - 00:27:08:07
Speaker 3
I want to show them and I'm here for an education. And I thought that was important, important for me as a student.

00:27:08:07 - 00:27:30:15
Speaker 2
Athletes not going to feel bad talking about hockey and when you're talking about student athletes, but super important, you're part of what, you know, ESPN dubbed the Golden Decade. I think they called it you. Walk us through what that did for the team. What I also like, not just what the goal did, but I remember the comment from one of your coaches, if you can remember what he said about that after that goal, in the game and kind of how things ran afterwards.

00:27:33:07 - 00:27:39:06
Speaker 4
I just I remember Mike Mike leg, you know, I I'm.

00:27:39:06 - 00:27:55:08
Speaker 3
Sure a lot of people know that name and now they call it the Michigan. I actually just realized about six years ago that kids were starting to call it the Michigan. And I had a kid I was coaching here. So you know, I coach it. Do you ever see the Michigan? And I just kind of chuckle to myself and I never said it to him, but I was like, yeah.

00:27:55:08 - 00:27:56:05
Speaker 3
I was sitting on the bench.

00:27:56:06 - 00:28:01:10
Speaker 4
Chuckling you know, like he didn't.

00:28:01:10 - 00:28:02:10
Speaker 3
Realize that I was that.

00:28:02:10 - 00:28:05:08
Speaker 4
Old that I could have been. So I felt happy that he thought.

00:28:05:08 - 00:28:06:13
Speaker 3
That I maybe wasn't that.

00:28:06:13 - 00:28:11:01
Speaker 4
That old, but but that we were getting beat.

00:28:11:01 - 00:28:28:21
Speaker 3
Up by Minnesota at that time, and we were arguably the better team. But during that game, they're taking it to us a little bit in the second period. And I remember during practices parents, we always come down because Mike would practice this dumb thing after after practices for like three years.

00:28:30:05 - 00:28:30:15
Speaker 4
And this is.

00:28:30:15 - 00:28:45:09
Speaker 3
Our junior year. And Mike was in our class, and I always remember Coach giving him a hard time. He's like, Why don't you actually practice something that you're going to do in a game, you know, like real serious and stuff, right? And I just remember looking.

00:28:45:09 - 00:28:45:24
Speaker 4
Back.

00:28:46:09 - 00:28:48:15
Speaker 3
On the bench after he scored that goal.

00:28:49:06 - 00:28:51:00
Speaker 4
And you don't see red.

00:28:51:09 - 00:28:52:11
Speaker 3
Like kind of smirk.

00:28:53:09 - 00:28:57:11
Speaker 4
Ever, but he kind of just he kind of almost put his head down.

00:28:57:23 - 00:29:00:04
Speaker 3
And just kind of chuckled. It just shook his head like.

00:29:00:24 - 00:29:04:21
Speaker 4
Man, I couldn't have been more wrong, you know? But that.

00:29:04:21 - 00:29:05:19
Speaker 3
Was that was a goal.

00:29:05:19 - 00:29:09:00
Speaker 4
That that most opportunistic.

00:29:09:00 - 00:29:10:14
Speaker 3
Time of the game. We were down.

00:29:10:14 - 00:29:13:11
Speaker 4
A goal getting beat up pretty good.

00:29:14:08 - 00:29:18:12
Speaker 3
And Mike decides to pull this thing off and it works and it ties it up. And we go.

00:29:18:12 - 00:29:18:19
Speaker 4
On.

00:29:19:20 - 00:29:24:14
Speaker 3
To win that game in the semifinal, put us into the Final Four and win a national championship.

00:29:24:14 - 00:29:25:02
Speaker 4
After that.

00:29:26:04 - 00:29:31:21
Speaker 3
So it was a springboard to so much more than just what that was. But for him to have.

00:29:31:21 - 00:29:35:10
Speaker 4
The the I don't even know.

00:29:35:10 - 00:29:36:24
Speaker 3
I can't even say appropriately on a.

00:29:36:24 - 00:29:40:11
Speaker 4
Podcast. But they have the the steel will.

00:29:43:06 - 00:30:12:24
Speaker 1
This is the PGA 13 version of Benchmark podcast with Blake Sloan you know I know people are so here's the funny part is my daughter practices that like she tries it like all the time like the same idea. Yeah I bet you leg was probably one of the rare people that were back in those days practicing something like that because it was not something that we would do nobody really thought outside the box back in those days in a big it was a big deal that Wayne Gretzky set up behind the net.

00:30:12:24 - 00:30:32:07
Speaker 1
They're like, Oh, nobody does that right? And now this guys now kids are practicing it all the time. I told my daughter, if she pulled this off in an NCAA game, I'd buy her a Jeep. So I'm not sure Coach would want to hear that. But so now and I guess her and one of her line mates are practicing the zig gris, the like, the bunt, the flip over that like.

00:30:32:08 - 00:30:58:05
Speaker 1
So now this this type of stuff is spawning a whole generation of and I'm sure it's happening in other sports, too, trying weird things like they're talking the other day Calgary game. I can't remember if it was Coleman or Monahan shooting from below the goal line right on your off wing like that type of stuff so you know just tough angles and getting weird bounces and so we're just seeing that so that was it was a trend setter.

00:30:59:11 - 00:30:59:15
Speaker 4
He.

00:30:59:15 - 00:31:02:17
Speaker 3
Was and I, I find myself when I'm coaching the kids now.

00:31:02:22 - 00:31:04:08
Speaker 4
You know, getting angry.

00:31:04:08 - 00:31:05:07
Speaker 3
At that sort of stuff.

00:31:06:02 - 00:31:07:03
Speaker 4
Instead of.

00:31:07:20 - 00:31:14:18
Speaker 3
You know, not quelling the creativity that's that they're trying to do. And I think what I rather.

00:31:14:18 - 00:31:15:16
Speaker 4
I.

00:31:15:18 - 00:31:16:20
Speaker 3
Lean back on like.

00:31:17:04 - 00:31:17:20
Speaker 4
Is it the right.

00:31:17:20 - 00:31:19:04
Speaker 3
Time in the game to try.

00:31:19:04 - 00:31:19:24
Speaker 4
That? Right.

00:31:20:09 - 00:31:25:17
Speaker 3
Is it is it the situation that, you know, situational awareness, I guess, is how you want to best put that.

00:31:25:17 - 00:31:25:23
Speaker 4
But.

00:31:26:07 - 00:31:27:21
Speaker 3
Is it the right time and.

00:31:29:00 - 00:31:30:00
Speaker 4
Does it put us.

00:31:30:11 - 00:31:33:19
Speaker 3
In a good position if it if it fails? Because I.

00:31:33:24 - 00:31:35:13
Speaker 4
Really feel that.

00:31:35:13 - 00:31:37:04
Speaker 3
Quelling that type of creativity.

00:31:37:09 - 00:31:39:01
Speaker 4
If if if you would have never.

00:31:39:01 - 00:31:39:10
Speaker 3
Tried.

00:31:39:10 - 00:31:39:18
Speaker 4
That.

00:31:40:02 - 00:31:44:16
Speaker 3
I wonder if someone would have come up with it eventually. There was one other player in the NHL at that time.

00:31:45:16 - 00:31:45:24
Speaker 4
I want.

00:31:45:24 - 00:31:46:23
Speaker 3
To say the last name was.

00:31:46:23 - 00:31:47:17
Speaker 4
Armstrong.

00:31:48:03 - 00:31:48:14
Speaker 3
Who had.

00:31:48:14 - 00:31:50:05
Speaker 4
Scored that goal.

00:31:50:05 - 00:31:53:23
Speaker 3
But because of the Internet, because of all these things back in the day, no one really heard about it.

00:31:55:10 - 00:31:55:17
Speaker 4
And he.

00:31:55:17 - 00:31:56:21
Speaker 3
Was I think he was a Detroit.

00:31:56:21 - 00:31:57:09
Speaker 4
Viper.

00:31:57:18 - 00:31:59:17
Speaker 3
Of all things, to so I was in Detroit.

00:31:59:17 - 00:32:01:16
Speaker 4
And I think you'd have to ask.

00:32:01:16 - 00:32:02:08
Speaker 3
Mike about it.

00:32:02:14 - 00:32:03:16
Speaker 4
Specifically.

00:32:03:24 - 00:32:09:16
Speaker 3
But I think there was one other player that had scored doing that, and until Mike did. But the significance of how he.

00:32:09:16 - 00:32:10:18
Speaker 4
Did it in.

00:32:10:21 - 00:32:13:14
Speaker 3
An NCAA tournament at that time was what really put him on the.

00:32:13:14 - 00:32:13:20
Speaker 4
Map.

00:32:14:03 - 00:32:22:20
Speaker 1
Now, do you know if Mike played lacrosse because it is known as a lacrosse style goal. So that would be interesting if it's something that he grew up playing lacrosse and I.

00:32:22:23 - 00:32:23:16
Speaker 4
Think he did.

00:32:23:19 - 00:32:24:12
Speaker 1
Interesting.

00:32:24:12 - 00:32:27:14
Speaker 4
I, I could be wrong, but I don't think he did. Yeah.

00:32:28:01 - 00:32:29:06
Speaker 1
Curious. So.

00:32:30:01 - 00:32:46:17
Speaker 2
Blake, now you guys go the finals, you win it. And the memorable link, that's I'm sure that's amazing, but sticks out the most for me. If you remember the words, I have to put them in your mouth. What was more awesome after the game? You got to interview score than we game on goal. What he's like I don't know those.

00:32:46:17 - 00:33:04:19
Speaker 2
You've never played college sports or you're planning. I would love to play. You know, that's an ambition for you. This is, like, the coolest thing ever, but you don't have to be collegiate at that it could be. You know, this could represent your workforce. This could be talking about your family. Can you kind of summarize what he said to the crowd when he was interviewed, like as a young man in that situation?

00:33:04:19 - 00:33:06:08
Speaker 2
That's just it gives me shivers right here.

00:33:07:01 - 00:33:07:13
Speaker 4
Yeah.

