Bonus Episode: Brendan Smith & Dawson Mercer’s Exit Interviews

Bonus Episode: Brendan Smith & Dawson Mercer’s Exit Interviews

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 Tre Matthews scor oh Steven stepped up nailed got the what a shot the Devils win the Stanley Cup um Smitty obviously you were here last year you were here this year where where did things kind of go wrong for this group maybe injuries aside yeah uh yep um I I don’t like wrong yeah the part there when you say wrong I think that I mean it’s the best league in the world um and obviously injuries there’s a lot of variables but obviously injuries was a big part of that um I think last year was as you’re talking about me being here last year I thought last year we we had an amazing year I think we rode the wave of um early in the season where I talked about that’s where you kind of need to get your points because then it kind of solidifies you uh down the end and we did the opposite uh this year where we didn’t get them early and then we were kind of in a dog fight late and uh and then that’s where you it becomes really difficult cuz everybody’s trying to everybody’s scoreboard watching and trying to find out what they need and H how many points and how to sneak out points and uh the games get a lot tighter and I’ve talked to you about that where like it feels like there’s three different seasons during the season and um if you can kind of get yourself in the playoffs around Thanksgiving Christmas time it really gives you that that chance and when you say wrong we’re everybody’s like measured on the playoffs right and that’s what we’re measuring I know that’s what I we’re talking about here but um there was a lot of great stuff that we did um but we are in the business of of winning and I understand that and and not making the playoffs is it hurts and I uh in my career I haven’t missed the playoffs much so um obviously late uh in my career it hurt a little bit more so this one’s uh this one’s going to sting cuz I don’t really know what’s the next chapter for myself and uh where that takes me so um it’s tough but to put one thing on what what did it for us I’m not sure there I think there’s just accumulation of of a lot of things and um we unfortunately did have a lot of man loss games and that never really helps so then from your perspective as a veteran what type of growth comes out out of a season like this or could come out of a Seas yeah well I think it it would be like a test where uh everybody got kind of understands what it’s like and what is what it is to expect to go deep and and and we did do well last year where we um we took a a big step from the years before that everybody told me and I wasn’t a part of it I just played against it and I thought they I thought as a group we took a big step there and it almost seemed like we took a step back back a little bit this year and what’s that saying take one step back two steps forward so I mean that’s the goal um I mean I can give you all the cliche answers all you want uh but that’s kind of one of the things is when you’re dealing with a young Club um there’s areas where you can’t take games off you can’t early in the season the points they just don’t come at the end of the year because it’s that difficult so um being around this a long time it’s like every game matters every Point matters and one of the biggest things that if you really want to go to the scoreboard and watch is that we didn’t take a lot of teams to overtime and those are uh what do we have four or five and some teams were at 14 15 right that’s 10 points right there that puts you in the mix right so from we 81 that puts you to 91 and that’s kind of was the the brink and that was with a lot of games that we lost so there’s a lot of things that uh that I think as as a club gets older you start learning it’s like you you play to get points um and then you try to win it and uh I think last year when we went to overtime we won a lot of games we won a lot in shoot shootout and we never gave ourselves that opportunity so I think there’s just a lot of growth in in in that but like I said there’s it’s hard to put one thing on there’s a multiple and a lot of things and variables that kind of played into that I hope you guys are enjoying today’s bonus episode before we continue I want to tell you guys about the game time app it’s an app that I’ve used before and I love it and I want to get you hip to it save up to 60% off buying last minute for sports concerts comedy theater and more save even more with exclusive inapp deals on select seats ahead of the game or event save even more when you choose a section and let game time choose the seats all in pricing toggling this feature shows the total upfront with no surprise fees at checkout and you can get a good view from your seat in the app before you buy the lowest price guaranteed or game time will credit you 110% of the difference game time ticket coverage your purchase is covered with the most flexible customer service policy in ticketing industry download the game time app create an account and use the code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed all right let’s get back to today’s bonus episode take it away once again BR you talked about you know your next step your next chapter I mean have you talked about resigning or is that is that hanging up the skate talk I I don’t know uh personally I hope it’s not hanging up the Skates um I have not talked to uh management here uh obviously I’ll be restricted to the team till what July 1st which is unrestricted free agency and uh I think I know that they have a lot of stuff going on so at this moment uh they probably have their packing order and uh hopefully there’ll be some talk and and see where I stand I love it here uh I do want to be back um but more than that I want to be back in the NHL so we’ll see how that goes um and I thought I had a good year and and helped out uh in multiple ways I know that um my voice or my my game away from on the ice is pro almost as impactful or more than it is on the ice but uh I’m still very