Former Devils Goalie Keith Kinkaid Joins The Show…Favorite NHL Memories, 2018 Playoffs, & More

Former Devils Goalie Keith Kinkaid Joins The Show…Favorite NHL Memories, 2018 Playoffs, & More

I know it’s been a minute, but I’m back. Former Devils goalie Keith Concincaid accompanied me on today’s episode. We talked about his tenure with the Devils, some of his favorite memories, and what he’s been up to nowadays. There’s a lot to talk about in today’s episode alongside Keith Concaid. Buckle up everybody. You’re Locked on Devils, your daily podcast on the New Jersey Devils, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Hi, this is Bryce Salvador and you’re locked on Devils with Trey Matthews scores. Oh, Steven, nailed it. Rodor’s got the puck. What a shot. The Devils win the Stanley Cup. All righty now. What is up, New Jersey? Welcome back to the Locked On Devils podcast here at the Lockdown Network. I’m your host, Caj Hockey political play announcer Dell’s Ryder Pucks Pitchforks and also part-time credential MIA member Trey Matthews. After being away on vacation for a few weeks, I have finally returned and it’s time to get back to work. For being patient with me, I have a great treat for y’all. Joining me on today’s episode is a man who is currently ranked sixth all time in wins among Devil’s net minders. Played a big part in the team’s playoff push in 2018 and has been a member of the Devils organization for many years from the Miners to the show. He has had previous stints with Montreal, Colorado, Boston, and yes, even New York. From Farmingville, New York by way of Union College, it’s Keith Concaid. Keith, this interview has been a long time coming. many months of planning it, but finally it is coming to fruition. First and foremost, how you doing? I’m good. Thanks for having me. Excited to be on this. Awesome. We’re we’re glad to have you on. Now, growing up in Farmingville, New York, where did hockey begin for you? Uh yeah, it started at the local rink by me uh called the rinks and then uh kind of moved to the Long Island Gulls and bounced around from there from Junior Back to Suffach PL uh New York Bobcats and then to the USHL and the NHL before college. So a few stops again kind of like my career now. Well, don’t worry, we’ll get into that. Uh you played for the St. Louis Bandits in the null and later committed to play for the Union Garnett Chargers. What was that process like of getting your name out there? Yeah. Uh, you know, I was getting a little bit of interest from college, uh, ever since the Bobcats to the De Mo Buccaneers in the USHL and then we had an unbelievable year, won the whole thing. Uh, I got MVP uh of the league in the NHL and uh had a couple offers and Union seemed like the best uh spot to step in and start right away as a freshman. What was your favorite memory from college? Uh I think yeah, I think we were ranked number one uh at one point. Uh that was pretty cool. And then uh we made the tournament for the first time in school history. uh unfortunately lost in the first round two nothing I think it was to the team that won it all duth but uh that was definitely a memorable year University of Minnesota Duth uh yes so that’s Chico Rush’s alma mater so um I think I think he he talked about it before but uh yeah just just don’t mean to bring up a sore subject just had to you’re good you’re good that’s just had to make a devil’s connection of some sorts that’s 15 years ago which is wild to think. Yeah, we’re both getting older now. After your sophomore year, you signed an entrylevel contract with the Devils in 2011, and you did really well in your first season in the Miners. Can you talk about your experience of trying to work your way up from the Miners to the NHL? Yeah, I figured uh you know, coming out of college uh you could always go back to college, so I thought it was time to start my pro career. And uh yeah, it’s a little eye opening. you know, those guys, a lot of those guys have been pro already. It’s different game. It’s faster. It’s quicker. It’s, uh, you know, people are stronger there. But, uh, it was definitely, uh, definitely a good experience being, you know, close to Union 2 in, uh, in Albany. Um, so I was kind of familiar with the area and, uh, yeah, uh, you know, Lou signed me. So, uh, had to shave and cut the hair and, you know, I’m very thankful for, you know, him being my first, uh, GM to kind of get you into the pro life and, you know, you figure out what it takes to be a pro there. You know, I want to ask you about that a little bit. Let’s uh, veer off course just a little bit. What was Lou like as a general manager? Because a lot of people express their displeasure of his, I guess, rules, including having to cut down your hair, shave your beard, suit and tie all the time. Kind of reminds me of the policy that the Stein Brener established with the Yankees. Can Can you just describe that as a player? Yeah. Uh, like I said, it was my first taste as a pro and you know, kind of you kind of just got to follow his rules and uh, you know, you don’t want to make him upset, but he he’s a great guy. He’s very loyal to his players. He, you know, goes to bat for his players. So, uh, um, getting that first few years under my belt with, uh, you know, Lou as my GM and then, you know, getting traded and bouncing around, you see the different, uh, I guess cultures and whatnot of every organization, but, uh, you know, I have nothing but good