Interview with Jordan Messier

I had the opportunity to sit down with Jordan Messier recently and get to know him a little more.

Dave Schultz:  Thanks for taking the time to talk with me, I'll start with hockey questions and then it goes downhill from there.

Jordan Messier:  Alright sounds good

DS:  First off, the Americans just came off their best season in history, and you were a part of that obviously.  What do you think was the key to the teams' success?

JM:  I would say depth up and down the lineup.  All year we had four strong lines and they could score at any point and we proved that throughout the year and that's what carried us through the playoffs, being able to play that many guys, stay fresh.

DS:  Do you think that's going to be a strength again this year?

JM:  Absolutely, match our forwards against any team in this league, I got confidence in the guys in the room.

DS:  What do you personally do to mentally prepare yourself for games?

JM:  I like to keep to myself a little bit before the games, I don't do a whole lot, I know some guys like to plays sewer ball before the game a little bit of soccer, I just kinda stay quiet in the room and get prepared that way.

DS:  Is the preparation different for different opponents, like do you prepare differently if it's Spokane?

JM:  I don't prepare any differently, I definitely get more fired up for the Spokane games, it's always exciting playing Spokane, I try to approach every game the same way.

DS:  How do you feel you have improved as a player from a year ago?

JM:  From last year?  I think one of the biggest thing for me is I've found confidence in my game and being a big guy.  I worked a lot over the summer with a trainer in Canmore getting faster and getting a little bit more meat on my bones.  I think my confidence has improved and I think I'm getting a little bit bigger and faster out there.

DS:  If there was any area of your game that you could improve, what would that be?

JM:  Definitely, not so much my skating, but my agility--being quicker.  

DS:  Is there drills that you guys do that would help with that?

JM: That's one of those things I can work out on my own time, I've taken the first step and making an effort to do that.

DS:  Is there drills that you enjoy more than others when you guys are practicing?

JM:  Yeah, I like drills when we play against some of the other guys, say a 2-on-1 drill and you're competing with the other forwards.  I like those kinds of drills.

DS:  With the amount of Winnipeg boys on the team, is it still "Winnipeg Against the World" drills?

JM:  There's definitely been a little bit of that.

DS:  Is there anyone in particular you pattern your play after, either on the team or in the NHL?

JM:  I try and play a bigger game, so maybe a player like Jordan Staal or one of the Staal brothers.  I try to model myself after how they work hard and they go to the net hard and get rewarded.

DS:  Have you set any personal goals for this season?

JM:  I haven't as much set as many personal goals as team goals.  I think a lot of guys have the itch after coming so close last year to get right back at it and I just want to help the team any way I can and make this a fun year.

DS:  Awesome, as a fan I love to hear that.  What is the best part about being a member of a team?

JM:  I think just having what I would call 25 other brothers in the dressing room.  We're lucky enough to be on this team where we're all so close and we're all doing stuff together and I think that's a lot of fun to be a part of something like that.

DS:  Well, you mentioned it, 25 other brothers, but you really do have a brother on the team.  What's that been like?

JM:  It's good, we're still sharing a room so I gotta keep him in line a little bit.

DS:  Are you still making him sleep on the floor?

JM:  No, he's got an air mattress, he's being spoiled right now

DS:  What has been your favorite off-ice team building activity?

JM:  We've done a few things but I think one of the really fun ones was when we went camping down in Oregon there for a weekend, we went for a kind of overnight thing, that was a lot of fun.  We stayed in tee-pees which was a strange experience at first but it was pretty fun.

DS:  Why did you choose the number that you wear--or if you didn't choose it, what number would you wear and why?

JM:  I think it could be a little bit of a superstition thing sometimes.  But there's not a lot to choose from when you come into the team as a 16-year-old, but I always kind of liked the number 19 because I've always been a big Steve Yzerman fan, Red Wings fan growing up.  My original number was actually number 12 because that's what my dad wore when he played, so I grew up wearing 12 so when I came to Tri-Cities I switched it up.

DS:  Do you have a favorite rink (besides Toyota Center) that you like to play in?

JM:  Ahh jeez, that's a tough one.  I like all the rinks in the Eastern division, we were just out on that swing.  I used to play in a lot of those rinks in midget days.  I'd probably say my favorite rink to play in would be in the Rose Garden.  Good feeling in there, pretty spectacular building.