pleased where I’m at as as a hockey player in this in this league and uh um and so we’ll see how everything unfolds uh but uh if I’m if I’m back I’ll I’ll be quite happy because like I just said in my cliche answers we did take a step back but I want to be a part of that club going forward and um I think we have the right tools there’s probably a couple things that uh additions that we can can use and that’s like guys that were injured coming back it’s not even just like additions to the team but it’s like douge coming back it’s like a lot of guys that kind of filling in and um I want to be a part of that so we’ll see how that all goes but uh right now it’s just kind of deal with um everything U at foot at the moment and then uh go forth one way or another there’s going to be a you know a coaching decision here um and whether that’s Travis or not I mean what kind of qualities do you think a coach for this team needs uh what I saw with greeny I I was impressed with uh the accountability I thought we played good defense near the end of the year um and I think with a young team that’s how a lot of players learn at least that’s how uh talking to some of the older guys that’s how we learned and um I think if if you don’t get held held accountable for certain instances you don’t really know if you’re making a mistake or not and so then there’s some teaching there and uh I’m not sure who they are looking for to take over I was impressed with how greeny came in and and I thought he did a good job of trying to teach as well as move this team in the right direction I mean I have no idea what it’s like to come in as interm coach and I don’t think it’s easy by any means cuz systems change and you’re trying to do that on the Fly and the team followed but I thought we did a good job of that and um I was impressed with with how things went uh with our staff so if that’s the way they go I think uh and if I’m back I’m H I’ll be happy about that but if I’m not back I think the teams are in good hands with greeny but I mean there’s a lot of good coaches out there that I I even heard of so um more than the coaching staff which is a huge part is that I do see this team taking another big step and I think fans should be looking forward to that because I I see this team easily play off next year and uh yeah that’s my words and I’ll and I’ll and I’ll hold that BR you you sat next to uh Nemo after he came up obviously at 19 20 years old he was playing close to 20 minutes a night what did you see in terms of his growth and development at that age yeah that’s tough at that age I thought he did a a really good job he came in um he uh uh in my mind he’s he’s a an NHL defenseman um and he did a he did a did a great job it I think as the year went on and the games got tighter um I think there’s a there’s some areas that he will learn because of more games played and same with same with Luke that’s same with any young defenseman my self included uh the first year is kind of like to figure it out see what the speed is see what the strength is like like how much time do I have learning the system he went through two different systems you know possibly three you know so there’s a lot to unfold there and I was I was more than impressed with how he came in and and he held himself and and how he played so um yeah I always use that the sky a limit because with young guys like that with lots of talent it is it is pretty impressive and um I just want him to continue to to keep his foot to the grind and and keep getting better and keep trying to improve and um he’ll be a longtime player here you mentioned that Travis was a good teacher we noticed that he’s always walking around with a marker in his hand after a game those was for teaching moments win or loss and is that something different than what was happening before um I don’t I don’t know about the whole marker thing uh I I thought there was a lot of moments where he was teaching and trying to pull people aside and and go over things for me it wasn’t as much so I wasn’t in a lot of those conversations but they’re one-on ones and they’re like or or lines and whatever and with the back end we see Gilly a little bit more so it’s a little bit different but I I noticed that even in our meetings uh he was doing a lot of teaching he went over a lot of things he asked us a lot of questions a lot of times and this happens is where coaches or even teachers in anything will ask a question and the older guys answer you know and a lot of times they were kind of like Smitty you can’t answer I need to hear from somebody else you know and so that’s good because then you’re getting feedback from players that might not understand right and or not might not see it and then you got to help them through that process right so um I think that was good and and a lot of times I think for myself I had to kind of stop answering it because it’s more for the team than it it was just for me but I wanted to like move on to the next how are we going to so um so that was that’s a thing that I I liked about greeny he he was trying to make sure that we were moving in the right direction guys understood their jobs and then then it becomes muscle memory once you know where you’re supposed to be then you can let your talent take over and uh I like that so um that part I was uh I was happy about um I know Gilly does that and he’s very detail oriented and I I really like him on the back end because of that um and so we’ll see like I said I don’t know how everything will go but yeah he did do a lot of that and uh I would take my cap to that for sure you spoke a little earlier about the M game’s loss how big a loss though was douge I mean I’m not positive of where our power play was I don’t think it was too high and uh he’s known to be an absolute threat um so wherever we were on the power play yeah uh think of where we were last year and that would probably put you in a pretty description or just look at where douge has been on the power play with any team and I bet you it’s probably more than top half of the league every year so um that’s a big