From Dreams on the Streets to NHL Triumphs: Kevin Weekes’ Story of Passion and Persistence

Dave Scatchard: 00:00:00

Hey today's interview for all star success codes is with one of my dear friends Kevin weeks we call a week see, one of the best dressed NHL goalies turned broadcasters in the world. Weeks, he shares stories from his childhood growing up in Toronto, Canada, and playing minor hockey discusses his journey to becoming a pro. And then experiences in Junior, the AHL all the way up to the NHL. So he's given you his real life success codes. It's an amazing interview weeks, he is hilarious, he's sharp. He's smart, he gives great words of wisdom and advice. And in addition to just discussing his playing career, he talks about his transition to becoming an NHL broadcaster. After retiring from playing, he offers insights on adapting to different roles over the course of his career, and overcoming obstacles to achieve your goals. So this conversation provides a fascinating look into Kevin's whole story of his life and what it took for him to make it to the NHL and then move on and be successful in other areas. And, you know, once again, he's he's a joy to listen to. I'm so grateful that he did this podcast for us and buckle up because it's a it's a wonderful story. And I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did recording it. Kevin weeks, week. See? Thank you for being here. Why don't you tell me a little bit about what life was like for you growing up in Toronto? What was your family upbringing, like and what are the types of things that you did that helped you with your development? How the heck did you become a hockey player

Kevin Weekes: 00:01:43

growing up in Toronto at the time in the area that we lived in. It was kind of cool because it was the eclectic but it was one of the little Italy's in Toronto. So, the main street St. Clair, we lived on an intersecting street called Christie. So hard working, a lot of blue collar family oriented, highly Italian but still very diverse, very mixed. So still Polish, Ukrainian, white, Canadian, Irish, Greek, Portuguese, Caribbean, but the highest percentage in that area was a time. So St. Clair West for example, in 1982, when Italy won the World Cup soccer World Cup, you know, there are a million people going up and down our Main Street St. Clair. So you can go up and down there and get your mozzarella, get your, you know, get your get all your Italian stuff. And it was just a real unique mix. I'm just setting the tone into the area and the mix of people, different cultures coming together, living together, side by side working together shopping at the same grocery stores, same restaurants, school, or school with McMurray, public schools, the exact same thing. So that's kind of the mix on that. Interestingly enough, kind of at the bottom of our street. We had Hillcrest Park. And further down Christi, we had Christie Pits, which is kind of an iconic Park in Toronto. So both of them had rinks in the winter. But I'll take it a step further. We live in a building five at Christie street. So we live in this apartment building. My parents. My dad was in Barbados. My mom went back from Canada because she had already emigrated in 67. So she emigrated in 67. She then went back to Barbados, they got married. And then he came back to Toronto. They were in Toronto, she set up the apartment everything, got all of his immigration stuff, handled everything. So he was strict with like, I just coming to visit my mom's like, no, no, you're actually living here. And he goes, No, I'm working on Apple weights, plantation and Barbados. I drive a Landrover, I'm the overseer on the plantation. We have West Indian record label, which was literally a record label. They had a record factory in the back of the plantation. He loves music, he's like, I'm not leaving. Like there's no way that I'm going to leave Barbados to come to candidates cold. I'm happy to spend time with you. But my mom's like, No, you don't get it. You're you're you're living here. Now. This is this is kind of life. You're not going back. This is life. So five years, basically later, they end up having me and this is kind of what I grew up in. We lived in apartments 301 and 580. Christian Street was our building apartment through one apartment. 401 was my auntie zeta, my uncle Eustace and my cousin Ian. So my cousin Ian was like my hero. He was my big brother. And he was born in 1968. I was born in 75 years older than me. He's cool. And then the guys that he hung with in the neighborhood, were cool. Some of them born in 66. I'm 65. So I'm 62. So I was kind of hanging around, like tagging around with these guides my older cousin. So that's kind of the peer group to start off. So with that, these guys start playing street hockey literally behind the building. So there's a little cul de sac and there was a wall and on the wall one net would be on the wall if and when we had net unless it was two rocks and then the other net would be at the other end. So So basically the one wall was cool, because unless the guy shot, the equivalent of over the glass, the ball would be in play. You can go behind the net and Gretzky behind the board, whatever On this wall based on that 1982 Soccer World Cup, somebody had spray painted Italy, number one, Greece number two, just to kind of set the tone of the area the visual, you know what I mean? So we would come out like our, the hard part was, my aunt and my parents apartment was on the other side of the building. Had we lived on this side of the building, our parents could be on the balcony and look out and see us playing hockey, but it was the other way around. So I couldn't even play with these guys, right? Because as you can imagine, I'm for my cousin's 11 Some guys are 12. Some guys are 14, some guys are 15. And I'm literally just there as the ball chaser. That's it. There was a laneway right behind us, you know, yeah, it's on the laneways event. So there's a laneway right behind us. When people's backyards just fill out some had garages or whatever. So basically, if the ball went in the laneway, I would go get it if the ball went into in the you know, the bushes that would give you the birds or the Spurs. If the ball went in there, I gotta go get it whatever did that was my way of hanging out. So cool. Like have if you want to hang out, you got to kind of be the ball chaser Bob Ross. So the one guy who was always a net Lambros was his last name. I don't even know his first name. Everybody should call him Lambros. Clearly, he was Greek. So Lambros, his family had emigrated to Canada moved to Toronto, they lived in the building. So Lambros was the one goalie who was always in, and then the other end, they would like rotate guys through. So I have to be oh my god, man. Lambro so good, man. Oh, my, I've watched the whole the bad, these guys are awesome. And he the whole and you know, regular tennis ball, sometimes skim the tennis ball so that the ball, you know, it's, it flies faster, whatever. And it's easier to stick handle street hockey ball, the orange street hockey ball, I'm going to the old play. So guys would go literally to Canadian Tire by sticks out of the bargain bin. You remember when they had the plastic blades. So guides would literally get an old stick and then go and buy three blades. Some guys are like nailed the blade in other guys that actually heat it and put it in. So we had like a whole mishmash of people, right whole mishmash of players, different backgrounds, different accents, the whole name. So from there, my older cousin, there's a world famous rink in Toronto. It's world famous anyway, it's it's called St Mike's arena. So it was up at St. Clair and Bathurst which on a walk is about 25 minutes to a half hour. But my older cousin and a lot of the guys went to St Mike's to register not to play elite like AAA or whatever. But they went to play house league it was called Toronto Olympics Helsley. So the in went and Luigi went and all these different people went and whatever. And then they came back to like, yeah, man, we're gonna play hockey, we're gonna play hockey. So like, Mom, Dad, I got to play I got to play. Like I want to play. It's I got to sign up, you got to sign me up. You got to sign me up. So picture this, right? As I said, everybody, including our white Canadian friends, but everybody's in a different background. Parents don't really know what's going on. What we're going to go and play hockey ready to go stand it's cold arena. We got to go there every Saturday morning. It's a day off for us. We could be at Loblaws or we can be at Metro dominion, whatever it is doing our groceries doing whatever. Anyhow, so all these guys go and register. I'm banging on my parents banging on my parents saying my dad played cricket. My dad played cricket back home in Barbados. He played cricket in kind of an equivalent of a World Junior for Barbados. And then when he came to Canada, he was playing club cricket, just local club cricket or whatever. So now by me playing hockey that's going to take him away from playing cricket. My dad's like, yeah, no problem. Surprisingly, like Yeah, no problem. My mom's not arguing nobody's arguing about it. They're like, yeah, so they took me up there to register $65 registration. And then they're like, my dad's like, uh, where do we get equipment? What do we do? Like how does this even work? So they take me down to Canadian Tire down on young and basically young in Davenport is one of the first Canadian tires they take me down there. And they're like, Oh, well, what what position does he play? I knew I wanted to be a goalie. My first book in grade one has been saying Canada first grade as we say here, Miss Mahara was my teacher. My first book I remember drawing scoreboard with the NHL logo me in the net bravo bravo bravo. I want to play in the NHL. That was it. It was done locked and loaded six years old, locked and loaded. So anyway, wreck Canadian Tire and there's my catching glove. It's at my parents house still in the hockey room. My catching gloves. You remember old school Cooper Cooper hockey equipment. So it said made in Barbados because Cooper had a plant in Barbados. So my dad is like getting all the warm and fuzzies in the tinglies he's like all right, this is good stuff. I liked that. This is good stuff right in his accent. And the buys my gear and next thing you know, I'm playing for Parsons. It was a green team and healthy. PARSONS Enterprises was our sponsor, and kind of a way we went from there. So let me take you back to streethockey Before we get to St. Mike's Lambros his family is moving back to Greece. Remember they moved from Greece to Toronto to Canada. Now they're moving back to Greece. So now they need a goalie. Well, who better than the little chocolate almond a will throw you in there you want to hang out? Go get into Net. So these guys are 11 I told you my cousin he is 11 Some guys are tall some but I'm kind of in there but you don't these guys could shoot the clock. You're like you're the ball, you're afraid of the ball, whatever. Okay, so that's the street hockey piece. I start playing with these guys. Now let's take it to the park. I told you about two parks Hillcrest Park. We had a rink at Hillcrest, but there was no boards. It was just snowbanks right the boards and like the infrastructure for the rink was further down Christie at Christie Pitts Park, which is a huge park. So typically we'd play at Hillcrest Park. Now this is before my dad got the skates a Canadian Tire. I am out there in Cougar boots, bro. Cougar winter boots, Cougar with the red. And I had a rubber cowboy boot, there was one note and then I had the other one. That was the Cougar was the brown ones with the laces with like the Cougar on the side. You know what I mean? So anyways, so I was I wore those basically for a winter and a half, two winters and I'm on the rink at Hillcrest Park in those in my winter jacket or whatever. And our pads that we had, when people would throw out old sofas or couches, in the building the sponge, you take the spines out of the old sofas, we'd cut them, we put like little holes and put the string around. So you can tie them those are your straps, right? Those are your straps. And then we take that as we used to say Magic Marker, we take a marker, and you know how the pads used to have the lines on them and stuff, the vertical, the horizontal, so you're making your pads, that's your pads. And then somebody has a baseball glove, and somebody has a player glove, and we'll play a glove. That's your blocker. Let's go get in there. So that's kind of my gear story and how it started. So

Dave Scatchard: 00:11:33

it sounds like you're drawn to hockey as we all were and you fell in love with hockey. Are you into other sports? Do you play anything else? What was it about hockey that you love?