00:33:07:13 - 00:33:10:02
Speaker 3
I'm actually just I got goosebumps just thinking about it.

00:33:10:02 - 00:33:12:13
Speaker 4
And I guess I didn't.

00:33:12:13 - 00:33:14:16
Speaker 3
Quite understand the significance of.

00:33:14:16 - 00:33:16:15
Speaker 4
That at the time.

00:33:17:00 - 00:33:28:08
Speaker 3
And now when I do hear that that interview, I just get really taken aback and it just goes to show that the quality of kid and person that he is as well.

00:33:28:08 - 00:33:31:07
Speaker 4
And and what he said was, was.

00:33:31:17 - 00:33:35:17
Speaker 3
You know, he's just basically like he was the one that scored the.

00:33:35:17 - 00:33:36:00
Speaker 4
Goal.

00:33:37:02 - 00:33:37:18
Speaker 2
Overtime goals.

00:33:37:18 - 00:33:38:19
Speaker 4
Right at the.

00:33:38:19 - 00:33:39:06
Speaker 3
Overtime.

00:33:39:06 - 00:33:41:09
Speaker 4
Goal. But this was.

00:33:41:09 - 00:33:47:09
Speaker 3
This was a process like Red took over this program for 22 years. You know, he had.

00:33:47:09 - 00:33:48:11
Speaker 4
He had wanted.

00:33:48:11 - 00:34:03:15
Speaker 3
To reach that pinnacle and had been flustered and had some really good teams and you know, it was it was a journey for red to get that to get the team to where we could finally make a tournament and then we can make a Final Four and then finally win a championship. But this was this was a long, long long way.

00:34:04:07 - 00:34:15:17
Speaker 3
And he said that, you know, this is this is for all the guys that started this program that came here, that lost four years that that didn't have a chance to be in this tournament.

00:34:16:02 - 00:34:17:10
Speaker 4
That afforded.

00:34:17:10 - 00:34:21:09
Speaker 3
Us the opportunity to do this and afforded me the opportunity to score this.

00:34:21:09 - 00:34:21:15
Speaker 4
Goal.

00:34:22:01 - 00:34:33:02
Speaker 3
And he goes, I just I want to take I want to take a moment and recognize all those people. And it's just I'm really proud to be a part of this this program and where it's coming and where it is now.

00:34:33:15 - 00:34:57:18
Speaker 1
Well, Michael, we always say or there's a school, it's unreal. There's such a great quote by Coach K from the basketball world where he says, character has nothing to do with winning games but everything to do with winning championships. And it seems like everything that you've talked about in leading to this is like talent, you know, when you're games and stuff like that.

00:34:57:18 - 00:35:17:12
Speaker 1
But at the end, you may not reach the pinnacle without having the character to back it up. Everything you've said and described about that Michigan team is founded on people and character. Yeah, you guys are talented hockey players. But there was the addition of just having that good, good people and it sounded like you guys were in it together.

00:35:17:24 - 00:35:36:12
Speaker 1
You're fighting for the same thing together and not just for the guys there, but like all the classes. And it's such a cool thing and it's a it should be used as a blueprint really for people to be like Hey, what do we need to do to be successful and win? And it sounds like the foundation is people and character.

00:35:37:12 - 00:35:41:07
Speaker 4
Good point on it. And it's how well we it's how well.

00:35:41:07 - 00:35:41:13
Speaker 3
Those.

00:35:41:13 - 00:35:43:20
Speaker 4
People got along.

00:35:45:04 - 00:35:50:23
Speaker 3
You know, I get questioned here a lot in Minnesota, like how come Minnesota hasn't been as talented.

00:35:51:22 - 00:35:52:01
Speaker 4
Or.

00:35:52:01 - 00:35:55:24
Speaker 3
Hasn't had the results? They've been super talented, like, man, they've got a crazy good team.

00:35:57:09 - 00:36:00:14
Speaker 4
And I often go back to it because they asked.

00:36:00:14 - 00:36:03:04
Speaker 3
Me and my father in law just lost their jobs. He goes, Well, teams.

00:36:03:04 - 00:36:05:23
Speaker 4
Have half of your team was Canadian. You know.

00:36:06:18 - 00:36:10:24
Speaker 3
Minnesota prides itself on having all that. Minnesota kids, which is great.

00:36:11:10 - 00:36:20:02
Speaker 4
But I said you're part of that. I love both avenues. But what made us special is the ability I mean, I didn't even.

00:36:20:02 - 00:36:24:00
Speaker 3
Know where British Columbia was, you know, and I had Meklit and Morrison from British.

00:36:24:00 - 00:36:24:12
Speaker 4
Columbia.

00:36:25:22 - 00:36:33:14
Speaker 3
You know, I I had, you know, Johnny Mathis that came out of I think he was from Barrie, you know, I had war and looting.

00:36:33:18 - 00:36:37:14
Speaker 4
Out of Calgary. And I'm like Calgary.

00:36:37:14 - 00:36:46:03
Speaker 3
I think I met Jason Bonner was from Winnipeg. You know, we had two or three kids from Detroit. We had a kid from Chicago.

00:36:46:04 - 00:36:49:09
Speaker 4
A kid from New York, a kid from Florida. Like all of this.

00:36:49:09 - 00:36:49:24
Speaker 3
Diversity of.

00:36:49:24 - 00:36:51:03
Speaker 4
Thought, diversity.

00:36:51:03 - 00:36:58:11
Speaker 3
Of backgrounds, somehow they just threw it together and it somehow seemed to gel and mix. And all of those things were.

00:37:00:16 - 00:37:01:05
Speaker 4
Seem to work.

00:37:01:05 - 00:37:02:06
Speaker 3
Out, and that's hard to do.

00:37:03:12 - 00:37:04:20
Speaker 4
But I think it.

00:37:04:20 - 00:37:07:04
Speaker 3
Worked and obviously it worked well. And.

00:37:07:23 - 00:37:11:04
Speaker 4
You know, I, I would say that we and I think.

00:37:11:09 - 00:37:25:17
Speaker 3
Berenson says this to this day, said the most talented team he's ever had is the 97 team. When we did win it, we wanted and 96 with not the best team, didn't win it with probably the best team. And then they went on to win it the next.

00:37:25:17 - 00:37:27:12
Speaker 4
Year where.

00:37:27:14 - 00:37:30:17
Speaker 3
You know, Billy McCall met her and Turco basically.

00:37:31:04 - 00:37:31:12
Speaker 4
Led.

00:37:31:12 - 00:37:34:00
Speaker 3
A team that they thought would not even make the tournament.

00:37:34:00 - 00:37:34:11
Speaker 4
That year.

00:37:35:16 - 00:37:40:24
Speaker 3
And they went on to win it that year and they just, they were unbelievable force. So.

00:37:42:03 - 00:37:47:01
Speaker 2
Mark, I'll let you jump on in anything. Then I'm going to probe him a little bit. I sit back and enjoy the next step.

00:37:47:02 - 00:38:03:03
Speaker 1
OK, so now I want to so let's stick on the on the theme of championships. Thanks G for lead me the end of this one because I was like, oh, I can see your brain thinking. And I'm like, I got to get this out you win a championship at Michigan, you go on and you win a Stanley Cup.

00:38:04:12 - 00:38:27:09
Speaker 1
Were there common denominators? Because this is again, people want to talk about being successful. What common denominators were present between the championship team in Michigan? And I'm going to say this I mean, go out on a limb and people can, you know, Twitter can blow up. I think hockey is one of the hardest championships to win because it is a grueling season.

00:38:27:21 - 00:38:48:20
Speaker 1
It's it's just unbelievably physically demanding. And now you're talking about a seven game series where you're trying to kill each other. What is the common denominator that was present in Michigan and Dallas and even other ingredients that might have been there that didn't have even in Michigan well.

00:38:49:24 - 00:38:50:19
Speaker 4
I think if I.

00:38:51:03 - 00:38:53:15
Speaker 3
I'd have to really do some deep diving on this.

00:38:53:15 - 00:38:56:17
Speaker 4
One before our high school.

00:38:56:17 - 00:39:16:05
Speaker 3
Team won in the championship in Boston. And then I want to deal championship in Europe, too. So there was four championships I was a part of. And then I think one of the most underrated things that I was a part of that I think was one of the highlights of my career was was winning a bronze medal at the World Championships with players that.

00:39:17:09 - 00:39:20:16
Speaker 4
Were my caliber excuse.

00:39:20:17 - 00:39:21:11
Speaker 3
All the guys on that.

00:39:21:11 - 00:39:23:22
Speaker 4
Team. But, you know, when you go.

00:39:23:22 - 00:39:26:05
Speaker 3
To play in the World Championships and you look across.

00:39:26:13 - 00:39:27:11
Speaker 4
Know check.

00:39:27:11 - 00:39:32:10
Speaker 3
At that time when they've got younger and the whole frickin country comes in, you know, Mary Todd Slaton.

00:39:32:10 - 00:39:32:14
Speaker 4
And.

00:39:33:05 - 00:39:38:08
Speaker 3
Hash explain over there at the time, I mean, everyone goes over and plays for the world championship team.

00:39:38:22 - 00:39:40:03
Speaker 4
Well, we got it out.

00:39:40:03 - 00:39:47:22
Speaker 3
A bronze medal. We beat Czech and beat Sweden in front of 19,000 people.

00:39:48:03 - 00:39:48:14
Speaker 4
In.

00:39:49:23 - 00:39:53:19
Speaker 3
In Prague. And it was one of the craziest events I've ever been a part of.

00:39:55:03 - 00:39:58:07
Speaker 4
But going back to the.

00:39:58:07 - 00:40:01:02
Speaker 3
Championship question, I think that's a hard one. I think.

00:40:06:06 - 00:40:08:10
Speaker 4
I think we just if you look at all.

00:40:08:11 - 00:40:23:24
Speaker 3
Those teams, I think we just had buy in and I know that's really easy to say. We had buy in and we had great accountability to each other to perform at our absolute best every night for one another.

