I had a lot of fun doing the Fifteen series with Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason. Normally, the talks that the two of us have are entirely game related. Having a casual chat and letting him tell old playing stories was great. It’s with joy that I can say you’re all in-store for more of that thanks to a reader suggestion to hear Fifteen from assistant coach Stan Drulia, as well.

For those unfamiliar with Drulia he came into coaching after a twelve-year professional playing career. He played 126 games at the NHL level, all of which came as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and scored 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists). The majority of his playing career came in the ye olde International Hockey League (IHL) – where the Admirals played from 1977-00. In total, Drulia logged 797 career games of professional hockey before transitioning into coaching duties with the Orlando Seals of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) in 2002-03. It wasn’t until midway through the 2011-12 season when he was appointed assistant coach of the Admirals -but- he has been part of the organization ever since.

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: I’m going to have to change up the tenses here from the players to- (Stan Drulia: Way back when?) Yeah. [laughs] Back in the day. -BUT- what were your inspirations to play hockey?

Drulia: My inspirations to play? Oh, wow. I don’t know. I mean.. when you’re young, back in Canada, you’re growing up – you get thrown out on the ice – you start playing and you start watching. All of the sudden when you’re getting older, thirteen – fourteen, you’re hearing that you have a chance possibly play and you’re one of the better kids growing up where you’re from. All these guys, all our players, have been the best kids where they were growing up. So, I don’t know. It’s just a passion. It’s a love of the game that as a young guy growing up it’s all I wanted to do was play hockey. And I did it every day after school.. in the backyard.. in the basement.. where-ever I could play I would play.

AR: When did you realize that you were going to be doing this for a career?

Drulia: [exhales] I don’t know. I knew I wanted to do it as a career probably when I was seventeen – eighteen. I struggled to find a job to play when I was younger. Turning pro was tough for me to find a spot to legitimately become a regular in the American Hockey League. Obviously, the aspiration is to play in the NHL. I got a hundred games in there – which I’m real proud of to be able to play there. But I think as a seven, eight, nine-years pro – I knew I wanted to coach. That’s what I’m obviously doing it now. I don’t know how many years I’ve been doing it. It’s about fourteen or fifteen. It just seems to all run into one-another. Now, this is my life. I love the teaching aspect of it. I love being able to be a part of letting a guy know he’s going to the [NHL]. I think that’s an exciting and thrilling part for us.

AR: Who was the first famous player that you met along the way?

Drulia: I don’t know. Probably- I grew up a Buffalo Sabres fan growing up in Fort Erie [Canada]. As a young guy probably going to the Buffalo Sabres hockey schools, Jerry Korab, Gilbert Perreault, Danny Gare, and those types of players. Rick Martin. The ol’ French Connection Line was my line with the Buffalo Sabres growing up so I was a die-hard Buffalo Sabres fan when I was a young guy.

AR: What is your greatest hockey moment and, for you, this could either go player or coach?

Drulia: Well, it’s obviously playing your first NHL game – scoring your first NHL goal. To win two championships as a player, even in the IHL, winning is everything. When you win and you’re a part of that winning culture it’s fantastic. I was able to win once as a coach in Orlando in my first year coaching. And like you said, as a coach now, it’s that feel good of knowing that you’re helping put guys in the [NHL].

AR: What is the most memorable goal that you’ve scored?

Drulia: My first goal, probably. I scored against Ron Hextall when I was in Tampa Bay and he was with the Québec Nordiques. I had just gotten benched for the whole period and I got a late shift. I was able to score and it ended up being the game-winner that night. So, it was real special. (AR: Now, is this one of those things like Viktor Arvidsson‘s first NHL goal in a couple years time he’s going to be saying it was the greatest wrist shot or slap shot in history but it just bumped off of him.) No, no! I actually walked into it. I got a great pass. Walked right down and saw it. It was a slap shot.. and I actually fanned on it, it kind of went end over end, and did hit the crossbar and go down. But I fanned on the shot for sure.

AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve played or coaches in? Specifically in the last few years there’s been a lot of strange Admirals games that you’ve been around in.