Kevin Weekes: 00:11:43

Right from the beginning, it was hockey for me, I was gonna play in the NHL, that's going to be what I was going to do. Nothing's coming between me in that. And that's that. And I never had like my parents never had to say you were lazy today. Why didn't you work hard to power skating, you didn't try hard and practice that it was never never like from being a kid till once I turned ended up turning pro. I respected the game that way. I respected my parents that way. They're working that hard for me to be able to play. I respected my teammates that way. And there's just kind of a different sponsibility being a goalie. And I'll kind of get into the psychology of that in a little bit. But that was kind of my approach. And then I had some friends that some guys are now getting into other stuff. And then we moved from downtown. We moved to Scarborough, which was kind of I don't want to say devastating was tough initially, because the part of Scarborough that we moved to was gritty. So it was my parents first townhouse. And you know, they're making moves. And so we move into an area called Chester Lee, which is very, very gritty, very, very gritty. So we had regular housing, which is what we lived in Joel Ward. Joe Ward lived in his older brother Shane, and Julian. And then we had Ontario housing, government housing. So it was a really different mix and a different so now this area was yes, diverse, but really, really heavily black in terms of population. So for a lot of people like you, oh guy, what are you playing hockey for? What do you mean, you're not running track? You're not playing ball, like hoops, you're not playing football? What do you mean, hockey? What's up? So for whatever reason, people kind of looked at us as being the Cosby's in that sense. We were kind of outliers, so to speak. When Joel Ward would eventually he was still much younger than I wasn't what have you. So we were very, we were respected. But people were always kind of curious. Like, what's with that decision? Like why would you why would you want to play hockey? I don't we're not getting it. We're not getting, especially when NBA started to become the rage and it's magic. It's bird. It's MJ. It's you know what I mean? The pistons, Isaiah like all these different cultural kind of confluences, and polls that a lot of people are watching. You're watching those NBA games, and not as many people in that neighborhood. were glued to the TV set the way we were around Hockey night in Canada as an example. Just a different kind of cultural experience. I started playing basketball, love hoops, loved it. Jordan was my guy love hoops to this day. But that was just kind of another athletic outlet. Really, for me. It was all about playing in the NHL.

Dave Scatchard: 00:14:15

So as a young player, you know, what was the NHL Draft experience like for you? Did you know you're gonna get drafted? Did you know you're going to be a high pick? Was there a lot of hype around you? What was it like for you as a young athlete trying to chase his dream of making the NHL and then tell us about the draft?

Kevin Weekes: 00:14:37

My NHL Draft I was second goalie rank. Mine Dawson Tebow 93 draft it was in Quebec City and we went to Quebec for the draft. It was amazing. I end up getting drafted by the Panthers. And that was really cool. Of course, you're just over the moon is you know, to get drafted and it's such a cool experience. But from there, you're scrapping. You're going to training camp, you're scrapping just trying to get in All the guys that all the guys relate you're just trying to get in you're trying to get noticed. You want to have a 5% 4% body fat you want to be stacked Do you want to do it on the bike tests you want to and you realize how much of a job it is really is I'm sure it's kind of an eye opener like oh shoot these guys do this this is a full time thing. So training camp was a good experience it played fairly well good experience and then from there over the years I felt like I was ready. I went back to junior I ended up getting traded Ottawa I'll give you this quick story. My last year I get traded Ottawa 60 sevens because it was Jamie store and iunknown sound. He wanted to play I want to play stores. He gets drafted first round to LA Kings. I was wrapped in second round here before to Florida. And at that point, you're like, we need to play we need we need our own net. So on Sal wouldn't trade me as a guide if you don't trade me I'm gonna I'm holding on to you to trade. So I held out stayed at home skated with St. Mike's did YouTube et Cie much buzzers while I played with a bit, skated with them, and then I get a call. So our trainer comes up. He's like, we've seen We've seen the phones for you the phone for you on my phone. So I literally forgot my mask. Run into the brothers locker room. I'm on the other kind of. I'm like, Hey, Hi, sir. Brian kilrea here with the Ottawa 60 sevens. Just want to let you know, we just traded for you. I'm like, Oh, Mr. kilrea. Oh, what the 67 Ottawa. Xhosa just want to let you know so I said okay, Mr. kilrea. That's awesome. Thank you so much. I won't let you down. I appreciate that. Thank you. So laser. Alright. Well, I said Mr. Fury, I got a couple of questions. I said number one, I just want to know, Can I wear a double zero? That's my number. Can I wear double zero? I don't care what the fuck killer as long as you can stop the fucking puck. You could wear whatever you like. I'm like, Okay, Mr. Currie Can I wear my Vongole equipment because I'm a Vaughn guy and leaked to the sponsor with Bauer at the Cooper at the time to I don't care what the fuck you'll wear. As long as you stopped the fucking puck. You can wear whatever you like. I'm like, Okay, Mr. kilrea. Awesome. So it's like happier parents bring you up to Belleville. We're playing in Belleville in a couple of days that can meet up with the team. And then when you get to Ottawa, you'll meet your billet family, whatever. And that's kind of the way it rolled. So unbelievable. First intro to Brian Tilray who is a legend in junior hockey. And from there. A couple days later, my parents they bring me and you know my sister and I we go up to Belleville. They played in Belleville and I get on the bus with the guys and as it turned out, one of my old minor hockey teammates Mike Nemirovsky, his brother Dave was playing in Ottawa for six sevens. Him too was a Florida panther Japeth. So the family and his billet family ironically, Dick and Steph Kramer, Steph of the family, the wife, she lived in Barbados for a while, so it was perfect. So it's really cool Canadian lady lived in Barbados, she gets it it was. And they were amazing to me. So we ended up playing the plane there. My last year junior I play in the NHL top prospect game, and the rest of it is ended up playing a lot. You're playing in a city that just had the NHL team of senators were just kind of recently there. So a lot of times I kind of skip a class or to the go down depending on who the goalie was. That was coming into play the Senator. So like Ron Hextall, for example, Hey, the flyers are here to play. So and so's here to play hashtags here. And let me go down and watch the skate because at that time, the senators played at the same arena. So I kind of got a taste of a stronger taste of what the NHL was. And if you remember, the first half of that year was lockout was 9495. So a lot of those guys, prior to the lockout being resolved, they were skating with us. So it's really cool to just be around those guys day to day see the way they carry themselves, take some shots, and just kind of see how hard those guys were working, you know. So that was kind of that play from junior and then junior to the minors. And my first year in American League, I started a lot of games. I was number one guy basically out of junior I played 60 Something games. Second year, the same thing stayed pretty much the entire NHL preseason, both those years third year. Same thing, and I remember coming out of training camp. My after my second year, John Vanbiesbrouck said to me, he's like, I think you're ready. It's like you're ready. I came in, like at 18 years 22 You should be playing, you're ready to play. So Brian Murray at the time, said to me and God bless his soul. So Brian Murray at the time, who just recently passed, said Haven't you played in Buchan American Hockey League for the last two years. I'm gonna send you from the American League down to the eihl There's a lot of old any NHL guys that are down there. So this mindset, if you know the way Brian talk, that's exactly the way he spoke. So I was like, what I'm ready to play in the NHL. But he wanted me to go to the eye and play against older players. Some seasoned guys that had been in the league that had NHL careers and whatever. So I go down there, I play and we went to Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana, small town amazing hockey tradition in Fort Wayne and we basically went from last place to first place and to His Word. Mark Fitzpatrick was a backup behind Beezer he traded Fitzy and created a spot for me and Utah so I was there and then at that point I was there the rest of the year I sprained my MCL I didn't get into too many games and I played really well my first NHL start we tied in Ottawa ironically to two I think it was first star I played really well against buffalo we lost for three and then but as you can notice, I didn't end up winning a game so I'm like oh five and one or oh six and one So the next year or the sorry that offseason I was going to be on a two way win which case you know the two way one way I'm like I should be on a one way I was up last year. I've been in the minor for basically parts of three years. A proven I can play I should be on a one way. Never gave me a one way. So I end up holding out again. So I go to Detroit Vipers of the AHL. Steve Ludwig was our coach John Torre Chetty Rick Dudley was our GM. They were great to me treat me like Gaul. Went there. Our team was awesome. We had some ex NHL guys Bradshaw, Stan Giulia, Peter sebag. Lea, guys were great to me, Darren banks, Fossum. Our team was great. I lit it up. But I literally put, I literally put my balls on line. And what people don't know was I just bought my parents a new house back home. So I took that responsibility. We sold their house and like, yeah, just get your dream house. No big deal. So I reached on that. And then next thing, you know, not not what Wait, I'm not in a one way contract. So I'm now playing instead of making 400. In the NHL, I'm playing in the eye for 75 plus bonuses for wins and games played and shut out or whatever. But it's pretty quantum differences you can imagine. And I went there and lit it up. That was it totally the year I lit it up there. And I remember Brian Murray, Florida was in town to play the Detroit readings. And I had an apartment in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Brian came to my apartment. Which amazing respect. And he's like, Kevin, you're gonna play in the National Hockey League for a long time. You are, but one of your friends. And I won't say the guy's names like one of your friends that was criticizing us in the paper will never play another game on the clock and National Hockey League again, and never did ended up playing in Europe, Sweden. Finland, K chill, never played another game. So I wouldn't be here today. And I'd be remiss if I didn't think those people on the way the people in Owen Sound, of course, the Toronto veterans, of course, and youth hockey, but people in non sound writing Tilray in Ottawa, that, of course, Ryan Ryan were at the NHL level, because that not for him, he made good on his promise and not for him, I might not have gotten a shot. You know, it's like a thin razor wire that you're walking between being there and not being there. And I owe everything to those people specifically to him to honor his word, see me as a young player, prospect young man and see enough there to give me the opportunity, the lobby to earn it, but to give me the opportunity to be in the league. So I'm very, very grateful for him.

