CHL TopX Show – Matt Savoie and Ben Hemmerling
Welcome to another episode of the CHL top 10 show my name is Scott vuna and this week I talk to a pair of WHL stars that have their sight set on extended playoff runs from the ninth ranked Moosejaw Warriors Matt seavoy and from the eighth ranked Everett silver tips
Ben hemmerling Matt seavoy after spending three years with the ice starting this year in the AHL and NHL followed by a dozen games with the wild is settling in with a Warriors team that has Memorial Cup aspirations we find out what it’s like joining the team that he helped knock
Out of the playoffs the last two seasons what he brings to an already stacked Warriors lineup what it meant to make his NHL debut and what it’s like playing against his former teammate Connor geeky here’s Matt seavoy my first guest today is from one of the hottest teams in the CHL right
Now he’s a Buffalo Sabers Prospect from the ninth ranked team in the CHL the Moosejaw Warriors it’s Matt seavoy Matt how you doing doing good how are you I’m pretty good thanks it it feels wrong to say Matt seavoy and mo draw Warriors still I’m trying to I’ve been trying to
Wrap my head around it for a while now but it just doesn’t feel right what about to you yeah I think uh it’s uh it’s getting more and more uh comfortable every day I think it’s been a good time here so far I’m having a lot
Of fun and um we’ve been we’ve been playing pretty well so it’s been it’s been good now you yourself you’re a little bit banged up right now missed the last two games when can we expect you back in the lineup uh yeah just out uh day-to-day right now with um a little
Maintenance so um it could be back as as soon as um tomorrow or or the next game so um real soon here that’s good obviously ly uh the the goal is a deep and long playoff run so no need to to rush things right now right yeah 100% I
Think that’s that’s really important and in a season like this is making sure the body’s healthy and and ready to go come come the most important time of year and um in the end of the season well I talked to um one of your former World Junior teammates last week
In Fraser mitton and uh I asked him about being a bit of a a nomad this season because he you know been around much much like yourself you’re on team number five this year obviously you know you got to play your game in the NHL and we’ll talk
About that later and and had a half dozen games with Rochester then you’re with wachi Team Canada and now in MOA what what is the biggest challenge for you know for people like for fans they’re watching they just see it go out and play every night but but for the
Player what’s the biggest challenge in moving around like that that yeah I think it uh you know it can be difficult um you know not getting comfortable in one spot or um you know getting into the routine of things at at the beginning of the season but um you
Know I haven’t found it uh too difficult I think I’ve been really fortunate going to really good groups with all the teams I’ve been playing with and being able to you know get the chance to learn a lot from um guys I played with on every single team and and all the coaching
Staff so uh I think it’s it’s been really really helpful for my development getting to play with a lot of different players and um just pick up on little things that that different guys do at the next level and um and apply them to to here and Junior and um and it’s been
Good it’s been a good season so far and and I’m looking forward to continuing it how how different are some of the the systems and and coaches and and when you do try to pick up some things from from teammates um how do you incorporate them when well say now with
Mraw yeah I think it’s just uh finding things that work for you in your game and things that can help you um not only make yourself better but make your teammates better around you I think that’s uh that’s a big part of having a winning culture is pushing everyone to
Be the best player they can be and um and everyone being on the same page I think uh the last couple years in in Winnipeg we’ve done a good job of that in the western league and um and I think Musha is doing a really good job of that
This year and and I’m happy to to be here and be a part of it was it was it easier making the move to Moosejaw after having to move from Winnipeg to wachi this season and and go through those adjustments with with Billet families and and all the like there yeah I think
Um you know my Billet family here in in mustra has made it really easy to to make the transition and and just feel feel at home I think they’ve done a really good job just welcoming me and um making me feel like I’m a part of the
Family so it’s been really good and that’s kind of just how It’s Been Everywhere honestly in in wachi I had new billets and they were really good as well and then um was kind of on my own in Rochester and buffalo which was which was a new experience and it was a good
One as well getting to spend some more time with teammates and um get a little bit more freedom I guess so um no they’ve all been good experiences had good billets and uh pretty pretty seamless transitions everywhere everywhere I’ve gone so far how much uh cooking or how much ordering was going
On in Rochester and buffalo um yeah not a whole lot of cooking but uh quite a bit of ordering I mean in in Buffalo we had uh a really good setup at the rank with just meals all the time and um they took care pretty well and even in Rochester we got
Breakfast at the rink every morning and pregame pregame meals most days so um yeah I think they they took care of us pretty well but uh definitely did my fair share of ordering ordering dinner when you got acquired like mustra played paid quite a bit for you you know
Seven seven picks including two first how do you avoid putting too much pressure on yourself to perform right away I think it was just trying to be myself as soon as I came in here um I think I I have a lot of experience in
The league and um and and know what kind of the the grind of it what it what it entails so um just bringing my experience in and being confidence in being confident in you know what I can do on the ice and how I can contribute
To uh to a winning team I think that was the biggest thing make it a lot easier with with a bunch of guys that you spent uh World Junior camp with out there yeah I think that was another big thing was um you know having um three guys and
Even more I I was at uh Buffalo camp with with Calbert um not this past year but the year before so got to know him a little bit there and then uh like you said those three guys that uh at World Junior spent pretty much every day with
