Training Camp (9/18): Nick Leddy

Training Camp (9/18): Nick Leddy

Can you just uh take us back to um when the St. Louis Blues waved you and just that whole kind of and then getting claimed and just uh that just what happened there in those couple of days and how you felt about all that? That was a bit of a shock. Um but you know, I think at the end of the day uh change is always hard, but um you know, everybody has been uh extremely great here. um they’ve made the the process super easy on me and and uh that’s obviously greatly appreciated. The hockey world is such a small small world that it makes it easy um you know to have that change, but initially it’s it’s uh it’s obviously uh hard at times, but um there’s a lot of excitement as well. How much disappointment was there going from a team that, you know, made the playoffs last year to one that’s still kind of building to that point? Uh there’s a lot of excitement. I mean, you look at this roster up and down. There’s a lot of skill, um, a lot of speed, um, good goalending. So, there’s, uh, there’s a lot of exciting times ahead. Can you say what you were dealing with last year? You were a little banged up, right? Yeah, I I’d like to keep that personal, um, if anything. But, um, yeah, it was it was a good learning experience for me. Um, definitely some tough times last year. uh frustrating times, but um you know that’s when you lean back on on your friends and your your teammates and and uh you know in St. Louis they were great throughout that whole process. You feel that you have some I don’t know you’ve been in the league a long time you still have something to prove maybe Yeah. Yeah. I think uh you know looking looking back at that last year um you know and what I went through I think that was definitely some feelings that that uh went through my mind and and um it was kind of uh refreshing to go through that as well. When you look at the moves the Sharks made this offseason, right? They bring in a lot of veterans especially on the defensive side of things. Just you mentioned the young team. But as a collective group, you know, you and and John and Dmitri, what what can you guys bring to the table that, you know, maybe a young team like that might have been missing? Um, experience. Um, you know, I think you look at all three of our game. Um, or our how we play the game. Um, we we make uh that good first breakout pass. Um, we have a little we have skill um good skaters. Um, and you know, I think with the skill on this team, um, and their work ethic, you want to get the puck in, uh, that skill’s hands as quick as possible, and and I think we’ll be able to do that. What’s been your first impressions of Coach Warsovski? Obviously, you know, last year’s his first year. We heard how hard this skate was, but from you first year, how how what’s your experience been like, not only on the ice just today, but just for the last couple weeks since you’ve been, you know, in town? So, today was my first day meeting him. Um, it it was great. Uh, good first day. It was hard. Um but uh you know first days are always hard. Um adrenaline’s high, nerves are there. Uh even after 15 years of this uh still have nerves on the first day. So um it was definitely a lot of excitement. Um yeah, looking forward to keep going. Nick, what are your what are your early impressions or first impressions of of guys like Cellrainy and Smith and Michael Misa, the player they just drafted second overall? What are your early impressions of those guys? um incredible talents. Um you look at all three of them and and they all have uh a ton of drive as well on the side and that’s and uh work ethic. Um and that’s you know you see why they’re so good and and those are some traits of the best players in the world and um I’m definitely looking forward to to being on their team this year. You mean you competed against these Sharks these last four years. what does this team need to do to sort of take a step forward and be a more competitive team, you know, night in night out, I guess. Um, you know, I think, uh, on the teams that I’ve been on that have had a lot of success, uh, consistency is one. Um, you know, being in the right place at the right time, uh, everyone doing their jobs, it makes everyone’s life and job a lot easier. um with uh your uh injury last year, you know, do you think that that really, you know, hampered your performance last year? And do you feel like right now you’re kind of back to maybe where you were a couple years ago? Yeah, I feel good. Um definitely very excited. Um you know, to have another chance to to prove myself like we were talking about earlier. And um you know, like I said, uh I feel refreshed. I feel ready. Um and uh just want to get going. Yeah. going back to uh the when when the Blues let you go, like do you how did they handle it? You know, do you feel like you know you were kept in the loop or just sort of how did you kind of find out and and that sort of thing? Honestly, it’s it’s a part of the business. Um it’s not the first time I’ve been traded. So, um you know, at the end of the day, like I said, it’s a business. It it is what it is. Um but now it’s time to be here. Um like I said, there’s a lot of excitement. Um, excited to be here. Excited to to prove myself and and get going. There’s so much focus on Mac and him being sort of the guy to help lead this team. What are your I mean, just on the ice there, what were your thoughts on just going against him, I guess, and the way he plays and maybe off the ice, too. His personality, I guess, what stands out? Well, I don’t know if you saw, but he danced me and I fell. So, uh, that was not a good start by me. But, um, yeah, it goes back to his work ethic. you look at uh on the ice, off the ice, he’s one of the first guys out there. Um one of the last guys off and uh that’s a sign of a true leader. Um you know, I’ve seen uh many captains do that throughout the years and and uh you know, he’s a guy that is going to be around a long time and and uh you know, he is where he is because of that work e work ethic and uh drive. You were you were paired with uh Clingbird today. I don’t know if that’s how it’s going to go once the season gets going, but how long does it take for two D man to sort of come together, maybe have some some chemistry out there, we get to know each other a little bit? Uh well, I don’t know. I think uh everyone’s different. Um every deep pairing that I’ve been on has been a little different, but um it takes a little bit of time. Uh the biggest thing is communication and uh whether it’s out on the ice or off the ice. uh off the ice is probably a little bit more important in my uh opinion, but um communication is big. You you’re both going into contract years here. Can you guys use that to sort of I don’t know push each other a little bit or is that how do you how do you approach being in a contract year? I guess honestly I I’m just here to win. Um you know, we’ll that’ll work itself out. Um, winning is most important and uh, you know, today was a good first day and we’ll get going again tomorrow. A couple more. Was there a message from uh, Mike uh, or Warzo in regards to you, Dimmitri, and John kind of providing leadership and that being, you know, very key reason why he brought you guys in here? I mean, yeah, I think with our experience and and the teams we’ve been on, um, you know, we can definitely add that. um on the ice for sure and and even off the ice, you know, I think that always depends on the person and and you know, like a guy like me, um I’m not going to be always the talkative one, but if someone wants to come up to me and and ask questions or um you know, we can kind of talk about the game and uh or shift, uh definitely love to do that. What have you thought of the some of the young defenseman uh on on the ice, Madulan or Dickinson? If you’ve seen them or have you seen them at captain skates so far? Uh obviously very talented. Um this was the first day today where pretty much everyone uh I’ve seen everyone. So um yeah, a lot of skill um very good size. Uh you know, a few things that stand out stood out about Dicki. He made some great uh breakouts today. um really good passing uh and very good defending.

Sharks Defenseman Nick Leddy answers questions from the media at training camp on September 18, 2025