#rinkside interview

[alavenderleaf]

Source: Bruins Rinkside (YouTube)

(I can’t rlly hear the questions properly so bear with me a little)

[“Marchy what do you think of the way Bertuzzi agitated—or walked the lines?”]

“Yeah he’s— one of those guys that you really don’t wanna play against, love having on your team. And— sort of a competitive guy by nature. He’s always in the mix, always in the battle, goes towards the dirty areas and—those are the guys who are really frustrating to play against, even when he’s not running around—and he was, a little bit, so—yeah it’s great to see and, you know, he plays that playoff style all year long and he’s the guy you wanna go to war with. We’re lucky to have him right now, he’s plying great, and he had a big game for us.”

[question about the stolen stick]

Big smile “I saw that yesterday! I was [indistinguishable] on that, yeah I didn’t notice that during the game but— he’s a little greaseball (affectionate) , you know? I love it.”

[“he pretty much became an instant bruin”]

“Yeah yeah. No I—again, he’s a guy that you love having on your team and — that stuff just makes you laugh so it’s funny.”

[indistinguishable question about the fate of the stick]

“Yeah I don’t know what he was thinking there, that would’ve been broken or in the crowd if that was me”

[fannyyann]

Keeping up with the Florida Panthers (aka Sara Civian interviews Matthew)

EP Rinkside: What's something away from the rink that’s making you happy these days?

Matthew Tkachuk: I would say, just, I'm lucky at this time of year. Especially across the whole country, it seems like it's freezing everywhere. It's beautiful down in Florida. And we just moved into our new practice rink recently, so that's been awesome.

EP: There was a quote floating around from (head coach Paul Maurice) from before the nine-game win streak and before you started getting hot on the scoresheet. He said people are going to say “Matthew Tkachuk is back,” and he's going to say you never left. Did you see that?

MT: I did, yes.

EP: How did you feel about it, and what's your relationship with him like?

MT: Well, Paul's been a very important part of my last few years. He’s one of, if not the best, coaches that I've ever played with. He's been very important for my development, and I just think that he trusts my game, and I trust my game. I wouldn't say (the puck) was going in early, but I haven’t changed one thing, I'm still doing the exact same thing, it's just finding a little bit more success right now.

It’s been a great year for our team and as of late, it’s picking it up a little bit for myself. Hopefully, we can just keep trending into the second half of the year here.

EP: How important is that trust between a coach and a player and how is it developed?

MT: I just think that he's always given me the right leeway, but still expects me to play the right way. He knows that there's some parts of my game that (are unique) I need to maybe take a little bit more chances than the average player. He gives me full leeway to do that, but also expects me to work my butt off and to lead by example.

EP: We always talk about “buy-in,” it's kind of cliché at this point, and you guys obviously have that factor. But how does something like that start?

MT: I just think being so close to winning it all last year has made it very, very easy to come back this year and have that immediate buy-in from the guys wanting to win a championship here. So many returning guys who are so close and so upset with not finishing it off. There's a lot of motivation.

EP: Do you have a favourite moment from last season's run?

MT: I would say, probably all of the series-clinching wins, the series-winning goals. The overtime winner in Boston, the overtime winner in Toronto, the last second one at home against Carolina.

All three of those are by far the greatest goals I've ever been a part of.

EP: I feel like we're not as a society talking about Sam Bennett enough. Can you give us a little bit about what he's like off the ice and what it's like to play with him?

MT: He just plays so hard.

He was one of the first guys I met when coming to Calgary, and we've been so close ever since. I'm so happy that we got to play together again down here in Florida. He was the first guy I talked to when I got traded, and we've just been so close for eight-plus years now.

It’s so fun that we're able to play with each other still, we just have such great chemistry on and off the ice. He just plays so hard and he complements my game so well. And off the ice, we're just super close and have a great group of guys that pretty much do everything together away from the rink.

It makes it so much fun to come to the rink every day, work with them, and then when we leave the rink, do stuff together.

EP: If you became the commissioner of the league today, what's the first thing you'd change?

MT: Overtime until somebody scores. No shootouts. And no back-to-backs. I don't know if we need any more back-to-backs right now.

EP: Other than you, who has the best chirps in the league?

