Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
EP.145 - From Prospects to Pros with Glen Murray
What if your late-birthday child is actually an NHL superstar in the making? Join us on Up My Hockey as Glen Murray, former NHL standout and current director of player development for the Los Angeles Kings, shares invaluable insights on nurturing young talent in a world where patience is key. From his journey as a first-round draft pick to his wisdom on developing today's players, Glen offers a unique perspective on what it takes to transform a promising prospect into a successful professional athlete.
Glen and I unpack the intricacies of guiding young players through the challenges of professional transitions, focusing on the importance of patience and adaptability. Discover the behind-the-scenes decisions that can make or break a player's career, and hear firsthand how strategic time in the minors has shaped players like Quinton Byfield. We discuss how the Los Angeles Kings' organizational philosophy supports players at every stage, setting them up for long-term success.
Throughout our conversation, we emphasize the significance of trust and mentorship in developing resilient team players. Glen shares stories of players like Patrice Bergeron, who have excelled by embracing team-oriented skills and leadership qualities. We celebrate the Los Angeles Kings' development strategies and highlight the roles of veteran players in fostering a nurturing culture. Join us as we explore the beautiful game of hockey through the lens of someone dedicated to shaping its future stars.
I would say the American League for me. I still think it's a great development league to. If you're going to be part of our NHL team, it's a great development league to be there. Are there players that should stay in college and are not ready for America? Of course, there are no question about it. But if you're telling me how to answer now, I'd say the American League.
Speaker 2:That was 1,000 NHL gamer, glenn Murray, who is also the director of player development and player personnel for the Los Angeles Kings, and you are listening to the Up my Hockey podcast with Jason Padolan. Welcome to Up my Hockey with Jason Padolan, where we deconstruct the NHL journey, discuss what it takes to make it and have a few laughs along the way. I'm your host, jason Padolan, a 31st overall draft pick who played 41 NHL games but thought he was destined for a thousand. Learn from my story and those of my guests. This is a hockey podcast about reaching your potential. Hey there, welcome to, or welcome back to, the Up my Hockey podcast with Jason Padolan. I am your host, jason Padolan, and you are here for episode one, four, five, almost going to hit that one and a half century mark soon. Absolutely crazy. Never thought we'd be here, but we are. And what a great guest today for episode 145.
Speaker 2:Glenn Murray and I crossed paths with the Los Angeles Kings back in 1998 when I got traded to the Kings 1998-99. And he was good to me then and he was good enough to come on the podcast today. Glenn is from Nova Scotia, went to the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL for his junior major junior days, was drafted from Sudbury to the Boston Bruins in the first round, 18th overall, and he went on to play for the Boston Bruins in his first year Split time between the Providence to play for the Boston Bruins in his first year, split time between the Providence Bruins and the Boston Bruins and continued, never looked back, continued on with a career that did not touch the minors again. He was a solidified as an NHLer for all 1009 games that he played their regular season games, tack on another 94 playoff games and we are talking over 1,100 NHL games. What an honor, what a career. Like I said, started with Boston, got traded to Pittsburgh where he was able to play with Mario Lemieux and Yarmir Yager and Ron Francis and one of the juggernaut teams of the 90s. Got traded from there to Los Angeles where he spent six seasons before being traded back to the Boston Bruins to finish his career for his last six seasons. Glenn, in his heyday, was a 44-goal scorer, 48 assists, 92 points in 82 games as an NHLer. So he was a very, very solid player for a long time, scored over 20 goals numerous occasions and now is still playing oh no, I shouldn't say playing is now still involved with the game with the Los Angeles Kings as a director of player personnel and also director of player development.
Speaker 2:So this is a great conversation. We talk about his time in the NHL, some of the lessons that he learned player personnel and also director of player development. So this is a great conversation we talk about you know his time in the NHL, some of the lessons that he learned and also what is he doing now to help players become NHLers. One of the words he uses again and again is patience. What a great lesson here for today's podcast, for all you players out there listening and all you parents having patient with the development process Such a key piece.
Speaker 2:We also talk about a scenario where he was dealing with a coach who was hard on him and how that moment in time was one of the biggest compelling factors in his career, and hopefully that's going to be another lesson for you guys to watch out for about.
Speaker 2:Maybe there's something happening with you right now in a scenario where a coach feels like they're being hard on you or maybe potentially being unfair. Can you use that in the capacity that I'm sure it's meant to be right now and allowing you to be better, allowing you to learn pieces of the game that maybe you need to learn, or growing personal attributes within yourself that you need to have to become the best player that you can be. So lots of great lessons here again to be able to talk to somebody that has their fingerprints all over the Los Angeles Kings and their development model. To have somebody on the program that was able to play a thousand games themselves, firsthand knowledge of what it takes to be a player and now developing players into NHL players A real special guest for us to have here. So, without further ado, I will pass over to you my conversation with Glenn Murray. Okay, here we are, episode 145 with old teammate Glenn Murray. Thanks for coming on the program, mr Murray.
Speaker 1:No thanks for having me, of course, anytime.
Speaker 2:I appreciate it. Yeah, it was wild connecting with somebody back in your hometown that knew you and anyways, and here we are, so really, really great that we can chat so many connections like, as far as your history, what you're doing now. I think it's going to be a great conversation for my audience and maybe we'll start back, muzz, if you don't mind, like back where you grew up in Halifax and, being from Nova Scotia, was there many guys coming out of Nova Scotia and the Maritimes at that time to be NHLers?
Speaker 1:No, I don't think. Not a lot. I mean it was. That's the 80s we're talking about Nowadays it's the three of the best players in the league are from Nova Scotia, which is great. But you know, growing up in Nova Scotia was the Quebec League just kind of started with the Maritime Division. Mike McPhee, cam Russell were the two of the players at Alma Guinness, three of the players that I remember when I was growing up in Nova Scotia. Obviously I've met them along the way and great people and I'm sure your next question leading into the would be the next three guys from Nova Scotia? Probably three, it's, you know, obviously McDavid and that and a few other players, but Marshawn, crosby and McKinnon are pretty special.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no for sure. I was just wondering, like what it was like as far as from you know, your connection to the game, the NHL game, and when the dream for you was like NHL like, and that seemed like a real thing that you could, might maybe have a grasp on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think everyone dreams of it. Right, they're playing growing up in Canada and but it kind of seemed like far away because there's no NHL team in Nova Scotia. I never I didn't get to see it in an NHL building until I actually played in one down the road. Really, yeah, nowadays everyone gets to go into the buildings, but I was you know, being an hour from Halifax no NHL teams.
Speaker 1:you know I was that's not what we did. Just, you never saw, you never went to nhl cities and in my family we didn't travel a lot, right? So yeah, um, yeah, my first game was when I went into it, when I played in a building. So that was a little different nowadays because kids are, you know, they always remember their first game, when, if they play in the nhl, they always remember their first game when their parents used to take them to games.
Speaker 1:But, you know, the dream was always there and probably didn't really kind of like, oh, maybe I could do this until I get drafted by the Sudbury Wolves and the OHL was different than back in the 80s when, you know, I literally got a piece of paper in the mail and I had to check off which league that, uh, we wanted to go to, in the maritimes, because there was no teams in the quebec league. So, you know, I picked the ohl and it drafted by sudbury, and then probably my second year, maybe you know it kind of said well, maybe I can do this, uh, for you know, and I'm kind of, you know, getting better, improving, but uh, yeah, it was around that time and then I was like you know, you just kind of you know everyone works hard. You just had to kind of push yourself and and uh, luckily I I was in the right, uh, right places where did you go?
Speaker 2:uh, where did you go on the ohl draft?
