WEBVTT - Vol. 13: Ken Daneyko 0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:04.080 Charges. That's created by Portalais and Control Media. It's produced 0:00:04.080 --> 0:00:10.760 by dB Podcasts in association with I Heart Radio. This 0:00:10.880 --> 0:00:13.960 time a former Son's player who you might remember as 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:16.280 t Rex. More video in just a moment, but this 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:18.840 is Rex Chapman's mug Shaun, and we are learning a 0:00:18.920 --> 0:00:22.000 lot more about the charge up and charge what's the 0:00:22.079 --> 0:00:26.000 drinking culture? Like in the NHL, I was a partier. 0:00:26.040 --> 0:00:27.840 I had to be in the action. I wasn't a 0:00:27.840 --> 0:00:30.360 guy that just sat at home and drank. It's got 0:00:30.360 --> 0:00:34.280 a hold of me again. Please God, take this obsession away. 0:00:34.520 --> 0:00:37.280 I was all alone in a crowded room, if that 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:41.280 makes sense. Can you're an alcoholic? You need help. You 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:49.839 can't do it alone. You're not invincible anymore. Welcome to Charges. 0:00:50.120 --> 0:00:52.879 I'm your host, Rex Chapman. Today on the show, we 0:00:52.960 --> 0:00:55.760 have a pioneer, but not in the way you might think. 0:00:56.280 --> 0:00:59.640 Ken Danko is a llegend in New Jersey and the 0:00:59.760 --> 0:01:02.800 n A jail, a three time Stanley Cup champ, and 0:01:03.000 --> 0:01:07.440 is affectionately known as Mr Devil. He's all time career 0:01:07.520 --> 0:01:10.280 leader in games played for the New Jersey Devils. Ken 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:12.959 was a hard nosed defenseman who was always ready to 0:01:12.959 --> 0:01:15.800 get physical. But I did say he was a pioneer, 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:19.039 just not on the ice. Ken was the first NHL 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:22.679 player to publicly take advantage of a program the league 0:01:22.959 --> 0:01:26.720 and the Players Association bargained for where players could step 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.960 away from the game of hockey even during the season, 0:01:30.440 --> 0:01:35.040 to get treatment for drugs and alcohol during the season. 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:39.640 Ken utilized that program for his problem with alcohol. This 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:49.800 his charges, Ken, thank you so much for being on 0:01:49.840 --> 0:01:53.560 the show today. How are you, my buddy. I'm doing good, Rex, 0:01:53.600 --> 0:01:56.440 and thank you for the warm, warm welcome. Yes, I 0:01:56.480 --> 0:02:01.360 was first, uh publicly in the program, but I think 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:04.520 I talked to the guys now and I think I'm 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:06.880 number five on the all time list. The other four 0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:10.760 went privately and that was their their choice. You could 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.480 do that as well, So I've got that going for me, 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:17.880 truly brave. I mean, you know, I played I was 0:02:17.919 --> 0:02:20.600 playing ball in the nineties, and you know that was 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:24.560 something that you know not I know people in basketball 0:02:24.639 --> 0:02:26.760 weren't doing that, So that that was a brave step, 0:02:26.800 --> 0:02:30.200 my friend. Well, and you know what, Rex, at the time, 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:33.160 I had such great support from the Devil's organization and 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:37.040 that was important because obviously you're very scared that what's 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:39.880 it gonna do to my career? Are they going to 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:43.799 just throw me by the wayside after because I'm going 0:02:43.840 --> 0:02:46.920 through some problems. And it was in season, early in 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:49.639 the year. I think I had played oh a handful 0:02:49.680 --> 0:02:51.720 of games and I was playing well, and I just 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:55.840 for whatever reason, I wasn't right. And I knew long 0:02:55.880 --> 0:03:00.600 ago I probably had some problems with alcohol, but it's 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:03.520 hard to admit it. It's hard to get humble and 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:07.919 understand that something's got me and I need help. And uh, 0:03:08.040 --> 0:03:10.880 the game was so important to me, my team, the Devils. 