MT: I'd say the guy who chirps a lot on our team is Brandon Montour. He has some good ones. Nick Cousins has got some good ones. (Ryan) Lomberg, too. They all have some good ones.

EP: Best advice your dad ever gave you?

MT: Two things: Compete and be a good teammate.

EP: Last year you gained some recognition outside of the hockey world, and it kind of sparked, like, a debate about personality in the NHL. I've always wondered What you actually think about this whole conversation, like, do you like being kind of the personality guy in the NHL?

MT: Well, I’m never going to not be myself. I grew up with great parents that taught me great things and around a great family. I’ll carry that for the rest of my life. I’m not trying to do anything, and some guys are (quieter) and that’s OK. This is just how my personality is.

EP: Can you give me three words to describe the current Panthers?

MT: Oh, I would say very fast. So fast. Close – we’re a super close team.  I've never seen a team like this where, you know, we're going to dinner on the road and we're having, you know, 15 people reservations and everybody hanging out with each other. it's been awesome. Fast, close, and fun. Nobody has more fun than our team.

[puckpocketed]

30/06/2024 - The Colorado Avalanche draft Tory Pitner 185th overall.

I think that I can use my brain and really bait other players into plays that they don't want to make and then close out. Really take away time and space, and ultimately just be a prick to play against - I don't know if I can say that on this - but I think that I can defend really well.

[full draft day interview transcript + an introduction by me under the cut]

Foreword: This transcript was done by hand to the best of my ability and edited for clarity. In bold text are my highlights, parts I thought were noteworthy and interesting. I removed filler words (um's and uh's). In square brackets are where I've added words or adjusted words for clarity. In the regular parentheses are small notes for added context. Tory Pitner is a fascinating player. He does not have the high-end skill you saw go in the first round. He is foremost a shutdown d-man. But he is smart, driven, methodical in his preparation and training, and most of all a true scholar and lover of the game. If anyone has an EP Rinkside subscription, I would encourage you to read the article written about him. The bulk of it is an interview, in which he goes into vivid detail about several top draft picks from this year whom he has played against, and how he goes about shutting them down. He has their on-ice habits broken down and analysed; from their handedness to the types of shots they like to make and the dekes they like to use. He watches NHL defensemen, describing his study with the fervour of an academic, a mad scientist, and a fan all at once. He has charmed me utterly, and I think it's because we love hockey in such similar ways. I love the details of the game, I love watching good and interesting hockey above all else, and I absolutely love studying it (albeit on an amateur level). And, okay, I don't like to make bold predictions, so I won't. All I have is hope. I hope he grows and thrives, I hope everyone one day recognises how special he is, and most of all I hope he makes it. Tory Pitner, no matter who you play for and where you're playing, I will always be rooting for you!!

Q: How would you describe [your] feelings right now?

TP: It's pretty unbelievable. I mean, it's a great feeling. Colorado is a great organisation, and especially down the road from Denver [University] it's going to be really, really fun to go to a lot of games and just see the progression in the team - in my game - to hopefully one day be there.

Q: So, knowing that you were going to D.U., were you maybe kind of hopeful that it'd be the Avs?

TP: Yeah. I talked to the Avs a little bit during the year and stayed in contact with some of their scouts, so every time they picked I was kind of on the edge of my seat - but I'm happy to be here and really excited.

Q: What are the strengths in your game?

TP: I'd say that my defending is probably my biggest strength. I think that I can use my brain and really bait other players into plays that they don't want to make and then close out. Really take away time and space, and ultimately just be a prick to play against - I don't know if I can say that on this - but I think that I can defend really well.

I'd say my player comparable is John Marino; his ability to play against those top line guys and shut them down every night. I mean, you just saw him get traded so [he's] obviously a very valuable piece in the NHL, and he was a sixth round draft pick too. I'm really excited to hopefully continue that development path over at D.U. to round out all the other areas of my game to play in the NHL.

Q: So you'd say Denver is a good choice for you, for college?

TP: Yeah. I'd say, obviously, the coaching staff first of all, [David Carle] is an unbelievable coach; and then just the proven track record they have at developing NHL defensemen. Being there every day, you see all the guys that come back, and they want to be at D.U. All the guys that they've sent to the NHL, they still come back to train there - train with Matt Shaw, the strength coach, and skate on the ice. Everyone there; it's kind of a brotherhood. It's a great system for [anyone] to go through if they want to get to the NHL.