Speaker 1:I went uh third round I can't remember the number anymore, but I went the third round in in uh sudbury played there for three years. Yeah that's, it was a little culture shock. It was, you know, I think, up north. I thought it was somewhere that I'd never seen before. It was because it was snowing there in October and it was like we got a big snowstorm. I'll never forget it 15, 16 years old moving away from home and geez, there was a snowfall before Halloween. But I was lucky. I loved it there. I still go visit there. I still keep in touch with my Billet family.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a really impactful time. I mean anyone that comes on that does leave home to play junior at 16, right, I mean you look, do you have kids now? Yeah, I do. I have three kids, yeah, so it's a way different perspective. I don't know how it is for you, but I remember leaving at, you know, 15 even, and not thinking really anything of it, to be honest, like I was pumped to go and, you know, had a blast doing it. But now, through the eyes of a father and seeing my oldest is 15, got drafted by the Blazers, and just thinking that, you know, potentially next year he could be out of the house, it's a very different perspective.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, very different, I think. And and back then it was like you know, it was just that's what. Yeah, it was that's what you was what we did, that's what you did, I guess. And and my parents were like you know, obviously they didn't live in an ohl, it was far away, 25 hour drive or something like that, to sudbury or even more, and, uh, they came once a year, that was it yeah, wow, so you're on your own spreading your wings.
Speaker 2:Uh, no, facetime back then you're not taking a look at them all the time. So, yeah, you're deaf. Yeah, we were, you know, a little more independent, I think. Uh, well, forced into it really, whether you were or not, you kind of had to be. Uh, when I looked at your birthday, this has been something that's just in my ecosystem that I've been looking at, you know, being a november birthday, uh, been looking at the whl drafts and even the nhl draft. I know it switches for the nhl draft if you're a late birthday that you actually get an extra year of eligibility. Uh, how did that? If you look back on yourself in the, you know, youth realm, were you an early grower like did? Did you? Were you ever fighting the uphill battle because of the late birthday?
Speaker 1:I honestly and it's funny, as someone asked me, that last year or something, I have no idea I, I mean, you don't, I didn't even think about it. Really I was, you know, when you're born, november, and no, because it was just so different then. And nowadays it's like you mentioned, it's like when was your kid born or your late birthday? But when I was growing up, I don't, I mean, I think I was a late bloomer, I think, uh, you know, getting drafted and then going to the ohl and kind of trying to adjust to living moving away from home and you know it was a really good league and and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:But I I don't even remember like it took me a year and a half to kind of like probably halfway through my second year to in the OHL, to kind of say, okay, I can, I can handle this and I can do this and and I can keep up. But yeah, I would say it was a late bloomer for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so were you, cause you're six two and big big guy six two. I'm not big anymore, it's like everyone's 6'5", 6'6".
Speaker 1:I think I'm shrinking. Actually, I think I have shrunk so.
Speaker 2:Fair enough. But, like I remember, okay, so I'm a February birthday and I remember that I definitely had an advantage from a physical standpoint as a young guy. Right, I did grow and I grew relatively early. So I was bigger than everybody, naturally, just stronger than everybody, you know. So then it makes the game a little bit easier at that youth level. Like, do you remember being bigger? Like were you, were you bigger even though you were late birthday?
Speaker 1:I was taller I was, I was tall, but I was really like geez, I bet you, I was drafted to ohl, I think, 160, 160, six, I was probably like six, one, then maybe six feet, like one. I did take a growth spurt I guess a late growth spurt, while I was in junior and then finally put on some weight, like put on you know, you see kids all the time, they, oh, they can carry 20 pounds and I could carry it easily because I was taller.
Speaker 2:And I didn't.
Speaker 1:I never worked out. Before my first year junior, I didn't even know what really kind of working out was. And then, until I started doing that stuff consistently, nowadays kind of working out was. And then until I started doing that stuff, uh, consistently nowadays kids. It feels like these kids are working out at 12, 13 years old and they have personal trainers and we don't have to get into that, but I know it's crazy.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, I said, I said to the last guest, I interviewed brad lukowicz, but I I did some research in the whl draft, which is obviously not the nhl draft, but still, and because it happens at 14, uh, for the WHL draft, like that's, that's a big maturity window, right, like as far as puberty and everything else goes, and, and it's wild Cause, when I took the birthdays of of that draft, um, 25% of the draft was from the second quarter of the year, 25% of the draft was taken in the third quarter of the year, but then the two ends of the first quarter and the fourth quarter is where the percentages shift. So only 10% of the draft in both years was from the last quarter of the year. So 10%, and that whole 15% that was missed went to the first for the first three months, right? So 40% of the kids that went in the draft was from the first quarter of the year, and I mean to me, I thought that was really interesting from a scouting standpoint. It may be interesting to you, right, because there shouldn't be less talent available in the last quarter of the year, like these kids just haven't grown or haven't had the chance to develop, in my opinion right, like that's.
Speaker 2:That's sort of the differentiator and, um, obviously it's tough because sometimes as a late, as a late birthday, you haven't had the chance to grow, so maybe you're not in the right league even at that point because you're not getting spotted. And then there's, like there's a lot of I don't know what. It's a deterrent, I guess, for those kids and they feel left behind, they feel like they're not quite there. I guess my message is just like this is a real thing, right, especially in hockey, where it's it's a big physical sport and everyone grows at a different rate. So, my goodness, if they can just hang on there and get to that NHL spot, it actually for the first time in their lives, it becomes an advantage. Now you become the oldest one in the draft and not the youngest one.
Speaker 1:And all those points are. It's so true. And the hardest thing is to be patient with these kids. It is, I'm telling you are get like all these jimmy's no good or whoever's no good, they just slough them off. Be patient. If you see something in them, just be so patient. And it's hard because you know like teams want to whl teams are trying to get the best players. They want to win, and I get it. I understand that. But you have to be patient when you're trying to develop these kids. And you see it, you see it, I see it, the whole hockey world sees it and sometimes it turns out and obviously it's not going to work out 100% of the time. But being patient, it's hard, it's very hard.
Speaker 2:It's very hard. It's hard with your own development too. It's one of the messages that I have, just with kids is like, especially in this day and age and maybe you've seen it for the time that you've been, you know, in your position but that that instant gratification of you know they're so used to having everything like right now, like we want it yesterday, let alone today, and we start talking about developing and thinking about what you're going to look like six months down the road. My gosh, that's an eternity, right, but really like that is the way we got to start thinking. And when it comes to the mindset aspect of like what are you doing today? So a year from now we're going to be in a different spot, you know, yeah, I think that it's.
Speaker 1:I love that because you know certain guys just need to play. Like you said it earlier, they need to play in the right league. So it's okay if, if, if, so-and-so plays in a double a and and gets the reps that he needs to play, because you know, sometimes they play in the wrong league and they play two shifts in period, or if they play six chefs, six of the whole game, or they don't play a game. So it's, it's. How do you develop if you're not playing? And I get, I understand that the developing is, you know, practicing and getting reps and touching the puck, but you also need to play the game to develop.
Speaker 1:And sometimes it's, it's hard because the parents are in such a rush, and not this, I don't want to say parents, but sometimes kids are in such a rush that they, they just give them time.
Speaker 1:Give them time and and and it'll. You know, you know I go back to patients all the time, but it's, it's, uh, you know, it's in. What you said earlier is gratifying, like when we have a player here that we drafted and you know it's taken a few years and and he maybe had an injury or something. Then when he finally plays in the nhl, they, they. You know I don't go out, we don't go out and kind of like, talk to them after we do talk to them, but they come to you. They come to you and they know how much time we put in with them when we drafted them, when we visited them in the WHL, the OHL Europe or wherever it may be college. And it makes you feel good when you helped out a certain kid and maybe it's just a tiny little thing but to make it, you know, live out their dreams.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 100% Shifting gears. I mean I wanted to get into the player development stuff, but I think, since we're on this topic, I think it's an interesting question because it's something that I know, that I've seen, or at least I think I've seen it play out from an organizational level. But that idea that you said, especially with the high picks, where I think organizations would like them to be in the NHL, you know, for obvious reasons because they're a high pick, but then sometimes they aren't quite ready, you know, and so then they're not getting the reps that they need. And then it's like where there is their assignment on that team. So there's like that juggle right, like should they be somewhere else getting the reps, should they be up in the big club and kind of sowing their oats there?