Drulia: Oh boy. Probably the Rockford game back here my first year when Ian Herbers was the coach. The brawl. [Editor’s Note: Oh, yeah… that one.] That brawl was crazy. We’ve built a tremendous rivalry with Rockford. Both teams compete. We see each other so often. That was really strange for me. The way that it happened.. as we weren’t playing great at the time.. and I think that brawl actually catapulted us to go on to the finish that we had to make the playoffs. (AR: Take me into the psychology of that moment. Because that’s one of those legendary moments of this team’s history now. Was that something that had been building or was that one incident with Rob Flick going after Jeremy Smith?) No, I think it was an incident provoked by Flick. Jeremy was fortunate enough to be looking at the glass and see him coming from behind. But I was impressed with how fast our guys got off the bench. [laughs] (AR: I was impressed by how fast Jeremy Smith got going.) Everybody! I mean -actually- the guys actually built a pretty good wall and Rockford couldn’t get to him. It’s one of those things that I was involved in a few as a player in junior. You don’t see it anymore. You rarely see it. I was involved in two or three in junior as a player and they’re scary. (AR: Even something like a line brawl – you don’t see them that much.) No, and thankfully. Rightfully so – with all the injuries and how big and strong these guys are right now there’d be some serious injuries. That brawl really -it did- catapult us on to being the team that we were. (AR: The lasting image I have of that -it looked like it was straight out of Slap Shot- was Michael Latta.. I think he came out of the penalty box.. he’s got no clothes on.) Latta did come out of the penalty box. Yeah. Well that was Latta. Latta was an interesting man. Loved him. He was going to stick up for anybody. He wasn’t going to let anybody get the better of one of his teammates.

AR: What is your most embarrassing hockey memory?

Drulia: Well, we had a lot of shootouts back in the day. And probably having a shootout and losing the puck into the corner and never even getting a shot on goal

AR: What is your most painful hockey career? And I was lucky enough once to hear you telling Kevin Fiala a lot of your’s when he got that skate to the face last season. You told him it’s going to be the first of many.

Drulia: Well, poor Kevin. I mean, you’re going to have injuries. I took a shot in the eye – took a puck in the eye – almost lost my eyesight in training camp one year after we won the championship in ’97 in Detroit with the Vipers. Probably the scariest moment for me. Jumping in a taxi cab, going over to the emergency room, and then the doctor’s telling you you’re probably going to lose your eye. That was probably the scariest moment. Not as painful as you may think but scary in itself.

AR: What are your favorite hockey uniforms?

Drulia: I tell you what. I really like our’s! I think our jerseys, what [Harris Turer] and [Jon Greenberg] and the staff did here with our jerseys, are fantastic. I like the Minnesota Wild, too. I like that dark green. I think that’s a pretty neat jersey. (AR: I’d have to imagine, also, you’d go for those classic Sabres ones?) Well the new ones – I don’t like the new ones. You got to go right back to the old ones, you know the die-hard, buffalo on ’em with the blue and gold. Those for sure.

AR: Who are the funniest players you’ve encountered, as a player or as a coach?

Drulia: One of the funniest guys I ever played with was Marc Bergevin. I played with him in Tampa now he’s the GM in Montreal. Berg could be one of the funniest men alive. You can tell in the way he conducts himself as a GM. He’s as classy as they come but man did he keep you loose around the rink

AR: What’s been your favorite aspect of Milwaukee?

Drulia: I don’t know. It’s a real sleeper city. People don’t know how good of a city Milwaukee is. There is so much to do. Our fan support has been fantastic. You go around the community you hear about the Admirals and things like that. I just think it’s a real small town but a big city feel. And I’ve really enjoyed the people here.

AR: What is your favorite food?

Drulia: Oh, steak for sure. Nothing wrong with a good filet mignon. (AR: How do you take it?) Medium. (AR: Just medium?) Yep. (AR: I’ve had a lot of medium-rare with that one.) No, just medium – medium with lots of spices.