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:13.280 I'd been there my entire career, so I had already 0:03:13.320 --> 0:03:16.920 been there fourteen years as a player before I had 0:03:16.960 --> 0:03:20.760 walked into Hall of Fame general manager Lou Lamarello, who 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:22.880 had been always in my corner, and he was tough 0:03:22.919 --> 0:03:26.480 on me at times, rightfully so. But having said that, 0:03:26.560 --> 0:03:29.520 he knew exactly what I was coming in for. And 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:32.800 I said, Lou, you know, if I'm going to take 0:03:32.840 --> 0:03:35.880 this seriously and get my life together, I have to 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:37.840 step away from the game for a little bit. And 0:03:37.880 --> 0:03:42.960 you know, without hesitation, Lamarillo goes ken, You've got our 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:47.280 total support. I'm not blind I've seen what's going on 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:49.160 in your life. You and I have been had a 0:03:49.200 --> 0:03:51.200 lot of talks and I've been in the office a 0:03:51.240 --> 0:03:54.760 lot with you. But to take your time as long 0:03:54.840 --> 0:03:57.560 as you need, the team will be here for you. 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:00.360 And that was real comforting to me. I mean, that's 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:03.080 an ally right there. I mean, that's just huge and beautiful. 0:04:03.120 --> 0:04:05.400 You grew up in Canada in the seventies, Ken, What 0:04:05.520 --> 0:04:08.800 was that like and where did you grow up? I 0:04:08.840 --> 0:04:11.640 grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Western Canada. I was born 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:14.480 in Windsor, Ontario, but I always say I'm from out 0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:17.760 west because we moved very young. My father transferred out 0:04:17.800 --> 0:04:21.560 to Edmonton from Windsor, Ontario, where I was born. And 0:04:21.600 --> 0:04:24.120 what was it like, rex Well, when you came out 0:04:24.120 --> 0:04:26.240 of your mother's womb, if you didn't put a pair 0:04:26.240 --> 0:04:28.680 of skates on, you had nothing else to do. That's 0:04:28.720 --> 0:04:32.960 what it was like. And I was no different than 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:36.560 a lot of kids on the block. I love the 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:39.440 game of hockey and I would go out and ten 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:44.920 fifteen twenty degree below zero weather and skate on the rinks, 0:04:45.000 --> 0:04:48.000 the ponds, whatever it was. It didn't matter how cold 0:04:48.040 --> 0:04:50.640 it was. I had a passion for the game at 0:04:51.200 --> 0:04:54.520 oh gosh, six seven years old and loved it. And 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:56.640 I grew up in a neighborhood with friends that all 0:04:56.680 --> 0:04:59.800 were hockey players. If we weren't playing street hockey, we 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:01.479 were going to the pond, we were going to the 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:05.560 outdoor ice rinks and and playing some shinny and I 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:08.120 just fell in love with the game like a lot 0:05:08.160 --> 0:05:12.080 of Canadians do over the years. Did you like the skating, 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:14.920 did you like the camaraderie, did you like all of it? 