Dave Scatchard: 00:23:01

So obviously, you get drafted to the NHL, you're about to go play. You're starting to realize that your dream about making it to the NHL or to the higher levels in hockey. What was your favorite part about that? What was the thing that really got you motivated to to keep pushing, even when things got difficult?

Kevin Weekes: 00:23:29

One, it was and is my life's passion since I was six. Right? That was my orbit. That's where I'm going. Nobody's gonna tell me differently. Not happening. That's gonna happen. One to doing that, and being able to change the course of your family's life. Right, everybody around you, your mom, your dad, sister, in my case, you know, son now out of Vancouver, ironically, being able to change the course of because this is kind of why my parents left paradise to come to North America in the first place. Because otherwise just stay there. Why are you here? You know what I mean? Like, it's the North American Dream. Everybody says the American dream. It's people move to Canada. Same thing. It's, we put the two together the North American dream, it's opportunity. What are you doing? Like a lot of people not everybody left a place that was war torn. Not every not everybody left political oppression. Not everybody left. You know what I mean? A hostile environment so to say or ethnic cleansing or cultural revolution not everybody left that. My parents certainly didn't. Barbados is a gem. So for them to leave there and come and sacrifice and both work and you know, want my sister and I and support us and love us and empower us and encourage us. You better make something up. So I was fortunate in that sense that I make stuff happen and more importantly, I'm able to share a lot of the experience a lot of the insight, a lot of the benefits of that with them, and you know, other family members or what have you, and some select friends as you would know. And then I would say, lastly, man, the people that told me it couldn't happen. You know, my dad saw guy, this guy Patrice at my old man hockey rink at chess with the other day, my dad still goes to watch my son lives in Vancouver, my dad still goes to watch in Toronto, chess would almost every Friday and talk to parents and pass on whatever knowledge he has, and just be there and support and the thing about that is the amount of people that told me I couldn't black white family on family, friends, teachers, guidance counselor's lot can happen. Nope. Play basketball run track. Nope. Not happening. Why would you even family members, my parents, why would you even Why do you guys have them in hockey? Why are him unanswered in hockey? Like what are you doing? What? Why even. So it's not just one subset. It's not white people. It wasn't just black people. It wasn't. I'm talking people across the board. And interestingly enough, as I got older, as I became 1516, and it was the thing, and you're in the paper, and it's this and whatever, it started to give people a little air perk. And then some people really cool and at least they kind of admitted that they were whatever. And then other people got even more indignant about it. I had a gym teacher, Mr. Soccer, who coached our high school team in Scarborough at buffoon, our basketball team, and I remember him arguing with me one day over, you need to make a decision, you're either gonna be a basketball player or a hockey player. And I'm going to tell you right now, and then you're not playing in the NHL. Not gonna happen. So you're starting small forward, you might as well commit to being on my basketball team, my my basketball team, as he would say, because you're not gonna play in the NHL, you you're not gonna make it. And I remember leaving that office, I was so hot. And I wanted to, I wanted to Jack him up in the office, but I then knew what the repercussions would be in my mom and dad and how they would jack me up for Jack him up. So I kind of lost that idea. And then a millisecond, but I wanted to Jack him up so badly. And I said, all right to myself. All right, I got you. No worry. I got you. And I'll never forget after I signed my first NHL contract, and I got my BMW M 390 95, BMW M three, my signing bonus. I drove it right up to where he used to park him in the other gym, teachers used to park and I made sure I was there until he came out. Just so he could see me and he could know just to let him know. Because the thing is, and then the you know, conversely, we had Mr. Hollowell, who was an amazing gym teacher, and so empowering. We have Mr. Watson who was an amazing gym teacher, and was so empowering and his dad worked for OHL central scouting, actually, Miss Henrik was my math teacher whose sons were both drafted to the NHL. When amazing person empowering, I was brewed at math terrible. So shad, terrible, brutal. I couldn't do anything in math except add and subtract. Don't bring in no integers. Don't bring in any out to jurors. Don't bring in any factors. Don't bring in any of that. Let me add, subtract, divide, multiply, and I'm good to go. And but she would work with me, she was helpful, she would push me help pass me in grade nine math and was just a supporter of the vision, you know what I mean? And it was such a polar opposite between those three teachers as an example. And empowering you know, young men and women to aspire and to want to become anything positive that they wanted to become, versus somebody that's a balloon popper. Very different.

Dave Scatchard: 00:29:02

All right, so we always ask all of our interviewees what their first NHL game was like, what was that like walking into the NHL locker room for the first time. Your first big start in the NHL, senior Jersey hanging in the stall and knowing that you are going to be in the history books forever as playing in the NHL, get in

Kevin Weekes: 00:29:25

the room. And you walk in you see your jersey with your nameplate on it and stuff and you're like yeah, man, this is it. You know what I mean? This is it. This is what it was for. And my first game that I got into was in Dallas in 97. I think Beezer got pulled after the second period. And you could just feel it come in bro. Beezer was a franchise in Florida. He was awesome. But he wasn't on his game wasn't going well. And people were looking you know the boys on the bench. We see you might be going in race Shepherd we ship Mitsi get ready. You can be going in and you're feeling like a different mix of emotions. You know what I mean? This isn't NHL preseason, this is NHL, it's not cigar old school 9394 This is NHL real talk real life. So then we get in a locker room with old Dallas rink, not even the new one old reunion. And I remember assistant coach comes up and they're like, We see. You're going. You're going wondering the third. And now it's just like, whole body. tingly. Everything's tingly. Leg hairs tingly? Nose ears tingly? You know, you're trying to keep it cool. You're stretching down you're like, Yeah, man. I'm ready to go. Oh, you know what I mean? Yeah. I'm good. Don't worry about me. I got it boys. Was like good to go. So nervous. You don't even know. Honestly. I was so nervous. But the best part was, I didn't have time. It's kind of like Oscar dad's last night for Vegas. To man hurts himself. All of a sudden that hey, that's, you're in there. It's kind of how it was only because I had the intermission to get ready. I think they had five shots. And none of them were dangerous. And I made five routine saves. I'm like, Yes. And I'm in the NHL now. But what was freaky was my first start at Ottawa. And because I played Junior there my last year, when they told me I was starting and Doug McLean told me an end. Billy Smith, a great Billy Smith, who would have seen yesterday who was our goalie coach in Florida. Like seeing you're going, you're up partner. You're going and it was special because he had come to one sound and put time into me as a goalie coach, you know what I mean? Come and see me and Jr. This that whatever the minor is the American League eihl. And it was it was I remember calling my parents let them know. They ended up coming from Toronto drive in Ottawa, which in could be a force to six hour drive, depending on the winter or whatever. And it was huge man. It was huge. Like I that whole afternoon, I saw a lot of different visions. You know, like I saw visions of playing and visualizing how I wanted to play. And Daniel Alfredsson shoots it from here, and this guy shoots it from there. And he ashen likes to do this. But I also in a weird way, saw myself playing minor hockey, you know, like, Hey, man, this the Kamloops tournament. This is the Kibet This is the Kibet 90 We want to keep it at 90. That's the Kibet. You know what I mean? And Kent Hitchcock's up there scouting us because he coached the Blazers and whatever. And are here's the Calgary Max milk midget tournament. You know, it just took me to different places. The reality like me, starting that night, the visions were me Of course visualizing making the saves in the NHL game that was upcoming. But it took me different places. And I gotta tell you one thing too, for a lot of you boys and girls to what's so important. Is everything made sense? Everything. So me not wanting to be a party or when I was younger, made sense. Me wanted to go to the YMCA and get my lift on because that was a scrawny kid. made sense. me running Jack goodlad Park back home and running stairs before anybody was doing stairs and doing resistance bands before anybody kind of was over here and people laughing at me and your goalie, why do you lift why you run why you do this? Why you want to do that? It all made sense. My parents working my parents sacrificing it all made sense. And that was the biggest thing for me. It all kind of came together at once and made sense, just based on the opportunity because this is what all of that and the help and the support and the love and the sacrifice of them. This is why all of that made sense for this to be a reality.

