Dave:
How did you first get involved in
hockey? What inspired you to bring your game to the pro level?
Geoff: I first got involved in hockey when i was 4. in fact my
mom was the one who pushed to give me the chance to play because of my
eagerness to get on the ice. playing hockey in the OHL (Ontario
Hockey League) throughout my junior career gave the right amount of
development I needed to be at this level.
Dave: What part of your game do your feel will need the most improvement if you are to make it in the NHL?
Geoff: Defense can always be improved on, but to be honest, every day that I get on the ice with veteran pro players, you pick up a new tidbit that can help improve your game.
Dave: On only your second game playing on the #1 line, you scored a hat trick against the Amerks. How did that feel?
Geoff: I quickly learned how big our rivalry with Rochester is and that made it that much more special.
Dave: What did the returning players
tell you about the Crunch-Amerk rivalry?
Geoff: That we played an astonishing 12 times! When I heard that I thought in my head "this is going to be a long season!" with that kind of team in our division.
Dave: Prior to Columbus camp where you skated with the likes of Rick Nash and Rusty Klesla, who was the best player you have ever shared the ice with?
Geoff: Without a doubt Alexander
Ovechkin the # 1 overall pick of the Washington Capitals. I played with
Team Canada against him in the world championships in his native Russia
and he was like a man amongst boys.
Dave:
Did you at times want to pinch yourself to see if
you were really at an NHL camp, or was this an expectation for you
this early in your career?
Geoff: My first time participating at an NHL camp in San Jose when I was 18, I was very star struck in way above my head. but learning from that experience I was able to feel much more comfortable coming into Columbus this year.
Dave: Last season you played in the OHL against Robbie Schremp, a local product who is a hot prospect. What did you think of his game?
Geoff: Rob is an exceptional player who I would rank as one of the best skills I've ever played against. He's one of those guys who just "has it".
Dave: You were also voted as the best skater in the Western Conference by OHL coaches. How do you feel the best skater in the OHL shapes up against the better skaters in the AHL?
Geoff: Well, it's a big part of my game that I work all summer to improve. I understand that I'm coming to a league with proven players with immense skill and experience, and at the same time I've worked very hard to get my body where it is so wherever I fit n at this point, there's always room to improve because there's always someone faster.
Dave: Do you like playing on the penalty kill? It seems you are always looking for that possible shorthanded breakaway?
Geoff: Looking for the breakaway isn't a priority, but I think will all the pressure I apply that thing like that create themselves. Oh and yes I do enjoy killing penalties because it gives you a chance to help swing the momentum of the game in your teams favor.
Dave:
You toured Germany with a Toronto team that included Brandon Sugden,
Kent McDonell and Kevin Colley among others. How was that
experience? Any good stories?
Geoff: Too many long nights that turned into early mornings. We
played way to much hockey in such a short period of time. but trust me
we made every second of that trip count from meeting very welcoming
German players, to even seeing the Alps!
Dave:
What do you do when not playing
hockey? Hobbies?
Geoff: Golf, read, act my age! ( Ha Ha)
Dave: What are the details of
your contract?
Geoff: It's a 2 way AHL-ECHL contract.
Dave: If you could have any one of your former teammates back from any team to play with this season, who would it be and why?
Geoff: Probably my good friend Vince Scott. He played with me in Erie and was one of those players that as a teammate and fan you just liked having on your team. I'm very proud to see him doing all the things I told him he could do this year!
Dave: How do you like living in Syracuse? How is it similar to you hometown? How is it different?
Geoff: It's treated me very well so
far. The fans and city are very receptive to us and it makes you
feel welcomed. As far as comparing it to my hometown of Mississauga
(suburb of Toronto), there is very little in common. Back home
there's 750,000 and another 3 million in the greater Toronto area. but
I've played in 2 cities prior to Syracuse that are very similar so I've
had an easy time adjusting.
Dave: Who is your favorite (answers in
red)
a) Pro athlete? - Ben Johnson(100m sprinter)
b) Hockey player while you were growing up? - Peter Forsberg
c) Non athlete celebrity? - Robert DeNiro
d) Musical artist? - Jimi Hendrix
Dave: Comment briefly on the following people (answers in red)
a) Coach Agnew - Rewards good play/ very fair man
b) Mark Hartigan - True professional
c) Peter Sarno - Amazing passer
d) Alexandre Picard - Flying Frenchman!
e) Brandon Sugden - One of the best guys I've ever met
f) Steven Goertzen-
The definition of a complete player
Dave: If you were not playing hockey, what sport would you play? Do you think you would be good enough to be a pro at it?
Geoff: Golf or squash... I was a handicap when was 12 in golf and my father was a #1 ranked player in Canada so I had the resources to be a pro.
Dave: Who has been the greatest influence on your career thus far?
Geoff: My mother and father
Dave: Do you have any brothers or sisters? Are they athletes?
Geoff:
My sister is 10 and plays both hockey and soccer and my brother is 14 that
plays hockey and is amazing at the guitar.
Dave: Who do you hang out with
on the team?
Geoff: My roommate Marc Methot, Greg Mauldin, Andrew Penner and I recently started bowling with Sugden and Delmore
Dave: Who do you most admire on the team?
Geoff: Bill Lindsay.. to have the drive to stay at this level for so long deserves a lot of respect.
Dave: How do you feel about the fans? Are you comfortable signing autographs? Are you usually noticed in public?
Geoff: Of course, without them we would just be a bunch of regular guys playing hockey. They make us feel like celebrities although we're definitely not! (Ha Ha). I mean we're regular guys who get to play the game we love everyday and if we can't do a small thing like display a good public image , then we don't deserve a tenth of the respect our great fans give us.
Dave: What would you like to do when your playing days are over?
Geoff: Play golf every single day!
Dave: Do you read any of the stuff on the internet, whether it be positive or negative and let that affect your play?
Geoff: I don't have a computer yet so I've been in the dark lately, but for the most part unless its coming from the Coach or any other management, it's in one ear out the other.
Interviewers note: I would like to thank Geoff
Platt for taking
the time to do this interview.