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:17.880 What was it about the hockey that you just you 0:05:18.000 --> 0:05:22.360 had it? I think the best way I can describe it. 0:05:22.400 --> 0:05:25.320 I mean, obviously you love all the those aspects of 0:05:25.400 --> 0:05:28.960 skating and pock handling, And it was the competition for me. 0:05:29.240 --> 0:05:33.880 I like to compete, and obviously growing up it was 0:05:33.920 --> 0:05:36.680 about winning for me. It always was. I wanted to 0:05:36.720 --> 0:05:38.520 be part of a team. I wanted to be part 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:41.360 of a foundation. It didn't matter what level, even at 0:05:41.400 --> 0:05:45.240 a young age. And I tell people, you know, I 0:05:45.279 --> 0:05:48.120 told my mother a handful of times a day from 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:50.240 seven years old on, I'm gonna play in the National 0:05:50.279 --> 0:05:52.960 Hockey League. That was my dream as a little kid. 0:05:53.120 --> 0:05:56.120 That was it. We watch hockey night in Canada together, 0:05:56.240 --> 0:05:59.359 get around the TV after a spaghetti and meat sauce 0:05:59.400 --> 0:06:03.000 dinner ever Saturday day night and watch Hockey Night in 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:07.040 Canada as a family and families throughout the country. That's 0:06:07.040 --> 0:06:10.760 what you did. And right from there, I said, I'm 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:13.040 going to play the National Hockey League. Mom, and God 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:15.240 rest her soul. She passed about eight years ago. She 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:18.719 used to always passify me and go, yeah, yeah, Kenny. 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:21.240 I know, But I think she thought I was dreaming 0:06:21.279 --> 0:06:23.960 a little bit high because there was ten Ken Donicos 0:06:24.000 --> 0:06:26.280 on every corner where I grew up, in every corner 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:29.640 through Canada and obviously the United States, where the game 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:32.760 has grown tremendously. Back when I came in the league, 0:06:32.760 --> 0:06:34.960 when I was drafting eighty two, was more Canadians and 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:38.120 the majority were Canadian hockey players, regardless of the teams 0:06:38.160 --> 0:06:40.800 being in the United States at the time. But but 0:06:40.920 --> 0:06:43.279 I just had a dream and my mother and I 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:46.960 wasn't so sure I was maybe reaching a little bit high. 0:06:47.440 --> 0:06:51.200 I've I heard those same conversations. I had those same 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:55.200 conversations with my folks. What were your hobbies as a teenager? 0:06:55.240 --> 0:06:58.040 For better or worse? Was fighting and drinking a part 0:06:58.040 --> 0:07:02.840 of that or was that acquired baby. Yeah. When I 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:06.760 was a teenager, I mean obviously hockey was a team 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:09.880 sport in camaraderie. I left home real young rex I mean, 0:07:10.840 --> 0:07:13.800 playing minor hockey, and I was obviously a pretty good player. 0:07:13.840 --> 0:07:16.240 But like I said, there was so much talent. But 0:07:16.320 --> 0:07:19.280 I was a good player. And when I turned fourteen, 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:21.520 you get put on a list to play junior hockey. 0:07:21.520 --> 0:07:24.480 And if I was going to fulfill my dream, I 0:07:24.760 --> 0:07:29.200 wanted to take whatever steps necessary. And by around fifteen 0:07:29.280 --> 0:07:32.520 years old, I knew, well, maybe there's a chance here, 0:07:32.680 --> 0:07:35.400 Maybe I have an opportunity to keep climbing the ladder. 0:07:35.480 --> 0:07:38.280 So I have to go play and advance my career 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:41.000 at at whatever level. And junior was the next step. 0:07:41.040 --> 0:07:43.160 And I had to leave home at fifteen years old. 0:07:44.200 --> 0:07:46.920 And it was a tough, tough decision from the standpoint 0:07:47.000 --> 0:07:51.280 that my father's born in Germany, raised in Germany, was 0:07:51.320 --> 0:07:53.400 a soccer guy, not as much a hockey guy, but 0:07:53.440 --> 0:07:55.400 he learned to love it moving to Canada. He moved 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:58.120 at twenty two and didn't I didn't speak a word 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:00.400 of English un till about twenty three or twenty before. 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:05.000 But he supported me and and met my mom in Canada, obviously, 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:08.720 and so my mother said, over my dead body, you're 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:11.200 leaving at fifteen years old. Now, I know the dynamic 0:08:11.280 --> 0:08:13.600 was a little bit different back then today's day and age. 0:08:13.600 --> 0:08:15.400 I would never let my kid leave at fifteen. I 0:08:15.400 --> 0:08:17.040 have a twenty two year old so right now, the 0:08:17.440 --> 0:08:20.800 six year old daughter. So my dad took me aside. 