Dave Scatchard: 00:33:58

So obviously, being a goalie there's tons of pressure, right? You're the last line of defense. Everyone sees it when you make a mistake. How did you deal with that pressure? And what do you have to say to young kids or people trying to become a goalie? What's that like? And what are ways that they can build their competence and their self esteem? And also like, stay strong? Mentally and emotionally even if you let in a bad goal, like what are things that you can do? What did you do to deal with the pressure of being an NHL goalie?

Kevin Weekes: 00:34:36

The biggest thing that I noticed and I'm going to take you back to being young I remember playing Friday night chess what arena cities packed? Sometimes that North North Toronto arena rinks PAC Lindros is playing after us so and so's playing Grand Marshal this guy scouts are jammed. And I remember the biggest thing about playing goal that's the exact same, whether you're eight, whether you're 10, whether you're 14, you're playing tier two, you're playing USHL you're playing who you want to play at Michigan State and ultimately you want you want to play in the NHL. There was one common thread with all that. I'm an eight year old nine year old. I could see it now. Just with arena, rink two. I lead in a soft goal. I could see the exasperation on the faces of parents. Mr. Pekka Claudio. Mr. De Stassi. Dominic this dazi whoever it may be whoever come on calf. Come on, literally, is an eight year old. And it's no different than it being bred, had a kid and planted Carolina. It's no different than playing at the garden and seeing fans like oh, man, no, what's the doing? So the point that I'm making it's real. It doesn't change from youth hockey to junior to the Olympics to the NHL to Stanley Cup final and never changes. That's a part of the role. And it's always going to happen. I get to lighten it a little bit. You know, sometimes you're, I'm not gonna say the NHL goal. I started skating with NHL errs. I'm 16 just before just after my first year in junior in the summer, Cujo Gilmore, all these guys, Sergei gladstar, for whatever reason, Mironov warshafsky, all these guys whatever, leaves everyone.

Kevin Weekes: 00:36:40

There was one goalie out there. And guys be like, let me see. Kalamata there. Take them out of there, man.

Kevin Weekes: 00:36:48

Get in there. Who's a veteran NHL goalie. It's summer hockey. This guy played in the league. I didn't even have an NHL pa gift bag yet. You understand what in several hockey? So it just shows you how competitive the guys are. And you know this sometimes. I know for a fact I'm on the bench. NHL game. We'll see what's he doing? Stop a beach ball. Let's Robert. Tell him it's a Saven I haven't got where I had a guy. my rookie year in the American League were playing at the Philadelphia spectrum against the flyers AHL team at the time. Philly phantoms. This one NHL longtime NFL killer, grew up watching on the TV hockey in Canada. We get scored on that it was Patrick Hughley, and if I'm not mistaken, was excellent sweetest player. For the Phantoms. He only played up a handful of games with the flyers. The demand comes in, he skates back for the goal. Okay, man, you're doing this on purpose or what? You let these fucking lead these goals and on purpose Come on. It was my rookie year in the American League. There's 15 16,000 people on the spectrum. So here's my thing with that I'm just, I'm just laying it all out there. It doesn't change. It's a reality of the position. It's part of the major responsibility of the position. And it's very important to know that you're always trying to be the best you can be. Anytime you're in the net, warm up practice game, game the game and every goalie gets scored on everyone all the greats all the best all the guys I had in my sticker book all the guys I had on my posters as you would know a lot of these guys we I'm playing games crafts here tonight. You know what I mean? Our idols guys, we grew up idolizing. Like they got scored on. So it's going to happen. But it's also important to know that it's just a goal. And it's a goal, I should say. positive self talk on the greatest. Next shot next safe, deep breath. Everybody has their own routine. Next shot next safe, I'm the greatest. I'm the best. I'm ready. And try to have as many positive affirmations as possible. affirm to yourself that you're good affirm to yourself that you're ready affirm to yourself that you're focused, affirm to yourself that you're great. See it Stop it, stop it next shot next save next shot next save and what you constantly it's what you're feeding, what you're feeding your brain and your mind. You're consuming that you're thinking it you're speaking it, ultimately you're gonna start believing it and becoming an even more

Dave Scatchard: 00:39:48

so obviously goalie like we talked about is such a huge position and everybody's staring at you and notices if you mess up. You know, what's the number One thing that makes or breaks being a great goaltender positioning,

Kevin Weekes: 00:40:05

bro. Would if you're here or here, that makes a difference between the save a lot and a goal. Small guy that played big, very into the mental game, very self assured. Thought he was bigger in stature than he was played bigger than he than he actually is. Positioning are the positioning. No problem. Subtle. That was Beezer. If I go from Beezer to Longo, even when he was 20, or whatever he would have been technical, the French technical butterfly components, because we were just starting to get into that. And those guys already ahead of the curve because Francois and Benoit there. So that's why you want to talk about breeders lean fish show first set, Jimmy Wait, Marty, Baron lawan go. I could go up and down. All these guys kept coming out of Quebec because they had this. They were getting the goalie coaching. The position was changing. Patrick was of course Josie Theodore. It was a spawning ground. But Roberto had that I remember watching. I mean, we were practicing in SAS at one day, and I'm down at the other. And I'm making these saves or whatever. Watching Roberto. Roberto is like Yo, he's four years younger than me were born on the same day. How's this guide making this so easy? You know what I mean? But I didn't understand the concept of the butterfly as a foundational principle on which they base their game off of. I didn't understand that and I started learning it the next summer and going on there so my goalie coach sudsy sudsy and I renting the ice, literally renting the ice at center ice arena at Victoria Park and McNichol buy one of my old grade schools a day at a Chinese buffet up top, literally above the rent. There was underground in the basement. And him and I have been at the rink, offseason three four days a week no one there. Nobody capillary playing at Michigan CAMI you're shooting. Daniel Winnik you're shooting Jayna hefford Canadian Women's team. Jana, you're shooting. And that's that's how I had to learn that element of my game. And that was a big part of my offseason. But I was humbled because I saw this guy that was 20. And he was already so far ahead.

Dave Scatchard: 00:42:28

So what was it like when you got traded? Tell people out there the listeners who maybe don't know like, what is it? What does it feel like when you get traded? And going from team to team? You played for a few teams like I did in your career? What's that? Like? How do you integrate with the with the new team? And what what's that whole situation like for you when you have to go and you know, you get the call that you've been traded

