Deanna:
You learned to skate when you were 3
and began playing hockey when you were 5. Hockey was everywhere in Port
Hawkesbury, it seems. Both of your older brothers played hockey and are
now young businessmen. You have said before that one thing you might do
if you had to retire now would be helping your brothers out
professionally. What fields of business are your brothers in? Could
you picture yourself making the jump from professional hockey player to
professional businessman, as your brothers did?
Aaron: My older brother Brent is a Marketing Representative with a
leading Agriculture Company, Agrium and my other older brother Cory is a
Personal Trainer and Entrepreneur who is always looking for something
new to try. It would be hard to give up hockey at such an exciting time. I think that what my two brothers are doing is something that suits
them. I hope that whatever I do, after Professional hockey, is something
I will enjoy doing that gives me a real sense of accomplishment. What
that is, I do not really know today.
Deanna: At age 16, you were selected ninth in
the 1999 QMJHL midget draft by Rimouski and in 2000, you were part of an
Oceanic team that won the Memorial Cup. You've said that winning the Cup
was "unbelievable" and that you experienced "a great feeling of pride and
success that [you've] never felt before." Is this still your finest
hockey moment, or is there another memory from your professional career
that really stands out for you?
Aaron: Wining the Memorial Cup is a
something I will never forget. It is something that as a team could only
be exceeded by a Calder Cup or Stanley Cup. As an individual player my
finest moment would have to be playing my first game in the NHL and
scoring my first goal in a Blue Jacket Uniform.
Deanna: You scored your first professional goal in a Crunch uniform on October 11, 2003, you were called up by the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 2, 2003, and you had your first NHL goal on February 11, 2004. Can you tell us, if you remember, what you were thinking when each of these career-defining moments happened?
Aaron: Here in Syracuse, I think I was so nervous that I didn't know what happened. I just wanted to go out and prove I could play in the AHL. The last thing on my mind was scoring a goal, but is was a great feeling. It was kinda the same situation in Columbus after scoring, I didn't know what to do. It was such a nice pass from Zherdev that really I just had to put it on the net. I was just pumped, "I scored an goal in the NHL". I think I had 25 new messages on my phone after that game.....
Deanna: What are your favorite things about being a professional hockey player?
Aaron: Being able to play the game I love and actually getting paid for it. Meeting and making new friends from all over the world, including fans, teammates and team employees.
Deanna: Are you a better hockey player this year? If so, why?
Aaron: I would have to say more educated. After jumping around last year, you learn a lot about the game on and off the ice at the different levels. I am trying to continue to work on the things that will make me into a NHL player. I would like to be able to say I am a better player but there are always things to work on and to improve before being content with my game.
Deanna: What do you feel are your personal strengths and weaknesses? What have your coaches and the Columbus brass told you to keep doing, and what aspects of your game have they asked you to work on?
Aaron: I feel my personal strengths are my skating, passing and creating offensive opportunities. The coaches in Columbus have continued to support me and my style but would like me to continue working on my defensive play and positioning. It is such a fast game that positioning and stick placement are more essential then anything. Weaknesses, I wish I could say I have none but everybody has some weaknesses. Sometimes I try to do too much, play defense, create scoring chances, score goals, block shots and this is all on one shift. I have to learn to pick my times better. I'm working on it.
Deanna: What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of this year's Crunch team? Do you have certain expectations of your teammates and if so, what are they?
Aaron: I think our team is a hard working and competitive team with a good mix of experience and youth. Our weaknesses so far this season have been our ups and downs. We learned a lot throughout this year about being consistent, and how important it is at this level. As a team, our expectations are to get into a playoff spot at the end of this season. We are still in a close race and, with continued success, we will be able to climb into a playoff position and make a good playoff run.
Deanna: One scouting report called you "quick on the transition of play." Are you ever afraid of over committing yourself to an offensive play and thus being out of position defensively? Do you ever feel pressured, particularly when the Crunch are behind a couple of goals, to play "offensive defense?"
Aaron: Yes, unfortunately as an offensive defensemen, creating chance, sometimes can end up creating a chance against as well. My goal is to continue working on making the right decisions on when to jump into the play and when to hold back. The coaching staff usually lets me know when the green light is on to jump up and pinch in particular situations.
Deanna: What are your personal goals for the 2004-2005 season and beyond? Are they compatible with what Columbus has told you in terms of what they want you to work on?
Aaron: Well my goals are to try to be as good a "defensive defensemen" as much as an offensive one. To continue working hard and to become a NHL defensemen. Columbus has told me that will come from working on my defensive game and continuing to play my style.
Deanna: Which professional hockey player, past or present, would you compare yourself to?
Aaron: I would love to compare myself to Paul Coffey or Brian Leetch but these are outstanding NHL defensemen, so I guess it would be better to say I admire and dream of someday being half as good as they were and are.
Deanna: Losing is part of the game in hockey. When
the Crunch lose, do you often take it personally?
Aaron: Absolutely, even though it is a
team sport, whenever your team losses, you can always find a glitch or
something you could have done differently, but that's part of the game. You live, learn and hope you become a better player. At the end of it all,
learn from your mistakes.
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Deanna: Who
do you feel is the most exciting rookie in Columbus's system?
Aaron: I
think Columbus has a lot of exciting players. The obvious one's are young
leaders like Nash, Svitov and Zherdev but I think the exciting rookies
have to include Ole Kristian Tollefsen and Raffaele Sannitz. They going to
be key players for the Columbus organization in the years to come.
Deanna: Would you
ever play overseas as many NHL players are doing this year? If so,
which country do you think you would gravitate towards?
Aaron:
I would have to be in a tough situation and
have no other option then to go overseas. I enjoy the North American
game where there are bigger players, more hitting and a faster game
because of the smaller ice. I don't know enough about the overseas teams
to really gravitate to one or another.
Deanna: Who is the craziest hockey player you've
shared the ice with? The hardest hitter? The goalie you never want to
face?
Aaron I think David Ling would
have to be the craziest. The hardest hitter would be Zenith Komarniski and
the goalie I wouldn't want to face would be Pascal because he knows me so
well.
Deanna: We all remember the fight you were in last year that left you with a permanent scar over your right eye, but for the most part, you seem relatively unblemished. Give us a quick rundown of the injuries in your hockey career.
Aaron: I have had a couple broken/cracked bones in Major Junior (arm and ankle) but the rest have been cuts and bruises which are a part of a hockey player's everyday life.
Deanna: And last but not least, the burning question we've been wondering about since last season: did you and Rick Nash often battle on the PlayStation 2 in the Blue Jackets' downtime, or was that just a show for the ESPN SportsCenter cameras?
Aaron: Well to be honest, I'm not a big PlayStation fanatic. We normally went to an arcade and played ping pong (which I usually won) but if you did notice I did get beat pretty badly on "NHL 2004" that game. So I guess you could say that it was for the show but normally we would be doing something competitive. I guess it's just our competitive nature.
Interviewers note: I would like to thank Aaron Johnson
for taking the time to do this interview.