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Drulia: Non-hockey hobby? Oof, that’s all I do. I don’t do a whole lot. I’ve got two dogs. I spend a lot of time walking the dogs. (AR: What types of dogs?) I have a Jack Russell Terrier. She is thirteen I think. And then we have a new one.. we’re not sure what she is. We think she’s a Rat Terrier. We took her up at a rescue last year at Christmas.

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey memory?

Drulia: Favorite non-hockey memory. [pause] Wow. [pauses – looks to Milwaukee Admirals VP/Communications Charlie Larson for guidance] Charlie, you got to give me better insight on this one. (Charlie: Which one of your kids do you like more?) Yeah exactly! The first thing I thought of was the birth of your kids but.. obviously it’s the birth of your kids. Now that my kids are older it’s nice when we can all get together because we’re not around. We don’t get together very often with both of them in college and that. So, I think when we’re all together it’s probably a good special time for all of us.

AR: This is usually the one I kind of use to stump the players – which is, what are your plans after hockey? I think you’ve taken care of that. So.. (Drulia: I’m going to retire!) What are your plans after coaching then?

Drulia: Well, my wife and I just bought four acres of land in New York state on Lake Erie a couple of years ago. We’ve been taking the last couple years to clear – knock some brush down. We’ve been working on our house plans. Hopefully get a shovel in the ground this summer to build our home that we want to live in for as long as I guess we’re together. But, that’s it. I’m just looking forward to being around this game as long as I can. Hopefully coaching and moving up the ladder as well like the players want to do. And, after that, going to have a nice glass of wine.. sitting on the beach.

Thanks much to Stan Drulia for taking the time to do this interview. You can always hear him post-game on the radio on 105.7FM The FAN with Milwaukee Admirals broadcaster Aaron Sims. Here at Admirals Roundtable – Five Days of Fifteen rolls on tomorrow with the seemingly always laughing Joe Pendenza. As for the coming weeks – who do you want to have featured in Fifteen next? Please comment down below with your suggestions!

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Continuing on with Five Days of Fifteen I turn to the person who I strongly considered for the Admiral of the Month for January, Pontus Åberg.

To this point, the sophomore season for Åberg has been hugely successful. The 22-year old Swede looks very comfortable on the ice and has played with far better consistency game-by-game. As the Admirals sit on their AHL All-Star break Åberg sits with the team lead in goal scoring with 13 goals scored in 41 games. In a less flashy but more head coach Dean Evason appreciated territory – his penalty minutes from this time a season ago have been cut clean in half.

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?

Pontus Åberg: Probably my dad. He played hockey when I was growing up and I went to see him play as a kid. That’s probably why they put me on skates. So, probably my dad. (AR: So he played professionally?) Yeah, in Sweden. (AR: Certain team?) They’re called Södertälje SK. They’re in Division I right now. They were in the second division when he played but… he didn’t make it as high as I did, obviously. He was a good defenseman.

AR: When did you realize that you were going to be playing hockey for a career?

Åberg: I don’t know. All of my coaches always kind of told me that I was probably going to make it because I was always.. I was good as a kid – very talented. As I got older all the coaches in junior hockey told me to mature more so that would make me become a pro because I had a talent. I think I matured a lot. So, that’s probably how I knew. (AR: And what’s the moment like when you find out you do get drafted by Nashville?) That was a dream come true. Even my first game back home in the highest league when I was seventeen was a huge thing for me – my favorite team back home – my hometown team [Djurgårdens IF] – and when I got drafted I was even more excited to come over here at once. It was a nice feeling.

AR: Who was the first famous player that you met?

Åberg: We had a lot of former NHL’ers in my hometown team. We had Marcus Nilson – he played in Calgary. Jimmie Ölvestad – he played in Tampa Bay. We had a lot of really good players. (AR: That’s actually the interesting thing that I’m finding with you guys that either played in Sweden or Finland. You guys were playing as up and comers as the lockout was going on so you did get a lot of those imports, too.) Yeah, that was my second-year over in Sweden. We got Douglas Murray, Patric Hörnqvist, and Gabriel Landeskog. (AR: Douglas Murray is a beast.) He’s a big guy! But he’s not that much of a beast if you know him as a person. He’s a really nice guy.