Kevin Weekes: 00:42:57

really tough. It was really tough. It was very tough for all of us because you didn't want to get traded. I know I didn't want to get traded lucky to want to get traded. And then the whole story with me and why he got traded and why didn't get traded. I didn't even answer to it. And it was difficult. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know who to talk to. I didn't know who to turn to. Fortunately, we had like a really cool team so sweaty I'm getting because it's just it was so rattling to the core that Who are you going to return it to I had a small time agent. He didn't have a big profile. He didn't really know how to refute how to go up against them what to say how to counter it. And I was just basically on this kind of island by myself. And as you know, we ended up going and we lived in the Marriott on Long Island, right across from the rink right across the parking lot. And I ended up living there the whole year. I didn't even move I lived there the whole year. And young team yourself. McKee is Mr. Valiquette at times, well, long ago at times before we sat him down, and we actually started to make a little bit of noise. We beat some good teams, we beat the Rangers. We had some big wins and hey, man, we were actually showing that as we were learning how to be NHL players and how to be pros, what to do, what not to do, but we still there was still some tangible we got slapped around some times as a team in terms of our losses. But we still are starting to make some traction. New ownerships coming in new coaching staff, it's this it's that I'll never forget spoke about long ago. I was back home, going to work out with Hanson in the offseason. The Good Life Fitness by my mom's work. And before I can get into the good life, I get a call from Long Island. And it's Mike Milbury is like, hey, just wanna let you know, you're traded to Tampa. So yeah, thanks a lot. We'll see you later. Like this even happen. I just got here. I was playing well, we got good guys. We've got good dudes. We're all learning. Everybody's working hard. We got a good vibe like our vibe was starting to come along. Unbeknownst to me. There's this guy named Rick beat DPS show that they wanted to draft and kind of build a franchise around. He was a B You guy, Mike's a Boston guy. So Roberto Luongo, who I thought was amazing and we sat down for as it turns out to get more AHL games. Roberto calls me. We see you just get traded. Like yeah, man. What about you? What's up? I just covered a trade What do you beat you got traded you? What do you mean he was fourth of all I'm not mistaken 97 draft this kid's gonna be a stud What do you mean you got traded he's like I just got traded with me just traded me to to the factors. I'm like no come on. So now I'm comforting him because he just gets traded and he's really the super prospect and I'm trying to process myself getting traded again. And from there we just talked to the phone and forget how long for and I got off the phone and hey, whatever and went and had an amazing workout did my thing but rattled just wrapped like what's going on? Like, How is this even a thing here? And from there, fortunately, I go down to Tampa, I get traded to Tampa and as I said I played for Ludwig and torch Eddie in them down in America in the AHL. Excuse me with Detroit. They were great to me. I was in Tampa. Learning training wheels are coming off. You're getting more games. A guy by the name of Brad Richards amazing rookie. Amazing. 60 Something points. Great kid. Very mature. Very professional. Vinnie locali. I don't need to tell you any more. Marty St. Louis. Well, Marty St. Louis goes to me. I remember one day. It's gonna sound awkward, but it's not just wait for it. So we're in the shower. Like we see. And I just I feel like I could do more for the team. You know, I just I just knew I could do more things. If he's on the fourth line. Certainly playing penalty kill. I'm like Marty will talk to the man. He's like, Yeah, you think so I got Marty. Go talk to him. Tell them. Tell him what you can do. Tell him. Tell him you want more go play from them. Go tell him. So he went and told him two or three years later, league MVP, Marty St. Louis, which is a whole different story of dedication and commitment and perseverance and self belief and work and blue collar work. All day every day. Repeat the next day, all day every day. Repeat the next day. Rinse, wash, repeat, same thing. And keep in mind that's with the caveat being there. Richard being there, Freddie Modine, Danny Boyle, Philip, Kuba, we had a really good team and the makings of a good young team. Sure enough, I remember starting to see rumblings in the paper about Nikola heavy bullet. He's a free EADS under. He's in a contract dispute with the coyotes. We don't know brahbrah. Man, next thing you know, sure enough. I remember talking to one of our PR guys. I'm like, Hey, are we getting heavy bullet? Not that I've heard of, Oh, no. Next thing, you know, Tampa Bay, lightning Chase vertical. I had to both come on. Even real right now. Come on. And that's what I'm thinking. Now. That's my shot to be a true number one, I played a lot of games that first year 61, or whatever games it was. Now next year, I'm starting to get better. I'm starting to improve. I'm working in the summer with my goalie coach back home, I'm kind of retooling my game to get like a butterfly based on my game or whatever, the game was changing. And I'm feeling really good. And they get high rule. And I'm like, God. So now he comes in. He's money. Awesome. He was a goalie I was working to become or to become similar to just based on traits and athleticism and size and whatever else. So I had to kind of check my ego real fast to say, I mean, they're going to be sour, which I had every reason to be. And or that and I'm going to channel that and try to learn as much as I can from this guy, which I did. He will go out on the ice with our goalie, Coach Jeffrey's research early every day. I'm following. I'm doing the same drills because a lot of those drills are the ones I was doing in the summer with my goalie coach. But now I'm seeing a guy that's a stud NHL goalie doing them. And now the consistency is there. The technique is there. The form is there, the right push the right stop, you know what I mean? The right anticipation. And I'm like, I gotta fight his style. Whatever he's doing, I'm gonna keep doing it. And I follow them everyday, follow them everyday, follow them early on the same same routine, same routine. Then when I got in, I was better goalie. I became a better goalie for it. And I was I had somebody to kind of gauge myself against every day, you know, so well, then he's in the All Star game, then it's this and it's that. So finally I went, Well, my agent at the time, Paul, might feel man, I gotta get out of here because I got to play. I could stay here and be back of the next 810 years. But I want to try to be the guy you know. It's like no problem. They end up getting me traded to Carolina. And what was great about his two things. The first thing was, I learned so much from playing with heavy boy. He was awesome. I don't know why people don't talk about that guy. Enough. He had an amazing career. And he was as good as any Hall of Famer that I played with ratings. Put it that way. So, now I get to Carolina and the whole team's workout team. So I got my protein, whatever, guys don't care. We got the Greek walking Greek statue, right? He bred them over there. Roddy bees jacked you know Roddy V. Righty BS jacked cuts everywhere tolls were cut ankles were cut heels were cut fingers fingertips were cut like hand carved and carve but we got everybody you would have known heady head He's a freak. All these guys are fit hold teams fit hold team after practice blender here at blender their protein shake foam roller before they were out. For us. It was our trainer. Hey, yeah, you want to do some isometric? Hey, yeah, we've got a Swiss ball. Hey, we got this. So that was the culture of our team. We had the great Ronnie Francis on our team who still looked like he was you know 25 And still a great player and one of the best that's ever played Archer reserve a my goalie partner workout freak hardcore. So it was perfect. So then all of a sudden, I'm like well, this feels really good. And the whole team is kind of into this and this is guys are on the right and cold tub hot tub. extra practice. Hey, man, I can't do extra practice today. I'm doing video though. Hey, I'm working on my shot him working on I don't know, planks, whatever it may be foam rolling. And he just started to see everybody in the team. Everybody in the locker room. Every staff member was dialed so next thing you know we're coming down the stretch again a couple of games I feel great. But I'm not playing that much because I still had Tom Brasil and arch. So they trade Tommy and I remember talking to Paul Maurice and a couple of people in the organization are like listen man, playoffs are starting arts. Archie is our guy who's been our guy has been a two time all star but we're not going to hesitate to put you in. Be ready. And sure enough, man, the world is watching. We've been here just up the road via my house now ironically, the old Meadowlands in Jersey. We're playing the doubles and everybody's like all know the canes are gonna get crushed. Anyways, we're gonna skate to skate with them. Next thing you know, they have all their hall of famers on their team. Our guys are not intimidated. We got good roleplayers Kevin Adams. They tagged Lea a young Eric Cole and we've got these guys that are you gonna meet Sean Hill hills. These are D man. Glenny Wesley and guy they're like going skate to skate and we're kind of believing in ourselves. So Archie gets pulled in one of the games. I go in, I play fairly well. He comes back he gets pulled in the next game now, which would have been game four think I play and now we're going back to game now we're going back to Carolina for game five and Palmetto State you're playing

Kevin Weekes: 00:52:51

me me up the game five New Jersey Devils. I'm playing like you're going and I'll get a quiz. I need you. I need you to do what you've been doing in practice and what you've been doing when you get the net. I need you to bring your balls. I need you to have balls, big old balls like church bells. We'll see. That's what I need from you and I need you to go out. And I need you to be you. And I need your balls to be on the line and I'm getting goosebumps talking about it. I swear to God. And I didn't even know whether I should blink cry, laugh smile. Why my watch? Like you'd I didn't know what to do. Because this is where you get where you get tested, right? As a person as an athlete. Like we want all this stuff so much. And then all of a sudden it's here you're like whoa, you know? So anyway, I get back to my hotel in Raleigh at the Embassy Suites and now I'm visualizing man, I must have been I must have been like a Sherpa or whatever. I'm seeing myself make second see goats mountains and still I'm exaggerating but I'm seeing myself make stays. I'm seeing visualizing the situations powerplay Helios backup back over Rafalski backup like I'm seeing all these scenarios of the game well I want this to play out and I didn't get on the phone and you know cell phones kind of texting now and all this coming I was in. I'm reading my book. I'm visualizing I'm watching DVD video I'm watching my game tape whatever I've just I want to this is I'm all in on this game. Sure enough, man. Get to the rink get in the groove start making some good saves are team battling guys sliding blocking shots back checking hits and this the devil is mighty road during the other net I'm in this net. And I'm seeing all the stars on their team and our guys were like Nah man, we got this we got this roll over shift. Kill penalties we got this no problem. Mexico we're going ot Stanley Cup of tea playoff oh two Do you know what that's like? We get an old T man and by make this save on Johnny Mad Dog John Madden kind of dive across the net and make the save I put so much extra French's mustard on it after I made the Save hold it up in the air make the save I've got it up here. Whatever escaped out of the net some flavor on the Save next thing you know we end up scoring the game winning goal and OT Joe Vasa check God bless him. He perished in the in the plane crash over the Cato. Joe Joe Vasa check the man of the hour. Nobody could believe it. Everybody's going bonkers. The Arena in Raleigh is going bonkers. The devils are stunned. They can't believe the losses game five. And then we get on the plane. The next day. We come up it was a it was a Saturday afternoon game. So would have been Friday we come on the plane, literally down the street from my house is now Teterboro airport. We fly to Teterboro. I remember as Kevin Adams, we're sitting on the plane, and I'm like, hats. There's something special about our teams like weeks. I know, man, I just feel the vibes like, nobody's panicking, man, we were going to kill penalties doesn't matter. We're going to do this, we're, we're going to back check, we're going to box out we're going to whatever. And I hadn't had that consistency of a feeling on a team since I was kind of in youth hockey, because I haven't been on a top team since then. And from there, we basically ended up winning that game when nothing was shutting them out. I play and I remember just the end of the game and looking up at in the Meadowlands and just pointing up to the sky and the guys coming in it's like oh my god we want to play off round like we're in the playoffs we went around we just slayed the dragon New Jersey Devils in the East. We just beat these guys on to the next one. And then from there we've go up against Montreal of course everybody's like Montreal. You guys don't have a chance against Montreal. I got a shuttle the first game we beat them the first game. Second game we lose I think game three is that Montreal? I let him to quit quick ones I get pulled Archie goes in and we end up winning this game we come from I think four or five down and we come back and win the game huge Eric Cole was a beast. We end up winning that game. Archie literally stays in the net the rest of the playoffs but you know I'm pumped I'm kind of mad I want to get back in there. frogman I was on five my stats are great. Team was winning How come I'm not back in but it was playoffs man, you're just on your on your pulling the rope. You're on the boat. You just want us to get to where we want to go. We get to Stanley Cup final. And pardon me. Same thing where you end up losing the triple overtime game against Larry Larry on up scores the goal. I remember it was like to something in the morning. By the time we got out of the rink. I was drained just being on bench. So my parents just were in town we end up going to eat nothing was off we go to Denny's, get a little breakfast or whatever. We end up losing the Stanley Cup. And I remember thinking we're gonna be back here next year, man. We'll be back to the cup next year, we didn't even make the playoffs. make the playoffs we had basically the same team. And individually that might have actually been my best year statistically, games played save percentage shutouts, the rest of it. It was a platform your chosen contract here. From there, you're gonna make plus and then Jimmy Rutherford, who I still love to this day. And Paul Maurice is like well kept to get 4 million if he goes in the marketplace. And we don't know. Unless he wants to make two five, you would just make 235. Like, oh, we just went to the final though. So from there, I hit the frequency market. And my name is like I think it's gonna be the Rangers. I think it's gonna be the Rangers. He's gonna interest. I signed with the rangers to your you know, we didn't play that first year. So it was a one year then. Then I send another two year. And I'll never forget going to the training facility up in White Plains, Tarrytown and Westchester. And I remember coming home that day and calling home calling my parents I'm like, I'm not gonna play this year. Just one quiz guys off the chain. This guy's unbelievable. And literally, from our first few games, we won our first few games. We had a closest knit team. Everybody's younger. Strack Steve Rutan character but a couple of stars but I hurt my groin. I think we were like three would want to note certain season. Lundqvist comes in God took over the city. Grabbed New York by stroke on the man here. Um, the men I'm going to be the basketball in this franchise ever seen. And that's the that's the razor wire I was talking about earlier. And now, man. Come on. Be like no All Oh come on. But at that point it tests you again to test your character. When I made a pact that I was going to be best goalie best basketball in the league I supported him encouraged them gave him whatever little nuances off the ice and whatever talking his teammates and whatever guy blocks a shot this that the other because he literally was a star overnight, MSG people were on. They're not even toes on their toenails. Henry Henry, and it's like we found the star on Broadway. We got a new Mike Richter. And this guy looks this good, and he is just good. And he plays guitar and he's Swedish and he wears skinny suits, and he's kind of a rocker, but he's kind of cool. But what you know, it just overwhelmed people. They didn't know what to do with themselves. And Firstar again Lundqvist Firstar again, Lundqvist first target so now like, Alright, man, I gotta be the best backup in the league. And that was basically my goal for that year and kind of became that and playing in about 30 games, I think 1414 and whatever it would have been. So