things to say about Lou. I I even got to, you know, do Islanders training camp and, uh, I walked in one day and he was like, “Oh, you got to shave that if you want to be here.” and you know it’s just like same old Lou but uh you know he he likes to run his uh you know his tight ship and it’s for a good cause. Was there ever like a a time where someone was like you know what I’m not going to shave and I’m one of the best players on the team so I guess we’re both at an impass. Did that ever come up or is it just like okay we’ll abide by the rules? Yeah that guy wouldn’t be there the next day if uh if he didn’t abide by the rules. So, I think everyone uh kind of knew lose rules and, you know, it’s for a good cause, like I said, and um it’ll go a long way to, you know, stay on this good side. When I had Dano on this show a few years ago, he said that Lou was strict but fair. So, I guess that’s a similar experience that you had to go through with Lou. But, it seems like people have nothing but positive things to say about him and we’ll see what’s next for him. But anyway, getting back to your career. So, after you signed your ELC, the NHL had a lockout in 2012. Did that make things a little more difficult for someone like you? Um, I’m not too sure because I know a bunch of the NHL guys went overseas to go play and um I want to say we got Henry sent down at that point. So that was that helped our Albany team a little bit, but uh I think it was only my second year, so I didn’t really know I didn’t even know what the hell was going on. And just riding the waves and of pro hockey and uh as my career’s gone, you see a lot more uh more different waves and things that go on. So going from uh the AHL to the NHL, what valuable lessons did you learn along the way? And who were some of your veterans and role models? Yeah, obviously Marty was my role model. Marty Brder was my role model and uh you know it was pretty cool signing with the Devils and you know getting to back him up a few times and then you know see him around the organization here and there and then uh yeah I guess when you get from AHL to NHL it’s a you know different uh breed of players up there and uh but it’s a lot of fun. I had a lot of a lot of good experiences in the NHL and um you see them day by day how they take uh you know their approach to the game. So it’s uh I’ve learned a lot of things from them. Before we continue with today’s discussion alongside Keith, let me tell you guys about Indeed. You just realized your business need to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy. Just use Indeed. When it comes to hiring, Indeed is all you need. Stop struggling to get your your job post seen on other sites. Indeed sponsored jobs put your post at the top of the page and help you reach the right candidates faster. I’ve actually used Indeed before to get myself some playbyplay gigs. I use it to this very day. Now you could speed up your hiring process with a $75 job credit. Just go to indeed.comlocked right now and support my show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring indeed is all you need. Okay, let’s get back to today’s discussion alongside Keith. Take it away. Growing up in Farmingville, New York, did you know anything about the Devils? Did you grow up a Devils fan or were you more of a Rangers guy? I was an Islanders guy. Okay. And uh yeah, that’s the only tri-state area one I haven’t been a part of. I got to put the jersey on last year, but uh no, I mean I like I would always go to the National Coliseum to see Bird Air start and honestly every time me and my dad went uh I think the backup was starting. So, but got to see the Devils quite often. Uh we’d watch them on TV and obviously knew knew what they were all about. So, let’s talk about like your big break, which is getting the chance to start in more NHL games. After the Devils appeared in the 2012 Stanley Cup final, it it’s safe to say they had a hard time repeating that success going into that off seasonason. They had 10 UFAS, they lost their captain, Zach Pares, to the Wild. Broad was close to the end of his career. When you got your chance to appear in more NHL games as the years progressed, was there any added pressure to fill the shoes of Rodor? because it seemed to be you, Cory Schneider, and McKenzie Blackwood entrusted to carry the torch. Yeah. Uh, you know, no one’s going to emulate Ber. Uh, my style is a little bit like him, but uh definitely not as uh accomplished as him, but uh no, I mean, you you got to build your brand for yourself, too, and a name for yourself. And uh I think that our little Stanley Cup uh playoff run that I had when I was uh you know getting majority of the games that was kind of one of my best years and probably one of my favorite years of my career so far too. For years the Devils missed the playoffs from between the years of 2012 and 2018. You were putting up good numbers anytime you got the chance. You even represented Team USA at Worlds. How difficult was it to play on a rebuilding team despite putting up good numbers in both the AHL and the NHL? Yeah, I mean, I think we still had some good players. Uh, you know, we just couldn’t mesh it together. We didn’t have the the depth, I guess, and you know, that uh that structure that we needed. Uh, I think we were losing a lot of close games, too, and couldn’t keep leads. But, uh, yeah, I mean, it’s all part of the game. Um, I mean, you look at Florida