AR: What was your greatest hockey moment?

Åberg: It’s got to be when I won the Under-16 Swedish Championship. Been with the guys the whole year, made it through the whole year, and ended up winning it against the rivals back home – AIK. So I think that’s from playing hockey, and even playing my first game over in the Elite League, and just get drafted.

AR: What’s the most memorable goal that you’ve scored?

Åberg: I don’t know. It’s got to be the first goal I scored in Sweden in my first game and, obviously, the first goal I scored over here in Milwaukee too. [Editor’s Note: Video Highlight. Åberg scored on Opening Night of the 2014-15 season in his North American pro debut in Milwaukee against the Charlotte Checkers. Brendan Leipsic‘s reaction to the goal was all of our reaction.] (AR: I was going to say, you made a heck of an introduction first night here in Milwaukee.) Yeah, it was kind of nice to get that kind of goal. You just dream of that kind of goals. You did it all the time when you were a kid but it’s not as easy on this level – and it worked out. (AR: Does it feel like you’re kind of in slow-motion when you are doing something like that? Because it seemed like you’re going through people and still had enough to finish that one off.) That goal that I scored here just kind of happened. I didn’t even think I would do it. I was just skating and.. (AR: By the end you’re like, it’s still on my tape?) Yeah. When you do get that kind of stuff it’s not like you planned it – it just happens. You don’t even know what kind of move you’re going to make on the defenseman – you just make it.

AR: What’s the strangest game that you’ve played in?

Åberg: Strangest. [thinks] Over here it has to be against Rockford when there was a line brawl in warm-ups. [Editor’s Note: Photo of where it initiated. Photo of the scrum.] You’re not used to it and that was kind of strange. (AR: I only ever got to see the photos of that. You have Rich Clune chatting away.) We got [Mike Liambas]. Yeah, we got some big boys. That was kind of strange for us Europeans I think but, for me, I just talked to their European guys and it was just kind of looking it off. (AR: The other thing that was fun about that. Their goalie at the time was Scott Darling who played with us – he’s just chilling out with Magnus Hellberg – and they’re having a bit of a chat. They were kind of like, “hmm.. whatever.”) Yeah, I think they’re friends from before so I don’t see the point of fighting someone you know in warm-ups. I don’t see the point of that. It’s good to have those kind of guys on the team, to fire up the team, so it’s obviously both good and bad.

AR: What’s the most embarrassing moment of your hockey career?

Åberg: Oh. That’s a good question. [pause] I fell after I missed a penalty shot in Sweden. That was kind of awkward because the whole bench stopped talking back to me. But, that was a long time ago. [laughs] That was kind of weird. (AR: What was the set up? Were you trying to- because I remember Steven Stamkos once was trying to set up a spin-o-rama and just absolutely lost an edge and went flying one way and the puck went the other way.) I think I tried to go backhand and when I was skating back to the bench I skated into the boards and fell. Kind of awkward.

AR: Most painful moment in hockey?

Åberg: It was when we got relegated with my team back home to the second division. We had a really good team and just couldn’t pull it off. All the scouts and stuff thought we were going to end up top-five and have a good playoff. We just ended up second to last and didn’t even get to make it to stay in the highest league so that has to be the worst. (AR: It’s always fun to get to ask that question because I’ve been getting the different responses – injury-wise painful – but you go with the team aspect. Has there ever been an injury that made you–) Yeah, it was when Sweden won the World Juniors in Canada I made the team and the last exhibition game I injured my shoulder and had to go back to Sweden. Then they ended up winning the whole thing – in first time in like twenty-years for Sweden so that was kind of painful.

AR: What are your favorite hockey uniforms?

Åberg: Like, in the game? (AR: Yeah, and like worldwide too.) It’s got to be.. I like our baby blues. And I also like my first team back home when we played in a red jersey. You have to look it up. It’s kind of sick. [Editor’s Note: Challenge Accepted, Pontus. And Challenge Accomplished… with you in the photo wearing the uniform no less.) So, those two.

