The Hockey News sat down with Jonny Brodzinski to learn all about his extended stay and experience with the New York Rangers.
The Hockey News sat down with Jonny Brodzinski to learn all about his extended stay and experience with the New York Rangers.
Tarrytown, N.Y: Jonny Brodzinski is a fan favorite, and rightfully so. The New York Rangers go-to call-up skater has earned an expanded role on the team in Kaapo Kakko's absence and is getting comfortable 10 games into his new position.
As the Hartford Wolf Packs captain, he led the AHL in scoring before his call-up. Since November 4th, he has tallied 7 points in 11 games at the NHL level.
I sat down to talk with Brodzinski after last Thursday's practice to ask him about his expanded role with the big club and his AHL experience translating to the NHL game.
Below is our conversation:
Matthew Mugno: I mean, this is not your first rodeo. What's different about this stint?
Jonny Brodzinski: I think it's the opportunity. It's probably the biggest one. In the past in my career you know getting called up, especially when I was in L.A., San Jose, it was a few games, even kind of early on here. You can get called up and you play five minutes, six minutes some games. You're getting out there, you're trying not to get scored on and then you're getting off the ice. Doing your job and getting pucks in is like doing the very, very simple thing. To kind of get an expanded role and start making plays, it becomes hockey again, which is a lot of fun.
MM: Peter Laviolette talked to us and told us that for your role, he sees you as a guy who can come in and play anywhere. Not a low man on the totem pole. What was that conversation like coming in? Was that how that conversation went when you were called up?
JB: Yeah, well, I've been playing the American League for the last three years and I felt like I've been one of the better players there. So it's playing in that first-line role the last three years in the second-best league in the world. I know I can do it. You're getting an opportunity, get the chance and they [the coaching staff] see it and then I just kind of run with the opportunity that I have. I can play first, second, third, fourth [line], whatever you need. Checking line on the powerplay, penalty kill, play center, play wing so I think that's one of the good things about being down there for the past few years is you know, I played a lot of different positions, and in a lot of different situations. So it's helped a lot.
MM: Does the game translate well? You said this when you first got called up, but in terms of how the game translates, you said there are some differences. Overall is there a smooth transition when you can come up and play your game?
JB: Yeah. I would say that down, it's a little bit harder in some aspects because a lot of the players are very green, very new. You look up and you should have a guy right in front of you to make a pass to but he's not there. So there's a lot of teaching and a lot of molding with a lot of the younger guys where here, everybody's in the right spot at the right time. Everything seems very smooth. But at the same time, it's a lot faster because guys are in the right spot at the right time. Everybody's moving forward. So you have to make plays quicker, but if you've been there, and if you've done it before it becomes second nature.
MM: You get slotted onto the second power-play unit, how did that feel to capitalize on a goal against L.A.? An organization you played for?
JB: Yeah, that's right. I think it was more being the right-handed shot. I've been on that side of the powerplay for the last three years in this organization down in Hartford. I'm comfortable there that's my main spot. So I think it's, it was just an easy slot in for me.
MM: You mentioned you keep in touch with the guys down in Hartford, you're the captain there. With that comes the responsibility of keeping in touch. You talk about the movement with your family, you've been doing this for a long time. Is that something you just get comfortable with? Does it ever wear on you?
JB: Not really, now it's [being] comfortable with the uncomfortable. Always moving around, always kind of up and down in the past few years. Now with the kind of extended stay that I have here, it's gotten a little hunkered down, it's become kind of routine. So that's good, but I think the main thing is always being comfortable in the uncomfortable.
Brodzinski is a player anyone can get behind. At 30 years old, he finally carved out a position on the A team. He has earned the respect and trust of the Rangers coaching staff to play as an NHL regular.
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