Speaker 2:And it seems like, uh, you know, like the top, the top top guys sort of get that route. You know they're usually they're put in the nhl. We're seeing with psychovsky and maybe even a little bit with Byfield right, like someone is out a little bit now coming into the player, whereas some other guys maybe, if it's a second rounder, like let's just recognize, we're going to do this in the AHL, that's where this is going to happen. So I think there's such an interesting dynamic when it comes to those like what those internal discussions must be like right, like what, and every and, like you said earlier, every kid is different.
Speaker 1:There's no question about it. Yes, you're going to have players that dive right into the nhl and they can figure it out. That takes them a few months and they they no problem. But how many of those guys? There's not many and it's really as a group we kind of discuss it and you know, bifo is a great example, you know, during covid.
Speaker 1:So all those covid years and he, he went to the minors and played and he doesn't know it yet, maybe he does now, but it helped him tremendously, it helped him a lot. And playing those certain amount of games I don't know the exact number that he played in the minors and now he's kind of like last year, he's kind of taken off and kind of getting he's becoming a better player. He has, he's having player. He has he having a little bit of a rough start this year, but that's okay, that's how that's how it works. But those days and reps in the minors gave him a little confidence and gave him a little bit of a okay, this is the pro game and it's in the american league is hard and then for those guys.
Speaker 1:And then, like you said, the second was. It seems like we're second, third, fourth, whatever round it is, after the first rounders. Why don't we become so much more patient with those players? And I get it because, like you said, the first rounders we need them in our lineup. We need a young player on our team. We need him to contribute. So there's all kinds of different scenarios that each player is talked about, and it's talked about at length. I mean hours and days and all this stuff. But we try to make you know the right decision for each player and it's sometimes it doesn't work out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's never always going to work out, I just find it's. I find it fascinating, within organizations too, like the different approaches. And then you then you have the lens of yourself at least for me too right, like how that was handled in certain places. You know what you were expected to do in the AHL to earn the promotion and then what you were expected to potentially do in the NHL when you were there to earn the ability to stay there. And then you can see in different organizations, well, maybe that same expectation isn't there, right, like maybe you don't have to produce in your first 10, 15, 20 games like this is a little bit of a slower indoctrination into the league, right, where some people you're supposed to expect it to get it right now, or else you're back to the minors again. It's like you know, I mean like it's very different across the board but how different players are treated and and the runway and the opportunity that they're given oh, no question, and I think a lot of has to do with players understanding.
Speaker 1:So when they turn pro and they're coming to our team and it doesn't take long for them to understand, oh, this is actually really hard. This is like uh, this is, these guys are good. Well, yeah, this is the nhl best league in the world and I can't make that lineup. And they're like oh, american league, I go to the american league.
Speaker 1:The american league is very good and it's hard and it's obviously different and it's a little bit more kind of like not this, I don't want to say disorganized, but sometimes, you know, it's players trying to develop into the NHL players and and it's a hard league and it's a hard league and there's veteran guys on each team that are not going to give you the job because it's their livelihood. They've been playing for 8, 10, 12, 15 years and they're still trying to live out their dream to play in the NHL. Yes, they've had a little taste and when you're 19, 20, 21, however old, that you come and turn pro, it's hard. You're living on your own, you're paying your own bills. It's all kinds of different things that happen and these players and their agents, obviously that we try to help them with it and understand it, but it's hard.
Speaker 2:It's really hard. It's really hard. I think that is the biggest thing. You know, one of the one of the things I do now I mean you're in player developments, you're working with junior guys too but like talking with that junior level is that you don't know what. You don't know right, like first of all, and so just trying to fill them in on the idea of what it is to be a pro because, like you said, everyone's a hard worker. Now, right, everyone is doing the things, but until you've seen the standard and until you've seen the game, it's really hard to understand what is expected.
Speaker 2:And the AHL is kind of looked down upon by a lot of these guys and it's like you're going to be doing very well if you can play there one and two, if you can produce there, like good on you, because it's not an easy league to do that in. And then there's obviously the next step to the NHL. So you know, maybe back to you, like I love the fact that you were in the AHL. I mean, some guys that went and played a thousand games like yourself, like amazing career, never had that taste of that, never had that experience of what that was looking like, what was that like? I mean, you produced right off the bat 30 goals in 48 games as a young man is a hell of a start to your pro career. What is your first memory or how do you recall that adjustment of coming and stepping out of junior and going into the NHL? I'm sorry, the AHL with Providence.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think the big. The first thing I remember is getting called up at the end of my junior season and I think it was the strike night too, and I came up to play like four or five games in the NHL.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and had three goals, by the way, everybody listening Three goals in five games.
Speaker 1:That. Five games. That must have helped a lot. Like that helped me a lot. And then, coming back, I think it helped two ways. Two ways.
Speaker 1:It kind of I think I thought I could, I could make it the next year. So coming in I thought I maybe had a spot. But it's the boston bruins and they're, you know, they're going to make sure their team is good. So I came back and and then kind of made the team but didn't make the team, went to the minors and I was kind of back and forth that whole year because I think I don't know how many games I played that year but it was going back and forth the Mass Pike down to Providence because it's only about an hour away. But at the time obviously I didn't think it was helping me. But now that you look back and you kind of like, even during my career, 100% it helped me to be able to play a thousand games and no question about it. And it's different now.
Speaker 1:A lot of players. There are players that play in the American league and play a thousand games. I don't think there's. There are very many of them, but it it just helped me understand like this You've got to it's every day. You're a pro player, you're, you're NHL player or American league player, pro hockey player. You need to take your. It's a job, but you're, you're, you're living out your dreams. But every day, every day, every day, you got to come to work and, like you said earlier, everyone works hard, but you got to be dedicated to off ice, on ice, you know, making sure you get your rest, eating proper. All these things come into. Come into what you have to be doing to be able to be successful come into what you have to be doing to be able to be successful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the stark difference between the AHL and the NHL I think is an awesome place to start from, just from a human standpoint, and I think just from a humble standpoint and a gratitude standpoint when we look at it from a mindset perspective, because you go from ordering pizza on the bus in the AHL and probably not anymore, but I mean back when we were in the AHL, that's what it was like to the NHL and it's a stark reality change. And so, just with a phone call, you're experiencing these, these two different lifestyles, right, and they're both hard. You know they're both, they're both pros and it's just. It's that fine line of hey, how can I become an NHL player? And I think that you, having that experience, you must have valued your time in the NHL, probably from that day forward, even that much more.
Speaker 1:Oh, 1,000%. Even back then in the early 90s it was still like you said pizza on the bus or maybe a sub and going to the NHL where you get a huge buffet and you get everything. And I try to. You know sometimes what we try to instill here and people will probably say it like you know you get a talented player that's in the American League and that you kind of see them kind of not working hard. So we always try to say to them listen, once you get that little taste, don't let that taste go away, because you know you either want to, you want to make 80,000 in the American League and the talent you have you can make $8 million. So come to work every day, work hard, get a little taste.
Speaker 1:It's not like they practice forever. It's hard to instill that and show them that, listen, you have enough talent. We've seen that in where you played in junior or college. Bring that mentality to the NHL and grab one of those jobs that the that the NHL players haven't. Play hard every day and be committed to your, to your craft. And some guys don't get it and some guys do and they have great careers yeah.