loss and that’s a big loss in everything because that means you’re not winning the special Team game very often and it’s so hard to score five and five in this league where um you’re probably not winning as many games and so that’s where it really comes down to power play is a big part um so that’s going to be one thing that like when I said an addition and the guy on our team that’s a huge addition and when you have an elite shot like douge does as you guys all know is um you end up winning games in overtime or you end up winning games late and those late power play teams don’t take as many penalties because they’re worried because of guys like him so um I’ve Pally killed my whole life I’ve always been aware when he’s at the top uh so that would give you an example of what I think about about him up there and uh that was a big loss for us for sure you’ve been a part of this community you had a ker Jam event just looking back at these two years with New Jersey what is it like to be a part of this organization and what is it like to have these fans yeah now you’re trying to get me to be emotional like that’s um that was probably my highlight of the year uh was a cancer Jam uh on top of that all the guys that showed up for me that meant a ton you seen here we go so that was very for me that meant everything the fans that showed up um everybody when I’m leaving the rank chanting my name because of that I think I think that was one of my favorite moments because uh it showed what the community is like and uh I was fortunate to be with the Red Wings and the Rangers for five plus years and I was only here for two years and I feel very close to these this fan base so that meant a lot and uh it was cool so uh like I said if I’m back I’m going to do it again and try to be even more um invol involved in in the community and um uh so uh yeah you got me there but yeah no it’s uh it means a lot I I I love it here my wife loves it here the family we really enjoy it and uh we we like to make this home for for a long time but uh like it’s a business and we’ll have to see how everything unfolds but um I thought um I got real close with the fan base and it was it was great to kind of see what they’re like and be a part of them we hear so much about culture and last year we heard a lot about the winning culture and the step that was taken there how can you use this season how can a group use this season to also build towards a winning culture because that that that that fire that you have inside uh after losing and not maybe living up to expectations or even just like like I said we’re in the the business of winning when you don’t and you’re not a part of that it it it kind of drives you and um I think that’s going to be a big step for us and it’s going to help us and everybody’s going to know what to expect and and uh how much it means to get points early and and everybody takes another year they’re getting another year older and learning a little bit more and I think that’s where that that step goes but that fire really I think that’s going to create that and then that culture that we’ve been trying to preach uh as we’re talking about the culture with all the fan base and everybody like I think that is how you grow and and become a winning team there’s obviously um you know the goal to reach the playoffs was not attained what do you hope this group has learned from what you went through last year and then now this year going into next year yeah um obviously it’s a new experience there for our this group that we have come back from that season uh previously but only thing you can do is you know keep moving forward and uh prepare for the summer like we know we’re a talented group we believe in ourself and um you know the guys we have in this room so we’re excited like you you can’t doubt that um because obviously we know we know what we’re capable of what what has it been like as a group maybe just for yourself you know the the ups and downs of this season in terms of the results that you guys were getting not really able to get on any kind of consistent role yeah um obviously like the more consistency is better less up WIS and down and um I think obviously that’s something we can improve on when you get on a a stretch you want to you know balance that and keep on going and uh take it in small samples you know I think that’s a bigger thing than looking at the full season I’ve said that over my full career that I like looking at things in day by day more things and not too far in the future but I think just if we can be more consistent uh you know I think the wind col will go up in a season where there were plenty of injuries you were one of the few that played all of those games what did you put in to make sure your body was ready you were physically ready to go for all of those 82 games throughout the year yeah um um I think it’s something I focus on my full career since I’ve been here I want to be a guy that can be put in the lineup every game and be relied on that he’ll be ready to go and um it’s important you know I try to play the game smart don’t put myself in those situations where things can happen uh prepare make sure you’re you know ready for the game and um when you have things going on you know you you take care of it and just make sure you’re ready to go your third season where have you seen your own growth this year yeah um you know I think just trying to be that more overall better player as a young guy you know there’s a lot of aspects where you you can just add on little tiny things that’ll make you a better player and uh overall it makes the bigger pitcher um a lot more so I think just all those aspects of you know getting to the net playing fast being on the dside All These Little Things add up to the end of the game and uh when you look at the end of the year and you’re focus on next season it’s a fresh start to get backr at it Austin just just early thoughts on your upcoming restrictive free agency and and you know is that I imagine something you want to get as handled as as quickly as possible um like they they take