DS:  What about your least favorite?

JM:  I would have to say...God that's tough.  None really stick out in my head.  I know it's always tough going into Spokane, those guys they get some good turnout and the fans are pretty wild in there so it's tough to overcome that atmosphere.

DS:  Have you been the victim of a shoe-check?

JM:  I have actually, one time in my career, it was on the eastern swing (this year).  It was Mike Brown, snuck up behind me, gave me the old heel check.  That's the first time, first time victim.

DS:  Is that the best prank or is there others you'd be willing to share?

JM:  The best I probably saw was Plouffe got shoe-checked one time, I forget who, one of those 16-year-olds, and he had Ranch all over his shoe, he didn't take to kindly to that.  It was pretty funny.

DS:  Who's the best prankster on the team right now?

JM:  Oh God, I'd have to say Brooks Macek.  I'll tell you this...How we figure out if we're playing or not is if we got jerseys in our stalls.  One time Mace took my socks and my jersey and put it behind his.  And he strung me out for about 15 seconds and then showed me I was actually in the lineup.  That's probably the best anyone's ever got me, I'll tell ya that one.

DS:  Does he have payback coming for that one?

JM:  I'm gonna have to get him one of these days.  He's pretty due for a little payback I would think.

DS:  Who is in charge of the locker room music?

JM:  I think it's kind of general, everyone kind of puts on a song, I know Shinny likes to put on a few songs.  We got some guys that don't touch the music because of superstition, me being one of them.  I'd say it's pretty general, Shinny likes to pick, Holly's got some good ones.

DS:  The best advice you ever got and from whom:

JM:  I would say the best advice I ever got was when my dad told me "Don't get too high with the highs, and don't get too low with the lows" and he got that from his coach Ron Mason when he was at Michigan State and he told me that's the best advice he ever got.  So I've tried to apply that to myself and hockey by just keeping a level head and when things aren't going good, can't let it get you down.  When things are going good just take it in stride and keep working hard.

DS:  If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be and why?

JM:  I would say if I could have dinner it'd be with Don Cherry.  I think Don Cherry would tell some unbelievable stories about his hockey experience and I would enjoy that very thoroughly.

DS:  What hobbies or activities do you have away from the rink?

JM:  I know I'm definitely big into golf, I go with Owsley, Macek, and Sudsy sometimes.  We get out a little bit.  It's getting a bit chilly now so that might be it for the golf this year.  I like to golf, just take it easy.  I like my quiet time away from the rink.

DS:  What song would you be embarrassed by if people knew it was on your ipod?

JM:  I dunno, I got a lot of Taylor Swift on there, some people might give me a hard time about that.  I'd say any Taylor Swift song.  I think she's pretty good.

DS:  What actor would you want to play you in a movie about your life?

JM:  Oh God, I'm trying to think of a name here.  I don't know, that's a tough question.  I'm trying to think of movies I've seen.  What's that guys name, Gerald Butler?  I think he's pretty tough and rugged.  Is that the guy?  What's that movie he's in?  "Law Abiding Citizen"  I think that's it.  We'll go with that, Gerald Butler.*

DS:  What random piece of information or trivia do you use to impress people?

JM:  Any kind of hockey knowledge, I like to talk about hockey.  That's a tough one.  Yeah, I guess I could pull out some hockey trivia.

DS:  If people don't know that you have this famous last name, do you try to keep that from them, let them form their own opinions about you and your play?

JM:  It's definitely tough to get away from but I don't mind having it.  It gets a little repetitive sometimes when people ask "hey are you related to Mark?"  I don't mind.  But I do like the thought of forming my own identity as a player.

DS:  Waffles or pancakes?

JM:  I think I'm a pancake guy, that's for sure

DS:  What do you like on 'em?

JM:  Strawberry sauce

DS:  Awesome.  See?  These are the in depth questions that people need to know.

JM:  Yeah people need to know what I eat at IHOP everyday

DS:  I think that's about it for my questions, is there anything else you want to share?

JM:  No, that's great.  Thanks for choosing me to share.  

DS:  Alright I'll let you get back to your life, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me.  Best of luck with the rest of the season.

*Gerard not Gerald