AR: Who are the funniest players that you’ve played with?

Åberg: Funniest. [pauses] It’s got to be Fredrik Claesson. He plays in Ottawa right now – usually plays in Binghamton. He’s a funny guy.

AR: What’s been your favorite part of Milwaukee?

Åberg: What do you mean by favorite part? Like, as a city? (AR: Yeah, city.. fans.. food.) I like when it’s a full house here. It doesn’t happen that often but when it happens it’s kind of sick because the arena is pretty big and it gets loud. It’s way more fun when it gets loud out there. It gives you more energy and stuff. With the city I don’t think it’s anything like special. I like eating lunch at Beans & Barley by my apartment. I like water that goes through the city. I think it’s kind of cool, too. So those things. (AR: The fans here are pretty die-hard though. We had that first bit of a snow storm here and there were still fans flooding the gates on a Tuesday.) Yeah. (AR: So, they still come out. It’s just so weird because this is building is a pro building – it’s just we’re an AHL team.) Yeah, obviously we have fans. I just think this arena is too big for the Admirals. I think it will be better next year if we go into the Panthers Arena. I think it’s smaller isn’t it? (AR: Yep.) Yeah, I think that’s going to be better for the Admirals and that will probably make it seem more crowded than it is. Like, we have our fans but I just think the arena is too big for us.

AR: What is your favorite food?

Åberg: It depends. I like tacos. We usually do that once a week – me and my girlfriend. I also like just a steak with, I don’t know if you know, béarnaise sauce and just a fresh salad. It’s really good. (AR: How do you take your steak?) Medium, or medium well. It depends on if I want it bloodier or not. (AR: And can you describe to me, because I didn’t do this to him on the spot [during his interview], palt. That was Viktor Arvidsson‘s choice.) Oh yeah. I have no idea. That’s their kind of food up North. It’s not common in Sweden at all. It’s more of a up North food. (AR: Because I threw that out to me and I kind of gave him a stink eye and was, alright.) Yeah, I don’t understand how that could be his favorite food. It’s probably just because he’s from where he is.

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Åberg: I like to watch soccer if that’s a hobby. And I like to play Playstation, obviously. I like Call of Duty, FIFA, and those kind of games. So it’s got to be FIFA or just watch soccer. (AR: I put the word out there last season that you are the best FIFA player on the team.) Still. (AR: Still true?) Still. Still no competition. I’m going to play [Jason Nordby] our trainer. He just added me on Playstation so I have to beat him first but he says he’s pretty good. So, we’ll see about that.

AR: Favorite non-hockey memory – which, for you I think, probably just happened didn’t it?

Åberg: Yeah, I’m going to be a dad in July. So, obviously, very exciting. Wasn’t planned at all but it happened and I’m really looking forward to it. My girlfriend she’s flying back in April and she’s going to get [laughs] bigger and bigger. It’s obviously the most exciting thing for me. (AR: Last year you were adopted by Magnus Hellberg. Did you tell him he’s going to be a Granddad?) [laughs] Yeah! He texted me and asked if he was the Godfather but I have to see about that.

AR: What are your plans after hockey?

Åberg: I don’t know. I haven’t really planned that. Didn’t finish school – I put it all into hockey because I still had one more year left in school when I turned pro in Sweden and I kind of just focused on hockey. I always wanted to get better into that. School will always be there and hockey won’t. When I quit hockey I’m going to think about it after that.

A big thank you to Pontus Åberg for taking the time to do this interview. Also, a big congratulations to himself and his girlfriend on the announcement they’ll becoming parents later this year. Here at Admirals Roundtable-land Five Days of Fifteen rolls on tomorrow with Milwaukee Admirals assistant coach, Stan Drulia. As for the coming weeks – who do you want to have featured in Fifteen next? Please comment down below with your suggestions!

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Tonight will be the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic featuring a brand new format. If it is anywhere near as entertaining as the NHL’s updated take on the All-Star game we should all be in for a real treat.

When we last left off on Fifteen we had the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals Dean Evason on-board. He’ll be coaching the Central Division All-Stars tonight. What better way to follow that interview, and setup tonight’s AHL All-Star Classic, than having the Admirals representative on the ice Frédérick Gaudreau be featured today?