Q: Did you get a chance to speak to Jake Fisher? (Colorado draft pick #121 overall)

TP: I'm actually roommates with Fish at D.U. We moved in on Sunday and so it's kind of cool that we both got picked here.

Q: So have you talked to him since?

TP: I haven't. I gotta be honest, I put my phone down after round three and kind of tried not to go on it. But yeah, no, we'll definitely talk. I'll see Fish [on] Sunday when I land. We probably have some studying to do for our Geography class. No, it'll be good. I know he was really excited, I'm really excited, too.

Q: Have you ever been to an Avs game?

TP: I have not, no. But I heard that the D.U. guys go all the time, especially with it being right downtown, so [I'm] really looking forward to getting out there and seeing Ball Arena live. I've driven past it a few times, just heading back to campus and whatnot, but I'll be really excited to get inside and see what it's like.

Q: How did [the Youngstown Phantoms] help you develop, to get to this point? (inaudible)

TP: For sure. I mean, obviously it was great my first year, getting to experience winning the Clark Cup Championship there was super cool for me, and it was a great learning experience being able to be around great leaders like Shane Lachance and Chase Pietila - who got picked earlier today. Being able to be around those kind of guys was awesome for me. And then my second year, taking a step into a bigger role with the team, talking with [coach] Andy Contois a lot about my game, working on different areas that I need to improve, and improving on my strengths, too, [like] being hard to play against. So I think overall they helped me round out my game, and I'm looking forward to keep rounding out that game at D.U.

Q: What has your Draft Day experience been like here at the Sphere? (inaudible)

TP: Yeah, no, it was long. Woke up early, couldn't really sleep too much. Woke up, just kind of got a workout in to get moving, you know, have something to do. Then walked over here - I'm staying at a hotel that's not too far - so, walked over. Sat down after having some breakfast and then kind of just watched the draft. It's been pretty cool, though. I have my family here, my agent as well, [and] one of my coaches. It's been really nice to have everyone here supporting me.

Q: What about the way that Colorado plays defence excites you?

TP: I'd say that I love how they're pretty freeing with all their defensemen. Even down the lineup, you look at Josh Manson still getting up in the play joining as a fourth man. Sam Girard obviously loves to do that. They obviously have great defensemen like Cale Makar running their power play. [They] love being really active. I think that's something that I'm looking to add more to my game, too, and so the freedom to do that in Colorado is something I'm really looking forward to - especially at D.U. as well, having that freedom. Finding the middle in a lot of their breakouts, not a lot of off-the-glass plays or up the wall; they like to really possess the puck. I'm really looking forward to being able to hold on to the puck a little bit longer and find some middle support, which I think will ultimately help my game break down the opponent and just add another element - which will be really fun.

Q: What players did you idolise as you came up?

TP: It's kind of been a lot of different ones, but I really wanted to play defence because of Nick Lidstrom. When I was younger, one of my coaches - actually, Anže Kopitar's brother - Gašper Kopitar; he was my defense coach in LA when I played for the junior Kings when I was younger, and he told me 'If you want to be a defenseman, [go] watch Nick Lidstrom.' So I found some YouTube video - and I think I've watched it like 400 times or something like that. I've watched his NHL 36 multiple times, just to get me going or just to learn his routines. So idolising him growing up and then seeing the great person and defenseman he was; it really made me want to be [one], and I wanted to play hockey even more.

[hugheses]

Miss Hugheses you are on a roll today👑

do u possibly have Quinn’s rinkside interview w Wayne Gretzky (among others)?

this one? someone posted it on reddit :)

[thornescratch]

Obviously, DSP's Rinkside Update interview was what powered Tom to his first career hat trick. Obviously.

[rempewiththetempe]

I saw ur post and I got you. Cool one for Quinn, I think you can do it where y/n is a new rinkside reporter for the Canucks, she ha stop deal with the interviews, media days, maybe even some home visits, but as soon as she starts she is quick to make friends with everyone on the Canucks, except for the captain Quinn Hughes. Basically enemies to lovers scenario id say :3

Thank you for this suggestion nonnie!!! I’m actually in love with this idea. i may very well make it into a full series. i’ve already got a general outline of the story set up and a few chapters outlined as well. I’ll start working on chapter 1 soon :) tysm again!