Him there and um built some you know really good relationships with those guys and some really tight friendships so um yeah they definitely made the transition really easy to to come into this dressing room and just be myself and uh feel at home how has your role changed from from
Wachi where you know you were the the go-to guy there even if it was for just under a dozen games but to coming to mustra where you don’t have to be the guy every night especially with like we said you know ferus and Jagger um Calver
Even Muk you know the list goes on and on with the depth yeah I think I’ve been able to kind of experience that in Winnipeg the last couple years with um you know how deep of a team we had and and how many um you know high-end players we had but
Uh you know I think it’s it’s a really positive thing having um you know lots of high-end guys that can can contribute on different nights and um and help push the bus in the right direction I think you know in particular those guys you listed um are
All are all play drivers um you know all help their linemates be better and um and I think they have a really big impact on the game just you know what they’re doing uh how they’re preparing I think it goes a long way in the dressing
Room and and on the ice as well so how do you ease yourself into that that stack lineup and and how much does it help like you said with being on the other side of it in Winnipeg the last couple years where you you guys are the
Ones bringing them in but now you’re the you know the Hired Gun coming in yeah I think um you know seeing it firsthand in the last couple years bringing um you know big pieces into Winnipeg um just seeing how they how they took it and ran with it and kind of
How they acted in the in the situation I think you know a couple names Jack Finley Zack achuk guys I got really close with in the last couple years I think just being similar to that and being a guy that can you know come in and try and help contribute and and do
Everything I can to help the team win but um you know not not trying to come in and and rewrite the script and you know change too much in the dressing room I think what they had before I got here was was working well and um and I’m
Just you know in addition to to help us have some success this might be more of a a question for for Coach oi but how is there enough ice time for everybody um yeah I think uh you know I think it comes down to you know being disciplined and um you know having
Having the discipline to get off and uh have have other guys have opportunity on the ice I think that’s that’s that’s the good thing about having such a good team and having so many you know good players and and good lines that can contribute is um you know you don’t have to
Lengthen out your shifts you don’t have to you know be double shif in the whole game you can you can um you know maintain some energy and um you know go all out every single shift and not have to you know Reserve energy for the end
And in case you have to you know double shift in the last period or whatever you can you know be confident in in every shift and um and go just play your game with with no uh with no restraints does it also make it easier knowing that everybody’s rowing in the
Same direction and you all have Memorial Cup aspirations and so you don’t you don’t need to play 20 minutes or 25 minutes a night now because you want to be playing into the end of May yeah exactly I think that’s that’s so important having a common goal and um
And having a a group like we do that’s so motivated to to having that success and finding that and um I think it’s it’s really fun to be a part of and and to work towards with with this group for sure what was coach O’s message to you
When you arrived like what what did he kind of lay out his expect expectations for you where you were going to slot in the lineup and and that kind of stuff I think um you know one of his biggest messages to me was just you know
Be yourself we um you know we brought you in for a reason and um and I think it’s it was just mostly excitement for me and I’m really excited to come to to a team that has a really good chance to to do something special here in the
Playoffs and um and yeah that’s kind of what my message was to him was just how excited I was and um and and it’s uh it’s been good so far and I’m looking forward to to the rest of the journey here well you didn’t waste any time endearing yourself to the moose moose
Draw faithful you know getting uh two goals three assists first star honors in your first game uh you know how good did it feel to have that kind of a performance with your in your first game at at home yeah that was um you know
That was nice for sure to to come in and um after you know a week of not skating and uh coming to a new team you definitely want to have a a good debut and and uh a big first night and uh it was nice to have that I think my
Linemates were made it really easy on me um you know looking for me uh to get the puck and uh finding me in some pretty good spots and and it was a lot of fun I think you know we were really clicking that night um on the power play and and
On five on five so um you know it was really fun to slot in that night and uh have a night like that and get the win so um you know looking looking forward to for more of that to come you were number 26 that night were there any
Thoughts on on keeping that after that game yeah I think uh a couple guys gave me a bit of a hard time in the justing room saying I should just run with that number instead but uh no it’s uh it was all good I think uh didn’t mind wearing
26 at all I mean I was pretty comfortable with it after wearing it for a month in Sweden so um no it was all good was there was there anybody on the team that kind of surprised you with how they are you know either on the ice as a
Teammate or or in the dressing room that you you weren’t kind of expecting after having played against them for so long um I think you know the group they have in the dressing room is is so good and um and how they all compete on the
Ice and and push each other I think you know just as a whole the group was you know that was you know one of the biggest surprises to me was going to such a competitive group that uh you know all had the common goal to to you
Know go out and win something and and achieve it together and I thought that was pretty special now you can be honest here what was it like the first time walking into that dressing room knowing that you had knocked those guys out the last two years in a row of the