I think Gaudreau’s story has been pretty well documented this season. Even the causal readers from Nashville had to take some stock in his play because he performed so well he earned a two-year entry level contract from the Nashville Predators. It really wasn’t long after that when he found out he would be going to the AHL All-Star Classic, either. This season has been a whirlwind for the 22-year old from Granby, Quebec. But it has all been positive and it has all been earned.

Before plunging into the interview with Gaudreau I feel like telling a very short story. After this season’s Admirals pre-season game at the MSOE Kern Center was finished up I was hanging around outside the locker room waiting to do my typical interviews. At that early in the season I was desperately trying to just figure out faces. As I was waiting and waiting I heard someone say my name. It was Gaudreau. He approached me, shook my hand, told me how great it was to see me again, and jogged on off to do cooldown work outs. After that happened I did a quick scan back through last season and I found that I had only talked to him one time during the 2014-15 season. He just saw a familiar face and wanted to give a hello.

The only thing better than Gaudreau the player this season is Gaudreau the person. The catch there is he’s been the same humble guy for quite some time now. That’s what made seeing a person like him earning an NHL contract so great for everyone around the Milwaukee Admirals to see.

Gaudreau has asked me after this interview if I’d be posting the audio of our chat up because he was nervous about his English. I told him the truth which was that he did fine. Better than me, actually, because I ended up basically substituting a question that kind of related to just that topic. So, when listening in, I’d like to throw the friendly reminder out there of the language barrier being a real thing and English is a language that even I still struggle at putting forward. That all said: Sit back. Enjoy. And let’s all get to know some more about tonight’s Admirals All-Star.

~Fifteen~

Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?

Frédérick Gaudreau: I think I grew up in a family that they just wanted me to be happy doing what I like. And, honestly, hockey is what I always liked to do. My brothers also played. My parents both played. So, basically I grew up in a hockey family. That’s where it came from I think.

AR: When did you realize you were going to be playing hockey for a career?

Gaudreau: It was always a dream but you only realize it when you start doing it. So, I would say last year. (AR: So, it didn’t even sink in until your first pro contract?) It was something that I always wanted to do and, for sure, I believed in it but I mean… I feel like you only realize it when you start doing it for real.

AR: Who was the first famous player that you met?

Gaudreau: I don’t remember that honestly but I started working out during summer with, actually two-years ago, with Sean Couturier and Mathieu Perreault. Which was pretty nice.

AR: What is your greatest hockey moment?

Gaudreau: I’d say when I won the Memorial Cup with the Shawinigan Cataractes in 2012. That was an unbelievable feeling. He hosted the Cup, lost in the Playoffs, but went there as the host team and finally won the Cup. So it was pretty fun.

AR: What’s the most memorable goal that you’ve scored?

Gaudreau: I don’t remember that. Maybe a goal in the playoffs in Drummondville last season in juniors. I scored five in that night. [Editor’s Note: It happened on 3/28/14 and he did it against Jonathan Diaby‘s poor Victoriaville Tigres no less. One better? Of Gaudreau’s five goals one was scored against Brandon Whitney – current goaltender of the Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL playing under contract to the Admirals.] So, probably the last one. (AR: Five?!) Yeah, it was a good night.

AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve played in?

Gaudreau: Whoa, that’s a good question. [pause] I don’t know that. I’ve played so many games.. so many strange games.. there’s not one.. maybe one I’d say, I think it ended up 11-10 or something like that. (AR: Did the goalies not show up?) I don’t know. It was just a crazy game.. crazy night.

 

AR: What is your most painful hockey moment?

Gaudreau: When I broke my wrist. When I broke my wrist in Midget AAA I’d say physically painful but I’d say when we lost in the playoffs the year we won the Memorial Cup, when we lost in the playoffs, that was pretty painful mentally for sure.

AR: What are your favorite uniforms in hockey?