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:23.080 Old school guy didn't say a whole lot. He was 0:08:23.120 --> 0:08:26.320 just a solid support system. And he says, Kenny, is 0:08:26.360 --> 0:08:28.920 this what you want? And I said, Dad, this is 0:08:28.920 --> 0:08:30.560 gonna help my career. They're asking me to go to 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:33.920 York to Saskatchewan to play Tier two junior hockey. The 0:08:33.960 --> 0:08:36.960 Western Hockey League team the originally Great Falls Americans that 0:08:37.040 --> 0:08:39.720 had put me on the protective list and said, we 0:08:39.840 --> 0:08:43.359 think you're ready to jump right from Bannams to junior hockey, 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:45.480 but you're gonna have to move five dred miles away 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:48.040 because we're affiliated with his Tier two team in the 0:08:48.040 --> 0:08:52.680 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and mid Midwest Canada. So my 0:08:52.760 --> 0:08:54.760 dad says, look, and this is a true story. He 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:58.280 goes I had two days to decide, and the coach 0:08:58.320 --> 0:08:59.920 of the York and Terrace was gonna pick me up 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:04.480 a gas station outside Edmonton, Alberta, and drive me back 0:09:04.520 --> 0:09:07.680 to Yorkton, Saskatchewan. I said, Dad, this is what I 0:09:07.720 --> 0:09:09.960 want to do. I said, uh, you know, it's a 0:09:09.960 --> 0:09:13.080 big step. But he goes, we're not gonna tell your mother. 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:15.800 I'm gonna drive you there. I will handle her. She'll 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:17.360 get over it in a couple of weeks because we 0:09:17.400 --> 0:09:19.680 don't want to have that house. And that's that's a 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:22.280 true story. So I went to the gas station, got 0:09:22.360 --> 0:09:24.920 picked up by a coach named Jerry Bullets at the time, 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:28.280 and went off to Yorkton, Saskatchewan to play for the 0:09:28.320 --> 0:09:31.559 Yorkton Terrors. I was one of two fifteen year olds 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:34.720 in the league Rex and I was young. I was 0:09:34.840 --> 0:09:37.400 physically mature because I was big, I was strong. Yeah, 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:42.960 it was physical, and that's where probably it was good 0:09:43.000 --> 0:09:45.839 for me. But on the flip side, from my life standpoint, 0:09:45.880 --> 0:09:49.199 I was still a kid and I'm playing with seventeen eighteen, 0:09:49.320 --> 0:09:56.640 nineteen year old guys. Drinking. Drinking became a big part 0:09:56.679 --> 0:09:59.360 of it. It was play hard, party hard, right from 0:09:59.400 --> 0:10:01.960 a young a age. And you know, you look back, 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:07.320 you reflect all the extracurricular activity and the partying, and 0:10:07.360 --> 0:10:10.280 the drinking was always there. But again I had one 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:13.680 goal and one thing I will say, humblia. I had 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:16.680 the discipline in the work ethic and the heart to 0:10:16.800 --> 0:10:20.840 always just pull my bootstraps up and and understand what 0:10:21.000 --> 0:10:24.600 comes first until later on. And we'll get into that 0:10:24.679 --> 0:10:27.040 after and you can ask me some questions when the 0:10:27.120 --> 0:10:31.199 drinking really took hold of me. So you're drafted, and 0:10:32.000 --> 0:10:34.720 at what point, though you're still a teenager, at what 0:10:34.880 --> 0:10:37.680 point do you know that this sport is gonna take 0:10:37.720 --> 0:10:42.200 you places? M hm, Well, I'll tell you a nineteen 0:10:42.280 --> 0:10:45.480 eighty two. I'm eighteen years old, and that's when there 0:10:45.520 --> 0:10:48.920 was no internet, obviously no cell phones, and and you 0:10:49.000 --> 0:10:53.840 go back in your day, the same idea. Now they 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:56.280 know everything about you, when you eat, sleep, go to 0:10:56.320 --> 0:10:59.600 the bathroom. But back then they relied on one scout 0:10:59.640 --> 0:11:02.599 that would follow you around, or or a guy and 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:05.480 they would take recommendations. Now, I was not ranked to 0:11:05.480 --> 0:11:07.679 go in the first round. There was twenty one teams. 