Playoffs I don’t think there was uh you know too much bad butt I think it was it was just mostly excitement on um you know the present and um and what we’re doing this year and where we’re where we’re trying to go and um you know I was
I was excited to walk into the dressing room I think you know I had a big smile on my face lots of guys you know coming up and and introducing themselves so I felt really welcome um right from day one and I think that was that was a big
Part of uh feeling comfortable as well what what kinds of things did did the did the rest of the group do with not only you but the other pieces that were brought in with like as well as you at the trade deadline to help make you feel
Part of the team and and you know get to know each other a little bit better yeah I don’t know if there’s you know a specific thing I think you know this group just does it so effortlessly um you know whether that’s just hanging out
Or um going for lunch away from the rink and um you know playing playing video games whatever it is I think this group’s always you know doing stuff together and um and being interactive so I think that’s a really positive thing and and an easy group to to join and and
Be a part of and you obviously know firsthand how important it is to be close with the group having gone to the the conference final two years ago and then the final last year just you know maybe put it into words how important it is when you want to have those deep Long
Playoff runs to be close with the guy that you’re going to battle with every night yeah I think you know every every good um successful playoff team has uh has that um they have that camaraderie in the locker room where uh you’re playing for the guy next to you and um
And it’s pretty special once once you get down the stretch and and into the really meaningful games I think um you know it’s it’s it’s really emotional and and intense and um and there’s a lot of energy and excitement in those games but uh it’s fun it’s it’s the most exciting
Time is the playoffs and um and we’re just building towards that and I think we’re on we’re on the right track here what can you take away from those two obviously they would have been tough losses for you in the last two playoff runs um what can you take away from
Those and bring into the Moose Draw room and and help this roster I think um you know like I was touching on earlier just a little bit of uh experience um you know knowing what it takes to to have success in the playoffs and um you
Know knowing what it takes uh to you know come so close and and and not get it done I think the the margin of error in the playoffs is so slim and um and it comes down to you know such such small bounces so um you I think just just
Experience and um and uh and a little bit of leadership I think that’s that’s what I can bring with with having going to pretty deep in the playoffs the last couple years and um and looking going to redeem it this year for sure I heard recently in an interview and I can’t
Remember it was an NHL coach that said it but he said it’s important to deal with some adversity before you’re able to win do you feel like you’ve dealt with enough adversity adversity over the last couple years now to be able to go out and win this year yeah I think you
Know that’s uh that’s the beauty of the game um you know there’s there’s adversity uh within every game I think you know it’s it’s tough to win it’s tough to you know be that that final team at the end that’s that’s standing as as the Champions but um you know I
Think that’s that’s what makes it makes it makes it so exciting to compete every single game and um and go out there and put your best foot for it I think only special groups have have what it takes to to win it all and um you know I’m
Hoping that can be us this year and and I think we we have that special group well you had a had a really good group in Winnipeg that that obviously moved to wachi you get to still go out there for for a game against them uh at the early
Early March how do you anticipate that one going for you like the you know just the emotions because there’s still a lot of familiar faces over there yeah I think it’ll it’ll definitely be a bit of a weird game with just how long I played for that organization and uh you know
The relationships I have with with lots of guys on those on that team and um you know even when when I got traded and I went down to you know grab all my stuff and and drive to Musa I had lunch with a few guys and um you know it’s tough
Tough switching teams um after being with guys for for three or four years so um you know it’ll def definitely be a lot uh a lot different um playing against that team but uh you know there’ll be no friends on the ice that’s for
Sure and and how nice was it I asked I asked Fraser the same question but opposite because he spent his entire career in the in the Western Conference and now he’s playing in the Eastern Conference you got to go out and and and do the opposite how nice was it you know
Even if it was for 11 games but just to play some different guys and different teams uh that you don’t normally get to play against I thought that was a cool experience um just getting to play in different Arenas get different teams um I hadn’t uh been to the US before um
Playing there this year except for obviously in the finals against Seattle last year so getting to see all those new ranks and and playing for a new fan bases I thought it was it was really cool and even the players I hadn’t played against some of those players
Since you know Bantam and uh and u8 so it was definitely cool to play against those teams in in the US Division and the BC divy and and for you obviously earlier this year you got to make your NHL debut what was that moment like for you not only
You but your family as well yeah it was it was special um you know it was obviously really cool to to get out there for my my solo lap and um and get to experience that and I think the coolest part was was having my parents
There and getting to spend it with them and see how happy they were and and proud of me and um it was just really exciting night and um and and a really cool one and and then when uh when you got sent back the news that you were going
To send back what did Buffalo ask you to focus on this season um just continuing my pace of play uh they they felt that I was I was in a good spot with you know how I was developing and um and how I was coming back from my injury but um you know
Obviously there’s there’s some things I can work on in in my 200 foot game my allaround game um holding on to the puck more so um I think there’s you know lots of details that I can work on in my game but um you know continuing to to play at