Gaudreau: That I played in? (AR: Yeah, or in general because I get a lot of responses. I keep throwing this back to people as an example. Max Görtz‘s favorite uniform I had to chase down. It was his boyhood team growing up – his hometown team. I was like, Frosta HC? Who are they? So any team, really.) I don’t know. I like any kind of vintage jersey that the NHL use. So, all the Winter Classics – the ones that Montreal used this season for their game against Boston. Boston’s was nice too. I like all the vintage jerseys. (AR: I don’t know if you had the chance to see it yet but you’re going to be wearing an awesome retro jersey for the All-Stars.) Yeah, I saw that. (AR: They look amazing.) I think so, too! They are really nice.

AR: Who is the funniest player that you’ve met?

Gaudreau: I’ve met a few but I’d say Vladislav Kamenev is pretty funny. (AR: Kamenev?) Yeah. (AR: Is there something that I don’t know because I keep being told that his English is a work in progress?) It’s not because he always talks it’s just the way he is. He’s just a great guy and we keep having fun with him. So, he’s a really nice guy. (AR: I saw a bit of his personality come through. I think it was on Media Day back during pre-season. He was playing table tennis against Garrett Noonan – and he was destroying Garrett Noonan. He was just having a laugh. He seems like a really nice guy.) Yeah, he is a really nice guy. Just the way he is we think he’s always funny.

AR: By the way, how is Kamenev’s English coming along?

Gaudreau: I think he’s getting really good. For sure it was hard for him I think because he didn’t know nothing about English. I think it would be hard for anybody but I think he’s really getting better. Starting to talk a lot more. And, for sure, understands a lot more too. (AR: That’s something I’m always cautious to do. I saw it with Miikka Salomäki when he was first here -English very difficult- [Marek Mazanec] when he was first here -English incredibly difficult- …playing out there is hard enough as it is much less being plopped into what’s like an alien world. I only speak one language and I had to go to college to learn it better.) Yeah exactly! (AR: You guys speak better English than me and you still speak like three different languages. All of you.) Ahh, well thank you but I think we still have to improve always. We can always improve. I got lucky enough that I grew up in Canada so our second language was English. We had to learn it a little bit in school and all that. But, for a guy like [Kamanev] that comes from Russia and the only thing [he’s] heard his entire life is Russian, I bet it’s really hard. I gave him a lot of credit for that because it’s something that’s always going to stay for his whole life. He could’ve learned a language like that. (AR: And there is no one else here who speaks Russian. I follow the Pittsburgh Penguins so I thought of him like an Evgeni Malkin in a sense where he doesn’t know the language coming here but at least Malkin had a Sergei Gonchar to help kind of usher him into the country. Kamenev really hasn’t had that.) No, exactly. He had it at the camp with [Yakov Trenin] but after that Trenin went back to Juniors so he was here, the only one speaking Russian, so he had to stick up with people all the time that would help him. So every time we were out for dinner or something like that – we had to explain to him a little more the menu and all that. As it went by he just kept going, kept working on his English, and for sure now he can go where ever he wants alone. (AR: For me, I took one-year of Spanish in high school followed up with two-years of French and I can only remember one thing of French. Which is: je ne sais pas.) [laughs] (AR: Which is very important because it’s true… because I don’t know.)

AR: What’s your favorite part of Milwaukee?

Gaudreau: I like the whole town. Never really had the chance to come here during summer. I heard it is really nice during summer. But, I don’t know, I feel like it’s kind of a big town.. not so big.. but even if it’s big we feel like it’s a small town because I feel like people are nice here. Hockey, they love it here. I like all of this city especially the people here.

AR: What is your favorite food?

Gaudreau: I love sushi. (AR: Sushi?) [nods agreeably off mic]

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?

Gaudreau: I don’t know. I don’t really have a hobby. I like to do all kinds of stuff. I just started to play guitar a bit last year. I’m not good at it but I enjoy it. So, it’s something I’d like to get better at for sure.

AR: What is your favorite non-hockey memory?

Gaudreau: I don’t know. Like I said, I enjoy so much simple dinner with my family. So every little dinner we have during summer, or whenever during season when I have the chance to, for me those moments I’m so grateful for those moments. There’s many of them that come to my mind so I’d say all of them.