now, they’re just deep, hard to play against, and skilled. So, uh, I think you’ll see a lot more of NHL teams trying to build that for playoffs, too. So, let’s talk about the playoffs a little bit. 2018, Devils finally made it back to the playoffs. You led the team in wins. Taylor Hall became the first and only Devils player to win the heart. What was that season like? How did it gel for everyone? Yeah, I think we just got got on a run and you know, Hollyy was scoring at will and uh you know, Nico was a young buck back then and he was uh you know, trying to fill some big shoes and uh I think everything just came together that season and unfortunately we lost to Tampa and uh five games, but uh I think it was that was probably one of my favorite years and it was fun to, you know, kind of be the guy getting us to playoffs and even, you know, get rested for the last game of season to get ready for playoffs. I think that was really fun. Uh we also had a good group of guys, too. So, uh you know, luckily we we went on a run and I think we edged pants the Panthers out that year. What was it like seeing Taylor Hall just play in front of you and just once again, he is the only player in Devils history to win the hearts? Was that something that was talked about going into the season of him possibly taking that huge leap? And what did you notice from in between the pipes when you when you weren’t making those saves? Yeah, I I don’t think we talked about that at the beginning, but uh you know, he started off uh you know, pretty hot and stayed, like I said, he was scoring at will. You know, shots that weren’t supposed to go in were just going in and you know, sometimes that happens. So, uh it was great to see. He’s a hell of a player. Um, you know, he’s so talented, so skilled, and, uh, you know, I think our team was doing all the right things, too, backing, getting getting back for us, for the goalies, and the Dmen, and, you know, we were just squeaking out those games to get those wins. Who would you say was the unsung hero on that roster? Someone who was good, but probably didn’t get the credit that they deserved. I mean, maybe the the decoy a little bit. Um, you know, we had Andy Green, I want to say we had Ben Lovejoy that that year. Um, you know, some guys stepped up. Uh, we had Will Butcher at the time and he he was putting in a few uh goals and, you know, being steady back there. So, I I would say I think it was a whole team effort. Like we had Hollyy, but we had a bunch of guys contributing in different ways. Aside from the playoffs, what was your favorite memory from that season? I think it was against I want to say Toronto when we uh we clinched the playoff birth. So that was uh I remember I’ve looked back on that on YouTube a little bit and if you if you try to get amped for a game so you kind of look at your old games and memorable moments but uh I can remember that it was a really memorable moment that that season. Now you mentioned it you guys lost in the first round in five to the Lightning. what happened both from you as a player and just not noticing maybe something from the Lightning like what happened? I mean I I think it was just you know the Lightning was a good team. I think that I mean it was before they you know they won their Stanley Cups but uh they were you know they finished first in the in the Eastern Conference that year and they were they were deep they had skill and uh um you know we we fell behind two two games to none in Tampa. I think we won the third game but uh you know their their offensive onslaught was only you can only hold that off for a little bit. Speaking of the lightning, one of my colleagues, his name is Joseph Standers Law. He wanted me to ask you what was your thought process like when you stopped Stephen Stampos on that breakaway and what was that feeling like after you just said like, “Wait, did I just make that save?” Yeah, that that was pretty cool. Um, I think that was one of the first shots I’ve ever faced in the in the NHL and you see Stanos coming down. Uh, I still, you know, look at that play, too. Um, I don’t know what my stance was there, but uh, he, uh, he made that move and I just stayed with him and got right back up and, uh, that was a pretty cool experience, uh, you know, from the fans and, you know, for myself. Now, a few players from that 2018 team still remain on the Devils, including Nico Heir, Jesper Brat, and Stephen Nason. Heir’s the captain, one of the best two-way centers in the league. Jasper Brat was named one of the top wingers by NHL Network. Nason revived his career a few a few years ago and he’s often regarded as one of the best Netfront guys in the league. And it’s funny when Nace returned last off season, he described Heir and Brad as young pups who have grown so much from many years ago. I don’t know how closely you keep tabs with the Devils, but how does it feel seeing players like Heir, Nason, and Brat just grow so much as players compared to when you were there in 2018? Yeah, I mean, Brad has always had the skill. I I don’t think he got the best opportunity back when he was a rookie and, you know, coach was probably pretty pretty hard on him, but uh you got to let him play and let him learn. And uh you know, Nico obviously first uh first round pick and so skilled like you said, best one of the best two-way centers and he does all the right things on and off the ice. And then obviously Nate, he’s one of my