A high pace and use my speed I think was was one of the biggest things and and how surprised or maybe not surprised are you with how well Zack Benson your your former ice teammate is is doing in Buffalo this year you know he’s kind of a give him an inch and
He’ll take a mile kind of player yeah 100% um know I’m super happy for him and and the success he’s having I think it’s it’s pretty special to come in at 18 and um and cracked the roster not as you know one of the first first few picks in
The draft so um you know I think it’s it’s really cool what he’s what he’s been able to do this year and um The Experience he’s he’s able to get learning from those guys and um and yeah it’s it’s it’s been really fun to to watch them how often you guys keep in
Touch um we talk you know just check in with each other um you know every couple weeks just see how each other are doing um how each other are playing I usually watch some of the games and um check in with them and I think you know he was
Watching some of uh the world junior games so um no it was good it was it was good while we were down there too we were pretty much two of the only guys in the hotel so um we were going for for dinner quite a bit and just right there
In the hotel but no it was good can can you believe that that you’re 20 already like where where is your WHL time gone yeah no kidding um I feel like uh I’ve been in the league for for a while now and um I’ve seen quite a bit so um
Yeah it definitely didn’t feel like too long ago when I was coming in at um 15 and and wearing a cage and um was still you know really new to things so it’s it’s been it’s been fun it’s gone by quick but uh but it’s been a blast how
Have you changed as a player or or even as a person since that you know that 1920 season when you got to play those 20 games in Winnipeg yeah I think you know I’ve matured a ton um you know just with the experiences that I’ve that I’ve had
Since then being being drafted being um able to spend some time developing in Buffalo um I think you know it was it was such a long time ago that um you know you don’t even really really remember what it was like it was I mean it was before Co can’t even can’t even
Really wrap my head around how long ago that was but uh yeah no it was uh it’s uh it’s definitely been a fun ride and um I’m excited for the rest of this year for sure now that you’re the the Wy vet on the team and uh like what what kinds
Of things do you say to those those young guys that are coming in and just getting their toes wet in the league um not not too much I mean um you know I think they’ve uh they got a good group of of young guys here that that really
Work and and really want to get better and and show up to the rink with that that attitude every day so uh I mean as an older guy um you know you you kind of want to give him a little bit of a hard time and cuz that’s how it was for you
When you were a younger guy but no it’s all in all in good fun and good jokes and I think that’s you know another big part of having a good locker room is being able to joke around with guys and and have fun with guys and um you know
Older or younger I think either or I think being able to joke around and have some fun and and have a light locker room is is is always a good thing and um and it’s it’s been good here yeah I always say you know it’s fine when everybody’s joking around with each
Other it’s when they’re not joking around with you that you got to be worried yeah exactly well H uh Brothers in his second season in in Bakersfield how’s his season going how how uh how much do you guys keep going back and forth I know you you talk
Frequently yeah um we talk I pretty much every day I think uh whether it’s on the phone or we’re just shooting a text across but um no I think he’s uh he’s been having having a good year uh as of recently he’s he was injured at the
Start of the year which was tough but um he’s been he’s been playing a lot better I’ve been watching a few of his games and uh he’s been he’s been scoring a little bit getting getting getting some assists so um you know he’s been he’s been playing well it’s it’s fun to watch
Him for sure you guys excited to at the opportunity to to play against each other sooner than later yeah I think the the only time we’ve ever played together was uh um Bantam when I was uh I would have been 12 and he would have been 14 so um
About eight years ago now so it’s been a while since we’ve uh hit the ice sheet together competitively so it’ll be uh it’ll be fun if once that happens or if that happens it’ll be uh it’ll be pretty cool you guys have 16 games left in this
In the season you know you’re third in the East so you’ve got home ICE pretty much locked up at this point uh two more games this weekend you’ve got Calgary and then you’re going to face your old buddy geeky and and Swift Current I know you’ve already played him twice but you
Know how uh what what were those games like what how much jarring is there between you guys out on the ice yeah it’s pretty fun um you know it’s definitely a different playing against after playing with them uh for the last four years but um no it’s it’s uh it’s
Always you know you always get a laugh playing against a guy like that who’s who’s uh such a character off the ice and you know that so um no it was good playing against him it was really fun and I think we uh we both enjoyed it out
There and and as for the the Warriors what are you guys looking to kind of fine-tune as you as you head into this stretch run here yeah I think we we’ve been playing pretty good lately I think just um you know those those little details in our own Zone that uh they
Give up a couple chances a game I think we can clean up on I think that’s what we’ve really been dialing in in practice and um and I think that’s just something that can can help take take our defensive game to the next level have
You uh have you picked up your your fcus circus t-shirt yet no I still have to i s by him in the room though he should he should be giving me one honestly but I’ll have to go pick one up how how what can you say about the season that he’s
Been having he’s uh so gifted offensively I mean you can just see in practice um when he gets a chance it’s it’s usually in the back of the net or um when he even when you don’t see a passing Lane he’s fine in it so uh he’s just so gifted offensively that that
It’s so fun to watch and um and he’s definitely been producing at that raate as well just seems like you guys are are just starting to to find your level with all the additions and everything and you guys are just you know you’re about to Peak at the right time it feels like