Kevin Weekes: 01:01:03

yeah, it was. It was a real, humbling moment. Because you realize that it's so much bigger than you. And that's something I'll get into as you keep going on sketch. I was like, Alright, man, I'm all hands on deck. I'm on the bench. We're at Madison Square Garden. I'm cheering for guys. I'm telling guys look out Hey, man on Hey, heads up, hey, reverse, whatever guys come to the bench. Great shift, bro, whatever. Fourth minor Ryan hallway. Dominic Moore, great job. Yaga, whoever, and Marquess and I just became all in as just a team guy. And whenever I got to be in the net and practices, so practice, same way, Jim, I was told the same thing. Whenever I got in the net, I just want to rock it and give the guys a chance to win. And that was kind of my transition again, into becoming going from being a starter now into being a backup and backup that can play. And then the second year, he played more games, I played less games. After that, I'm like, Man, I gotta play. I'm going to whatever man let me go and do my thing. And from there, that offseason, I was back home in Barbados, actually, my ex wife and at the time we were in Barbados. And I remember asking my agent, what's going to happen is like, Oh, you're gonna go here, you're gonna go here. You can go here. You can go here. Next thing you know, he calls me he's like, Hey, man, and I just got a scope on my knee. I'm rehabbing my knee. I'm on a friggin inverted leg press. Kid you not on inverted leg press, trying to rehab this right knee. Whatever. And the gym owner comes up. He's a man he falls for you. I'm like, okay, cool. So I grabbed the phones, my agent. He's like, Hey, listen, we've gotten you this deal. You got to deal with the doubles. It's a one year deal. You got to go back to the hotel. You got to sign it so that they can fax it or whatever. I go one year deal. Are you real? What do you mean when you're just like, No, you gotta when you're done like, Nah, man. I get back to the hotel I call LuLaRoe on myself. I'm like, Lou. Here's the deal. Like your other guys that have a family. I want to start a family this that. Here's my dynamic. I need a little bit more security than a one year deal. He's like, okay, but we haggle haggle. I get a two year deal with a basically entry level money though. 675 and 700. So same thing. I come in as Marty Roederer who's the guy he's Marty all time whatever assumed to be all time winningest goalie by Barbara feel great camps Great. Great shape this that whatever. And as we go along training camp, Marty's a little banged up whatever the case may be. I ended up starting a couple of games in the season first, our first start this whatever. Next, you know, I don't play again. Two weeks, three weeks a month, whatever. And I'm like, I haven't played this little since you're talking like not even you sorry, house league. But this isn't normal. And but whatever. Man I'm calling the program. Hey, Marty all time winningest goalie. I've got you. Whatever, teammates, I've got you. And then the next year. Actually, that offseason, I had off I had bicep tendon repair surgery. And Marty ends up hurting his bicep during the season. I play against buffalo 40 saves. We lost to nothing. Mexico, you know Scott Clements is in the net. Scott Clements isn't that clever? is in the net climbers in the net. And I'm like, Lou, what's going on here? It's like, Yeah, well, you know, we've seen you before. I know you're so clever. Basically took the ball. They gave him the ball and ran with it. He played great. So then Marty comes back, and it's the three of us. So it's interesting. The end of that scene, we meant we made the playoffs in my last four years I've been on playoff teams.

Dave Scatchard: 01:04:28

So when your career's over, you have going going from an NHL goalie to a broadcaster? I know you love to talk. I know you like to dress well. How did that come about? And seemingly, actually, it's funny because when I first saw you broadcasting, you were broadcasting like all the other guys and I knew how funny you were and I saw all these funny things that you would do in the locker Room and your funny little words you'd use and things like that. And it really wasn't until a couple years into your commentating career that I saw you start to do it on the air, which I thought was hilarious and brought a whole new flavor to everything. Can you tell me you know, what was it like going from a goalie to broadcaster and how did that whole thing come about? After