00:40:26:04 - 00:40:26:16
Speaker 4
And.

00:40:27:04 - 00:40:29:13
Speaker 3
You know, there's ups and downs in that series and.

00:40:30:13 - 00:40:30:19
Speaker 4
In.

00:40:30:19 - 00:40:47:01
Speaker 3
All of those series. And I think for me at the time I told the story the other day to a couple of my work colleagues, I've never told the Stanley Cup story to any of my work colleagues. And they said, you know, what was it? What was it like, you know, those two years going to winning a cup and then next year going to the final?

00:40:48:17 - 00:40:54:00
Speaker 3
And I said I was so new in my journey in the NHL at that time.

00:40:54:12 - 00:40:56:10
Speaker 4
I never really.

00:40:56:10 - 00:41:14:01
Speaker 3
Had a moment to really sit back and enjoy and think about what was really happening, because my only focus and mission was to make sure that, like, I was rested, I was fed figuring out if I was going to be in the lineup, if I was, you know, if I was going to get 6 minutes a game or if I was going to get 15 minutes a game.

00:41:14:10 - 00:41:17:00
Speaker 3
What my role is, you know, I studied.

00:41:17:07 - 00:41:17:22
Speaker 4
I kill.

00:41:17:22 - 00:41:20:20
Speaker 3
Penalties all the time. So I was studying power plays all the time.

00:41:21:07 - 00:41:22:21
Speaker 4
What could I do if I.

00:41:22:21 - 00:41:25:08
Speaker 3
Had that chance to be out there, to be impactful in that game?

00:41:25:20 - 00:41:27:10
Speaker 4
And, you know, by.

00:41:27:10 - 00:41:34:21
Speaker 3
The time it was all said and done, I, I was like basically kind of looked and I was like, what the hell just happened kind of thing? Because it was never.

00:41:35:09 - 00:41:35:22
Speaker 4
I.

00:41:35:22 - 00:41:43:08
Speaker 3
Never allowed my chance to look at a name on the back of a jersey because if I would have done that, I would have saw Peter Forsberg and probably crap my pants.

00:41:44:11 - 00:41:45:10
Speaker 4
And Joe Sackett.

00:41:47:02 - 00:42:03:21
Speaker 3
But like, they were just kind of they were just people in different jerseys. And that's the way that I had to mentally cope and play. But I mean, I just I looked at the guys in Dallas in particular. I mean, we had such a veteran corps of guys that.

00:42:03:21 - 00:42:04:05
Speaker 4
Were.

00:42:04:18 - 00:42:05:16
Speaker 3
Never seemingly.

00:42:05:16 - 00:42:07:12
Speaker 4
Rattled under control.

00:42:07:23 - 00:42:11:15
Speaker 3
You know, whether it was Balfour in the Net, we had Hatcher, Sid or Zubac.

00:42:12:01 - 00:42:12:10
Speaker 4
I mean.

00:42:12:21 - 00:42:27:06
Speaker 3
And Zuhbi was just ridiculous with the park. The guy had like nerves of steel. He could be dangling at the blue line and the guy tips up past him, and somehow he's got the strength and the wherewithal to step in front of him in some Russian crazy way.

00:42:27:06 - 00:42:31:06
Speaker 4
And like poke the fuck away, you know, I.

00:42:31:06 - 00:42:32:22
Speaker 3
Played with Mike Keane and.

00:42:32:23 - 00:42:34:04
Speaker 4
He carbonyl, you.

00:42:34:04 - 00:42:38:19
Speaker 3
Know, to me like probably two of the greatest leaders that I've ever played with.

00:42:40:03 - 00:42:41:00
Speaker 4
And and, you.

00:42:41:00 - 00:42:45:00
Speaker 3
Know, you got Brian Screw, then you've got John Updike, you've got Hall, you've got McDonald.

00:42:45:00 - 00:42:48:00
Speaker 4
You've got Pat Verbeek. I mean.

00:42:48:00 - 00:42:49:14
Speaker 3
These guys had so much like.

00:42:50:11 - 00:42:54:05
Speaker 1
Notable, unique locker room to be in with that. That was just.

00:42:54:08 - 00:42:57:00
Speaker 4
Oh, it was unbelievable.

00:42:57:11 - 00:43:05:15
Speaker 3
And for me to show up there and to play and to play among that group, I I mean, I literally just sat there and I'm like.

00:43:06:03 - 00:43:07:08
Speaker 4
Just please speak.

00:43:07:08 - 00:43:08:05
Speaker 3
Because I want to absorb.

00:43:08:05 - 00:43:08:13
Speaker 4
It all.

00:43:09:00 - 00:43:09:15
Speaker 3
You know, like.

00:43:09:15 - 00:43:10:18
Speaker 4
How do you how do you.

00:43:10:18 - 00:43:11:20
Speaker 3
Go about the day to day.

00:43:12:12 - 00:43:40:03
Speaker 1
Before it, before I turn it over to guys? Like what? Like if you think about when you you ever sit back and think like you mapped out your journey like you've been all over the world, you've been like you've had such a worldly hockey career. It's really unique to have won an NCAA championship, which all I'm sure that trifecta of the world championship at the Stanley Cup and the national championship in the NCAA probably not won by a lot of people.

00:43:40:03 - 00:43:45:21
Speaker 1
And I know that I'm going to pump your tires there. There's one common denominator that's been in all three, and we're staring at them right here.

00:43:46:16 - 00:43:48:04
Speaker 4
It's all.

00:43:48:17 - 00:43:50:10
Speaker 1
Right. I'm turning it over to you.

00:43:51:24 - 00:44:16:24
Speaker 2
Oh, boy. I once said by literally if I can pop up my shoes and just chill, but so I want to go senior year. I've heard this story, but it probably gets spicier. Your senior year you got, you know, agents coming to the house, talking to some of the guys that they drafted. You're just kind of an afterthought at the time that know what's going on from there to when you were at Houston, they came in, you know, Dallas is there.

00:44:16:24 - 00:44:20:05
Speaker 2
Watch somebody else. Can you go through that whole thing?

00:44:20:20 - 00:44:27:07
Speaker 4
Can you yeah. You it I think, again.

00:44:27:18 - 00:44:36:06
Speaker 3
Me winding up at Michigan, you know, and having the ability to to to play on a team with this talented of guys just gave.

00:44:36:06 - 00:44:36:16
Speaker 4
Me.

00:44:37:20 - 00:44:48:17
Speaker 3
A platform to kind of utilize and just run into people that I would never have had the chance to run into. And I was like, Kurt over here for example, was an agent for Brendan Morrison.

00:44:49:15 - 00:44:49:20
Speaker 4
And.

00:44:49:20 - 00:44:59:20
Speaker 3
For Warren Learning. Jason was a first round draft pick. So there was constantly people calling the house. And I think the story goes, Marty probably didn't hear this, but, you know, I was.

00:45:00:03 - 00:45:00:14
Speaker 4
Preparing.

00:45:00:14 - 00:45:02:01
Speaker 3
My resume to teach.

00:45:02:23 - 00:45:05:12
Speaker 4
To coach to you know.

00:45:05:19 - 00:45:12:12
Speaker 3
My second part of senior year, the season was over and, you know, agents would be calling our house and I'd be like, oh.

00:45:12:12 - 00:45:12:20
Speaker 4
You know.

00:45:12:24 - 00:45:14:22
Speaker 3
Brennan's out here, he's going to be coming.

00:45:14:22 - 00:45:16:07
Speaker 4
Back later, yadda, yadda, yadda.

00:45:17:04 - 00:45:20:20
Speaker 3
And I said, But I'll give the message, you know, it's great talking to you. And he's like, hey.

00:45:21:03 - 00:45:23:11
Speaker 4
Like, you know, do you have any.

00:45:23:11 - 00:45:24:13
Speaker 3
Interest in playing.

00:45:24:18 - 00:45:28:17
Speaker 4
After college? And I'm like, Oh, gosh, yeah. The awesome.

00:45:28:17 - 00:45:29:13
Speaker 3
I love it. You know.

00:45:29:14 - 00:45:34:05
Speaker 4
I'd love to do that. But, you know, at this point, I'm kind of, you know, I'm.

00:45:34:14 - 00:45:38:16
Speaker 3
Just preparing for what's going to be transpiring, you know, later on. He said.

00:45:38:16 - 00:45:44:04
Speaker 4
Well, he said, if I were to get you an opportunity, you know, do you think you'd you do it?

00:45:44:11 - 00:45:49:13
Speaker 3
And I'm like, Oh, yeah, I'd like to for sure. And I, I'm like, all right, so I'm going to commit myself to this.

00:45:50:04 - 00:45:52:11
Speaker 4
Well, I mean, I hear from.

00:45:52:11 - 00:46:02:18
Speaker 3
Kurt, like, for the next two months, like, nothing. And I'm training super hard, and I'm like, this could come to fruition. Or it could. And finally in August, he calls me and he's like, slowly.

00:46:02:18 - 00:46:03:08
Speaker 4
I got.

00:46:03:08 - 00:46:04:09
Speaker 3
An opportunity for you.

00:46:04:15 - 00:46:07:14
Speaker 4
And I'm like, sweet. I'm like, Let's go.

00:46:08:07 - 00:46:10:02
Speaker 3
And I said, Tell me about it. And he's like, Well.

00:46:10:14 - 00:46:12:09
Speaker 4
The Houston Astros want you.

00:46:12:09 - 00:46:16:23
Speaker 3
To come down on a tryout and I'm like, OK, tell me about that, you know? And he's like.

00:46:17:05 - 00:46:18:06
Speaker 4
Well, they have seven.

00:46:18:06 - 00:46:22:09
Speaker 3
Players under contract and they have 14 defensemen coming to.

00:46:22:09 - 00:46:42:03
Speaker 4
Camp and I'm like, and I'm doing the math in my head, and I'm like, And how many players do they carry you? A pro kind of goes, Oh, they carry seven. And I'm like, OK, so how is this a good opportunity and he's like, he's like, Well.