[tereshkova2001]

I’m so psyched!

They did a rinkside interview with Matty Beniers and he said he’s having a great time playing. We’re having a great time watching!!!!! 💙🩵🤍🩵💙

[yabagofmilfs]

It’s beans anon (honestly, there are worse anons to be) and yes, baked beans are considered a high ticket item in our community. Granted, college students tend not to be known for our culinary prowess, and the Québécois tend not to be known for our ability to represent average Canadian behaviours so this may be quite isolated. My roommates did wind up finding a netminder, but he was a local 11 year old so a good 30% of our game time was spent hyping him up and conducting increasingly ridiculous rinkside interviews. Upon further questioning the leader of this hairbrained scheme has divulged that “everyone likes beans bro” which seems legit and also like it’s probably the most complex reasoning anyone in our house has done all summer.

Thank you for the follow up, beans. I haven’t stopped thinking about this since your first ask. In my mind they were going door to door, pulling the case of beans along with them in a wagon as proof of collateral. And honestly, now that I’m thinking about it, why wouldn’t a case of beans be an incentive to an 11 year old goalie? Just a few years into their weirdo goalie freak development program, perhaps from now on their thing will be eating a can of baked beans before each game. Maybe their nickname will be Beans, which is very cute and feels right for a goalie.

Y’all are doing good work up there in french canada.

[starsandhughes]

lmao but just not every member or the canucks team it's just her.... anyway

she’s the rinkside reporter y’all

meaning she’ll be the one interviewing on tv

they got some new people hired and they’re showing us her

so??????? personally i’d love to see more

[bitchinbarzal]

Erika is the devils host on msg networks so I don’t think she’s actually employed by the team… but rather a network who covers the team. Amanda is basically like the lead team reporter for the devils but is mostly like a behind the scenes reporter for the team… she doesn’t get on camera that much and doesn’t interview the players with a mic and stuff. Now Kate is the Canucks rinkside reporter therefore she does everything rinkside…. interviews with the players pre and post game… she is the person who does videos everyday for the Canucks to post online…. segments with coaches, putting videos together about what the Canucks need to do against their opponents… etc..

Thank you.

I was just confused because it appears Kate does MNL too? Like Amanda so I was ???

[captainlexapro]

Kinda joking kinda not (this is incredibly self-indulgent) but i think i could be a good player interviewer or rinkside reporter or marketing producer person who would get more hockey players to like. talk and open up. and have a personality that they share a sliver of with fans. so that more people feel connected with the players and thus the sport. y’know “grow the game” and all That.

My qualifications: 1) i am a good listener, 2) i seem to ask ppl questions they’ve never thought about, and 3) i’ve been told my presence is comforting to ppl and they feel like they can be themselves

do i know the intricacies of hockey yet? No. but give me a mic and a player and i’ll figure it out

[puckpocketed]

new babygirl unlocked!! and he has HAIR!!!!!!

[ID: Photo of Los Angeles Kings prospect Aatu Jämsen in his Pelicans uniform. His hair is backlit to almost seem white, and streams out from under his helmet. /. End ID]

oh my GOD!!! new babygirl indeed... its giving barbie its giving goldilocks its giving hair on a my little pony toy... !

Quick notes on Aatu Jämsen. i am quite endeared. he is exactly my type of hockey guy <3

Plays RW! Drafted 2020, round 7, 190th overall. Before signing with the Kings, was playing for the Lahti Pelicans. Bit of a late bloomer, but he's tearing it up lately!! Probably why he got the nod from LA.

Per EP Rinkside, "Players with Jämsen's creativity are a rarity in Liiga. In a league where systems and team-wide strategy are at the forefront, Jämsen stands out with his puck skills and a flair for the dramatic. He's a legitimate dual-threat weapon in the offensive zone, and has also made some slight improvements to his physical game; a necessity if he wants to try to conquer North America next season."