Speaker 2:Take a short break from the conversation with glenn murray to say thank you to everyone who has responded to my call for ambassadors or affiliate coaches. Up my hockey is growing. It has gotten to a spot where I can't serve anybody else and I need people to help uh, get the word out of mindset and how it helps performance to the hockey community at large. And that means people in geographic areas various geographic areas who are network connected, who are potentially working with athletes already and want to see their coaching grow, want to see the kids that they're working with have their opportunities grow and potentially grow together with me and a growing brand. So Up my Hockey, as you know if you've been here for any length of time at all is a personal development mechanism for hockey players to use mindset to be the best players that they can be. Now, if that is something that you think sounds great and you are also passionate about, then perhaps you can be an ambassador or you could be an affiliate coach. It's a pretty simple process. You would email me. You recognize that. Hey, this sounds like something I'm interested in. This sounds like something that excites me. Let's see what it's all about. We get on a call and I let you know the steps of becoming an ambassador or an affiliate coach, and we go from there. So pretty simple, pretty simple process. All I want from you at this point is a passion to help and the knowledge that mindset does make a difference. If you can check both those boxes, you're off to the races. So, yes, looking for Up my Hockey soldiers grateful to anyone who's reached out already. If this is something that you think might suit you, by all means reach out to me on my website, upmyhockeycom, or jason at upmyhockeycom, with a direct email, and I look forward to talking with you.
Speaker 2:Now let's get back to the conversation with Glenn Murray. You said yourself and I think that that's such an interesting place, maybe, to pause and you said during your time when you were there, you didn't realize it at the time and you didn't want to be there, but looking back it helped you. Now, for you, it didn't hold you back because you ended up going to the NHL, but you've just said on the other side of it, you see guys right now that are resistant to where they are and of course, they don't want to be in the AHL. Right, we want to be in the best league in the world, maybe we even believe we're supposed to be where's. How do we, how do we get that mindset to shift, to play where your skates are and to really dive in and commit to that spot and be the best player where you?
Speaker 1:can be. Yeah, that's a. That's a tough one, because as soon as you can get them to believe in you like say for my staff and our staff that we are actually looking out for your best interests, we want you in the NHL. We're not the coaches, we don't give you ice time, but we're going to help you as much as we can in everyday life and turning pro and being in the American League to get you to that next level. Once that player believes you that we are actually looking out for their best interest, you get them and they kind of like they, they, you almost kind of like. They're like okay, I got you now and it's happened, it'll happen this year, it'll happen next year, it happens all the time and as long as you.
Speaker 1:That's why development staffs and all the NHL teams are very I think it's very important. You know we first get a first introduction. I don't want to kind of get all over the place, but our first introduction is at the draft. So you get to meet them and you're trying to build that relationship so they understand when they do turn pro, they believe us that we are looking out for their best interest. We want to try to help them, you know, establish themselves as a NHL player or get to the NHL and and really it makes us it's sad, it, it, it. We get great pleasure of actually helping those kids get to the NHL, like they, until they understand that I know I'm repeating myself, but once you get them, it's, it's, it's gold.
Speaker 2:I do believe that that is the key, and you haven't used the word, but trust comes to mind, right, like that. They trust you and the process, and if they don't trust the process or don't trust you, then there's a little bit of an isolationist aspect that comes on it. They have to take care of me, right, and when we're taking care of me, things can get a little bit discombobulated there. So I believe you're probably building that relationship, like you said, day one, right? So the idea is investing the player that they trust you. How, how else do you go about that like other than facetime? How do you and by facetime I mean like talking to them, communicating?
Speaker 1:okay, well, we're lucky. Like I said, we're lucky here in LA that we've got a great staff and Sean O'Donnell, matt Green, kind of make sure we look after the defense and Mike Donnelly and Jared Stoll and myself and a couple other players will look after the forwards per se. So that relationship day one, you introduce yourself that's why we're always at the draft and we introduce them. If you introduce yourself where that's why we're always at the draft and we introduce them If they're there we kind of start that relationship and I truly believe. And then you kind of try to get. You know they're playing in the OHL or Western league or Europe or the Liga league and Sweden or wherever it may be, and you kind of get them.
Speaker 1:You kind of start to go visit them, watch them play. And yes, obviously we watch them play, but and yes, obviously we watched them play. But the most important thing is creating that relationship off the ice and them understanding like we came all this way. We want to come all this way because we want to create this relationship with you. So when you do eventually come to us, when you do sign a contract and you do come to the American league or the LA Kings that that relationship is there and they see that how much we care about them, because we, you know, we have players all over North America and Europe and we're lucky enough, one of the teams and I'm sure there's lots of teams that do it but they go visit our players when they play, take them for dinner, whatever it may be in a certain city, and that creates that relationship and trust that they feel like, okay, these guys really care about us.
Speaker 2:And I think investing in them individually whether that be FaceTime, meals, discussions, but also in their game, I think would probably be something that would support them in feeling that they're investing in me and my best interest, which is something that I don't know how you felt about it, but like something that I didn't feel as a player, like I was. I thought I was just playing and I was trying to produce and if I produce, then I was going to get an opportunity, but it wasn't like hey man, like we got to work on X, y, z to help you round out your game to the next level. I want you to work on this in the gym. I want you to work on this as a skill set. I think the game, from a development aspect, has dramatically evolved since the 90s. Is there individualized game plans for these guys coming up for you?
Speaker 1:100% how we want them to be able to play as an LA team. But we have to be. You know, you kind of toe the line a little bit because they're still with that certain team and you know we always talk to the coach. We always, wherever our player is, we always, you know, text or email or phone the coach of that team, say we're coming in to visit, can we? You know we'd like to talk to them. Or, and you know, all these players have video coaches and personal trainers and all this stuff. So we, we definitely will go over their game, no question, question. But we have nothing. We will not talk about systems at all. We'll talk about wall play and maybe hitting the net and different things like that, but we will never, ever talk because we're not their coaches. Right, we're player development coaches but we're trying to help them for defensemen going back for retrieval or making that first pass, and never, ever do we talk about systems because we have no control of their ice time and we don't know exactly you know what they're playing, what their coaches have planned.
Speaker 1:We always tell them make sure you listen to your coaches, but make sure these wall plays and face-offs and all these things are very important. All these things are very important and you know, once we try to introduce it at our development camps in the summer, just saying this is what we like to do, this is how we want to play in LA. But you always make sure that you have to listen to your coaches. Wherever you're playing next year, always listen to your coaches and the systems, because you know there's a fine line, as I'm sure you know that. You know you don't want to cross that line.
Speaker 1:We're here to help you any way we can and the dealings I've had with coaches around North America and Europe they've been fantastic. They love you know. Sometimes they let us come on the ice to work on a face-off. Or the defensemen Matt Green and Sean O'Donnell will work on retrievals and going back for pucks and you know just different things like that. But you create that relationship with the player but also with their coaches and their, their agents and stuff like that. It's not just you think it's just one-on-one, but it's there's.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of other you know, and their parents do and their family, so there's a lot of yeah, no, for sure, there's a lot I hear that now from more than from more than one person that there is so many voices sometimes for these players right now, and one is like can we get a consistent message and who are they going to listen to if it's not consistent?
Speaker 1:Yeah, because there is a lot I don't like. You know, when we were coming through, we didn't have all that kind of thing going on. We had an agent and your parents and that was it and and these guys have their. They have their skating coaches, they have their personal, they have their nutritionists, they have their. You know, they have all these sorts of things. So they have a lot of things kind of coming at them all at once. And we try to kind of simplify it a little bit, just uh, for the on ice part and and understanding what, uh, what it takes to be an LA King.
Speaker 2:This may be a note to everyone listening out there and I don't want people to miss it. So here we are, talking to Glenn Murray, director of Player Development of the Los Angeles Kings, who has drafted a player, and you have spoken very carefully about how you will talk to a player and not want to step on the team's toes or the coach's toes with what the message is being delivered. That is key for the player and I'm going to put it in perspective, because the player what I just said you can't have two different messages. It makes it impossible for the player to please Glenn Murray and also please his coach, where his feet are the ground and that's a team where he's trying to win.