00:46:42:06 - 00:46:45:00
Speaker 3
Here's the thing. Brian Wiseman is down.

00:46:45:00 - 00:46:45:20
Speaker 4
There, David.

00:46:45:20 - 00:46:54:15
Speaker 3
Oliver and Cam Stewart, and those are all guys that played at Michigan when I when I was a freshman. And I didn't get to know him that well.

00:46:54:15 - 00:46:56:09
Speaker 4
But I knew him fairly well.

00:46:57:03 - 00:47:10:22
Speaker 3
Dave Tippet was the coach down there, a smaller player who's known to be really straight Arrow and again, a mentor of mine. Like The Guy is unbelievable. And he says, I think you can go down there and do your thing. And I think you can get yourself a job.

00:47:12:06 - 00:47:17:14
Speaker 4
I'm like, OK, so is that it? Yup. That's all you got. I'm like, OK.

00:47:18:05 - 00:47:24:06
Speaker 3
So I committed myself to do it, you know, say, Hey, I'm going to lay all the cards on the table, do the best I can and see, see what.

00:47:24:06 - 00:47:24:17
Speaker 4
Happens.

00:47:25:06 - 00:47:29:22
Speaker 3
And went down there and ended up, you know, just getting one more game.

00:47:30:11 - 00:47:33:13
Speaker 4
Getting through camp and.

00:47:34:03 - 00:47:35:10
Speaker 3
Still living at a hotel at the.

00:47:35:10 - 00:47:35:19
Speaker 4
Time.

00:47:36:06 - 00:47:39:15
Speaker 3
And tip it comes to me after one of the practices and says.

00:47:40:11 - 00:47:40:19
Speaker 4
Yeah.

00:47:41:15 - 00:47:42:18
Speaker 3
We're going to sign you.

00:47:42:18 - 00:47:43:11
Speaker 4
To.

00:47:44:10 - 00:47:48:09
Speaker 3
An agreement for the next seven days. And we proceeded to do that.

00:47:48:09 - 00:47:56:11
Speaker 4
For four months living in the hotel. And so I didn't know any different. I'm like.

00:47:56:20 - 00:48:01:11
Speaker 3
Yeah, OK. So every week I had to go in and re sign a piece of paper that I was going to get.

00:48:01:11 - 00:48:02:00
Speaker 4
Paid and.

00:48:02:22 - 00:48:06:09
Speaker 3
And I just kept he was basically testing me to see if.

00:48:06:09 - 00:48:06:16
Speaker 4
I could.

00:48:06:21 - 00:48:11:10
Speaker 3
Play at that level and perform at that level against the competition for that long.

00:48:12:02 - 00:48:12:09
Speaker 4
Now, were.

00:48:12:09 - 00:48:26:15
Speaker 3
There some up and downs on that journey? For sure, but I was I was earning my medal there and I was, you know, doing a pretty good job. And he got rid of a couple of guys that he thought I could do a better job. And finally he calls me into his office one day and he says.

00:48:27:12 - 00:48:31:08
Speaker 4
Like, I'd like you to go get an.

00:48:31:08 - 00:48:31:21
Speaker 3
Apartment.

00:48:32:13 - 00:48:33:08
Speaker 4
And.

00:48:33:08 - 00:48:37:08
Speaker 3
You're going to be here for the rest of the year. And this is like November, the end of November.

00:48:38:01 - 00:48:39:24
Speaker 4
And I look at.

00:48:39:24 - 00:48:40:11
Speaker 3
Him, he says.

00:48:40:20 - 00:48:41:15
Speaker 4
Slowly.

00:48:41:15 - 00:48:41:22
Speaker 3
This.

00:48:41:22 - 00:48:43:10
Speaker 4
And he's got a big, you know.

00:48:43:22 - 00:48:45:23
Speaker 3
The Tom Selleck mustache out of.

00:48:45:23 - 00:48:52:04
Speaker 4
A story you're supposed to say thank you to go see him tomorrow practice. And I said.

00:48:52:16 - 00:48:55:20
Speaker 3
What's so that means I have to move out of the hotel.

00:48:56:16 - 00:49:02:03
Speaker 4
And then, like, if I move into an apartment, I don't have a car. And he says.

00:49:03:12 - 00:49:06:04
Speaker 3
Yes, you need to go get an apartment and then you need.

00:49:06:04 - 00:49:15:18
Speaker 4
To go buy a car. And I'm like, I'm like, well, I don't have any money there. And so Tip, we worked something.

00:49:15:18 - 00:49:17:22
Speaker 3
Out where he gave me an advance on mine and he said, now.

00:49:18:06 - 00:49:18:15
Speaker 4
You can't.

00:49:18:15 - 00:49:21:05
Speaker 3
Go anywhere before you pay this back, right?

00:49:21:12 - 00:49:24:09
Speaker 4
So you and so he.

00:49:24:11 - 00:49:32:16
Speaker 3
He worked something out where I could I got a little bit of a forward front on the money that I was going to be making in the first few weeks. And I signed an entry level contract.

00:49:32:18 - 00:49:33:00
Speaker 4
For.

00:49:33:09 - 00:49:35:18
Speaker 3
23,500 bucks for two years.

00:49:36:18 - 00:49:39:15
Speaker 4
And but again.

00:49:39:15 - 00:49:40:14
Speaker 3
One of those things that.

00:49:40:23 - 00:49:41:13
Speaker 4
Was.

00:49:41:21 - 00:49:48:18
Speaker 3
Just upfront with me about from day one told me exactly what he needed and expected from me. And then I get to the point where.

00:49:48:18 - 00:49:49:17
Speaker 4
I'm at a, you know, a.

00:49:49:18 - 00:49:56:05
Speaker 3
Younger kid. 21 years old at this point, and I was so excited to be adults. And I had free breakfast.

00:49:57:09 - 00:49:59:07
Speaker 4
The hood, the hood, the hotel.

00:49:59:07 - 00:50:01:10
Speaker 3
Van driver drove me to the rink every day.

00:50:02:06 - 00:50:03:14
Speaker 4
For. Yep, yep.

00:50:03:21 - 00:50:07:22
Speaker 3
And Sean and I got to be buddies. And then Sean, if you ever.

00:50:07:22 - 00:50:08:06
Speaker 4
Want to.

00:50:08:06 - 00:50:09:24
Speaker 3
Learn how it is not.

00:50:11:01 - 00:50:14:08
Speaker 4
To like be in a as.

00:50:14:19 - 00:50:16:12
Speaker 3
A demand type of situation.

00:50:17:02 - 00:50:19:07
Speaker 4
Have them drop you off with a hockey bag.

00:50:19:07 - 00:50:21:08
Speaker 3
And your bags to a car dealership.

00:50:22:03 - 00:50:27:24
Speaker 4
In a like a Fairmont Hotel van. I had I had guys.

00:50:27:24 - 00:50:30:10
Speaker 3
Running out of the dealership to like.

00:50:31:00 - 00:50:31:19
Speaker 4
Get to me.

00:50:33:09 - 00:50:35:03
Speaker 3
Because they knew like I wasn't going anywhere without a.

00:50:35:03 - 00:50:39:05
Speaker 4
Vehicle. And it was.

00:50:39:08 - 00:50:52:17
Speaker 3
It was a wild experience. So so that was my, my journey down to Houston. And there's a lot more to that. But you know, one of the things that was really special to me is making that team and having that opportunity to play in the old age.

00:50:52:17 - 00:51:07:11
Speaker 2
So what about having to move from, you know, talk to a little bit more about moving from defense to forward guys on your team, not making the best decisions, let's say, on a road trip that gives you an opportunity like, you know, all those little things we think in life that don't come to play.

00:51:07:11 - 00:51:08:03
Speaker 4
Come into play.

00:51:09:07 - 00:51:12:15
Speaker 3
So one of the teams in our division was Las Vegas.

00:51:13:14 - 00:51:14:01
Speaker 4
And I think.

00:51:14:01 - 00:51:18:22
Speaker 3
My my tax accountant told me my first year in Houston, we had spent close to.

00:51:18:22 - 00:51:24:16
Speaker 4
34 days in LA and in Nevada, which is a lot.

00:51:24:16 - 00:51:27:04
Speaker 3
Of frickin time to be in Las Vegas.

00:51:28:01 - 00:51:28:17
Speaker 4
In fact, after.

00:51:28:17 - 00:51:33:08
Speaker 3
I played in the NHL, I was like, I might not go to Vegas again for ten years, like I had spent that much time.

00:51:33:18 - 00:51:34:05
Speaker 4
And if you're.

00:51:34:05 - 00:51:39:12
Speaker 3
If you're trying to focus and like play being in Las Vegas, is that the best place to be? It's really challenging.

00:51:39:12 - 00:51:48:01
Speaker 4
Like you're walking through the hotel and things are going crazy everywhere, but about halfway through.

00:51:48:01 - 00:51:54:10
Speaker 3
That next year, I had a really solid start that that first year I earned my position, came back and played in Houston.

00:51:55:21 - 00:51:56:16
Speaker 4
About halfway.

00:51:56:16 - 00:52:05:03
Speaker 3
Through the year. I would say it's just after Christmas. We were in Las Vegas and Ted comes down to the end of the bench and he says, Sloan.

00:52:05:03 - 00:52:05:07
Speaker 4
He.

00:52:05:22 - 00:52:07:11
Speaker 3
Goes, I need you to come play forward.

00:52:08:00 - 00:52:12:09
Speaker 4
And I look down and I see like four, four and sitting at the other end of the bench.

00:52:12:23 - 00:52:22:02
Speaker 3
And it like we had three in the penalty box. Like two guys had left the game sick. You know, we had a tough we played on a Monday night and then we stayed there till Friday. And this was the Friday game.

00:52:22:11 - 00:52:23:22
Speaker 4
Wow. Yeah, it was. It's a.

00:52:23:22 - 00:52:25:11
Speaker 3
Tough stint for some guys.

00:52:26:24 - 00:52:29:13
Speaker 4
And I'm like, I haven't played.