Yeah I think that’s that’s another important thing going into playoffs you want to be uh at your best and um I think that’s uh that’s where we want to be awesome Matt thank you very much for this good luck to the rest of the season and hopefully a long playoff run that
Ends in h Sagen off for you guys all righty thank you very much I appreciate It after an injury cut Ben hemmerling season short last year the Vegas Prospect has taken a step forward this this year as co- captain of the Everett silver tips already surpassing last year’s numbers in fewer games we’ll find out how to put an ugly loss behind you how he’s continued to
Grow as a player what it’s like being co- Captain with longtime teammate Austin Roost and how it felt to finally get a chance to play in his hometown in this his fourth WHL season here’s Ben hemmerling my next guest is from the eighth ranked team of the CHL Top 10
Rankings he’s a Vegas gold night’s Prospect from the Everett silver tips it’s Ben hemmerling Ben how you doing tonight I’m doing pretty well yeah now obviously uh earlier this week you guys had a a I don’t know how you want to describe it a tough an ugly uh
Either however you want to chalk it up it was a bad loss against Portland on Tuesday um you know we won’t even go into what the score was you guys gave up three shorties in that one too what kind of what kind of happened in that
Game you know is just kind of one of those games um we I mean we haven’t had one I don’t think all year so um it was just kind of one of those games where the pucks weren’t going our way couple bad breaks and I thought I thought we
Battled pretty hard not looking at the score but uh I mean like shots were pretty even uh you know I thought we I thought we did it well all considered but uh yeah we just kind of one of those games obviously you never like to lose to a rival especially one that you’re
You’re chasing for top spot your division with um but are those those real stinkers like that are they a little bit easier to just kind of write off and not dwell on because they were just you know just a a bad outing yeah I think um you know
Obviously we don’t want to go in there and and lose to a team like that in such a big game too um you know but all you can really do from from that now is just just just learn from it and uh you know have a short short memory and uh I mean
We got another game Friday Saturday Sunday here coming up so uh yeah just a short memory learn from it but don’t don’t dwell on it and uh just be be ready to go for Friday so how do you learn from a game like that and not dwell on
It I think it’s just uh as soon as you kind of leave that rink uh get on the bus and go home it’s it’s a short reflection after the game and then you know a little maybe some video the next day of of where we could have been
Better and and where things really went wrong and then after that just kind of put it behind you and then focus on the next one it’s one good thing about the the WHL here is uh you know three four five games a week so um you’re always
Ready for that next one and like you said you’ve got a three and three this weekend which concludes with another game against those Winter Hawks so what do you guys have to do different l in that one um to get on the other side of it because they’ve kind of had your
Number this year yeah uh I know it’s going to be a tough game I’m not sure what their schedule looks like but uh I know for us uh for with the three and three it’s not always uh the easiest thing to do especially playing a Portland on Sunday um but I think we’re
Just going to have to play a good uh simple game like we know they Branda hockey and uh if I think if we played to ours and and we got our home crowd uh behind there on Sunday so that’s going to help but I think if we play to our
Brand uh we should be able to uh it’ll be a good fight well you’re in what’s most likely going to be in your your final year in the WHL so what have you learned you know that that you know now that you wish you had have known and you
Know to help you stay ready on these long weeks in the three and thre so that you’ve got as much energy at the end of the three and three and you know you’re four and six or or whatever it ends up being um as you do at the start of the
Week yeah at this point I think I’m just kind of getting used to it like uh we’ve had quite a few three and threes this year we just came off of five- six uh the other week there so I think your body gets used to it a little bit but um
Just uh preparation throughout the week uh sleeping right eating right um you know stretching rolling out all those things uh to help your body recover and make sure it’s in the best shape possible for these uh three and threes as one of the veteran guys on the team
Now and a co- captain and we’ll get to that in a second um how do you help out the younger guys when you’ve you know especially coming up to this critical stretch of the season when you guys are fighting to keep home ice and and maybe even top spot in the in the
West yeah I mean yeah it’s my my fourth year here and uh being in a leadership role the past couple Seasons um I’ve definitely matured as a player and and as a person um I knew when I came in the league at 16 and 17 I had some pretty uh
Remarkable leaders that I could learn from and just kind of replicate uh what they taught me and uh yeah I just kind of do my best to help the younger guys um with the schedule and the practicing and everything like that like creating good habits uh not only at the rink but
Uh away from the rink as well like taking care of your body and everything like that because it is a grind and it’s it’s a long season for sure what did you learn from guys like gon Alvis and fad and fair brother and even to you know
Dustin wolf um you know what what did you learn from those guys uh well I know for for one for Wolf he is uh that guy practiced harder than anyone I’ve I’ve ever played with uh you know he’s one of those guys that would get pissed off if
You scored him in practice and then like Fair brother he’s another one of those guys that uh you know he’s pretty competitive guy and I was fortunate enough to room with him actually in the bubble as well so just like learning little things like how they their game
Day routines and their practice day routines and what how they do like take take care of their bodies what they’re eating and and things like that and just like fonat and gon salvis um you know fonnie was he was such a skilled talented player and uh like the stuff he
Worked on after practice and and Gonzo being the the outgoing guy he is uh just learning like kind of how being a glue guy what kind of things he did to keep the room tight and then barzowski last year he was uh our captain and um there’s