Speaker 2:Now, as a parent, maybe you can expand on this, glenn. Like telling your player whether you're in Bantam or Peewee or wherever, something that is not what the coach is asking is the exact same scenario. So you have to be very careful when you're talking with your player about what it is you want them to do, because they want mom and dad to be happy, but they also want the coach to be happy, and if there's two different messages, the player loses every single time. So be very careful of your messaging. The player loses every single time. So be very careful of your messaging. I don't know, have you seen that maybe even at your level, with an 18, 19-year-old, where somebody's still involved, that is maybe not giving the message that you want given, oh of course, of course that's the same.
Speaker 1:You'd think it would go away after Pee Wee, bantam or Midget, but it's there.
Speaker 1:And it's a fine line too. You have to, you know. I mean it's the parent and you kind of try to create that relationship with the parent to a certain extent, and you're right. You're right. When the parents are given one thing and the coach wants to do another thing, it's hard for that player to be successful in a system not a system, I don't want to say system, but on a team. On a team when everyone's kind of doing what's best for the team. And then if you have a certain parent and it happens, and I think the part of it is the parents aren't educated on, maybe they've never been on a team or whatever.
Speaker 1:But you need everyone to kind of like play as a team for all the kids to be successful, you know, to go on and move on to the next level. And it's hard, I get it. They pay a lot of money to play Pee-wee, bantam, midget, and I understand that. You know it's hard because they want Jimmy to play, like every second shift and every power play and every penalty kill. Well, the coach will, you know, the coach will you know, the coach will, will, just not will decide on that, but jimmy will decide for himself if he's playing in that team system and that's where you'll be successful, because you know it's hard when you, if you get to the next level, if you played or you're an individual player yes, there's superstars all around, there's certain guys, but if you're an individual player, all growing up, you'll it'll be tough to play in a team yeah, no, I agree.
Speaker 2:The the player identity is is an interesting topic for me and and maybe we can start back with with you and stepping from, like, let's say, the ahl where you were 30, 30 goals and 48 point and 48 games, to an nhl season where it's 18 and 81, or the next year after that, five and 35, right, like you're not playing top three, top six minutes.
Speaker 2:You're probably not on the power play, recognizing that. So I guess my question for the player is like one we evolve through player identity. We can fulfill a different role in a team and then we come to pro, and then we need to probably can fulfill a different role in a team and then we come to pro, and then we need to probably start in a different spot. The majority of people need to start in a different spot doing different things. How, how much of a problem is that for players you see coming up thinking maybe they need to be one thing or they can only be one thing, but yet you're asking them to be something else that maybe they're not quite comfortable with or haven't been asked to do before?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a great question too, because that's where our scopes come in and they're amazing because there are players that have come through our system or whatever other teams that have gotten 100 points in junior no problem, can do it, no problem. Then they turn pro and they go to the American League and they get 30 points or 25 points, and so our scopes really try to identify those players that you know. The best example I think I can give is obviously everyone knows Patrice Bergeron. I was lucky enough to play with him in his first two years in the league, or two or three years in the league. He came out of the Quebec League, I think, I don't know exactly. I think he was like an 80-point guy in the Quebec League. So you think that's good, but it's not. You know like all those best players would get like 100 points, 130 points, 140 points.
Speaker 1:And look at the player. He was because he did the things the right way in the quebec league and when he turned pro he understood what he had to do defensively and in understanding how to play he wasn't worrying about getting 80 points or 50 points or 60, he was. Just he understood how to play the game the right way, because everyone, not everyone there's players still out there that that were playing junior, that 150 points or 160 points or whatever it may be, and have a hard time adjusting to, only, like you said, coming into the American League and well, it's the coach's fault I don't get enough ice time and they get 20 points. But those players that kind of play the right way, that in the system for the team defensively are the guys that are there are going to make it yeah, yeah, being versatile enough to understand that there is value outside of the score sheet.
Speaker 2:I mean, not everyone wants to be on the score sheet. I know you did, I know I did. That was the way we identified a lot. But at that pro level especially and this is the thing that I'm trying to emphasize is like when you're stepping in to a new environment right, when you're stepping into a higher league, a higher level there's this many guys that can step in on that top three unit that are just kind of christened with the idea that you're going to be our guy.
Speaker 2:The everyone else needs to like take somebody's job, be reliable, be trustworthy, you know, not miss their guy in the back check, like the little things that maybe they've never even thought about doing before now become paramount to whether they're going to get another shift and uh, and finding the value of that early like and you using Patrice Bergeron is such a great example Like not everyone is mature enough mentally to understand what they need to do physically on the ice, yeah, Like it's okay to be the best penalty killer in the league, the block a shot to get the puck out when you're stuck in your own zone for a minute and a half, to be great on the wall like wingers.
Speaker 1:Be the best ball player you can be. You know what. Be the best centerman. The coach, if you are the best centerman, the coach is going to put you out there 100%. We see it in the NHL all the time. You can call it watching a game. Okay, they're going to send so-and-so out. You're going to get on the ice. So be elite at what? Maybe you're not going to get the 25, 30 goals, because how many guys score that many in the NHL nowadays? You know there's a few 50-goal scorers, but not many.
Speaker 1:Be elite at blocking a shot or getting the puck out, like we just went over, or being the best penalty killer, because teams, all teams, need that too. The best teams have those guys that are on the team. And yeah, you want to score and you do that. You'll get on the ice more. The coach will trust you. Make sure the coach trusts you to do this certain thing that is going to help the team. Those are important jobs. You said it earlier, there's only a certain amount of players that can play in the top six or the top line or that first power play. There's a whole other team concept that you have to be able to. Those players are valuable too. Very valuable, very valuable.
Speaker 2:When it comes to you and your ascension into the NHL and starting off as a solid Boston Bruin, your third year just sticks out statistically from the idea of having five goals in 35 games and seven points. Do you remember that year? Was there some turmoil going on, some adversity that you had to fight through, as far as mentally was concerned, I think that was the lockout year.
Speaker 1:We only played 48 games. I can't exactly remember, I don't know exactly. I think I had the one coach that I had, as I remember it and this probably helped me too was Brian Sutter, and he was hard on me and probably what I needed to be able to. I think that year year when I look back on it and that year was probably the most important year for me, even though statistically it wasn't very good. But Brian Sutter kind of instilled in me that you know you're going to be done playing if you don't kind of dig in more work, harder more, do this and do that and those things.
Speaker 1:And you know, then I got traded away and went to other teams and that's part of the. You know that's part of it. But I always look back on that and he was hard on me, no question about it, probably the hardest coach I've ever had and to this day I you know we had daryl here and he knows that I had brian in the back. They remember everything and and I run into brian I haven't run into him a few years, but at the first time I ran into him, after I left him, he was coaching in calgary and he gave me a big hug and and I thanked him for teaching me those things back then that he probably never really realized. But that year helped me probably the most to be able to say, okay, I gotta do this, this and this to be able to stay in this league. And and I was lucky enough to play you know 10 more years after that or something when you say hard on on on me.
Speaker 2:Can you like just talk to the players out there, because not everyone's going to have a Brian Sutter and I have no idea his approach, but a lot of times being able to receive information, feedback, critical information or critical feedback it can be delivered a lot of different ways and for players to hear it and absorb it and use it is really, really critical for their own development. And sometimes we don't get the message delivered the way we want to have it delivered, right, but so like, maybe go back to that and how is he delivering that message, how did you receive it and how did you use it?
Speaker 1:You know, I think it was hard. He was just hard on me Every single play. He was trying to instill in me that every single play is important, every single play. And we just went over it face-off, getting the puck out. You know, winning, say, your centerman doesn't win that face-off, but winning the loose puck, not losing your D-man in your defensive zone, like all these little things. And it was an everyday thing, no question. But at the time it was hard going through it and this and that you know, like when we'd skate.
Speaker 1:There's one story that I always tell when we skate it's at the old garden. Thank god it was a little smaller building, but whenever we would get skated hard, you know what they used to call it. Yeah, it was always, we're going to stay here until me. He would say my nickname and say muz is till muz start skating hard. So those were the the things. But it was like okay, and I, he and I did skate harder and I was still skating as hard as I could.