00:52:29:13 - 00:52:31:15
Speaker 3
For since I was eight years old. And he's like.

00:52:31:15 - 00:52:38:21
Speaker 4
I don't care. He's like, I need you you know, brought me down there and played two periods of forward. Hadn't played before.

00:52:39:16 - 00:52:42:03
Speaker 1
Basically ever. That's a lot of skating for a D.

00:52:42:24 - 00:52:47:01
Speaker 4
Oh, it was crazy. Like and I'm like, you know, he kept giving me a couple of tips and he.

00:52:47:01 - 00:52:48:15
Speaker 3
Just kind of said, like, let me go.

00:52:48:15 - 00:52:52:02
Speaker 4
And and I played with Mark Freire.

00:52:52:02 - 00:52:53:24
Speaker 3
As my center man. For a while there and.

00:52:53:24 - 00:52:55:00
Speaker 4
Then killed some.

00:52:55:00 - 00:53:01:17
Speaker 3
Penalties, did some things, you know, had a couple of assists somehow, like, got a four check and threw it out in front. The guys scored, and.

00:53:02:09 - 00:53:02:19
Speaker 4
After the.

00:53:02:19 - 00:53:06:24
Speaker 3
Game is like, Tip says to me, he's like, Are you sure you never played before?

00:53:06:24 - 00:53:07:23
Speaker 4
He goes, You did a.

00:53:07:23 - 00:53:08:18
Speaker 3
Frickin really good.

00:53:08:18 - 00:53:13:14
Speaker 4
Job. And I'm like, really? I'm like, OK, cool. So from that.

00:53:13:14 - 00:53:15:03
Speaker 3
Point on, for the next two months.

00:53:16:11 - 00:53:17:09
Speaker 4
It would be.

00:53:17:22 - 00:53:18:24
Speaker 3
I would start as a D.

00:53:18:24 - 00:53:19:11
Speaker 4
I played.

00:53:19:15 - 00:53:24:11
Speaker 3
I'd played one period as D, one period. As for one period as D, one period as four.

00:53:24:21 - 00:53:27:19
Speaker 4
And then it got to be like alternating shifts.

00:53:28:09 - 00:53:34:20
Speaker 3
And then that that really screwed me up because I finally had to go in and say like, now it's really screwed me up. Like, I.

00:53:34:20 - 00:53:36:13
Speaker 4
Don't know how to think.

00:53:36:13 - 00:53:38:10
Speaker 3
About what I'm doing for the next shift.

00:53:38:10 - 00:53:39:07
Speaker 4
And reflect on it.

00:53:39:07 - 00:53:39:21
Speaker 3
And it's like.

00:53:40:05 - 00:53:40:18
Speaker 4
Can you at least.

00:53:40:18 - 00:53:43:05
Speaker 3
Tell me before the games if I'm going to be playing.

00:53:43:05 - 00:53:44:09
Speaker 4
For it or D?

00:53:45:03 - 00:53:46:01
Speaker 3
And he's like, Well.

00:53:46:14 - 00:53:47:04
Speaker 4
I'll try.

00:53:47:13 - 00:53:48:09
Speaker 3
You know, kind of thing.

00:53:48:24 - 00:53:57:21
Speaker 4
And, and he did that for about two weeks and and then he went back to the old way before the.

00:53:57:21 - 00:54:01:22
Speaker 3
Kalamazoo K Wings came to town. He came to me on Thursday, like.

00:54:01:23 - 00:54:02:08
Speaker 4
Three.

00:54:02:08 - 00:54:13:12
Speaker 3
Days before the weekend series, and he's like, they're now like Wednesday. And he's like, Get slowly. You're going to play for it all weekend this week. And I looked and I'm like, and unbeknownst to me because I'm clueless at this point.

00:54:13:20 - 00:54:14:04
Speaker 4
I looked.

00:54:14:04 - 00:54:14:18
Speaker 3
At so we had we.

00:54:14:18 - 00:54:15:17
Speaker 4
Had two rd hurt.

00:54:15:24 - 00:54:20:17
Speaker 3
We were going to play, we were going to play the weekend series of 40. So I'm for sure thinking I'm playing d.

00:54:20:18 - 00:54:23:24
Speaker 4
The whole weekend. And he goes, Nope, we've got a young kid that.

00:54:23:24 - 00:54:27:11
Speaker 3
Needs to come up and get some action. We're going to play him. So we'll have our five.

00:54:28:01 - 00:54:33:12
Speaker 4
You're going to play for the whole weekend. And I'm like, OK, well, little did I know that Bob.

00:54:33:12 - 00:54:40:14
Speaker 3
Gainey and Hitchcock were coming to watch Houston or Dallas Farm Team playoffs, which Aaron was on that team gave me.

00:54:42:01 - 00:54:43:17
Speaker 4
And I just.

00:54:44:04 - 00:54:55:20
Speaker 3
Did my thing that weekend and had fun and Curt, my agent happened to be in town that weekend and we had a wonderful time. We had success. We won a couple of games. I think we may have swept them that weekend.

00:54:57:18 - 00:54:58:11
Speaker 4
And we went.

00:54:58:11 - 00:55:03:09
Speaker 3
Out for dinner after and went out and had a nice time that night. And the next morning we had a day off that gave us a day.

00:55:03:09 - 00:55:04:19
Speaker 4
Off on a Monday, and he calls me.

00:55:05:12 - 00:55:07:10
Speaker 3
And he's like, This is before cell phones and my.

00:55:08:01 - 00:55:09:04
Speaker 4
My condo.

00:55:09:16 - 00:55:16:02
Speaker 3
Phone rings. And he says, Sony, what are you doing? I said, Curt, you just went to the airport this morning. I'm like.

00:55:17:05 - 00:55:27:00
Speaker 4
We got a day off. I'm going to the golf course. He goes, Well, you can't go to the golf course. I'm like, All right, whatever. I'm like, I'm going to the golf course. I'm going to be late. He goes, No, you can't go to the golf course.

00:55:27:09 - 00:55:30:00
Speaker 3
Bob Gainey is going to call you in a few minutes. And I'm.

00:55:30:00 - 00:55:37:01
Speaker 4
Like, Bob Gainey, who like, you know, and he's like, Bob Gainey, the.

00:55:37:01 - 00:55:38:01
Speaker 3
GM of the Dallas.

00:55:38:01 - 00:55:41:13
Speaker 4
Stars. And I'm like, Oh, what does he want? You know, like.

00:55:41:13 - 00:55:44:15
Speaker 3
I have no stinking idea, like. And he's like, Well.

00:55:45:00 - 00:55:45:16
Speaker 4
He'd like you to.

00:55:45:16 - 00:55:47:22
Speaker 3
Come to Dallas on Wednesday and play against.

00:55:48:09 - 00:55:52:19
Speaker 4
Anaheim. And I'm like, And do what? Like.

00:55:53:18 - 00:55:58:13
Speaker 3
And this is I named the lineup already like, like crazy lineup. And they.

00:55:58:13 - 00:55:59:13
Speaker 4
Were I think at.

00:55:59:13 - 00:56:00:10
Speaker 3
That time, they were like.

00:56:00:11 - 00:56:05:16
Speaker 4
48, 12. Oh, you're right. Like, they were crazy good.

00:56:06:14 - 00:56:13:18
Speaker 3
And he's like, well, he goes, they're trying to build up their team for the Stanley Cup run. And they think that you might be a piece that they can utilize.

00:56:14:13 - 00:56:17:12
Speaker 4
And I'm like, I don't know, I got to talk to Tip.

00:56:18:00 - 00:56:20:12
Speaker 3
Because our team was doing awesome. I was playing tons.

00:56:20:12 - 00:56:28:19
Speaker 4
I'm like, We could win a stinkin Turner Cup here and I'm going to play. It crapped on Kurt and like, shoot, I went over to Tip.

00:56:28:19 - 00:56:35:13
Speaker 3
It's I was that night, he basically kicked me out of his house and he said, If you ever saw me again that he'd drive me to Dallas himself.

00:56:36:16 - 00:56:37:20
Speaker 4
So I ended up.

00:56:37:20 - 00:56:40:12
Speaker 3
Leaving the next morning and drove up to Dallas at that.

00:56:40:12 - 00:56:43:23
Speaker 4
Point in my Honda Accord with a bike rack on it that the.

00:56:43:23 - 00:56:45:21
Speaker 3
Guys still give me crap about to this day.

00:56:46:05 - 00:56:52:24
Speaker 1
Oh, my God. So you showed up to an NHL. Oh, my God. With a Honda Accord with a bike rack. I love it.

00:56:53:00 - 00:56:59:11
Speaker 4
Yeah, yeah. 94 Honda Accord bike rack on the top, you know, park next to.

00:57:00:03 - 00:57:01:11
Speaker 3
Zoo Bob's Lamborghini.

00:57:02:10 - 00:57:05:02
Speaker 4
Mercedes. And then when I.

00:57:05:02 - 00:57:08:13
Speaker 3
Got there, there was so I never had a stall. I had a chair that was in the.

00:57:08:13 - 00:57:11:00
Speaker 4
Corner and.

00:57:11:00 - 00:57:24:04
Speaker 3
That's why there were so many guys that were hurt and banged up. And so I finally had an opportunity to get a stall. And I told the guys at the time, I said, I don't want to stall. Keep me in my chair. I don't want to stall.

00:57:24:04 - 00:57:26:04
Speaker 1
It's working the chairs.

00:57:26:04 - 00:57:28:20
Speaker 2
Work and walk us through and guys start introducing themselves to you.

00:57:29:17 - 00:57:31:22
Speaker 4
Or yeah.

00:57:32:12 - 00:57:38:16
Speaker 3
You never put yourself in that situation before. But it's funny, like the first guy, I walk in the back door and I, I.

00:57:38:16 - 00:57:42:20
Speaker 4
Walk up and and like, I don't know what.

00:57:42:20 - 00:57:47:10
Speaker 3
I would think, but I would think like somebody that Brett Hall would introduce himself as like, yeah.