So he's known for being very flashy. Quick, soft hands. Creative. Highlight reel stuff. GOATED on the shootout, apparently always trying crazy dangles in game... I'm SURE this type of prospect will be fine in the LA Kings system (<- lying but hopeful!! aslkdaskjl)

Here he is bullying the shit out of NHL24 champ/youtuber/ex-goalie Eki in the shootout. he yells "KUCHEROV" in triumph at one point after scoring on this guy who (checks notes) laced up skates to play goalie 2 times in the last 4 years - and i think that's so fucking lame and deeply charming.

and I am not surprised at all; he is VERY popular in the Finnish league.

Last month he got into a fight with Tampereen Tappara's Otto Rauhala. VERY unexpected, he's not a fighter at all. Rough google translate from this article, cleaned up a little by me:

Interviewer: What happened there? Jämsen: I don't know. Interviewer: So would you say Rauhala started it? Jämsen: You could say. I didn't appreciate his check in the first period of the game. Nothing more than that."

This is whole exchange is SO funny to me. what happened? he doesn't know. but if he had to say? then that guy fucking started it!!! but that's all <3 LMAO

HE MOONLIGHTS AS A RAP MUSICIAN. HELLO. His stage name is KIDJAM$EN kjlasdkljadlak HELP..,, here is one of his songs set to a short looping montage of Pelicans hockey players.. i think its a playoffs hype song??? I cannot understand a word of it. it DOES bang though!!! He plans to pursue music as a career if hockey doesn't work out. jumping from one risky career to another with no fear honestly go off!!! faith trust and pixie dust <3

everything about him i can dig up is like He's SOO flashy. eccentric. strange creachture. He bleaches his hair to get it that light. he did it to imitate Otto Salin, per this article. The picture is worth a thousand words tbh:

the fucking. LV sweater. the sunglasses. the coy look up at the camera. okay!!! cunt !!! <3

In the same article: he got very serious about nutrition and exercise last season after coming back from a break and getting BLASTED by his coaches for being out of shape. from the sounds of it, this dressing-down triggered his current meteoric rise? He was nawwwt taking his conditioning seriously before this. Since then, he's gained weight and become stronger, and has dedicated himself fully to going pro!

same article again: he's the scion of a hockey family - and god isnt that always the story?? His dad played for the Pelicans. his brothers Juuso and Vili also play hockey. The three have distinct play styles like a cute little set <3 Juuso the goal scorer, Aatu the playmaker, and Vili the GOON!!!

ough MIDDLE CHILD ALERT!!! it all makes SO much sense now....

Due to his flashiness on-ice AND off-ice, he naturally is a lightning rod for criticism. ice hockey is notoriously conservative as a culture and everything about him goes against this. Jams... Jammie... Jammer... idk what to call you BUT. your swag too different your slay too cunty, they're trying to kill you but you wont let them!!!!!

it seems instead of pivoting and making himself more palatable, he's only doubled down. i love and support him for this. if anyone has been on my blog they know i enjoy my guys with big personalities just as much as i love the quiet/underrated ones.

in conclusion, WELCOME TO LA. YOU ARE PERFECT FOR THIS TOWN, GORGEOUS <3

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

Some observations of reports from Yuzu's first practice 07/02/2022:

The practice group order was already like the SP

Yuzu attempted the 4A multiple times but didn't cleanly land one, said in the media zone he hadn't landed the 4A in practice (but don't know if this means today's practice or in general)

His runthrough was his free skate: 4A(fall), 4S (stepout), 3A2T, 3F, 4T3T, 4T1Eu3S, 3A) > only change in layout from Nats he changed the 3Lo with the 3F

Doesn't look like Yuzu is intending to add more quads to his program or change his layout much (ofc knowing Yuzu he can change things on the fly)

It looks like Brian and Tracy (could be Ghislain too but haven't seen a pic of him) were rinkside at practice but apparently not for Yuzu, but for Junhwan as Yuzu said something along the lines of "Brian, Ghislain and Tracy probably watch over me but respect my routine"

His tissue box is yellow and ppl are speculating about what it is, my guess it represents something sweet to eat (in Pyeongchang his tissue cover was a cake)

The practice arena was full of media, not really sure if that's in Yuzu's interest, all eyes were on him (ofc he is used to this by now but still with covid that's concerning)

Full interviews expected to be released, so far only snippets that say something like "practice was good for day 1" "ice condition is good"

Yuzu has one more practice before his SP, which is right before the event (I am starting to get really nervous)

[liesofasilvertongue]

Apologies for the quality but this is Alex Vlasic (6’6) in skates and BU’s rinkside interviewer (idk her height but she’s prob like 5’3 or so). This is how tall ur fave 6’6 hockey players are.