Speaker 1:But he instilled in me and the guys came over to me. I don't know if he was doing it on purpose, but you know, the players would come over to me and, good, great job, but I was going as hard as I could and I think it kind of just maybe I was, you know, pissed or this and that but after you look back at it he really did instill in me, not that I didn't have the work ethic, but even more so to be able to play 1,000 games. And he, yeah, it was. I took it in a way that you know you got to work harder, but everyone works hard, but you have to work smarter and make sure all these little things are very, very important to to get to have a career in the nhl. Yeah it's.
Speaker 2:It's the event. I just had a coaching call last night with with some players that I'm working with and we were talking about the event like whatever the event is, and so for you in that moment it's like the coach singing you out in front of everybody as being the guy that needs to work harder.
Speaker 1:That can be perceived a massive amount of ways from the player that that's getting talked to right 100%, and I was fortunate enough that I was brought up the right way, that I took it the right way and made and said you know, whatever, and I used that as motivation and you know what I have to. I'm using this and now that I think back at it, maybe at the time, but I still used it to be able to play, you know, a thousand games or continue my career and and, uh, I always remember that, but it's, you're right, every player or kid or whoever could take it a different way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and they do I think it's the story that we want to tell ourselves. So, no, you didn't want to give brian sutter a hug for after it and saying, hey, thanks for making me stronger, but you used. It's the story that we want to tell ourselves. So, no, you didn't want to give Brian Sutter a hug for after it and saying, hey, thanks for making me stronger, but you used it in a way that you use it as fire, use it as fuel. Maybe it was even you versus him.
Speaker 2:I'll show you like, however you used it, you used it to your advantage and not to become a victim, and I think that's like. The thing that I like talking to players about is like it's the event is the event. How are you going to use that event to make it a powerful story for you and your development, right? Either you can be the victim or you can be empowered in that situation, and I think that there's so many moments as a hockey player, right, like there's so many moments where you can be the victim or you can be empowered, and the more you can put yourself in that position of confidence empowerment, my gosh like the better your chances are.
Speaker 1:Oh, no question about it. And like one thing I forgot to say, there is one I'll never forget it. When he was coaching Calgary and I was in LA or Pittsburgh I can't remember what team, I think it was Pittsburgh I got traded there for a couple of years and he came and told the trainer Brian's out there to say hi to you, the coach Brian that I had. So it was like we had this kind of like weird relationship in a sense that he knew that he had pushed me and helped me become to keep playing in the league and to have a long career. That's awesome.
Speaker 2:One of the connections I didn't know that you had just doing a little bit of research there when I was with the Kings and Stumple was there and you were there that you guys got drafted by Boston like first round, second round, played together in Boston, ended up being in LA together. Kind of a weird connection that doesn't happen all the time.
Speaker 1:No, like very rare, like we played in in in that team in Providence that we had Michael Connell was our coach and he coached and GM in Providence and we both played in the minors together and then we both came kind of, came up together and then we both got traded together to LA. So it was kind of like, yeah, it was a weird relationship and weird it doesn't very happen very often but uh, we did have a we close relationship and he was a hell of a player too and he played a long time and and uh, he's a good, good man yeah, that's pretty wild.
Speaker 2:Um, he sent you growing up together from two different areas of the world and having those NHL careers. You were line mates for a fair portion of it, were you not?
Speaker 1:Yeah, in Boston we were at the beginning kind of like, yes, we were line mates here in LA a little bit, but we started in the minors in the Providence together. We kind of had that bond down there where he knew. So we kind of had that you know bond down there when he knew where I was kind of going to go. We had that you know playing together.
Speaker 2:So yeah, Just going to take a short break from the conversation with Glenn Murray to chat about the UMH 68, the Up, my Hockey 68. It is my showcase brand that I have started here in British Columbia for the minor Bantam and major Peewee age groups, which has been so exciting to see take off and so exciting to see the smiles on the faces of the players and the parents who have been involved. And the idea of the brand is to bring hockey together for a weekend of education, development and competition in a best-on-best style competition. So we search for the top 68 players in the age group, we send out invitations and invite them to come to the location of choice and we have workshops. We have a player banquet. We have lots of hockey, full-length games with two ice cleans in between or with two ice cleans during the game. We have NHL alumni coaches, people who are knowledgeable and experienced in the game that want to give back to the players. We have, like I said, workshops for parents and players. So you will be put on a team if you are lucky enough to be invited with other players in your province, many of whom you've never played with or potentially even against, and for four days you will become friends and you will be battling together and you will be learning together and you will be developing together.
Speaker 2:And that's one of the best things I believe hockey can provide is the people that come along with it, and exposing younger players to environments like this, it really prepares them for what's to come. You are going to be in dressing rooms and you are going to be uncomfortable when you first get there and you are going to have to figure out ways to play your best hockey and um and yeah. So it's about the journey Uh the up my hockey 68, the UMH 68 really is a encompasses everything. Up my hockey is about. It's about trying to be your best. It's about being your best in the biggest moments. It's about the development path and what hockey has to offer you as a holistic person, and we develop the person behind the hockey player, and there's lots of smiles and there's lots of fun to be had. We treat the players like pros. The dressing rooms are dialed in. The experience for them is really special and unique and it's really been something that's been blowing up. And it's been blowing up in the sense that, hey, yes, we are expanding, I will be in Alberta.
Speaker 2:Canmore has just been confirmed for the Alberta 2012s. Martinsville in Saskatchewan has been confirmed for the 2012s in Saskatchewan, and Brandon Manitoba will be hosting a 2011 event, which can all be found out on my website. So, if you are listening to this, if you are in Western Canada I'm speaking to my Western Canada listeners and you have somebody in that age group by all means check out the Up my Hockey website. Check out the UMH 68 Invitational. Get your, your name, on the watch list. That means that, hey, we believe that we are in the top 68. We would like to come to this event. You can also make referrals for other players with the watch list and, yeah, get the word out there because we are coming in 2025.
Speaker 2:Super exciting time for Up my Hockey and the Up my Hockey 68. It is a one-of competition and, uh, really excited to bring it to a province near you. So, get the word out. Uh, check out the website for the watch list and, uh, and yeah, there'll be more to come. Now let's go back to the conversation with Glenn Murray. I would be an idiot if I didn't ask you about Pittsburgh, just because Mario Lemieux was always my guy and you had a chance to play with him and also Jaramir Jagr, and I've heard two different stories about those guys, like as far as Jagr's approach to the break those two down for me as far as the differences, not necessarily on the ice, but their approach to the game away from the rink.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it was. Obviously I was there for two years. So I got the two great individuals Like you know, I've seen Mario since the past few years and this and that and Yogs, two special players, like elite, top players that have ever played the game, no question about it. Well, they could do some things that, yeah, you just knew like, it's just totally different. Like Mario was like Yogg's was like he had to have all these other distractions to come and play. Great, it was the weirdest thing.
Speaker 1:But then certain times or certain games, y was like if you, if he was there early, if he was focused and had all the in, all his certain stuff done early, he was going to have a big night. It was, it was, it was insane, it was incredible to see and witness what he could do on the ice when he was motivated and that one year that I was there, I, he, had 140 points or Mario had 100 and whatever amount of points, and they were probably when they were on their game. It would be tough, they're so big, like I mean, mario was 6'5 or 6'6 and Yogg was 6'4 and 230 and can hold on to the puck back then and it was something special to see how they you know I was at that game. I was still on the team when Merrill got five goals. That one game, all different ways.
Speaker 2:Short-handed power play.