0:11:08.920 --> 0:11:12.040 At the time. I was cautiously optimistic I was going 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:14.400 to be drafted, but I still was uncertain because I 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:17.200 always had that in the back of my mind. I 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:19.199 don't know how good am I am? I any good? 0:11:19.240 --> 0:11:21.679 I know? I played pretty well in junior and had 0:11:21.679 --> 0:11:25.000 a pretty good playoffs my draft year. So the summer 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:29.680 of eighty two, the drafts in Montreal, two hour time difference. 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:32.600 So I go out the night before my brother who's 0:11:32.640 --> 0:11:35.800 five years older, to take a little edge off, had 0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:39.000 a few pops, you know, knowing the drafts. The next day, 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:42.000 I'm very nervous and just praying I get drafted, you know, 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:45.240 just pray I get drafted somewhere, anywhere, it doesn't matter 0:11:45.280 --> 0:11:50.200 what round. So about forty minutes into the draft, I'm sleeping. 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:52.240 I'm out like a light. My mom walks up to 0:11:52.280 --> 0:11:54.800 my bedroom and says, Kenny, wake up, you gotta take 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.920 this call. I go, mom, I look. I take a 0:11:57.960 --> 0:11:59.800 peek at the clock with one I go, mom, it's 0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:02.360 eight too early. I know what time it is in Montreal. 0:12:03.080 --> 0:12:06.240 There's no way I'm drafted yet. And I was serious. 0:12:06.720 --> 0:12:09.120 She goes, Kenny. Just my mom was a petite lady 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:12.400 of five ft one, very quiet, comes just come downstairs 0:12:12.400 --> 0:12:14.920 and take this call. I go, I thought it was 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:17.400 a friend playing a prank. I said, it's probably friends 0:12:17.400 --> 0:12:20.400 playing a prank, you know, Hey, Kenny, you know, congratulations 0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:24.640 You've been drafted by the Montreal Canadians, and I really 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:27.600 believe that. I go down there, I pick up the phone. 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:32.440 Groggy voice go hello. Uh, he goes, Hi, can this 0:12:32.520 --> 0:12:36.320 is Marshall Johnson. Congratulations, We've just picked you eighteenth overall. 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:40.120 And I still get goose bump saying it and almost 0:12:40.120 --> 0:12:43.560 tears because I dropped the phone. I never asked who 0:12:43.600 --> 0:12:47.439 it was. I dropped the phone. Swear to God, I 0:12:47.440 --> 0:12:49.880 I'm going to my mom. I turned to my mother 0:12:50.240 --> 0:12:52.120 and I go, you're not gonna believe this, And it 0:12:52.240 --> 0:12:55.760 still brings me me tears like it goes, I just 0:12:55.800 --> 0:12:59.000 got drafted eighteenth overall. My mother, who has never sworn 0:12:59.040 --> 0:13:01.440 her life a little calt games, You've got to be 0:13:02.400 --> 0:13:06.200 bleeping me like she was just dumbfounded beside her. So 0:13:06.559 --> 0:13:08.160 she goes, we'll ask who it is. I picked the 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:11.280 phone up. I go, oh, yeah, who is this? He goes, 0:13:11.360 --> 0:13:14.839 It's Marshall Johnson from New Jersey. Didn't have a team 0:13:14.920 --> 0:13:17.920 name yet, no team name. They had just moved from 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:21.839 the Colorado Rockies and became New Jersey. The late grade 0:13:21.840 --> 0:13:24.560 owner who was so in my corner to Dr John McMullin, 0:13:24.720 --> 0:13:27.280 who haven't known the Houston Astors at the time as well, 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:30.680 bought the team from Colorado moved them to New Jersey. 