Another guy that just kind of does it all well and now it’s you and and Roose who are the co- captains and you guys have grown up together essentially in Everett so how are how do you how are your leadership styles you know uh relative to each other do we have a a
Good cop bad cop guy some times or one’s more raah raw or lead by example how do you guys do it yeah I think um I mean our coach uh Willie I think he said it the best uh I think we compliment each other really well um Roy’s kind of more
Uh I don’t want to say he’s a little more serious um kind of gets straight down to business and then I kind of like to keep the room a little more light but also know when to to dial it in and and and be ready and you know it’s it is a
Business so it’s important to have fun but also know when to when to dial it in and crack down and get a job done well you you mentioned uh your coach coach GM Dennis Williams how does he have you guys playing this year you know you guys are out in Everett you’re
The Pacific time zone so you guys almost get a little bit forgotten across the rest of the CHL because you guys are the later games and everything so for the people that don’t stay up late to watch you guys how do you guys play this year
Yeah I think Willie he’s done a really good job of uh since he’s since day one he’s been here uh just creating a brand of hockey for the Everett silver tips and I think you can ask anyone in the league and I think we’re one of the hardest teams to play against that’s
Kind of our motto is just kind of be relentless and and uh compete and um you know we’re not the biggest team but uh I think it’s just kind of stick your nose in kind of hockey like just get right in there and uh compete hard and and
Yeah obviously there were some teams in WL that made some Blockbuster deals this year you guys stayed relatively quiet what what does that say to to the room with the confidence that uh that Dennis has in you guys yeah I think it says a lot to our group um you know these
Blockbuster trades they they look pretty good on paper but uh at the end of the day everyone puts their skates on the same way and and and plays the game the same so um I think keeping a group uh together and and not making any significant moves uh doesn’t just help
With the team morale but uh you know keeps guys keeps guys in the loop and uh keeps guys confident uh that their head coach in GM uh wants them there and you guys have a pretty well balanced attack you know as evidenced by six 20 plus goal scorers how important
Is again you know as as the regular season comes to an end here how important is it for you guys to be able to roll all four lines to keep guys fresh to hopefully have a long playoff run yeah I think it’s huge I know my uh
My 17 18y old Year we We were battling injuries and uh come playoff time I know myself I was out last year with an injury and then my 17-year-old year we had lots of uh kind of key players out with injury so I think it’s important uh
Just keep uh maintaining your body and not peing at the wrong time um uh yeah so hopefully uh we got 12 games left here hopefully we can uh catch a little fire here at the end of the year and then carry that into a playoffs well like you said you you got
Injured last year in early March so an extra long off season for you what kinds of things did you do in the offseason to help prepare for this year because you know like you’re on a six game point streak right now 30 points in your last 17 games you’ve already surpassed all your
Numbers offensive numbers from last year so how did that extra you know obviously you never want to miss time with an injury but how did that help you um prepare for this year and take another step forward as a player yeah uh there’s you know there for with injury there’s not too many
Positives you can look at it um for me I just try to take what I could uh just get an early start on my offseason training so I was still in everit but uh with my injury I was able to work around it and and uh you know lift lift some
Weights and and things like that so I could get started a little early get a little month head start on my offseason and I think that’s helped me this year for sure um you know the weight room for me is is huge in the summer uh being a
Little bit of an undersized guy so uh just getting a head start on that and um yeah do do you set goals for yourself at the in the offseason or at the start of the year like obviously team goals you know make playoffs win a championship go
To the Memorial Cup um you know obviously one personal goal probably would have been to sign your your entry level which which you accomplished that but do you set any other kind of goals up for yourself um I know I think it’s important to uh you know set goals um my
I signed in the dub for a reason and that was to to make Pro Hockey one day so um for me it was it was getting drafted check that off sign an entry level check that off and then uh play in the American League at 20 so hopefully
Hopefully I can accomplish that one and um you know for me during the season uh it’s just kind of about growing my game and uh maturing my game um getting better every day and uh I know for me like a weight thing is I like to keep an
Eye on that and maintaining a weight uh especially with this schedule it’s it’s pretty tough to do but um you know just utilizing like postgame lifts and and things like that to kind of maintain a weight and put set myself up for the best offseason I can to you know
Actually put on some good uh muscle yeah you know a lot of people don’t don’t really realize how difficult it is for you guys to maintain your way throughout the year with the the rigors of the Season what you know maybe take us through it a little bit how you know
How much you have to work out or how much you have to eat to try to maintain that level throughout the year yeah it’s so it’s not easy that’s for sure um especially if you’re playing three three four games a week um you try and work
Out as much as you can but there’s a balance between like kind of working out and not wanting to be a bit like a bit sore for the game so um yeah just maybe like a lighter lifts things like that um play a game Saturday night you don’t
Play till Wednesday or the following Friday that Saturday after the game you you get a pretty heavy lift and um some people think that lifting after game doesn’t make sense but it’s honestly the perfect time to work out is uh your body’s already warm so uh just
