Q. How are you enjoying Dundee?
A. Yeah, I really enjoy playing in Dundee, The rink is a great place to come to every day.
Q. How does it compare to other places you lived?
A. I still live in Fife, but I enjoy hanging around town in Dundee
Q. What’s the best part about living in Dundee?
A. If I lived in Dundee I think I’d enjoy not having to drive 45 minutes to practice every day!
Q. Do you have a second career for when you are not playing hockey?
A. Not really, I work with my Dad for a couple days a week and then I’m at the rink the rest of the week.
Q. What is it like for a British goalie to be playing with some top goaltenders from across the world and how much do they teach you?
A. It’s great getting to pick up things from guys and seeing how they play really helps you improve.
Q. What is your favourite moment with Dundee so far?
A. Would have to be the end of last year, the playoff quarter finals against Braehead, (the bus ride home!!) and then obviously the final four. Obviously, it would’ve been great to get to the final but it was still a great run.
Q. What/who made you want to play hockey?
A. My parents went to a lot of Flyers games (I know!) and I started by playing roller hockey and then into the junior system in Kirkcaldy.
Q. What is your pre-game meal and rituals?
A. I don’t really have any set things that I do apart from have a coffee when I get in and play two-touch right up until I have to rush to get dressed!
Q. What’s the weirdest pre-game ritual you’ve seen?
A. In Edinburgh there was a guy who was our best player, would have a hot dog and a can of coke after warm ups every game.
The strangest thing I’ve seen a goalie do is rub banana peel on his pads so they would slide better!
Q. What do you do to drive yourself to get better every day/season?
A. Every day I just watch Kris Inglis in practice and it inspires me to be a better hockey player and a better person.
Q. Who is the best player you have played with?
A, Probably Owen Fussey in Edinburgh. I swear I didn’t save one shot in practice from him all year – Fussey was a 2001 draft pick by the Washington Capitals who made four appearances for the Capitals in the NHL before joining Edinburgh Capitals in the 2009-10 season. The British-Canadian from Winnipeg put up 35 goals and 31 assists from 49 games with the Caps.
Q. Who were your hockey role models whilst growing up?
A. I really enjoyed watching Steve Briere when I went to the Flyers games. He was a great guy too, he was the only guy to come out to practice with the juniors quite a lot.
Q. How does the Elite League compare with the other leagues you have played in?
A. It’s the only league outside juniors and the infamous Scottish Professional Hockey League that I’ve played in so it stands up pretty well.
Q. How do you deal with the long travel journey’s?
A. I can’t really sleep that well on the bus so I just watch movies and have the odd game of monopoly with Giff, (McGiffin) Ben (Edmonds) and Kris (Inglis). (Unless Giff rigs the game on his iPad that is).
Q. What was your time with Fife and Edinburgh like and how much did you learn?
A. I really enjoyed playing through the junior system in Fife. I think after the BNL collapsed and crowds went down the juniors in Scotland struggled for numbers but it looks like it’s getting back again with the four elite league teams up here now drawing kids in. Edinburgh was a fun time as well, we had the same core 6 or 7 guys for the whole time I was there so it was always a good time coming to the rink.
Q. What was it like to get to the final four last season?
A. It was a great experience, especially having gotten so close the year before with a lot of the same guys. The whole weekend is just a festival atmosphere. It didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to but just getting there was a massive achievement for us.
Q. What NHL team did you grow up supporting?
A. I never really followed one team until I seen Henrik Lundqvist practicing in Gothenburg when we were at a junior tournament there and when he signed for the New York Rangers the next year I started following them. So I’m a Celtic and a Rangers fan!
Q. What is your favourite moment from your career?
A. Growing up, going to the conference tournaments at the end of the year with the Scotland team was always fun. Since then, it would have to be making the final four last year.
Q. Where do you want to be in 10 years?
A. Still involved with hockey in some capacity, maybe cement a starting role on a rec team somewhere. Outside of hockey, I’ve always had the aim of joining the fire service so hopefully doing that.
Q. What’s the best thing about the Dundee Stars fans?
A. The songs! Every year they come up with new songs for the guys. I always crack up as well when someone loses their helmet and they break out the U.G.L.Y song.