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:33.200 So this was a big risk for him. And I 0:13:33.280 --> 0:13:35.200 was one of his two picks in the first round 0:13:35.200 --> 0:13:37.800 and there was no team name. They were voting in 0:13:37.840 --> 0:13:41.280 the Star Ledger, the Newark Star Ledger papers still on 0:13:41.360 --> 0:13:42.920 what the team name was gonna be and let the 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:45.280 fans vote. And we didn't have a ton of fans 0:13:45.320 --> 0:13:47.840 at the time, really, but it ended up being the 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:51.200 New Jersey Devils. But I will tell you Rex, I 0:13:51.240 --> 0:13:53.960 would have ran the two thousand miles from Edmonton, Alberta. 0:13:54.040 --> 0:13:57.239 I don't care if they were sending me to Siberia. 0:13:57.320 --> 0:14:00.840 I wanted my opportunity uh to play. This was my 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:03.040 dream as a young kid. This was the first step 0:14:03.080 --> 0:14:06.440 getting drafted. I went way higher than I expected. And 0:14:06.480 --> 0:14:10.320 it was one one scout, Bert Marshall was his name, 0:14:10.760 --> 0:14:13.960 and he had followed me around and a beat up 0:14:13.960 --> 0:14:17.120 Winnebago for about ten days. He had told me, and 0:14:17.240 --> 0:14:19.520 I talked to him in two thousand twelve about this 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:22.280 because I didn't know the real story. But this is true, 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:25.920 he says. Kenny. I told the New Jersey Devils at eighteen, 0:14:25.960 --> 0:14:28.040 you've got to take this kid, Ken Danico. They didn't 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.840 really know who I was much. They you know, obviously scout, 0:14:30.880 --> 0:14:34.240 but there just wasn't as much information and access. And 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:37.600 they go Bert, he's not ranked there, we're not taking him. 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:41.080 Bert Marshall said, I'm putting my job line. He says, Bert, 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:43.000 if he doesn't pan out, you are putting your job 0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:45.560 on the line. He says, because we really don't. They 0:14:45.720 --> 0:14:48.680 were not going to take me, from what I understand, 0:14:48.720 --> 0:14:51.800 and Bert confirmed this in two thousand twelve to me 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:54.440 because I gave him a big hug. Two thousand twelve, 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:57.200 the draft was in New Jersey. I happened to see 0:14:57.280 --> 0:15:00.000 him because he's still scouting at the time for Caroline. 0:15:00.040 --> 0:15:02.000 And then I go Bert, I, I I just want to 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:05.280 come up. I heard a story that you know, the 0:15:05.400 --> 0:15:07.160 Devils didn't want to take me. And I gave him 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:08.880 a big hug, and I said, you know, it never 0:15:08.960 --> 0:15:12.640 goes unnoticed. Thank you for believing in me, Thank you 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:14.680 for But he goes, Kenny, you don't know half the story. 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:17.560 He goes, I begged them. They right up till the 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:19.840 draft they were not going to take you, I said, 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:22.280 I will put my job in line, he says, And 0:15:22.320 --> 0:15:24.600 I thank you because I'm still scouting because of that pick. 0:15:24.640 --> 0:15:28.920 Because the eighth overall pick was Brian Tracy's brother. Wonderful guy, 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:31.840 but he only ended up playing games in the nash 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:35.640 Hock League. I was eighteenth overall and and then play 0:15:35.640 --> 0:15:38.600 three regular season games hundred seventy five more in the playoffs. 