best buddies and very happy for him. You know, he had that huge year in Chicago with the Chicago Wolves. Revived his career and like you said, one of the best netfront guys, very good with the stick around the net and uh you know, gets to those gritty areas. So, I’m I’m happy for all those guys and you know, I still root for the Devils to see some success there. So, um what what was your favorite memory as a Devil? I know we talked about your favorite memory from the playoff run, but just your years in the organization, what sticks out? Yeah, I mean, um it’s got to be a first win, right? Uh, I think I went to three uh three shootouts in a row in my first three starts and uh felt like it was never going to end and uh you know that relief um getting the first uh think I think that was against Tampa too. Um first uh NHL win was was awesome. Um and that you know I’ll hold that uh close to my heart uh for the rest of my life. And then uh honestly playing overseas um I think it was in Sweden was pretty cool too. Uh, you know, I think we played Edmonton to start the season over there and that was that was an experience in itself. Who was your uh clo some of your closest friends on while you were with the Devils? I know you talked about Nace. Uh, was there any other people you were relatively close with? Yeah, I think we had a pretty close group. Um, you know, Merkel Mueller uh, you know, was pretty decently tight with uh, Hollyy. Nico was uh told him I put him under my wing uh when he was just a young buck and uh yeah, I think we we all got along pretty well. So, um and it was a revolving door a little bit for a couple years and just trying to find uh the right pieces to the right team and yeah, I get along with pretty much everyone. Now, the 2018 2019 season was your final year as a devil. You had stints with other organizations respectfully. What was that feeling like from having stability with the Devils organization to now searching for a new home for a long period of time? What what what goes through that? Yeah, it’s uh it’s obviously tough on your uh mental. So, uh you just got to, you know, trust the process, keep working hard off the ice, and uh you know, hopefully things uh you know, continue to gel and find uh new jobs somewhere. But it’s it’s also been uh you know fun to you know experience different places uh you know it was awesome playing for New York as a New Yorker and um you know seeing you know getting traded to Colorado from Boston that was uh that was fun to experience that too but uh it it’s also takes a toll on you but uh that’s the way she goes sometimes and you can’t always uh be on one team. Before we close out today’s episode with Keith, let me tell you guys about monarch money because I want to see you guys save some money in your pocket. Most people can’t name all financial accounts or even what they’re worth, whether it’s 401ks, properties, or investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving your money on the table. That’s why there is Monarch Money. It’s an all-in-one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean, easy to use interface on your laptop or on your phone. Monarch does the heavy lifting for you so you can link all accounts in minutes, see clear data visuals, get smart categorization of your spending, and finally feel in control of your money without ever touching a spreadsheet. I linked all my accounts to Monarch and immediately spotted a few subscriptions I wasn’t even using. Cancelling those alone saved me money every month. Don’t let financial opportunities slip through the cracks. Use the code locked on at monarchmoney.com in your browser for half off your first year. That’s 50% off your first year at monarchmoney.com with code locked on NHL. Okay, it’s time to close out today’s discussion alongside Keith Concincaid. Take it away once again. You were recently with the Panthers ECHL affiliate, the Savannah Ghost Pirates. I was with the Everblades this past season. I was calling some games and I I got to see you guys a lot and you guys finished fifth in the South Division. unfortunately missed the playoffs, but what was your experience like being in the Panthers organization and playing for uh the Ghost Pirates? Yeah, I mean, I loved Savannah. That was probably one of my favorite spots. I’d never played in the South before, so that was uh nice to get some warm weather and not have to, you know, brush a car off every morning with snow. And uh yeah, I mean, the arena in Savannah is probably would be top in the AHL. And you know, the fans were crazy and overall it was a great experience. And can’t forget the golf. It seems like a lot of hockey players love the golf in their uh free time. That every time I asked an Everblades player, what what’s your favorite thing to do outside of hockey? Pretty much all of them said golf. That’s all they did. But um I I totally understand it. It’s a It’s a great It’s a great leisure sport if you if you would like kind of It’s kind of therapeutic in a way, wouldn’t you say? Yeah. No, it’s it’s great. Uh I think we went fishing a few times too in our off time. Uh it was just uh you know, I’m I’m searching for, you know, I want to be happy where I am and uh I was really happy with uh my Savannah experience. Now, I want to ask you this. Um I I recently shared with my audience that another former Devils player, John Gillies, he was also in the ECHL playing with the Orlando Solar Bears. And