00:57:47:10 - 00:57:59:16
Speaker 4
I'm Brett, you know, and he goes No, I'm Brett Hall. And I'm like, Yeah, dude, I know where you are. I'm Blake, you know, and it's like, I am Mike Madonna. I'm Joan. You. And I am like, I'm Jamie Lange and Bruner. I'm Edie. Balfour. I'm like.

00:58:00:24 - 00:58:03:02
Speaker 3
I was saying their names to them before they even.

00:58:03:02 - 00:58:10:20
Speaker 4
Came up it's just a creep, right? So it just it is.

00:58:10:20 - 00:58:11:19
Speaker 3
What it was. And then.

00:58:12:15 - 00:58:13:03
Speaker 4
I remember.

00:58:13:07 - 00:58:15:06
Speaker 3
Getting my first pass going down and I'm.

00:58:15:06 - 00:58:16:05
Speaker 4
Like an.

00:58:16:05 - 00:58:19:08
Speaker 3
Addict standing in front of me. And I got to be very good friends with Edie. I don't.

00:58:19:08 - 00:58:19:20
Speaker 4
Know how.

00:58:21:07 - 00:58:31:21
Speaker 3
But we did. We got to be very good friends. And I went down and I like, you know, base was like, put a muffin into his pads because I was scared to even hit this guy.

00:58:32:17 - 00:58:37:11
Speaker 4
Where I basically just floated with other guys. So it was.

00:58:38:10 - 00:58:39:24
Speaker 3
It was an eye opening experience, for sure.

00:58:41:02 - 00:58:41:12
Speaker 4
Yeah.

00:58:44:09 - 00:58:44:14
Speaker 4
Hey.

00:58:45:11 - 00:58:47:00
Speaker 1
I got a breeze that a la you get.

00:58:47:04 - 00:58:50:04
Speaker 4
Are you guys dumbfounded? Because I was a horrible story. I got to.

00:58:50:04 - 00:58:51:06
Speaker 3
Work on my storytelling.

00:58:51:06 - 00:59:10:03
Speaker 1
No, no, no. It's just I just trying to think, put myself and be like, oh, my God, that's so-and-so and that's so-and-so. And it's like, oh, that's pretty sick. Like, just thinking about, like, meaning being in that position and and then I'm sure at some point in your career, you probably had that young player that came into the locker room and you probably they're like, Oh, that's Blake's long.

00:59:11:13 - 00:59:18:01
Speaker 4
No, never oh, you never know, Blake.

00:59:18:01 - 00:59:26:09
Speaker 2
I'm going to two injuries because I want to talk. You know, we're talking about the highs, we're talking lows and adversity, your jaw, and then your ankle. Let's talk about those two injuries.

00:59:28:12 - 00:59:32:04
Speaker 4
Yeah, my jaw was the second year in the playoffs.

00:59:33:01 - 00:59:44:02
Speaker 3
Robertson elbowed me in the face and broke my jaw. 30 seconds into the first game, when we were up there in game three. So I knew something was pretty juiced up.

00:59:44:02 - 00:59:48:13
Speaker 4
And we got on the plane and after.

00:59:48:13 - 00:59:51:14
Speaker 3
The game, I was spitting up basically a couple.

00:59:51:14 - 00:59:52:05
Speaker 4
Of bone.

00:59:52:05 - 00:59:56:07
Speaker 3
Marrow blood. Because when you break your jaw, everything is. It's really, really thick.

00:59:57:05 - 00:59:57:24
Speaker 4
Juicy stuff.

00:59:59:07 - 01:00:12:06
Speaker 3
Now, I broke my mandible. Like most guys. Like, they have to get the plates and stuff kind of up here and they get their jaw wired shut. Fortunately, I broke my mandible, so I went and got surgery the next day and was out for.

01:00:12:06 - 01:00:12:13
Speaker 4
About.

01:00:12:18 - 01:00:19:08
Speaker 3
Five days and was able to come back for the San Jose series. The next series. I got my way back in the lineup and played. But.

01:00:20:24 - 01:00:25:10
Speaker 4
But I think, yeah, you know.

01:00:25:15 - 01:00:36:03
Speaker 3
I think it's, it's one of those things where you break your face. It's, you're a little nervous about it. But I had a great surgeon and he's like, it's kind of like break. You're going they solidified it so well.

01:00:36:03 - 01:00:36:06
Speaker 4
And.

01:00:36:12 - 01:00:53:07
Speaker 3
There was no further damage you could do. You just I just couldn't eat that much and I couldn't eat that well. So I realized like how malnourished I was becoming. So I had to really do a good job of staying on top of shakes and protein and all that kind of stuff to keep my energy levels where I needed them to be.

01:00:54:21 - 01:00:55:17
Speaker 4
But yeah.

01:00:55:17 - 01:00:55:24
Speaker 3
It was.

01:00:57:10 - 01:00:57:13
Speaker 4
A.

01:00:57:14 - 01:01:11:22
Speaker 3
Tough experience, definitely in the playoffs at that time. I remember Jason Arnott was had me on the ice one time, and he took a stick and he was right under my I had like a football facemask on because the one that they wanted to have me in, I couldn't see.

01:01:11:22 - 01:01:14:13
Speaker 4
Below and it kept banging.

01:01:14:13 - 01:01:31:04
Speaker 3
Into my chin, which is worse than just having something protected. And you just took a stick and he was just jamming it in my face and I'm just like, Oh my gosh, so there's definitely some some gamesmanship that goes on in that stuff when players are injured. But I mean, we had players that were injured that entire series.

01:01:31:05 - 01:01:40:24
Speaker 3
I played through things and it's kind of one of the nature of the beast. You have to figure out a way to survive and not allow people to know that how injure.

01:01:40:24 - 01:01:45:03
Speaker 4
They are or how hurt your and then my.

01:01:45:03 - 01:02:06:03
Speaker 3
Ankle I did in Europe, that was that was a really bad deal. Didn't have a really great surgeon and put the wrong size screws in. So I went through it. So I ended up having three surgeries on that instead of having two. And every time you you go in there, it just basically sets you back three or four weeks.

01:02:07:08 - 01:02:08:17
Speaker 3
But again, you get to the point.

01:02:08:17 - 01:02:09:00
Speaker 4
Where.

01:02:09:17 - 01:02:12:05
Speaker 3
That was one of the things that probably ended my career. But I.

01:02:12:05 - 01:02:12:11
Speaker 4
Got.

01:02:12:18 - 01:02:17:24
Speaker 3
Through it and played one more year in Munich at the time. But you don't realize how.

01:02:17:24 - 01:02:18:14
Speaker 4
Much.

01:02:18:21 - 01:02:30:21
Speaker 3
Stress and strain you put on your ankle on a pair of skates. And I had to get custom skates made to get around my ankle. And it's still to this day, it's one of those things you just it'll never be the same. I never I don't have the same flexible.

01:02:31:00 - 01:02:32:03
Speaker 4
In it that.

01:02:32:03 - 01:02:32:16
Speaker 3
I used to.

01:02:32:16 - 01:02:35:22
Speaker 4
It, but I was.

01:02:35:22 - 01:02:46:23
Speaker 3
Fortunate. I didn't have a lot of injuries. I had, you know, just some broken ribs and fingers and all that kind of stuff. But nothing that was knock on wood, that was something that was going to hurt me for the rest of my life.

01:02:46:23 - 01:02:54:24
Speaker 1
So it's still pretty serious what you had but you manage it, which is which is great. Which is really good.

01:02:55:11 - 01:03:19:11
Speaker 2
The adversity of that, like. So having to deal with that in the playoffs and having to deal with your know, we're talking just to listeners about, you know, everything's great and the Stanley Cup and the adversity or the triumphs, but how are you able to deal with those adversities I guess, at the same time and not just say pack it in or for me or I'm sure you had those moments, but it seems like you picked yourself off the ground and just moved forward.

01:03:19:11 - 01:03:20:02
Speaker 2
How did you do that.

01:03:22:02 - 01:03:25:08
Speaker 4
I think for me it was.

01:03:25:08 - 01:03:26:09
Speaker 3
It was more so that.

01:03:26:09 - 01:03:27:06
Speaker 4
I, I.

01:03:28:08 - 01:03:30:10
Speaker 3
I wanted to be a part of it.

01:03:30:10 - 01:03:35:11
Speaker 4
So bad that the pain of just.

01:03:36:15 - 01:03:38:22
Speaker 3
Wasn't going to, I wasn't allowing it to be a.

01:03:38:22 - 01:03:39:23
Speaker 4
Factor. Right.

01:03:40:08 - 01:03:45:00
Speaker 3
And was there a lot of pain involved? Yeah. But again, the mind is a pretty powerful thing.

01:03:45:18 - 01:03:46:08
Speaker 4
And I think.

01:03:46:17 - 01:03:51:13
Speaker 3
Once you get out there and the adrenaline gets going and the warm up was probably the most difficult piece because.

01:03:52:01 - 01:03:52:07
Speaker 4
You don't.

01:03:52:07 - 01:03:53:04
Speaker 3
Realize when you shoot the.

01:03:53:04 - 01:03:54:05
Speaker 4
Puck, too.

01:03:54:05 - 01:03:57:17
Speaker 3
And I just figured out ways to, to cope with it. When you shoot a.

01:03:57:17 - 01:03:58:05
Speaker 4
Pop, you.

01:03:58:08 - 01:04:04:23
Speaker 3
Grind your back teeth, you grit down so I had a custom mouth guard made that separated my mouth a little.

01:04:04:23 - 01:04:05:04
Speaker 4
Bit.

01:04:05:13 - 01:04:10:16
Speaker 3
And allowed the comfort when I did shoot or when I did go and hit someone or absorb a.

01:04:10:16 - 01:04:11:17
Speaker 4
Check that I.

01:04:11:17 - 01:04:15:14
Speaker 3
Could bite on something that was a little bit thicker and softer.

01:04:16:04 - 01:04:17:13
Speaker 4
So you just you cope with.