Kevin Weekes: 01:05:24

that second season with the devils same thing we're in Barbados. My agency, Columbus, Philly, here here. They brought you to your deal three year deal. Look at your numbers last year even though you didn't play that much. Your numbers are great. You did this in the locker room character this that whatever. Veteran backup you've been Lee. Next thing you know, I'm on my phone. Columbus got a guy. Your Phillies got a guy. Your LA's got a guy Windows closing, closing, closing. And I kid you not. Out of nowhere. I get a call from Hockey night in Canada out of nowhere. Seemingly. Hey, Kevin, it's really it's really new jacket, red hockey net. I've seen you do some things over the years on TV. Robert Robert bra. I just wanna let you know, I'd be very interested in having you and love to hear from you. If you I know you probably want to play and whatever, whatever. But it was a little bit odd to me. Because from there, then the NHL network calls so I did a couple of shows where at the end of the previous season. Hey, Kevin and Mark Jacobson, the NHL network, Robert Robert Brown. Here's what we're thinking we'd love to at MSG, New York here calls Hey, Kevin. It's SO and SO MSG. We just want to let you know if you want to move here. If you're interested. We'd love to have you. Now my phone rings, bro. We'd see philosphy Andre chaffle have a play with him in Detroit vipers. The last few weeks they what's going on? Trappy What's up then? You want Governor Asha? We give you two mil 2.5 million 2.5. I'm like 2.5 million for Russia. Yep. 2.5. But you have to take it now. I'm like, guy, I gotta talk. I gotta talk to my wife. I got to talk to my parents. Were let me talk. Let me just talk things that look Give me a sec, man. Swear to God, he calls me back about I don't know, hour and change later. We exceed the recipe. You want to rush? 2 million, 2 million folks. So we just went from two five to two. Literally. weeks it's roughly 1.51 point so now this and remember this fight old teammate of the goalie two. He's now talking me down on a de escalating negotiation with a never seen before. Usually anyway, not to this extent. So then I call Hockey night to have a conversation call NHL network, have a conversation called MSG. Have a conversation, talk it over with my wife at the time, kind of hey, man, this is kind of whatever. I don't know what's going on with the NHL offers. Let me wait. Let me see. Let's wait. Let's see. I'm not sure. Okay, I'm not going back to Jersey. I'm gonna want to go and sit behind Marty again. Let me see what happens. That's whatever. And I swear to God. We're walking on the beach. And there's an old dread. For a lot of you. There's no Rastafarian with dreads. It's kind of a sage guy on the beach, you know, life, a life A life philosopher. So I go up to him and I kind of break the situation down. He's like, if I was you, I would go and do television, I would go and do TV. You know, I would do TV. And I'm like, okay, and then I kind of started looking at it. I'm like, I played pro 14 years now. I've been the NHL. I don't want to keep rollerblading uphill. It's who knows if these TV producers are going to be there who knows if they're not. I'm going to create a new TV and nobody knew what was coming. Nobody knew what was coming. I told a very select few amount of people. And then next thing you know, season starts whatever preseason NHL preseason Whatever. Hey, we'd like to walk them to the booth Kevin, Hockey night in Canada, Barbara Barbara. And it's like done. lights go on. Let's go. no training, no, nothing. Let's go. Let's do it. And NHL network. Same thing. Let's do it. And then I would basically here's how it works catch. I approached it like playing because it's a huge responsibility. And it's a huge privilege. And I approach it that way today. For me, it wasn't really coincidence, the way that all of those TV opportunities kind of presented themselves at the same time, really. And I didn't go to chase the money, although I could have as good bread even though with de escalating. And who knows, had I gone to the one team in Russia, I might have been on the other team that was on the plane crash because they had more money to offer. So everything kind of happens for a reason. Right? And that's powerful energy and I played with two guys. Of course other guys that we know Brad McCrimmon different guys that person that but I played with Cole Rakuen FTO with the rangers who was on that plane. I played as I said with Joe bass check and Carolina who was on that plane. And energy is a real interesting thing. And I know you're very into this and I wasn't really trying to fight off against the energy, the energy for me was moving. And it felt like there was a stronger aura for me on TV at that point, as a new chapter than it was for me to continue to play. And I wanted to take heed to that. You know what I mean? And I was very conscious of that and very accepting of it. And I jumped right into TV. Literally man. Monday studio, Tuesday studio, Wednesday studio, Thursday studio, Friday morning, Toronto Airport, get to the airport, Edmonton Calgary man, or wherever one those teams are playing Friday, do the game Saturday do after hours after the game Sunday. Literally get on the plane, fly home Monday, go to CBC building downtown to meet your rally, go over some tape of my hockey game call, come back to the house workout, whatever, get my suit ready, rush up to the studio and do it all again. And then for five years. And not only Hockey night in MSG, but also talking to an NHL network, but at times MSG at time, NBC in addition to those two. And you know, you would know to Hockey night what was interesting is the majority of the fans were so amazing. But we had a segment of fans that were What's he doing here? He doesn't know what it means to be in Western Canada. Why is he here? What do you mean? I don't know what it means to be in Western Canada. I'm on the NHL network five days a week. Your team say Oilers have played twice, maybe three times. So I broken your team down three times before I even come to call your game on Saturday. Right? Because say they played Anaheim San Jose la during the week, and now they get home and it's battle of Alberta on Saturday. I just finished breaking your team down three days during the week. Well, he doesn't live in the West, so he doesn't know what it means. Well, do you have a different puck? No, I mean, you have a different Puck is a different ice in different rink dimensions. What is it? I don't know. Like, I can only tell you that I'm flying out here from Toronto to fly out here every weekend to do games. So at least two days of the week. I'm here. I'm not here like I normally have a straight hand. Well, people weren't saying well, hey, man, well, you don't live well. Well, Nah, man he's doing at the time to Kelly show. Good Morning America now and flying out to LA to do Fox football on Sunday, and doesn't make him any more or less qualified. You know what I mean? So there was a segment of people that were kind of like that, which I didn't like, it was hurtful. Because I was putting in so much time and putting so much effort into it. And I respect the platform so much, especially with being Hockey night because we tell you some part of the reason why I'm here is because of my family watching hockey night in Canada. And because of my parents coming from the Caribbean, and that being a unifier. You know what I mean? And that being a part of our appreciation and assimilating into Canada and a new culture, a new way of thinking, you know, what I mean? New norms, and seeing what that meant, and means to people all over the country. And not just the country beyond the country. The same is the same CBC that my family in London UK is watching. It's the same that my family in Barbados is watching. And people in the States and all around the world are watching. So you don't have to and so the scope of it was so much bigger than it just being Hockey night in Canada In Canada. And but it meant a lot to us. That really meant a lot and it meant a lot to me to be able to do that. And then my last few years with them, I was on the desk with Ron. And you can imagine Ron's and Ace, one of the best in the business in any sport of any television platform. And then Ron and Dawn and the whole nine and seeing Don, and talking to him in the in the makeup room and just absorbing some of what's made him as great as he has been for as long as he has been right. So that was a big eye opener for me. And then what's also been interesting and speaking candidly is then the NHL network moving back down here. And literally it was four exits up from my house in Toronto, before at the TSN building, the one exit from my parents house. That's where the studio was. And it moved down here to see koffice in Jersey down at two MLB Network has major baseball in the NHL to this deal. And it's it's been awesome. It's been a great change. I love it. People have been amazing hockey fans in the tri state you know you played here. They're very passionate about hockey more than people recognize. You go into Penn Station now you'll see scattered islanders jersey, tattered last Ranger Jersey flyers Jersey you know what I mean? Like people love sport in general in this area, but they love hockey more than people would recognize if you've never been here. And it's been amazing. It's been all love here. It's been great. Yes, ESPN last year doing that for the World Cup was a huge privilege again with them getting back in hockey. But for me, I think the biggest thing now in this second career, so to speak is take you. I remember we're talking my dad mom and I were talking my dad's like, so what are you gonna do when you retire? I'm like, I'm gonna enjoy my cash. What do you mean? I'm gonna relax, take it easy and just chill. He's like,

Kevin Weekes: 01:15:11

you're gonna be a young man. I'm like, Well, yeah, so why that's all the more reason to hang out. Party, relax, go to Barbados, hang out on the beach chill. And he couldn't have been any more. Right? I was very lucky that I found a second passion around my first passion. I'm very fortunate around that to have that sense of purpose. Very humble about it because I want to learn the craft and I want to be the best at and be the best I could be at it. And learn from a lot of the men and women that do it and do it really well. I've done it a long time, be it Oprah, Viet Ahmad Rashad, be it Ron Maclean be at Chris Collins worth it now, you know, straight ahead, whoever. There's a lot of different men or women that are great at it in their own flavor. And that's I really wanted to approach it like that. And I'm the face of the league network. So as you're here doing this series, and you want to capture a lot of experience and stories, a lot of people, that's exactly what it is for me. I'm not playing. I'm not at the garden plane. But I was down on the glass yesterday, and I want to get as much info as possible. Hey, what's happening? Lundqvist? What's happened with Arvidsson? Sue Ben, this guy. Let me talk to Peter LaViolette. Let me talk to Mike Sullivan, Crosby, whoever. And I just feel like that's just the way I'm wired. But it's also more importantly, that's what the players deserve. That's what the fans and the viewers deserve. So it's a big privilege for me to be in this to be in this role, and to be the face of leaks network. And I'm very humbled and honored to do it. So

Dave Scatchard: 01:16:35

being a broadcaster is hard, but you have the insight now, how hard is it to be an NHL player, when you're outside the game and you're looking in, you're really realizing what you accomplished? And you realize so few have done it in this world? What's that mean to you? And kind of like what would you say? What are those odds? Like, like, what are the odds?

Kevin Weekes: 01:16:59

As an example, as a broadcaster, I'll never go deep on being super critical people. Because these guys are the best of the best in the world. And I tell people all the time, and you can mark this down and make sure this makes the fucking cut. Seven plus billion 723 NHL players in the world. 32 goalies with Vegas now 725 players in the world period in the world that play in the National so for me, maybe got mister pass, and he shouldn't miss it. And there's a respect level to him. Hey, man, he's got to make that play. That's a play normally makes. Hey, that's a play. You can't make for reason maybe. But I'm never going deep and going critical and calling into question the guy's character and he's a bad guy. And it's this and it's this when that's not the case. Just to be a sensationalist. I don't believe in that. I hate that. Exactly. So. Exactly. And what these guys are giving up now and hey, man, I got a real decision. Am I getting my ACL done? Or? It's a contract here? Can this knee brace? Can I get 10 More games out of it? You know what I mean? Like, that's just and these are a lot of the things that it's important what the fans and the viewers are passionate fans and different people that tune in. I want them to get with you. I love what you're doing is the real essence of the guys. The real essence. It's not just an you asked me I'm finished here. You asked me about guys that I played with. And what I was able to get from some of those goalies. Everybody sees Lundqvist are like all mammal cars you pulling up in today. Oh my God, look at his hair the jell O is that a Dior suit? Is it roar? Lauren purple label? What is it? What is a look at a show? Oh my God, he's that. Nobody sees being at the practice rank working with Benny alair Going out on the ice before anybody's there. Half hour before every practice. No one and hardly anybody talks about it. Nobody sees the success that he had when he first came out. And then Benny's like Okay, Hank, the shooters know, you know, you got to change this. Okay, man, well, you know, I look at the tape the goals here, this this, we've got to work on this make this adjustment. Okay, well, you know, your glove is not you don't catch it as well. We're going to change your glove, we're going to change the webbing in your glove so you can catch the puck better and hold on to that more control. Okay, we're gonna change your stance. So you're not here all the time. You're more here like Josie Theodore, with an upright torso to make yourself look bigger to the shooter.

Dave Scatchard: 01:19:30

All right. So one of the biggest questions that I love to ask our guests is what's the best advice you've ever got? What's advice that you could give to somebody who's trying to make it or trying to get their foot in the door or trying to establish themselves not only just in hockey, but in, in life in a new job position in a relationship in whatever? What would you say to them? You know, we'll use hockey as the example but what would you say? to them for getting your foot in the door and making it hard for people to not fall in love with you.

