Your younger brother, Kevin, plays for the New York Rangers. Was there a sibling rivalry between you two when you were kids?
"We didn’t really have a rivalry. It was more internal competition with each other; we always pushed each other to be better. Being the older brother, I always tried to set an example for him. His career has gone really well."
There was never an on-ice fight between you two?
"Maybe in the summer league, because he and Billy Arnold (Needham, Mass., Boston College product, played one National Hockey League game with the Calgary Flames) were probably looking around a bit too much. Other than that, there wasn’t much fighting between us."
You won the NCAA title as a sophomore with Boston College in 2010. What stands out the most about that experience?
"That was the year we won the last nine games in a row, and 12 of the last 13. We started calling the Beanpot the start of the trophy season. The winning streak we went on to win the national championship was our big thing. It showed the hard work that we had all year, and the lead-up, to win all of those games in a row, was really impressive."
Granted, your two seasons (2015-17) with the Boston Bruins didn’t end the way you would have hoped, but what was your top moment playing for your hometown team?
"It was a lot of fun playing in Boston. It didn’t go as well as you’d want it to go, but I have a lot of friendships from there. I have a lot of good buddies I met through hockey who I still keep in touch with. One of the best moments was making the playoffs (in 2017). You go through the whole season with the ultimate goal of making the playoffs, and to do it in your hometown was a lot of fun. It was a really cool moment."
Even though you’ve been in and out of the lineup with the New Jersey Devils since signing with them before this season, you always have a smile on your face and are cracking jokes. How do you do it?
"That’s just the type of guy I am; I always say ‘make your problem someone else’s problem.’ I always try to be a guy who’s upbeat. That’s the personality I have, and it’s what keeps me around. Guys enjoy being around me. This is a job, and you want to make sure it’s fun. It can get stressful and complicated during the year, but it’s always good to have a guy in there who can make you smile when you get to the rink."
Speaking of smiles, what’s your funniest hockey moment?
"A couple of years ago, early in my NHL career, I tried to hit somebody and I missed. I faceplanted and broke my nose. I haven’t had many bloopers. There’s always a lot of fun in hockey. This year, doing the interviews with the guys around the Super Bowl was a lot of fun. That was one of my funnier moments."
What’s your most embarrassing moment as a hockey player?
"I’d have to go back to when I was in high school (Noble and Greenough School). I stepped on the ice with the skate guards on. That’s always a tough moment to live down. That was definitely my most embarrassing one."
What’s your all-time favorite hockey memory?
"Winning the Beanpot for the first time — sophomore year — was the best. That was so much fun. What I remember most is being in the locker room after the game; it was our first big win as a team. We had a lot of local kids on our team, and being a part of that with all the kids I grew up with is something I’ll always remember."
Key Facts
Team: New Jersey Devils
Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.
Pos.: RW | Shoots: Right | Size: 6-5, 215 | Age: 28
Notable: Selected 60th overall by Toronto in 2008 NHL draft. Totaled 100 points (51-49-100) in 301 NHL regular-season games with Chicago, Florida and Boston, and went scoreless in two Stanley Cup playoff games with Chicago, entering the 2017-18 season. Recorded his first goal — the game-winning goal — and point as a Devil in his first game with New Jersey, the Devils’ 2017-18 season opener on Oct. 7 vs. Colorado. Totaled 81 points (42-39-81) in 117 games during his three seasons at Boston College. Member of the Eagles’ 2010 Hockey East and NCAA national championship teams and 2011 Hockey East championship squad.
Favorites
Food: "My mom’s eggplant parm."
Movie: "Shooter"
TV show: "Power"
Actor: Mark Wahlberg
Video game: "I haven’t played in a long time, but it would have been Call of Duty in college."
Musician: "I listen to a lot of hip hop, so Drake and Sammy Adams, who’s from the Boston area."
Song: "Any song by Drake, Jay-Z. I like ‘Public Service Announcement’ by Jay-Z."
Sports other than hockey: Golf and baseball
Non-hockey athlete: Kyrie Irving
Equipment
Helmet: Bauer
Stick: Bauer
Gloves: Bauer
Skates: Bauer