0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:40.640 But that's kind of what Burt says. He said to them, 0:15:40.760 --> 0:15:42.840 I am telling you this kid will play ten fifteen 0:15:42.920 --> 0:15:45.320 years for you. I followed him for two weeks. I 0:15:45.360 --> 0:15:49.200 know his heart, I know his character, and uh, nobody 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:51.560 wants to win more. And that made me feel It 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:53.520 makes you feel good, you know. And when we laughed 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:55.040 about it, hug, but I just wanted to make sure 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:58.720 he understood. This was one guy putting all his eggs 0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:01.720 in one basket at the draft, believing in in a 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.840 person and a player. And back then they had to 0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:06.840 because they had to trust their scouts and they weren't 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:09.600 going to but they did. Man, it's so true. I mean, 0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:12.840 kudos to him because you know, and you've been around 0:16:12.840 --> 0:16:15.800 the sport a long time in round front offices and whatnot, 0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:18.320 and a lot of times guys just want to keep 0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:21.440 their job and to put your neck on the line 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:23.840 and say no, look, I believe in this. That's what 0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:27.240 separates the good ones, are the bad ones from the 0:16:27.280 --> 0:16:34.840 great ones. As we've explored in previous episodes with Chris 0:16:34.960 --> 0:16:38.520 Knuckles Nyland on the NHL and Jim Laerts on The 0:16:38.520 --> 0:16:41.960 Big Apple, the party when you're a drinker and in 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:47.440 the pros finds you. The ferociousness and tenacity that Kim 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:50.280 Daniko played with on the ice would be the same 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:54.720 for his alcohol consumption. Work, hard, party, heart. That would 0:16:54.760 --> 0:16:58.400 be his calling for twenty seasons and even into retirement. 0:16:58.640 --> 0:17:02.360 Rents and repeat. It's enough to bring even the biggest 0:17:02.400 --> 0:17:05.919 bruiser to their knees. Little did young kid know what 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:09.280 lay ahead for him on his road to hockey immortality. 0:17:10.080 --> 0:17:13.119 We'll be right back after this bird from our sponsors. 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.800 So you're called up? How did you celebrate when you're 0:17:17.800 --> 0:17:20.760 called up to the called up to the NHL? You 0:17:20.800 --> 0:17:22.680 know what, It's all a blur back then. But I'm 0:17:22.720 --> 0:17:24.959 sure I went out, and I know I went with 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:27.119 some friends and we all got together at a house 0:17:27.200 --> 0:17:30.080 and what do we do? We drank, We drank, we 0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:32.359 have fun, We have a good time, and you know 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:34.720 that's all I knew. It was play hard, party hard, 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:37.639 really back then. But but I was excited and I 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:40.000 was over the moon, and and boy did I train 0:17:40.080 --> 0:17:45.280 hard that summer going into my first camp. And and obviously, uh, 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:47.680 I got into exhibition games as an eighteen year. It 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:49.280 doesn't mean you're gonna make the team right away, because 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:50.960 they can still send you back to junior. I went 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:53.280 back to junior my first year. So I have to 0:17:53.320 --> 0:17:55.400 tell you this quick story, and this is a good one. Rex. 0:17:55.520 --> 0:18:00.239 So my second exhibition game is against the Gray New 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:02.440 York Islanders. They were a dynasty at the time. They 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:05.560 just finished winning four straight Stanley Cups. I had such 0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:08.600 admiration for their team, and I was a student of 0:18:08.640 --> 0:18:11.520 the fighters and of players and even as a young kid. 0:18:11.520 --> 0:18:13.719 And they had the likes of some of the toughest 0:18:13.760 --> 0:18:16.520 customers in the league. Bobby Nice from Clark Gillies, guys 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:19.840 that I'm friends with. Today we're playing golf charities together. 