01:04:17:13 - 01:04:20:12
Speaker 3
Things like that and you just figure out ways that.

01:04:20:21 - 01:04:21:10
Speaker 4
You.

01:04:21:24 - 01:04:23:01
Speaker 3
Can block that out as you.

01:04:23:01 - 01:04:24:05
Speaker 4
Go. And.

01:04:24:23 - 01:04:46:10
Speaker 3
You know, it's been some of those games. I, I may have gotten 10 minutes and I may have gotten 50 minutes of ice. So it's basically setting your mindset to say, hey, I've got 50 minutes to, to assist and help and try to be a factor in the game right now. And that's not a long time in the grand scheme of things.

01:04:46:10 - 01:04:48:21
Speaker 3
So I try to do the best I can with that.

01:04:50:09 - 01:04:50:15
Speaker 4
One.

01:04:50:15 - 01:04:59:16
Speaker 2
More for me here. You talked to us the experience when you got to play with Blake. We'll talk about that a little bit before Blake ended up where he is and what he's doing. Well, yeah.

01:05:00:22 - 01:05:05:16
Speaker 4
Yeah. Blake Blake came over and played with Red Bull.

01:05:05:16 - 01:05:06:14
Speaker 3
Munich when I was over.

01:05:06:14 - 01:05:10:17
Speaker 4
There and he.

01:05:10:17 - 01:05:19:14
Speaker 3
Was preparing himself, you know, hopefully they were going to get an opportunity to play, and that would have been 2000 shoot what year would.

01:05:19:14 - 01:05:24:19
Speaker 4
That have been in? 2000 they're team 14.

01:05:25:03 - 01:05:25:21
Speaker 3
Maybe my years are.

01:05:25:21 - 01:05:27:22
Speaker 4
Getting goofed up, but he and.

01:05:28:09 - 01:05:30:06
Speaker 3
Paul Stastny came over together.

01:05:31:02 - 01:05:31:11
Speaker 4
And.

01:05:31:20 - 01:05:38:10
Speaker 3
You know, maybe in a Minnesota kid. I had actually trained a little bit with Blake in the summers here, so we knew each other. Not great.

01:05:38:10 - 01:05:39:07
Speaker 4
But we.

01:05:39:07 - 01:05:42:18
Speaker 3
Knew each other fairly well. But I really respected the fact that.

01:05:42:18 - 01:05:43:02
Speaker 4
He.

01:05:43:06 - 01:05:44:19
Speaker 3
Wanted to keep himself.

01:05:44:19 - 01:05:45:08
Speaker 4
Ready.

01:05:45:23 - 01:05:50:02
Speaker 3
For the opportunity that they were going to get a chance to come back and play. And they ended.

01:05:50:02 - 01:05:50:06
Speaker 4
Up.

01:05:50:14 - 01:05:55:00
Speaker 3
Getting the chance to come back and play in January. So he was with us for about three months. Both me.

01:05:55:00 - 01:05:57:13
Speaker 4
And Paul and.

01:05:57:13 - 01:06:03:06
Speaker 3
I just think it was an awesome opportunity for some of the younger players over.

01:06:03:06 - 01:06:03:13
Speaker 4
There.

01:06:05:15 - 01:06:17:04
Speaker 3
To really see, you know, these two guys and how they worked, how they competed, how they wanted to get back on the ice and keep themselves fit and ready to go for the season. If they were going to have that opportunity. That was a big.

01:06:17:04 - 01:06:17:23
Speaker 4
If at the time.

01:06:18:24 - 01:06:41:13
Speaker 3
If the season was ever going to continue. So they wanted to just be in a situation that was going to be a good situation where they could play at a high level. And then once the NHL season would potentially get back and going, they could really just step right back in and be, you know, at, at 90% instead of being at 50, you know, and take that time to ramp up and go.

01:06:41:13 - 01:06:42:21
Speaker 4
And fortunately.

01:06:43:05 - 01:06:59:06
Speaker 3
I think that was one of the biggest things for Blake is because he ended up signing a pretty nice agreement after that, a pretty nice contract because he came in, laid it up. And in the second part of that year and really had a great, great year. So that was, that was super fun to watch and see.

01:06:59:21 - 01:07:14:14
Speaker 2
What was his feedback to you? I know you're trying to be humble a little bit here. But what was his feedback a little bit with you when you guys got to play together? You know, push him a little better. You helped him revitalize something self for I.

01:07:15:04 - 01:07:16:13
Speaker 4
I don't remember the exact.

01:07:16:23 - 01:07:18:05
Speaker 3
The exact conversation we.

01:07:18:05 - 01:07:23:01
Speaker 4
Have we had, but I just, I, I remember the.

01:07:23:01 - 01:07:28:23
Speaker 3
First practice he was out there, you know, we had the, the general manager told me that he was coming.

01:07:29:00 - 01:07:29:04
Speaker 4
And.

01:07:30:12 - 01:07:45:21
Speaker 3
They had to take out a pretty big insurance you know, for his, for his NHL contract. So it was a lot of money and, you know, first first couple of battle drills we did, we played against each other. And, you know.

01:07:46:08 - 01:07:46:19
Speaker 4
I'm like.

01:07:46:22 - 01:07:48:04
Speaker 3
This is a big man that could skate.

01:07:48:04 - 01:07:50:07
Speaker 4
Really well. Like, this is going to.

01:07:50:07 - 01:07:52:07
Speaker 3
Be a challenge for me for a while. To contain this.

01:07:52:07 - 01:07:55:18
Speaker 4
Guy. And we ended up getting in a.

01:07:55:18 - 01:08:00:03
Speaker 3
One on one rushing cut to the outside and I turned and I just put my stick on.

01:08:00:03 - 01:08:00:12
Speaker 4
Puck.

01:08:00:21 - 01:08:17:00
Speaker 3
And he took a giant, you know, Blake Wheeler step and he stepped right on my stick blade. And he's starting to cut into the net and he just just goes down and just yard sales. Our goalie crashes into the net. You know, there's reporters and people from the NHL.

01:08:17:00 - 01:08:19:14
Speaker 4
In the stands and we look up in.

01:08:19:14 - 01:08:21:12
Speaker 3
The stands and everyone's like, just looking like this.

01:08:23:06 - 01:08:24:04
Speaker 4
And that.

01:08:24:04 - 01:08:26:19
Speaker 3
I just, I was almost going to cry. I'm like, oh, my God.

01:08:27:01 - 01:08:30:07
Speaker 4
Like, did I just forget? And Blake got.

01:08:30:07 - 01:08:33:08
Speaker 3
Up, and he's like, he's like guys. Like, I stepped on your stick.

01:08:33:11 - 01:08:41:04
Speaker 4
And I'm like, thank you, God. You know, I was by no means no problems. But I think I think.

01:08:41:04 - 01:08:42:01
Speaker 3
One of the things that.

01:08:43:00 - 01:08:43:04
Speaker 4
And.

01:08:43:05 - 01:08:45:01
Speaker 3
I don't want to say it wasn't me.

01:08:45:15 - 01:08:47:06
Speaker 4
But it it gave him.

01:08:47:06 - 01:08:51:24
Speaker 3
An excitement to be back playing with a bunch of youthful kids that were excited to be there, excited to.

01:08:51:24 - 01:08:53:01
Speaker 4
Play playing.

01:08:53:03 - 01:09:07:22
Speaker 3
In front of some great fans at the old Munich Olympic Stadium. And I think he just enjoyed that opportunity to compete every day and compete against really solid players and get them ready for the year. So I think it was a good experience for him all the way around.

01:09:08:10 - 01:09:27:03
Speaker 2
So, you know, we spoke like this for what two, 3 hours in our lives right now. But in those two, 3 hours, you've had impact for me personally. So I can't imagine as somebody on the ice consistently in, you know, restaurants or traveling and stuff. So I think you've had a little more of an impact than you'll say, but we'll just leave it at that for you.

01:09:27:12 - 01:09:28:13
Speaker 4
So thank you.

01:09:29:18 - 01:10:01:11
Speaker 1
So I guess you were I'd like to take this is to offer like you've been you've been you've been in hockey and so many unique situations. Back to what we said at the beginning of the show. You've played for a huge number of of leaders. What is it that you would like to leave our listeners with in terms of a piece of advice that you've received that maybe changed the course of your trajectory, something that passed on, you got passed on to you.

01:10:01:11 - 01:10:09:20
Speaker 1
What would you like to leave with our listeners is something to be like, Yeah, I could apply this in my day to day life to become a better leader or be more successful.

01:10:12:07 - 01:10:15:18
Speaker 4
I think one of the best.

01:10:15:18 - 01:10:43:06
Speaker 3
Compliments I ever received, and it came from a really unlikely source and when I was in Grand Rapids, I was in the minors at the time in between stints between Dallas and Calgary, trying to just find my way back Jim Bedard was a goalie coach for the Red Wings, and he was working with Joy McDonnell and stuff in Grand Rapids with us at the time.

01:10:43:06 - 01:10:45:15
Speaker 3
And I was out there.

01:10:46:06 - 01:10:46:18
Speaker 4
I don't know.

01:10:46:21 - 01:10:57:23
Speaker 3
Before practice one day, and I was working with Joey and doing some shooting and stuff with angles and all this, and Jim gave me a really nice compliment. He said, he said, Sloan, you're such a professional.

01:10:58:20 - 01:11:00:09
Speaker 4
And I just said.

01:11:00:09 - 01:11:01:13
Speaker 3
Wow, Jim, that was really nice.

01:11:01:13 - 01:11:06:16
Speaker 4
Thank you. You know, and I thought about that and I thought about, you know.

01:11:08:01 - 01:11:18:11
Speaker 3
Some of the things that I had gone through in my journey. And I think the reason it was such a public statement for me is like I just approached everything that I did.

01:11:19:17 - 01:11:20:13
Speaker 4
With hockey.

01:11:20:13 - 01:11:26:23
Speaker 3
With mentoring and the younger kids and trying to get myself as prepared as I could to play each and every game.