Kevin Weekes: 01:20:09

Do what got you here. Because you know, as players, and especially kind of when we came in the league was old, really old. And we grew up with all these posters and all these guys and people were emulating, and we wanted to be like, and we're trying to take parts of their game, all of which at times was helpful, because, you know, we continue our evolution as players and as people. But man, those scouts wanted Dave scatchard, because they were watching you and Jr. And they saw you taking draws, they saw you in the D zone, they saw you on the penalty kill, they saw you before face off, put your hand on your glove and go tell the guy Hey to the D, I'm going to try to win. They saw that. So it's just difficult because sometimes you get in the league, and all of a sudden, all the same characteristics that make us who we are that made them want us that made a scout us that made them Scout us and sign us and bring us into a lineup. It's like, oh, well, I've got words. Now. You know what I mean? I've got words, as a player, they don't like this. They don't like that they don't, whatever. So I think part of it is do what got you there and be as open as you can to becoming as good as you can and as versatile as you can. Okay, because for a lot of guys, you're coming in as a young gun. You lit it up at University of Michigan. Hey, man, you might not be an offensive D man. Johnny Madden comes in and plays in Jersey. He's a great third line guy. Third Fourth line guy. penalty kill extraordinaire, Face Off extraordinaire, big part of the doubles winning cups. Huge part. Hey, man, I'm not an all high end offensive guy in the league. But I've rounded my game out. I know what makes me me. And I'm rounding my game out and adding different elements. I'm open to different roles. Now John Madden, NHL assistant coach now is an HL head coach. So always also be open to new roles and new opportunities. A lot of times we're so set. And hey, man, I need to be this player. Hey, I have to be in this role. Hey, I can only be this Well, hey, I know you're a lefty. My plan you're on the right side. You got to be adaptable, and versatile. And the more adaptable you are, the more versatile you are, the more you bring to the party. I remember being at the 20th Air Jordan anniversary party during Oh 405 During the lockout, Denver MBL Stargate and it was this old warehouse and then Denver and my buddy Tony Bradshaw and I were there. That's mic man. And I'd seen him a few times in a couple of the events. And just so you're saying about maths, we both played with math. You don't need to look to see where it could be here. He would be the hallway and you'd feel uncomfortable before he comes through the door. Anyway, this person's there, Ray Allen, this guy, this guy, all these different celebs, athletes, entertainers, whatever. So finally, I get a chance to really talk to him. I'm like, mg, I just want to know I don't like one piece of advice. Like what's the thing he's like, listen to me.

Kevin Weekes: 01:22:56

The key is, is staying hungry even when you're full. That's the key. Stay Hungry. Even if and when you're full.

Kevin Weekes: 01:23:09

Always trick yourself into thinking you're hungry. And that's from him the mountaintop. Jord. That's from him. And that was direct. And I was literally shaking. Okay, okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I really, thank you. Thank you. And I never lost that. I never lost sight of that. You know what I mean? I never lost sight of that. And that you were just talking about Lundqvist and you know, the same thing with Sid Crosby. There are a lot of unique commonalities, which is what I think is really cool about what you're doing that a lot of people will be able to get some insight into that.

Dave Scatchard: 01:23:48

Is there anything more that you want to add before we're done? If you could have one message that you want to go out there and share with people what would that be?

Kevin Weekes: 01:23:59

You know, a lot of people will look at the circumstances of people and say, you know, for me, I'm playing in Montreal and it's Montreal and was playoff year. We're playing against Montreal and we lose in overtime and people throw bananas on the ice in Montreal, Montreal Canadiens Montreal and throw bananas on the ice. At my net, they score game game winning goal Yannick Yannick Pearl scored off ironically off the face off, bang, they score they win. So people will some people will say, Hey, man, you're from this remote fishing village. And Wisconsin. Can't be you shouldn't be you. Hey, man, you know you got a single parent household. You don't deserve to it's it's not going to be you. You're from a rural part of paths Prince George BC or a rural part of wherever, can't be you. Hey, your dad was incarcerated or your mom Um, as a heroin addict, or whatever the case may be, whatever your circumstances are, or whatever they aren't. As young kids, boys and girls, that's what they are or what they aren't period at the time. But it's up to you to see yourself and set a goal for yourself to become the best version of whatever you that looks like to you. In a way that's positive. I'm not talking about being the best coke dealer. I'm not talking about being the best, whatever I'm speaking from positivity. If you aspire to run north american marketing for American Express, if you aspire to be the next head coach of the Dallas Stars, or the director of communications for the New York Rangers, or whatever it may be, it all starts with you. It's not limited to your circumstance, because you can transform your circumstance, you can go well beyond your circumstance. It's not going to be easy. It's not always going to be rosy. It's not always going to be pretty warm and fuzzy. But if you're dedicated, and if you're willing to grind, and if you're willing to learn and if you're willing to evolve, if you're willing to work, if you're willing to be humble, and be committed. You can become almost anything that you channel all those things into. And it's a possibility. And I gotta tell you, I used to go to Dominic's Friday store in the backstreet 75 cents. Hey, man, a bag of ketchup chips in hockey cards. Hey, man to hockey cards. Hey, hockey, stickers. Shit. Okay. Hockey stickers. Cool. Who are the least playing tonight? Oh, the leafs are playing Detroit. Okay, I want to watch my friend and Barbara and dream it and the dream was real. You know, burning. Being on the map. Being on the bus, bro. Being on the bus, being in your parents car coming back from a game coming back from a tournament and you couldn't stop thinking about it. And you couldn't stop thinking about it. Man. Next game. I'm going to be better. I was brutal tonight. Next guy, they scored five I was brutal. Next game, I'm back. Next practice. I'm back workout tomorrow. Get home. I'm gonna do push ups. I'm gonna get the old you know the, the piece of hockey stick with the string and a five pound weight. I'm gonna do the Youngblood the Wrist wrist rolls. I'm gonna do the Youngblood my wrists are weak, man. I gotta get my wrist stronger. I got skinny wrist. You know what I mean? All these different things. Being on the bus and Junior. You know how many times you're on the bus and Jr. and you're there? Guys got Walkman going. He's listening to Guns and Roses. He'll turn that down a little bit, man. You're trying to sleep like okay, man. Okay, next thing, you know, watch bus pulls in 630 in the morning, school the next morning. If you're not in the school group, you're going to the rink to get a workout or get a little skate in the morning. Whatever. Miners scatch you play the miners? Hey, we're playing in Hershey, PA. All right. Hey, boys, we've got this place. Whatever it's called Le dads or whatever. It's called this Italian place. All right, you put your finger on I'll get a get a little Caesar salad. I'm gonna get a chicken parm you're gonna have. Okay, how much is that man? 13 bucks. All right, man, you got to put in 15. So there's an extra $2 for the chip. For the tip. Everybody had a cheap guy who had tried to not even put in the right amount for their order. And then on top of that, they'd be like, Hey, man, where the breadsticks within stuff. Go. Hey, man, we're the set. Where's the extra pasta, though? You're already with? $18 you put $11 You know what I mean? Every team had that guy. But the point that I'm saying is this through all of those trials and tribulations. I'm sure you remember getting injured playing. Man. I remember my collarbone my finger. My dad would be like, Hey, man, don't tell your mom. Hey, don't tell your mother. After the game, he goes straight to Shoppers Drug Mart, straight to shock absorbing Junior pulled out my gestured he's rubbing it on my shoulder. My arms like half dead. You know what I mean? The Hey, man. Let me read it for you. Let me read it to you. Okay, man, you're gonna say anything? Come on when we get home, okay, you're fine. You're good. You're good. You're good. You know, just those moments, right? And that's surgeries, rehab from surgeries. I came out of a surgery on my bicep tendon. And the surgeon is like, can you feel can you get Can you feel the touch? You know? Can you feel the touch? You know? He goes my ex wife at the time. He's like, Hey, listen. I might have to go on to do the surgery again. It says gloved hand he won't be able to open and close it. If I clipped his radial nerve. I gotta go in again, because he might not be able to open and close his glove. Next more unbeknownst to me next morning. Can you feel me touching you know, by noon finally. I'm like yeah, I could feel that he's like, can you move your hands? I'm like, Yeah, I can move my fingers a little bit. It's like, can you move your palm? I'm like, Yeah, I can move. My palm is like, okay, good. So those are, you know, all of that to say, every boy and girl and man or woman that's watching this now, that aspires to be an NHL player or get a college scholarship or playing the high school tournament in Minnesota, or become a scout or become a, whatever it may be. Don't ever let your circumstance your last name, the vowels in your last name, your skin tone, your religion, your your place of birth, your parents place of birth, the size of your town, not, don't ever allow those things to become not only excuses, but you turn excuses into reasons as to why you can't accomplish what you really want to do. Because I find sometimes we're our own worst enemy with that, you know what I mean? Like sometimes, and it's important that we as you know, sketch they're gonna say, alright, sketch. We want you to be a net front guy in this power play. Initially, you might be Oh, well. Oh, they want me on the powerplay. It's like no, man. I'm going out there. I'm getting on the powerplay I got you. I'm gonna be in front of the net. It's a different mentality. You know what I mean? But sometimes we trick ourselves. And sometimes we limit our own selves. You know, I know that there's tie I told you before when they're like, We see you're up. You're going to

Kevin Weekes: 01:31:26

me Oh, okay. And it's, it's, it's that difference in how we see ourselves. That can help propel us to where we want to go and be what we want to be.

Dave Scatchard: 01:31:37

Alright, well, as you just heard, Kevin weeks absolute beauty legend. Awesome, awesome guy. And, you know, the best thing about him is he wants to see everybody else do well, he wants to see others win. He wants to see people compete. At the time of this recording of this particular portion of the podcast, the Florida Panthers have just won the Stanley Cup. And I noticed Kevin interviewing the Edmonton Oilers head coach, and he was so understanding of the pain that that coach was in that he phrased his questions very smartly. And it showed that he cares it shows that he's a classy guy. He didn't just go running in with his questions he was sensitive to what had just happened of the Oilers having their hearts ripped out by the Florida Panthers and and losing and game seven. So once again, he's just an awesome dude. I'm glad you got to learn and know a little bit more about them and just stay tuned because we'll get them back out here and get them really rip and freestyle for you guys one day and you know he's an absolute beauty. So I hope you guys enjoy the show. Have an amazing day.