Talking Hockey With Those Involved

from Rory Boylen of The Hockey News, I’ve long since lost that sense of awe around NHL players and management, but it’s still a lot of fun and something I feel privileged to be able to do whenever I’m at the rink. It’s neat to see how the players interact with each other in the dressing room after a game and how their demeanor changes when a reporter drops by their stall. My favorite player that I’ve interviewed so far has been Mike Commodore of the Columbus Blue Jackets. You never know quite what to expect from a player until you start talking to them, but somehow Commodore came across exactly how I thought he might. Obviously a character with his big, red playoff afro and his money picture, Commodore was very inviting, speaking with a well articulated, loud and friendly voice. I spoke with him 1-on-1 on two separate occasions (he recognized me the second time in Columbus, even though it was about two months later) and both times it was just as though I was talking to a good friend. more