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:24.360 I love those guys, just the wonderful people. So I'm 0:18:24.400 --> 0:18:28.159 gonna get noticed. It's game two of my exhibition career 0:18:28.240 --> 0:18:30.560 for the Devil's in eighteen year old So John Tonelli, 0:18:30.640 --> 0:18:33.960 a great hero over the playoffs for the Islanders, goes 0:18:34.000 --> 0:18:38.080 in the corner and I come across full bore and 0:18:38.320 --> 0:18:42.240 absolutely jump into him, knock him feet go up in 0:18:42.280 --> 0:18:45.600 the air. He goes flying, head hits the ice, and 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:47.520 all of a sudden there's a big scrum and I 0:18:47.560 --> 0:18:50.960 get grabbed around the neck and I turn around and 0:18:51.040 --> 0:18:53.639 elbow this guy right in the head, you know, just 0:18:53.720 --> 0:18:57.240 because it's a big melee and and it's a big scrum. 0:18:57.280 --> 0:19:00.040 I turn around. It's Bobby nice from and I'm on, 0:19:00.320 --> 0:19:02.679 oh my good god, I think I've been off a 0:19:02.760 --> 0:19:05.520 lot more than I could chew for my first National 0:19:05.600 --> 0:19:09.119 Hockey League fight. So I'm going I'm in deep trouble here, 0:19:09.119 --> 0:19:11.040 because Bobby Nystrom was known to be one of the 0:19:11.080 --> 0:19:13.920 best fighters in Nish hockey and he was a wild man, 0:19:14.119 --> 0:19:16.919 and I'm going I'm dead here, and I'm going to 0:19:18.200 --> 0:19:20.679 do whatever I can to stay on. So Bobby turns 0:19:20.680 --> 0:19:23.240 and looks at me. We have gloves off. He holds 0:19:23.280 --> 0:19:26.880 me and goes, kid, I respect what you're doing out here, 0:19:26.920 --> 0:19:28.960 because I was that young guy once too. He says, 0:19:29.080 --> 0:19:31.280 we're not going to fight on this opportunity, he says, 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:34.000 but just take it easy out there. I looked him 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:41.000 in the I said, thank you, Mr Nystrom. And to 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:44.320 this day, we playing charity outings, I see him in 0:19:44.320 --> 0:19:47.959 the offseason. And about three years ago we told the 0:19:48.000 --> 0:19:50.200 story when we were at Clark Gillis has a big 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:52.240 golf charity and Long Island. We told the story and 0:19:52.280 --> 0:19:55.560 Bobby was just on the on the ground rolling and 0:19:55.600 --> 0:19:59.040 he says, yeah, I vaguely remember that, Kenny. And I said, Bobby, 0:19:59.080 --> 0:20:01.680 you don't know how appreciative I was at the time. 0:20:02.160 --> 0:20:04.159 I was eighteen years old. I was not ready to 0:20:04.200 --> 0:20:07.520 fight you just yet. And he was so respectful, kind 0:20:07.560 --> 0:20:10.400 of that guy that he says, just go easy, kid. 0:20:10.440 --> 0:20:12.560 I know, I understand you're trying to make a name 0:20:12.600 --> 0:20:17.040 for yourself. That is just beautiful. That is just beautiful, 0:20:17.400 --> 0:20:30.920 good greeting like old Stanley St. Josey. Teams are called 0:20:32.800 --> 0:20:35.359 and he has all the right stuff. They all have 0:20:35.560 --> 0:20:52.919 the right stuff. Because now that Aspies I love. The 0:20:53.160 --> 0:20:58.440 Rangers famously win the Stanley Cup in four and the 0:20:58.520 --> 0:21:01.280 New York City loved it course, But then the very 0:21:01.280 --> 0:21:04.800 next season your Devil's winning in of all the trophies 0:21:04.800 --> 0:21:07.800 and sports, the Stanley Cup. Tell me about the moment 0:21:07.840 --> 0:21:10.159 you win it and the first moment you got to 0:21:10.160 --> 0:21:13.639 hoist that trophy. Well, I'll tell you Rex four was 0:21:15.440 --> 0:21:18.720 the step for our team, and a devastating step because 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:21.040 we lost the Eastern Conference Finals to the New York 0:21:21.119 --> 0:21:24.359 Rangers and double overtime in Game seven and had a 0:21:24.440 --> 0:21:27.240 lead in Game six to close up the series to nothing. 0:21:27.720 --> 0:21:30.080 So all these things come into play as far as 0:21:30.359 --> 0:21:33.560 when you you hear you gotta lose before you win, 0:21:33.640 --> 0:21:36.439 you gotta understand what it takes. And they had a 0:21:36.440 --> 0:21:39.360