AR: What do you see yourself doing after hockey?

Gaudreau: I haven’t figured it out exactly but it always depends on where you go at hockey. It’d be different if it be a long career. If it’d not be I don’t really know. I hope it be a long one and after that I could have more choices. But I don’t really know yet. My brother has a business doing some furniture. He has his own furniture company and I enjoyed doing it with him this summer. It’s pretty fun. So maybe I would like to go with him but so far I don’t know exactly. (AR: Well, so far even in the scope of like this season, Nashville ended up giving you your two-year entry level so that’s pretty impressive enough. So, it’s working out so far for ya this little hockey career.) Yeah, well for sure. I did it step by step for my entire career so far. That’s another step. For sure if I can keep reaching other steps to the top, which is establishing myself, that’s a big dream – just establishing yourself. I have a long career – that’s a big dream. If I can reach step by step to that goal for sure it’d be really nice. (AR: It wasn’t in that far a span either you get your contract from Nashville and then you get selected for an All-Star Game.) Yeah, that week was crazy. I just signed – which is something pretty nice – and then I think not even a week after I received that call to tell me I was going to the All-Star Game. So that was a crazy week.

A massive thank you to Milwaukee Admirals All-Star representative Frédérick Gaudreau for taking the time to do this interview. We’ll all be cheering him on tonight as he wears what I’m sure will become his favorite uniform of all-time. As for Fifteen, this week is Five Days of Fifteen so I will have one each weekday this week. As for the coming weeks – who do you want to have featured in Fifteen next? Please comment down below with your suggestions!

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The month of January felt like it was nearly as much of a marathon as December but for the complete opposite reason. The Admirals had so much time off at the end of this month. It didn’t feel anywhere near as draining as December’s 14 games in 31 days did.

In total, January ended with a record of 5-3-2-0 through 10 games of work. There were a few standout moments but I feel the month of January can be marked as a massive transitional period in the Admirals 2015-16 season. The Nashville Predators decided to get active in the trade market specifically with their AHL club in mind. Conor Allen and Victor Bartley were traded away and saw the arrival of Patrick Mullen and Stefan Elliott. Some roster swaps on Nashville’s end of things also shuffled the deck. Through it all the Admirals had a foundation to play in front of and get through any of those mistakes that would come with new chemistry. That foundation was Marek Mazanec.

This season’s goaltending had been pretty clean cut as far as who started in net for the Admirals. Both were doing a great job and the two were sharing the responsibilities of starting in net. That changed slightly at the end of January. Was it because Juuse Saros was having a poor month? He went 2-2-0-0 from 4 starts, had a 2.79 goals against average, and a 0.904 save percentage. It’s good. It’s just that Mazanec wasn’t good – he was great.

In the month of January Mazanec went 3-1-2-0 from 6 starts, had a 1.98 goals against average, 0.922 percentage, and 2 shutouts. When looking back at those two overtime losses those were pretty much 2 points earned by Mazanec for the Admirals. He battled hard against the Rockford IceHogs. He made an absolute highlight reel save to rob Lake Erie Monsters forward Nick Moutrey from point blank range. Those could have been defeats in regulation. With Mazanec in net they became valuable points earned in a season defined by points percentage. He was brilliant time and time again.

Admirable Mentions: Pontus Åberg, 6 points (5 goals, 1 assist) in 10 games including scoring a hat trick in San Antonio… Cody Hodgson, 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) with an average of 4 shots on goal per game in 5 games since arriving from the Nashville Predators after clearing waivers… Vladislav Kamenev, 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 3 games after returning from the 2016 IIHF World Juniors but unfortunately missed the end of the month due to a lower-body injury… Kevin Fiala, 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 6 games…

~Admiral of the Month Award~

October: Félix Girard
November: Viktor Arvidsson
December: Frédérick Gaudreau
January: Marek Mazanec

Who do you feel was the Milwaukee Admirals top performer during the month of January? Was it Marek Mazanec, Pontus Åberg, or someone else? Answer in the comment section below.

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