The hockey I was raised on, the hockey I understand, the hockey that my dad taught me about when I was a boy was intrinsically connected with fighting. I grew up in a house where we revered tough guys.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Hockey, honestly, was my first love. The excitement, the fast pace, the intensity of the game... I still love it to this day.
Definitely, I got a reputation growing up playing on the guys' hockey teams. The guys knew how tough I was because I played with them. I got quite a good reputation for beating up boys going up through school.
I liked hockey, and I still like hockey.
I love hockey because of the respect for history and for the game itself.
My son, he is the reason I got involved. It's been a joy to be around him and teach him the stuff that I know, and to the other kids as well. When he started playing I wanted to be involved in his hockey career. It's a lot of fun for both of us.
I really did love hockey. It was one of my favorite things to do.
In Canada, for boys, your identity is built on hockey. It's your social position; it's everything. And I was the worst hockey player of Canada.
The biggest thing for me is the passion that I've always had for hockey. I remember growing up, no matter what I did in life, my parents always told me to try to do my best at it and be my best. I can say going through different things that that passion is the most important part. It's not skills or talent or any of that stuff.
When it comes to hockey, it's been in my blood since I was 3 or 4 years old. I love coaching the kids, especially at that level.
I will openly admit that I've never really followed hockey. Given my New England upbringing, I have always adhered to the Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins mantra of professional sports fandom, but hockey was definitely the lowest sport on the totem pole - even when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.