[stitching-in-time]

I have many thoughts about the ladies figure skating at the Olympics this year, and I've made several attempts to write about it, but I think I’ve calmed down enough now to put it in words.

This skating fan’s personal thoughts here (long rant): 

The way Kamila Valieva was treated by pretty much everyone was terrible and sickening. If anyone- coaches, officials, the sport arbitrator- had any interest in protecting her, they would not have let her compete under such intense scrutiny. But instead they put her in the spotlight, and make her the focus of everyone’s anger, rather than ask how a 15 year old kid got 3 different drugs in her system without her notoriously controlling coach knowing about it, especially in a country with a well-known state sponsored doping scheme (for which they are currently technically banned from the Olympics). 

Everyone who follows figure skating closely knows from many interviews with her skaters over the years that Eteri Tutberidze is an abusive coach who restricts their food and water, trains them 12 hours a day and forces them to compete through serious injuries. It’s always bothered me that it’s been this open dirty secret that most people just ignore. Many people weren’t even surprised when the doping news broke- I sure wasn’t. I am ashamed for people I used to respect that their biggest concern in this whole situation was that the competition wasn’t ‘fair’, rather than concern that young athletes are being abused. It’s unacceptable. Even if Kamila had been barred from competing, that wouldn’t have solved the larger problem of coaching abuse and state-run doping schemes. I love figure skating more than I can explain, but everyone in the sport who ignores the underlying issues to focus anger on this one skater is a hypocrite, and part of the problem. Everyone who lauded Tutberidze and her skaters doing quads, while ignoring the toxic atmosphere in which they learned them, is complicit. Eteri Tutberidze and her entire team should be investigated and barred from figure skating. Period. 

We cannot tolerate the use and abuse of young skaters anymore. I hope this terrible situation shines a light on what was already a bad situation and prompts changes. But even if it does, no one can ever give this kid the love and support she didn’t have during this nightmare situation. What should have been the happiest moment of her life turned into the worst, and I hope she’s able to recover one day- not just her career, but her whole life. But I really truly fear it’ll all be quietly swept under the rug, and nothing will be done. God knows in Russia no one will ever say a word or lift a finger against their star coach, but the ISU should, and the IOC should. 

We need to put the health and safety of skaters first, or else the sport has no integrity. If it had been one adult skater doping on their own, you could write it off as one bad apple and move on, but this was a systemic failure to protect young female athletes, and it must be addressed and changed. I feel sick seeing Eteri rinkside at the pairs short program I just watched- where is Johnny Weir’s angry declaration that SHE shouldn’t be here?? Why is the anger directed at the victim and not the abuser? Do you think Sasha Trusova’s breakdown after coming in second ISN’T the reaction of a child who’s been conditioned for years to believe her value depends on winning gold medals? Do you think a teenage girl who just won Olympic gold saying she doesn’t know what she feels yet, but part of it is ‘emptiness’, is a normal reaction? These kids have been in a toxic environment, and how anyone can deny it is beyond me. The genuine joy of Kaori Sakamoto over her bronze medal, when contrasted with the reactions of the Tutberidze girls, was so stark, I was aghast. There were many wonderful performances in the ladies event from all the other skaters, but the heartbreak and I anger I feel on behalf of these Russian girls is huge, and casts a pall over what should have been a joyous occasion. People want to talk about figure skating needing to be fair- but there's nothing fair about how these teenage girls are being treated. IT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

[beautifulstorms]

I go to Waterloo!!!!!!! How did I not know she was at Waterloo??????

Anyways tell me more about your ideas to katelyn osmondify her

there was this one interview where her coach was talking about how she crams in her homework rinkside while taking breaks from skating which is just so real. please tell everyone at UW about her! i need the compsci bros cheering for her

look, from the past seasons she already fits the kaetlyn blueprint of always killing it in the short but flopping in the free. however the other defining kaetlyn feature is the clean fs in the most crucial moments. maddie just needs that and also the media darling coverage kaetlyn got in 2014