Speaker 1:I was there for that one and it was a hell of a team. The year that Florida beat us in seven, I think, and Colorado won the cup that year in 98, I think it was. I can't remember the year that pits are florida beat us in seven, I think, uh, and colorado won the cup that year in uh 98, I think it was. I can't remember the year. But they, we had a team, but we had a. You know, it happens we ronnie francis, got hurt in that. In that, against florida, we had an unbelievable team, like I mean unbelievable team. We had a few injuries, not that we would have beat colorado. I think we would have given them a good series, but these two guys, something special, something special.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was my first year pro and I just got called up from Spokane, so I was actually on the ice with Florida in Pittsburgh when we well, we I wasn't playing but I was in a T-shirt, so I got to see that right Like firsthand and that was ridiculous just for me being such an eye. I mean, mario was my idol and to be around it that close and then to see what Beezer did, that series and everything else was crazy.
Speaker 1:He could do things that were like for six foot five, six foot six, and what he didn't get, I don't think he got enough credit for he got a lot of credit because he's one of the best players ever is. He could skate. Yeah, he could skate when he could fly and man. Think about that now. Like I mean, he was just incredible, incredible.
Speaker 2:And as far as just I got the points up now. So Mario had 161 that year. He scored 69 goals. Jagger had 62 goals and 149 points.
Speaker 1:So a 69 goal scorer and a 62 goal scorer on the on the same team it was every night, you know, and teams couldn't stop, they couldn't, they couldn't stop and the power play was like. You know, all the hockey world talks about power play nowadays. We should just call them up and say what did you guys do? That's all you have to do, like, like, I mean, it was amazing, it was amazing.
Speaker 2:But as far as like so I heard I mean everyone's heard the stories or maybe not everybody, but I have of you know Jager having his own key to the rink and he would be skating. You know when the lights were off and you know doing all these crazy workouts. And Mario, you know whether it be injuries or whatever. Mario, you know, whether it be injuries or whatever, sounded like he wasn't too involved in a weight room. Or you know working on things a way that maybe he was one of those truly natural kind of prodigy types, which is different, I mean, and we can talk about talent versus effort and stuff but were their approaches to their own personal game a little different?
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, what I saw in Pittsburgh when I was there for just two years and Mario just had come back from an injury and that but he secretly did workouts. They quietly didn't want not for everyone to see, and everyone. The stories are all true about Yogs, like he works on his game. He's at the rink all the time and I think he got to do that more and more as he got older because he was, you know, he wanted to do that he could. He was always doing like, maybe before a warm-up he would do put like five plates on each side and do like squats, like or leg press. It was like craziest things, like you see.
Speaker 1:And some days game was at seven. He'd show up at like 5, 45 and get on and score three that night. So there was all kinds of different scenarios and and uh, but he they were, they had a different approach, but I think mario was just so talented and but he did what I saw. He did do his secret workouts. He was uh that he didn't, with a lot of people not around, maybe before or whatever it was and and uh, but it was uh, it was different. It was different back then, for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, two of the games best. What an awesome opportunity to see that firsthand and to play with them. I'm sure it was a special time for you. Looking back on your own career. I mean, we crossed paths in LA and there were some really good players on that team, you know, who are now still part of the organization, probably the two biggest names in Robitaille and Blake and the positions that they have. But I names of in Robitaille and Blake and in the positions that they have, uh. But I want to. I want to fast forward a bit to your you know your best statistical year the 44 goals, the 92 points over a point. A game in Boston playing with Joe Thornton. Uh, I think you were on his line for most of that season, correct, yep yeah, for most of the.
Speaker 1:I mean, you know, I know what you're going to ask you like how, how well I think you deal. You play with a player like that that likes to pass the puck, and yeah, yes, so I play with him most of the time. And Mike Knubel, that was the other player.
Speaker 2:Right? Was that the biggest like so for you, for your evolution? I mean you're 10 years into the league. I mean you've definitely, you definitely had strong seasons outside of that season, you know, but hadn't touched 30 goals yet until you got back to Boston. You know that's a little bit of a long runway right To get to that. To get to that spot, you were obviously getting better, I would assume, right Throughout your career, and then and then this and then this kind of breakthrough happens. What was the culmination of all that, in your opinion?
Speaker 1:I just think it's just playing with a guy, with a player. We had this connection, and not that I didn't have with other centermen, but there was this connection that he loved to pass the puck, I loved to kind of find open spots and him and I just had a connection. And the perfect other part to the whole thing was Mike Knoebel was incredible. He big body, we were all big guys. I think I was the smallest on the line. So if I was six three and because canoobles like six four and two thirty and joe joe's, like you know, six five and two thirty and I think I was like six three, then I was six three, like two ten or something. So I was the smallest player, smallest guy in that line.
Speaker 1:But I just think it was a connection that we had and uh, still, you know it was at joe's thing uh, last weekend or two weekends ago now, his jersey retirement in san jose and it was awesome. He is uh looking forward to seeing him go in the hall of fame uh, hopefully I think it's next year and uh, just a great human, we have a great relationship and just a just a real good person and I think we had typical, uh similar, uh, personalities and it transitioned to on the ice and and uh, you know he was younger and I was a little older, but he uh, yeah, it was just one of those things. Right, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Maybe you can speak to that, because I mean, I shook Joe's hand. I've never met him before, but from what I've heard of him he is one of those guys that seems to make everybody better around him and we can't really give that honor to everybody. You know, it's not everyone is like that. Uh, how can you speak to that? The idea of not only being a really good player but having that extra element that you are an elite player. But by being elite you are making others be their best as well, which I think is such an awesome compliment to be able to give somebody 100%.
Speaker 1:If you ask anyone that played with Joe. This guy loved the game. He loved his teammates, the trainers, everyone. Whatever team he was on, he treated everyone the same and if not even better than certain players, but he was a fantastic teammate. He is a fantastic teammate. You ask all these players that went to his jersey retirement? There was like geez. There was 30, 40 guys that showed up and that came to the ceremony and he's just an unbelievable teammate, probably one of the best teammates that anyone could kind of play with. And personable, knew about your family, knew about your kids, knew about whoever it was in, in everyone it's right from the trainers to the stick guide to everyone. There wasn't a person that he left out, ever, ever and uh, it goes to show you what kind of person he is and he's, he's, he's pretty special.
Speaker 2:So there's the aspect, and one of the things that I talk with my players about and I think it's a really strong message is the idea of I mean you talked about the on ice portion, so he there was a chemistry there that he was making you better by allowing you to have the puck right. He'd get it to you in spots where you were at your best being able to shoot it. Now I also believe and you've spoken to it already, but I'd like to expound on it the idea of making people better inside the locker room and during practice and how making people feel comfortable, making people feel good about themselves, is another layer to that. Can you speak to that? How you can make someone better away from the rink?
Speaker 1:100%. Players know first of all when things are going on. So, say, the coach is hard on a player or whoever it may be, a coach would be hard on Jimmy that day. You know that player, the leader of the team should make sure that you go talk to Jimmy or talk to that kid and make them say, hey, good job, today the coach was yeah, the coach was on you, but you work through it and you battle through it and you're going to get your time. You're going to play more, you're going to do this and that and maybe I mean I know we're not talking about Pee Wee Banner but maybe take that person out for dinner or for lunch or something to make sure that he feels a big part of the team, because it goes a long way when someone sees what was happening with that player that day. The coach might be on that player for maybe a week or a couple days.
Speaker 1:Make sure what was happening with that player that day. The coach might be on that player for maybe a week or a couple of days. Make sure he still feels part of that team and go out of your way to make sure you know let's, let's go for lunch, let's go have a beer or whatever it may be, to understand that we care about you, we, we, we, we see it happening, we know the coach is hurting, but we care about you. So we're a team here. Make sure that kid or that player knows that he's still a big part of that team.
Speaker 2:I like that. Yeah, we care about you. And the way I break it down sometimes is that there's the hockey player and then there's the human. So if you take care of the human being behind the hockey player, usually the hockey player is going to be better. So if you feel cared for, if you feel valued, if you feel that someone gives a shit, the chances of you being able to bring your best on the ice whether it be a practice or or whatever minutes you bring to the game, are drastically increased, in my opinion.