To condense that that strain on your body after a game it’s uh I think that that’s huge another huge things for for forwards anyway is is flexibility and and obviously you have that with the ability to play center and Wing um how important is it for you to be able to
You know shift from from the wing to Center when whenever coach needs you to yeah I think uh I like to see myself as a little bit of a Swiss army knife uh I played center my whole career up until the dub and uh just kind of with
Personnel I was moved to the wing and uh you know I’ve been thriving there on the wing too so um I like playing both I think I’m pretty good at both um yeah when uh when you’re down at at Vegas’s camp in the in the summer in the early fall there um you
Know what what do you learn from those guys especially coming off you know the Stanley Cup win and and all that to bring back to Everett with you yeah it’s pretty it’s pretty cool how uh those Pros you know not only treat the young guys but uh you know just how they carry
Themselves within the rink um yeah it’s pretty cool to watch uh I know eel uh he was during training Camp there he was you know he was Pumping Iron like he was still in his offseason training so uh and now he’s one of the best players in
The league for a reason so I think lots of that goes unnotice of like these guys they some people think they just kind of lace up the skates and just go play but there’s a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t realize that hockey players do to make
Themselves like Optimal for their performance on the ice is that kind of eye opening for you like you viously you you know the work that you put in but then to go and see what they’re doing and see how much more they might be doing yeah yeah it’s I mean he’s one of
The best players in the league for a reason um I think yeah they I mean yeah I’m sure uh I’m a long ways away from kind of getting to uh maybe that NHL level but uh you know I’m confident in myself and my work ethic and and my
Mentality so uh if I think if I keep on my keep that mindset going I like my chances and and how excited are you or how much do you welcome you know the challenge uh looking past this year but in you know in the future of trying to
Crack that that deep roster and and even you know even the farm team’s a good team in Henderson as well like how much do you look forward to to getting on the ice with those guys again in competing for roster spots yeah I know I like my
Last couple seasons in ever done I might have not had to you know really compete for for a roster spot so you know I’m looking forward to to go to Camp next year and and really you know competing against other guys for you know try and
Take take some jobs or or whatnot but I think everyone’s there for the for the same reason there at Camp is to try and get a roster spot and and uh you know kind of get on the team and and um yeah be a proven uh player on for the team
And a contributing member so yeah I’m looking forward to it and as I’m sure everyone else is yeah and obviously lots of lots of time left in in everit and and last weekend you guys won a wild one against Spokane you know 76 in the in the shootout you got the shootout winner
And I was kind of kind of curious you’ve you’ve shot in two shootouts if I’m not mistaken this year you’re one for two um but both times you shot third so is this something that you guys talk about um do you have a preference in the shootout
Like if you’re going first second third or or you know beyond do you ever do you guys how what’s that strategy like for you guys um I don’t think there’s too much behind it um I know um I like the pressure so maybe that plays a factor in
It um you know I like when the game’s in my hands so I like going third but uh uh you know we got lots of good shooters that can go so uh it’s just kind of Coach calls your name and and you go out
There and do a job so uh I liked uh that I had the game on in my hands there and uh I was fortunate to get it done for for the group and our goalie made a couple big saves there in OT and and in the shootout so kudos to him as
Well and and we’re gonna we’re gonna keep rewinding the clock a little bit uh December 1st you finally get to play I know you’re Sherwood Park but essentially Edmonton so you finally get to play in your hometown what was that game like for you you know second star
Goal and assist even despite the loss uh yeah I think that was one of my uh favorite games in in my WHL career um you know I had that one marked on my calendar from as soon as the schedule came out there and uh you know I was
Pretty fortunate to have lots of uh family and friends there I think there was around a hundred people there watching so um yeah it was a pretty special game and for it to be their teddy bear toss game too lots of fans in the building but uh yeah it was it was
One of my favorite games for sure I’m always interested when when guys go back and play in their Hometown how their friends and family how they they go about cheering are they are they cheering for the Oil Kings Still to win but for you to have a good game or have
They converted to tips fans uh they’re all tips fans yeah um I know my brother and and all his buddies came and they were wearing my jerseys from uh kind of back in the day like spring hockey jerseys brick jerseys so it was pretty cool seeing them in warm up there on the
Glass and uh I remember when I scored my goal uh they were sitting in a suite up top and I could just hear them going nuts and uh gave them a little point there as I went for the flyby and uh I think that set him off pretty good
That’s awesome and and we go back a little bit further this this season you got your first WHL hatrick uh first how good did it feel to get the hattrick and second what does that say about H how hard it is to actually score in the
WHL yeah I know it’s it’s pretty crazy um you know I think I was four or five games into the year without a goal before that game and uh you know I got that first one and I felt like a huge weight off my shoulders and then was
Able to get a couple more in the net there and yeah I think it just says a lot about the league I mean every On Any Given night any team can win uh it’s just such a competitive uh competitive league and you can’t take any team for
Granted you got to go in there the same mindset as if you’re playing the best team compared to the worst like any team any team can win on any given night and yeah it just says a lot about the league now I saw an interview or I can’t
Remember if I saw it or if I read it an interview with you and and you said that uh last year you watched every single NHL playoff game so I not just not just Vegas’s games um I’m wondering are you a bit of a hockey nerd can you like is it