01:11:28:16 - 01:11:30:04
Speaker 4
And I think someone.

01:11:30:04 - 01:11:31:21
Speaker 3
Noticed that that was like a.

01:11:31:21 - 01:11:33:07
Speaker 4
Commitment and.

01:11:33:24 - 01:11:40:22
Speaker 3
Notice that I wanted to try to improve and get better each and every day. And I think if there's one thing I'd give the listeners and I think it's.

01:11:40:23 - 01:11:41:23
Speaker 4
It's whatever it.

01:11:41:23 - 01:11:46:02
Speaker 3
Is you do and be a professional at what you do, you want to learn, want to.

01:11:46:02 - 01:11:47:03
Speaker 4
Grow be.

01:11:47:03 - 01:11:52:01
Speaker 3
1% better today than you were yesterday. And I know you guys have said that before.

01:11:53:08 - 01:11:55:04
Speaker 4
But I think that's that's something.

01:11:55:04 - 01:11:58:14
Speaker 3
For me that I really resonate with me and with some of the people.

01:11:58:14 - 01:12:00:05
Speaker 4
That I coach.

01:12:00:05 - 01:12:14:21
Speaker 3
And mentor and lead today. And I'm going to even throw in my my squirt high school kids in the hockey camp I do in the summer with some of the high school kids. I think the ones that are coachable, the ones that want to get better, the ones that are like.

01:12:15:00 - 01:12:19:21
Speaker 4
Seeking feedback about, hey, what.

01:12:19:21 - 01:12:21:22
Speaker 3
Did you see in this situation? Was there something I.

01:12:21:22 - 01:12:26:15
Speaker 4
Could have done differently? You know, that that want that that.

01:12:26:15 - 01:12:29:03
Speaker 3
That run to it, that want to be 100% in.

01:12:29:13 - 01:12:30:02
Speaker 4
Are the.

01:12:30:02 - 01:12:39:14
Speaker 3
People you want to surround yourself with all the time. So my challenge would be to to make yourself one of those people, you know, ask for feedback, ask for.

01:12:40:12 - 01:12:41:00
Speaker 4
What you can.

01:12:41:00 - 01:12:41:16
Speaker 3
Do differently.

01:12:42:16 - 01:12:42:24
Speaker 4
And you.

01:12:42:24 - 01:12:44:24
Speaker 3
Hopefully will surround yourself with enough people that.

01:12:44:24 - 01:12:45:22
Speaker 4
Will give you.

01:12:46:02 - 01:12:50:01
Speaker 3
The honest their honest opinions and you can take it and.

01:12:50:01 - 01:12:51:04
Speaker 4
Then act upon it.

01:12:51:08 - 01:12:52:23
Speaker 3
Don't just let it sit there and fester.

01:12:52:23 - 01:12:54:12
Speaker 4
But take take an act upon it.

01:12:56:16 - 01:12:57:00
Speaker 4
Love it.

01:12:57:21 - 01:13:16:20
Speaker 2
Love it. Oh, as we're concluding here, my question is, how do you remember like it seems like you take importance in people's names. How do you remember you know, you said 68 coaches or so I guarantee probably members. I'm not asking you to sell their names, but you remember them that the guy that drove me around from the Marriott for like two months drove me around like.

01:13:16:20 - 01:13:23:24
Speaker 2
Yeah, his name. He keeps lopping out these names. Why are names so important or do you even realize that they're they're a big piece?

01:13:24:21 - 01:13:25:10
Speaker 4
They are.

01:13:25:10 - 01:13:27:18
Speaker 3
I think someone's name is a.

01:13:28:02 - 01:13:28:16
Speaker 4
You know.

01:13:29:17 - 01:13:39:14
Speaker 3
I think it's a it's a symbol of what they are and what they mean to you. You know, it drives me crazy when I can't remember people's names. Am I imperfect? At it?

01:13:39:14 - 01:13:43:14
Speaker 4
No, but I, I think.

01:13:43:20 - 01:13:46:17
Speaker 3
You know, showing that person of respect.

01:13:47:01 - 01:13:47:10
Speaker 4
And.

01:13:47:10 - 01:13:55:01
Speaker 3
Remembering something as simple as their name is just something, again, that just, I think is something I want people to remember me.

01:13:55:10 - 01:13:55:19
Speaker 4
Right?

01:13:57:03 - 01:13:58:20
Speaker 3
I always remember someone telling me it's a.

01:14:00:03 - 01:14:00:15
Speaker 4
I do.

01:14:00:15 - 01:14:03:20
Speaker 3
It with a lot of sales professionals now. And one of the things I tell them is, like.

01:14:04:18 - 01:14:12:20
Speaker 4
Before can be memorable. You know, in whatever that is, you know, and and.

01:14:13:08 - 01:14:14:20
Speaker 3
That's not to say, like, you want to be a.

01:14:14:20 - 01:14:18:17
Speaker 4
Clown, but I just I.

01:14:19:02 - 01:14:25:20
Speaker 3
I've always approached things to say. I really want an opportunity where someone's like, I'd like to learn more about that Sloan guy.

01:14:26:03 - 01:14:29:07
Speaker 4
You know, and I'd like to learn more about George.

01:14:29:18 - 01:14:35:23
Speaker 3
And you see all sorts of really different things now on LinkedIn with I just saw one the other.

01:14:35:23 - 01:14:38:16
Speaker 4
Day on a guy.

01:14:38:16 - 01:14:42:18
Speaker 3
Who was a Navy, a Navy SEAL, and he talked about he was driving an Uber.

01:14:43:02 - 01:14:44:08
Speaker 4
After he.

01:14:45:23 - 01:14:46:14
Speaker 3
Was medically.

01:14:46:14 - 01:14:49:03
Speaker 4
Discharged and he talked about.

01:14:49:03 - 01:14:50:14
Speaker 3
How he had been driving and Uber.

01:14:50:19 - 01:14:51:00
Speaker 4
Had.

01:14:51:00 - 01:15:01:10
Speaker 3
Unbelievable four star rankings. And one of the things he did was he continually asked all of us, you know, who's right about themselves, what they did, all these different things. And he got to the point.

01:15:01:20 - 01:15:02:07
Speaker 4
After a.

01:15:02:07 - 01:15:10:09
Speaker 3
Year and a half, not one person ever asked him about his background and this amazing story and journey that he's been.

01:15:10:09 - 01:15:10:14
Speaker 4
On.

01:15:10:23 - 01:15:14:17
Speaker 3
Like the things that that guy has seen and done. They listed his accolades and.

01:15:14:17 - 01:15:16:20
Speaker 4
Like who he's fought with.

01:15:16:20 - 01:15:22:16
Speaker 3
And again, you know, like all of these different missions that he's I mean, it was crazy. I would have been like I would have sat in that Uber.

01:15:22:16 - 01:15:27:23
Speaker 4
For like four weeks ago and he wasn't saying, like, I deserve to, like.

01:15:28:02 - 01:15:28:22
Speaker 3
Want to tell my.

01:15:28:22 - 01:15:32:19
Speaker 4
Story. But, you know, I, I.

01:15:33:12 - 01:15:41:11
Speaker 3
I enjoy having the opportunity to share my story. I hope people enjoy it. I hope they learn something from it.

01:15:42:09 - 01:15:42:15
Speaker 4
But I.

01:15:42:15 - 01:15:44:21
Speaker 3
Also hope that there's others out there that are.

01:15:44:21 - 01:15:45:11
Speaker 4
Asking.

01:15:46:02 - 01:15:47:02
Speaker 3
For the stories of.

01:15:47:02 - 01:15:47:08
Speaker 4
Of.

01:15:47:16 - 01:15:51:24
Speaker 3
Of their peers, of people that are in their lives. I think that's important for us to do.

01:15:52:15 - 01:16:05:22
Speaker 2
And I think we just scratched the surface with you. But I think you know, we're giving people a really good idea of what you're about and what it takes to be a great leader and father, coach, teammate, my husband. Don't forget.

01:16:05:22 - 01:16:07:00
Speaker 4
That I'm so I'm.

01:16:07:00 - 01:16:08:01
Speaker 3
Still working on the husband.

01:16:08:01 - 01:16:08:15
Speaker 2
We all are.

01:16:08:16 - 01:16:11:08
Speaker 4
We all get better tomorrow.

01:16:11:11 - 01:16:13:01
Speaker 1
Better tomorrow than I am today.

01:16:14:16 - 01:16:15:10
Speaker 4
I'm going to try.

01:16:15:16 - 01:16:35:08
Speaker 1
Oh, Blake, it's been awesome having you on the show, and I appreciate you being here with us and sharing your story because I think it is a unique story, and and I love how you still are in contact with your your teammates from michigan and, like, you're well connected still in that hockey world and and now you're doing it in minnesota.

01:16:35:08 - 01:16:48:24
Speaker 1
And I'm sure those kids are going to love having the opportunity to play under you and do all that type of stuff that you're doing and passing on your passion for hockey and leadership and bringing that to the game i.

01:16:49:08 - 01:16:49:22
Speaker 4
I just.

01:16:49:22 - 01:16:51:18
Speaker 3
Want to thank you guys for letting me share, and.

01:16:52:20 - 01:16:53:05
Speaker 4
Hopefully.

01:16:53:05 - 01:16:54:14
Speaker 3
It wasn't too abstract.

01:16:55:22 - 01:16:56:03
Speaker 4
OK.

01:16:56:18 - 01:16:58:06
Speaker 1
We call that folks can apply.

01:16:58:18 - 01:16:59:14
Speaker 4
That's OK.

01:16:59:16 - 01:17:09:22
Speaker 1
Good. We like that. Well, unfortunately, that does it for this episode of Benchmark. Thanks for listening. Until next time.

01:17:11:10 - 01:17:12:18
Speaker 4
Keep crushing it.

People on this episode

Jean-Gilles Larocque

Host

Marc Messier

Host

Benchmarked

Benchmarked

Blake Sloan - A Champion, A Leader, A Role Model

People on this episode

Jean-Gilles Larocque

Marc Messier

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