somebody asked like former NHL player, why is he playing in the ECHL? Why is he not like going overseas? And I want to ask you like was there ever a possibility of you playing overseas? And if so, what made you decide to stay in North America? Because the ECHL it’s you’re still in the NHL pipeline in a sense, but it’s not the NHL and maybe the pay will be a little bit different. So just respectfully asking, can you provide that sort of perspective? Yeah. Um, you know, I’ve I’ve tried to go overseas the past few years and uh hasn’t really worked out. And then the year I was had a few offers overseas, uh my wife was getting a green card. So uh I didn’t really want to bring her out of the country and that was a two-year process and kind of miserable. So uh I didn’t want to bring her out of the country once she gets her green card. So, uh, kind of just finding jobs in in the US or or Canada because she’s Canadian. So, it was more of a, you know, stay-at-home feel instead of, uh, you know, just up and going overseas. Totally understand. All right, final few questions. How’s it going with the three ice tournament? Everyone talks about the the Big Three basketball tournament, but people forget that hockey also has a summer league in a sense. the three ice tournament. You’re getting ready for the championship game. I believe you’re flying out on Wednesday. How’s that experience been? Yeah. Uh it’s been awesome. Um it’s so fun. Uh you know, it’s in Florida, too, so you can’t complain there. But, uh no, it’s a really fun league. Uh I think they’re really gaining traction this year and uh I think they have a lot of surprises for next year, too. And uh you know, I’m just happy to be a part of it. And uh you know, fortunately our team is in the championship week and uh hopefully we can do some damage. Do you know uh Cam Johnson uh Everblades starting goalie? Yep. So you guys were in the running for I think best goalie in the league. There was a voting process on social media. I’m not sure who won it, but um do you have a message for our buddy CJ in terms of best goalie in the tournament? I mean he’s a great goalie. He wins everywhere he goes. Uh, I did get the pleasure to, you know, experience him in the Devils organiz organization a little bit. So, uh, he’s he’s a great guy, jokester, and, uh, you know, really good at, uh, playing goalie. So, uh, I’ll definitely see him this week and tell him he said hello. Awesome. All right, final question. What’s next for you? Right now, you’re an unrestricted free agent. Are there any talks of of playing with another NHL organization or maybe some other ventures? What’s next for uh Keith Concaid? Yeah, I’m just trying to, you know, prolong my career. Play as long as you can because uh you know, once you once you stop, can’t go back. It’s uh uh I don’t want to lose that feeling. It’s uh you know, it is my life essentially. You know, hockey is my life. And uh you know, we’re just kind of patiently waiting like you know, there’s a lot of goalies out there, a lot of good goalies that are still unsigned and we kind of just got to play it by uh play by year and you know, see what happens. Awesome. Keith, thank you for taking the time to appear on my show. Talk about your NHL career and what you’ve been up to nowadays. Where can my audience find you at? Uh yeah, so I’m starting my uh goalending academy uh in the in the next, you know, well started now coming in next year for camps and uh it’s block a goalie academy on uh Instagram. So throw that out there. That helps. Awesome. Like I do to close out every episode, continue to stay safe. Have a wonderful day, New Jersey. Go Devils. I will catch you guys next episode. Special thanks to my guest star, Keith. Thanks for listening once

Former New Jersey Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid joined me on today’s episode. We discussed his time with the Devils organization (2011-2019), especially his standout 2017-18 season. He also shared some of his other NHL experiences and what he’s been doing lately. He’s currently preparing for the 3ICE championship tournament. The last team he played for was the Savannah Ghost Pirates in the ECHL.

Follow Keith on the “X” app: @Blockaid1

0:00 Humble beginnings

9:00 2017-18 Stanley Cup Playoff run

21:16 3ICE Tournament & future plans

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LODevils?sid=YouTube

Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL

Subscribe to Locked On Devils!
Follow me on the “X” app: @treymatt4
Follow the show on the “X” app: @LockedOnDevils
Listen to Locked On Devils: https://linktr.ee/LockedOnDevils

For your next listen, check out the Locked On NHL podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Monarch Money: Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.

Wonderful Pistachios: Get snackin’ and get crackin’ with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!

Gametime: Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.

FanDuel: Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k: Did you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.

Upwork: Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free. With Upwork, you can find specialized freelancers in marketing, development, design, and more—experts ready to help you take your business to the next level.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Thumbnail credit: USA TODAY

#NewJerseyDevils #Devils #NHL #KeithKinkaid #Goalie