Speaker 2:And that starts I guess that's an organizational kind of approach too.
Speaker 2:You know, when it, when it starts at the top that you feel cared about all the way down and then your leaders are the guys that are also taking care of these, of these younger guys, it becomes a much more accessible place to be in, cause we can all remember what it's like to walk into an nhl locker room as a 19 or 20 year old.
Speaker 2:If you're lucky enough to do that, it's. It's an uncomfortable place to be, or can be right like you have veteran guys you've seen them on your wall, you have hockey cards of them, like all this stuff going on and if you don't feel a part of it, you're not going to be able to play your best. So I do think that's an interesting piece when it comes to culture, when some teams get it right and the Bruins have been lauded for it forever with the older guys taking care of the younger guys. When it comes to the LA Kings and I apologize that I don't follow you guys that much, but how do you guys handle that Is there an expectation on your veteran leaderships to do these types of things, or do you just hope that it happens?
Speaker 1:We're very lucky here. We have anze kopitar and drew dowdy that have been here for a long time and really, rob. We don't really have to say much to them because they've been around so long. They they see it, they feel it. They've been through everything and they feel it seal it. If they see something, what we just talked about, they will reel it in and bring in in copies. I mean, he's one of the best leaders in in the game and and drew's just really special with the players and and making sure they feel comfortable and part of the team and we're we're very lucky, very lucky, right, yeah, because that is where it starts, right.
Speaker 2:if, if the leaders have their own type of group or if they have their own way of operating and they they aren't including everybody like that is, that's a tough place to be in and I guess that's a tough place to change too. So I think that the leadership component is is a very, very big piece of that developmental puzzle too, you know 1000%.
Speaker 1:And they're these younger players, the by fields and Laferriere's, and these guys are watching the Clarks Brent Clarks are watching this. They don guys are watching the clerics brand clerics are watching this. They don't realize it yet, but when they, when they finally do, whenever they decide to stop playing kokutara and dowdy, they've been instilled in this leadership and making sure these guys are, are part of the team and they they will hopefully those place, name those players because they're young players, but they will take that over. Yeah, and that's what you want and you, you look at Boston and Bergeron and Chara and Marshawn. These guys have that. They've been doing it for years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you mentioned the name and maybe we'll. Uh, I think we should talk about him Brant Clark, and I don't know how many people are watching the LA Kings all the time, but I think this player is like way off the radar for how special he is. Like he looks really really good to me. Yeah, Go ahead.
Speaker 1:No, sorry, he's, he's. He's a quick, he's so smart. It's amazing how smart he is and he has a great teacher and our coaches, staff and our Matt Green and Sean O'Donnell helped you know behind the scenes. The sky's the limit for this guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, at what point were you there when he got drafted originally?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was COVID, we were doing a Zoom draft. It was a Zoom draft.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, I'll never forget it.
Speaker 1:I'll never forget it. And then he went to you know Barry Colts and had an unbelievable year last year and he's got elite hockey mind and it's taken a little bit of adjustment. You know we're lucky enough. I don't want to get on a tangent, but he's playing with Joel Edmondson. We signed him this offseason. Joel Edmondson's been unbelievable for him. What an unbelievable veteran defenseman and guy that's been around and awesome, awesome.
Speaker 2:That's super important for sure for these younger guys and getting them in a comfortable spot that they feel taken care of on the ice too. And I mean he was an eighth overall guy, so it's not like he wasn't expected. I mean he was an elite talent but it's just like even what he did in the AHL right, like almost a point of game there. And now he's stepping into the NHL game and like to me like he's one of those guys that from an optic standpoint he just looks different, you know, like the way, the way he's joining the rush, he's doing the small things really well and I just think that you got a really special one there that that might be on more of a public radar here in not too long.
Speaker 1:Yep, no, I agree with you. He, he, he spent that time and that's what we talked about earlier in the in this call about the American league. And, and when he plays his thousandth game or all these games that he's going to play in the NHL, he'll look back on that year that he spent an extra little time in the American league. That helped him for sure. Not now, but eventually he will. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Is there anyone else you want to give a shout out to, Maybe more in the system? You know anyone that's making people smile in the LA Kings organization? No, I think just one or.
Speaker 1:Liam Greentree has been with Windsor Spitfires. He's having a great year this year. Cohen, zemer and Prince George he's having a great year this year and all those guys are, but we're looking forward to getting some more. You know they're still earlier and they're still playing junior, but we're looking forward to getting them turning them into LA Kings eventually down the road here. That's awesome.
Speaker 2:Do you have any last thoughts? Maybe we'll just. I mean something that shook the junior hockey world and nobody really knows exactly how it's going to pan out as far as what it's going to do to the CHL, what it's going to do to the BC Junior League, the ncaa, but this, this recent rule change that now allows chl players to receive scholarships and go the ncaa route uh, any projections of what you think this, this is going to mean for, for your players or for hockey?
Speaker 1:players in general. I, I don't know really. I, I, we haven't. I haven't got a grasp on it yet. I don't know exactly how it's. You know, I can hear, I hear all rumblings about players from junior already committing to go to play college next year and wherever it may be. I don't know how it's going to play out. I honestly don't know exactly. I'm hoping that they've looked it over and it's going to be good for the players and good for hockey. I don't know exactly yet, I'm not really sure.
Speaker 2:Maybe I'll ask this just a little different way. So, if you had your choice, would you rather have a guy in your system, like in ontario, being a 20 year old there under your watch that signed a pro contract, or would you rather have them in the ncaa and maybe having a little bit longer pathway and is not necessarily under your control?
Speaker 1:Depends on the player, but if I had to give an answer right now, I would say the American League for me, I still think it's a great development league. If you're going to be part of our NHL team, it's a great development league to be there. Are there players that should stay in college and are not ready for America? Of course, there are no question about it, but if you're telling me how to answer now, it's in America.
Speaker 2:Yeah, fair enough, and that's going to be the interesting one. I haven't read between the lines on that, but the way the contracts work, obviously, if you sign a guy that's committed to NCAA, that there's a longer time for them to be able to sign and they can't actually have signed. So that's going to be yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But anyways, well, I asked you for an hour and you and you were gracious enough to to provide that, Glenn, so thanks so much for being here. Is there any last words for any parents or players out there that that want to put on an NHL Jersey one day?
Speaker 1:No, I just think kids nowadays, parents and coaches be patient, Be patient. It's hard, Certain players will take. Every player is different. Not every player is a McDavid or a Crosby. Be patient.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I like that. Play the long game and enjoy what you're doing. It becomes a lot easier to be patient for everyone out there if you are enjoying where you're doing. It becomes a lot easier to be patient for everyone out there. If you are enjoying where you're at, try and fall in love with where you're at and dominate where you're at. I mean, those are the two things for me. You know, if you, if you're, if you're playing where your skates are and if you're committed to that team and that environment, being the best player, you can be there and we're not worried about looking ahead uh, nine millions down the road. Usually your experience is better too as a player, which is like so, so important because that passion you can't replace passion with anything. So find a way to fall in love with where you're at and then the game is going to take you wherever you need to go. So thank you very much, mr Murray, for being here. Congratulations on a fantastic career and awesome to see you guys doing well there with LA and putting a really, really competitive team on the ice game after game. Thanks very much, jason. Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening to my conversation with Glenn Murray. I really enjoyed that conversation.
Speaker 2:A good old maritimer who has done great things in the hockey world, a thousand gamer himself, and has continued to stay a part of the Los Angeles Kings organization and that great development staff that they have there. The Kings are recognized for being able to bring players along, help them through, help them become the best players that they can be. So they are doing something right over there in Los Angeles. So lots of lessons from today. I'm happy that you were able to listen to them. I'm happy you were able to share all the stories here at UpMyHockey. Whether you're a first time listener or you're a repeat listener, it has been fantastic to be able to grow the podcast with you and hopefully there's many episodes to come. So until next time, play hard and keep your head up.