Just like hook it to your veins and you want to you know you follow along with everything yeah uh I I don’t know I don’t know if I caught every every playoff game but uh I was sure to grab uh whatever kind of was on there and I
If I had some time I would I would watch but uh you know I like I’m I’m a fan of the Oilers uh grew up watching the Oilers and yeah and them in Vegas that uh I like to watch those two teams um but yeah when those teams were kind of
On I was always I was always tuning in and you know just got to be a student of the game as well like lots of people think that it’s just um you got to practice on your own stuff like the physical part of it but there’s also the
Learning aspect of and mentally of like just watching and seeing what guys are doing out there and kind of learning learning on from NHL as well like they’re the best in the world for a reason so uh I think being a sponge and as much as you can watch them I think
It’ll trans translate your game on the ice obviously a lot of Talent on on both Vegas and and Emington to watch but who are some of the other guys around the NHL or even the WHL CHL guys that you like to watch and and you know see what what they put into their
Games uh I mean uh on Vegas I I like to watch Jonathan Marsh’s show uh he’s um been a deadly goal scorer in the NHL for a while now and he’s he’s an undersized forward just like myself so uh just kind of learning from him and seeing what
He’s doing out there but yeah there’s there’s lots of guys Braden Point uh I think uh our games kind of complement each other well so I love I like to watch him as well um yeah and then CHL wise uh I don’t really watch too much CHL I more just
Watch my games and my shifts but uh you know I think there’s lots of good players in this league that you can can learn a lot from not only playing against them up up close but watching as well now now point and Marshall show
They’ve got a bit of an edge to their to their game they get a little bit feisty do you have that feistiness in your game as well uh I think that’s um one of the aspects of my game that’s actually grown a little bit this year um you know I I
Like to play with heart uh I’m competitive guy so uh when of the emotions boil over a little bit I don’t want to say I get stupid but uh um not going to not going to shy away from anything and uh you know I like to mix
It up a little bit but uh not the not that it’s gonna not in a way that’s going to cost my teammates and on our team so do you figure that’s a bit of a a maturity thing now you’re you know a little bit older wiser and and you kind
Of know the boundaries that you can do and how far you can push things yeah I I think that’s part of it but um you know there’s it’s always good to be able to add things to your game and add things to your resume and uh you know I think
My first couple years I was more of a soft kind of soft skill a little bit um but my 18 19y old year I like to say that I’ve kind of grown my game into more of a 200 foot uh kind of Dependable but also being able to still contribute
Offensively for for the group I also heard you say that you guys are a really close nit group this year so how how close are you guys and and how how much does that help the team especially when you guys are in this stretch run and and gearing up for the
Playoffs yeah I think it’s huge uh I mean everyone’s in the same boat uh we’re all dealing with you know the grind of the league and just being able to lean on each other and things like that uh we’re together a lot our schedules from you know 9:30 to 3 3
Every day so with each other a lot and I think that just helps with uh with our you know our chemistry and our glue and everything like that on the ice so I think it’s huge to have a tight-knit group and I think we have that you guys
Hang out outside of the rink obviously too then yeah yeah yeah we do whenever we whenever we get some time uh you know we’re fortunate it’s pretty pretty nice here all around maybe some rainy days but uh you know the golf courses are always open so we can get out golfing or
Just go to the mall or you know on an off day just kind of separate yourself from the game I think is is also big and like we said mentioned earlier you know you you checked off one of your your goals by signing your your entry
Level what did it mean to not only for you but but your family when you got to sign that entry-level contract with Vegas uh I know the process the whole process was was pretty stressful um but uh as soon as I I kind of put my put my
Stamp there on the contract it was uh just a huge relief and uh I can thank my my family um anymore like they’re they are they’re my rock and uh they’ve been supporting me for for as long as I can remember and the amount of time and energy and everything like that that
They’ve put into me I give them all the credit in the world and um yeah well 12 games left in the regular season you know obviously we we like we mentioned you got wachi Seattle Portland in the three and three this weekend um what do you guys hope to kind of clean
Up tune up as as you gear up for the playoffs yeah I think there’s always stuff that you can clean up um you know I think we just got to keep playing keep playing to our strengths and to our identity and uh yeah like I said earlier
We just hopefully we can get a little hot here before playoffs and and carry that in but uh yeah we still got some some some big games ahead of us and uh we’re not looking past those um yeah well good luck in h in a big rivalry weekend for you thank you very
Much for doing this and and hopefully a long playoff run coming up yeah thank You well that does it for today thanks for listening to another episode of the CHL top 10 show make sure you like and subscribe as we continue to chat with some of the biggest and brightest names across the Canadian hockey league and happy long weekend to all of the Canadian listeners
Welcome to another episode of the CHL TOP10 Show this week we talk to a pair of WHL stars that have their sights set on extended playoff runs. From the 9th ranked Moose Jaw Warriors Matt Savoie and from the 8th ranked Everett Silvertips Ben Hemmerling.
Matt Savoie, after spending three years with the ICE, starting this year in the AHL and NHL followed by a dozen games with the Wild, is settling in with a Warriors team that has Memorial Cup aspirations.
After an injury cut Ben Hemmerling’s season short last year the Vegas prospect has taken a step forward this year as co-captain of the Everett Silvertips, already surpassing last year’s numbers in fewer games.
0:00 – Intro
1:04 – Matt Savoie
26:21 – Ben Hemmerling
