Your dad, Craig, was a college hockey player. Your cousin Andy (Boston Bruins broadcaster) played in the National Hockey League. How much of an influence were they when you were a kid and what did they teach you? "My dad was a very big influence. I have an older brother, Brendan, who is three years older than me and played at the University of New England. We grew up playing on the same youth teams back home in Everett. My dad was my first coach. It was cool to grow up playing with my brother on the same team and having my dad coach. My dad has a lot of experience playing, of course, and a lot of knowledge about the game. To this day, he still helps me if I have any issues off the ice."
What’s the best piece of advice your dad has given you? "The best thing is, ‘Nothing is ever given to you.’ From a young age, that was the biggest thing that was instilled in both me and my brother: ‘You have to earn everything you get. Nothing ever comes easy.’ That still holds true to this day for me."
Your dad went to the University of Pennsylvania. Andy went to the University of New Hampshire. How come you chose to go to the University of Vermont? "Coach (Kevin) Sneddon played a big role with me and my family. He embraced me at a young age when I was going into high school and in the select camps. He was very interested in getting me to come to the school. He showed that right away and openly told me how interested he was for me to be a Catamount. He impressed my family. When I went to visit the school, my parents (Craig and Robin) and I fell in love with Burlington. It’s a beautiful campus. Going to a game at the Gut (Gutterson Fieldhouse) will influence you as well; it’s a sold-out barn every night with a fun atmosphere and is a great place to play."
What did Coach Sneddon mean to your college career? "He meant a lot, especially with the type of player that I am — a hard-nosed, gritty forward. Coach Sneddon instilled that in school. We were a hardworking team; a hard team to play against is one of the big things we tried to be every night. Every week in practice going into the games with the same mentality helped me a lot."
After being drafted and developed by the Florida Panthers, you were traded prior to last season to the Carolina Hurricanes and didn’t play in the NHL all year. What did you learn about yourself last season playing with the Charlotte Checkers in the American Hockey League? "It helped me grow up. It showed me, again, that it’s not easy; nothing comes easy in the NHL. I had a good season in the AHL (in 2014-15) to making the NHL roster right off the bat (in 2015-16) to being sent back down to the AHL (later that season). I was excited to come back to Florida that next fall, and then I was traded. That was a bit of a wake-up call.
"Last year was a bit of a grind, but it helped me mature as a man and experience the business side of hockey firsthand as well. They are learning experiences and it’s a part of life. It helped me a lot."
The business side showed again back in June. You were selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft and then just over a week later you signed with Florida as an unrestricted free agent. What was that experience like? "It was definitely something; I can put it that way. I was simply driving home from a summer league game when I got a bunch of calls saying I got picked up by Vegas. I didn’t really know what was going on or what to make of it. I didn’t really know what my summer held for me since it was my first summer as a free agent. There was a lot of excitement for me and my family since it was a brand new experience, but, of course, it didn’t go that route. Florida was interested in me and I looked at it as another open door for me, so I chose that one. Hopefully it’s the right decision."
Key Facts
Teams: Florida Panthers; University of Vermont; Des Moines (USHL); Belmont Hill
Hometown: Everett, Mass. | Pos.: Center | Shoots: Left | Size: 6-0, 203 | Age: 25
Notable: Selected by Florida 50th overall in the 2010 NHL draft, the second-highest draft choice of a Vermont Catamount in program history behind only U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer John LeClair ’91 (33rd overall by Montreal in the 1987 NHL draft). Competed for Team USA at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, becoming the seventh Catamount overall and the first in 20 years to be selected to the U.S. national junior team. Won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2010 Under-18 World Championship.
Favorites
Food: Chicken parm
Pregame meal: "Usually chicken parm. If I’m feeling heavy, chicken. If I’m feeling light, chicken parm."
TV show: "America’s Got Talent"
Movie: "That’s an impossible question. I can’t think of a favorite movie. … I like the Batman movies."
Actor: Will Ferrell
Musician: Jake Owen
Book: "Legacy" by James Kerr
Vacation spot: "I went to Aruba last year. That was unreal."
All-time hockey moment: "One of the highlights of my career was winning the U-18 gold medal for USA. Making the world junior team in 2012 was a highlight as well. Anytime you get to represent your country is always pretty special, so those were nice for me."
Equipment
Helmet: Bauer
Stick: CCM
Gloves: CCM
Skates: Bauer
