The veterans always appear to be more talkative, while the rookies are a little less confident and are not sure if they can trust ‘the radio guy’.
They’ll loosen up, just give them time.
Kristofer Westblom would likely lead my list as the most likable Rocket.
He always says hi, makes conversation and is genuinely a good guy. I always knew ‘Westy’ was a class act, but the point was punctuated earlier this season when I was out tricker-treating with my twin boys in North Glenmore.
This tall, lanky ‘cookie monster’ character approaches me on the street while I am making the rounds with my boys.
As soon as he opened his mouth to speak, I instantly recognized who it was. Westblom was tricker-treating with his billets kids.
He was the guy wearing the Sesame Street character costume.
Westblom was actually having fun, was making the most of the moment and was treating his billet kids to a night that they will be talking about for years to come.
Good on him!
When you see Westblom’s off ice antics, how can you not cheer for this guy?
With his approach to life, whether it’s with hockey or away from the rink, you hope the Minnesota Wild sign him to a contract that eventually leads him to an appearance in the National Hockey League.
Luke Schenn is another favorite of mine.
I can’t remember the last time I saw him without a smile on his face?
On second thought, he always has a business like approach on the ice, but the transformation from stay at home-angry defenseman to tremendous outgoing individual is awesome.
Schenn always asks questions and genuinely appears to want to learn from others, and would make a good media guy if the hockey thing doesn’t work out.
Let’s just say we won’t be seeing ‘Schenner’ in media row anytime soon.
His future as a sure fire pro is extremely bright, and it couldn’t happen to a better guy.
Evan Bloodoff seems to be the most intriguing rookie on the team this year.
A terrible interview, the younger brother of Lucas has a great personality, and seems to be a lot of fun yet he clams up in front of a microphone when asked a question.
It will be my job over the next couple of years to loosen him up a bit so the hockey fans get a better appreciation of what type of character he really is.
The banter between him and fellow 16 year old Tyler Myers on the bus is often comical, and the fact that I sit directly across from them gets me involved in the conversation whether I want to or not.
When it comes to the 18 year olds, Colin Joe’s personality appears to be the brightest in that age group.
His sense of humor is awesome, and he is not afraid to poke fun at fellow teammates or himself.
He does a great impersonation of a Chinese flight attendant, something I witnessed first hand in 2005 as the Rockets headed back home from the Memorial Cup in London.
For the record, Joe’s father is of Asian decent.
So while his impression may not be politically correct, it seems harmless in this case.
Having Shea Weber accompanying him at the front of the aircraft going through the safety instructions by demonstrating how to buckle up your safety belt will always be a memory I won’t forget. Let’s just say it took away from the disappointment we felt after the club failed to win a game.
On a recent road trip, some players were sleeping, the coaching staff was looking at video, and I was working on my computer when all of a sudden we heard ‘So you guys want a new movie put in’?
The coaches and I look up only to see Colin Joe wearing nothing more than a skin colored g-string.
It was all about shock value for C-Joe.
The players on the bus started laughing while the coaches smiled, shook their heads and went back to business.
‘
Something tell’s me they had seen this act before.
And the coaches are a great bunch; all three of them are great traveling companions.
The fact they we are all at the same point in our life, with wives and young kids, may have something to do with it, but they (Truitt, Huska, Dillabaugh) make you feel like a part of the team.
Huska is probably the most animated of the three.
A bit of a jokester, Huska has some hilarious stories from his junior days and his experiences as a player under then Kamloops Blazers Head Coach Don Hay.
Huska was a solid defensive forward in his junior days, and let’s just say his fight card wasn’t very long.
Yet playing in the mid 90’s meant defending yourself and your teammates. Huska has stories of fights lost that bring a tear to your eye, a tear that comes from spontaneous laughter.
It’s true that the story teller makes the joke that much funnier, and Huska is a great story teller.
I do question the blanket that he carries with him on road trips though.
Like Linus on the Charlie Brown cartoon, Huska has this ‘navajo’ looking purple blanket that he wraps around him whenever he attempts to get a little shuteye on the bus.
I’m just hoping his Wife Denise washes that thing every once in a while!
And I have to chuckle at Jeff Truitt’s sleeping habits on the bus, or lack-there-of.
Truitt has four available seats to his disposal at the front of the bus, which in theory gives him the most leg-head room of anyone.
Yet he sleeps upright, semi slouched with his right shoulder jammed into the corner, essentially taking up just one seat.
Funny thing is Truitt probably sleeps the worst of anyone on the bus, even including me, who makes these odd observations at 2 am in the morning.
Across from Truitt on the bus is assistant Kim Dillabaugh.
‘Dilly’ as he’s known, is a great guy. Often appearing quiet and standoffish, yet once you peel back the layers of this former WHL goaltender, you get to appreciate his dry sense of humor.
Referring to a short nap as a ‘Grandpa’, Dillabaugh takes his role with the hockey club seriously, and it shows. When the Rockets allow a goal, one only needs to look at Dillabaugh grimacing almost in pain, like he was the one that just let it in.
While the 2006-2007 regular season will be one where smiles were few and far between because of the team’s struggles on the ice, the character’s in the dressing room that made up this years squad has made this radio broadcasters season an enjoyable one - win or lose.
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