care of all that you know to be honest I I I focus on playing hockey it’s something that I’ve um I really keep that out of it so be honest with playing a game a few nights ago I I I would love for whatever would happen but they take care of it I really don’t know how much how much uh have you enjoyed your time here with the devils and what kind of Promise do you see in this this entire group healthy group yeah yeah uh you know you talk on it every season I we love it the Young the competitive of the skillful fast team that we have here and I think every season we show we show that that we’re a team that’s you know obviously going to grow together and be that group and uh it’s exciting to be here with such that young talented um team so I’m I’m happy to be part of that and um you know I’m excited for it for sure do you feel like this group learned it all this year like just in terms of accumulating points any way you can through the year how valuable that can become the end of the year like particularly maybe getting more games to Overtime or things like that um I think well if you can get the two points in regulation it’s a lot better than than getting there uh but when you get there you want to make sure that you can secure the extra points also but um whenever points are up for grabs you want to make sure you take advantage of that and get it so I think just focusing on getting the win first is the main thing and then if the time comes when you need to you know try to push to get the one or the two it’s it’s a big deal is it kind of hard to believe that you’ve already played the first three years I mean does it feel like it went really by really fast yeah I think just you know overall in in general um every time you say like we’re that young team but then we keep on every year we’re a year older every every one of us and um Especial though because I think we’re moving you know guys are we’re getting better and uh more familiar with each other and I think just overall it’s it’s a better thing and but it it is crazy to say three years are already and you know next year will be the force DUS I know you said you don’t really care where you play center or Wing but are you more comfortable at one and do you want to maybe be more consistent in that position next year whichever you prefer um I’ll yeah you know I kind of got to say it again like I’m I’m comfortable with all of it like um I’m not going to say what it’s not like I I I like playing the wing I like playing Center uh they both have their aspects to it and um I play I play certain game that I can play all those positions so um I I I like that versatility in my game and it’s something that I focus on what is offseason training with like for you playing anywhere who you training with yeah um you know I talk about it and we do this what I do we we’re home and uh skate train eat big thing is nutrition um we we focus on that a lot so want to make sure I can try you know may put on some weight and I think that’ll be a big benefit for me any men’s world’s plans or anything like that uh well we’ll we’ll see what comes with it later on I’m not really sure and then anything specific that they told you they wanted you to work on on the ice outside the nutrition and the off ice stuff I think just everything you know a little small small games um in terms of like you know getting you know bigger and stronger and uh maybe win those battles that against some bigger guys then um I don’t have to try to go all all skilled against maybe I can use strength and skill any are you building anything this summer any more woodworking plans or anything like that no that has now so knowing um what you had to go through to you know make this team three years ago and how successful You’ become what do you what do you think it takes as a young player to have success in this league and and why are so many young players having success in their first second third year in the league um I think well OB say the game and the talent coming up now with young players is unbelievable um and making that step right into a game having an impact everyone everyone loves The game everyone loves hockey and that’s what you want to do and um the end goal you know you you want to be an NHL player and get here as quick as possible and I think a lot of people are committed to that and um I was the same way I knew first day when I showed up in Jersey I didn’t want to leave I this is I didn’t want to any other team I want to be a devil and um I think just having that mindset a lot of people are doing that now and when you have your opportunity you don’t want to let it go is it is it coaching is it playing the game in the offseason and really working hard like what do you feel benefited you before you became a a rookie here in the league yeah you can definitely say that but it’s also believing in yourself and having that mindset um because you look at it every player is going to do their best to get stronger better everything right and then you know I I came here and I I you know I told myself that I I wanted to be here and um you set that goal and I think just a lot of players are doing that and the League’s trending faster and um a lot quicker pace and I think you know that’s how the the players are being grown up and taught right now away from the game away from the stuff on the ice what’s the significance for you to be a member of the devils and to be a part of this community that the fans really do support yeah um it’s great I’ve been saying it ever since and you know when you get drafted by an organization it’s a proud moment and um I’ve always been proud to be a devil and play play here so um they believed in me and that’s why they took me and um I believed in them so it was pretty special to you know keep on playing every year like I I’ve been doing and uh whenever we can come here to the Rock and play a game and uh it’s it’s a great day for us was there a point this season where you or the team said like oh we’re not going to make the playoffs like we’re in trouble did you remember that at all or no um I think just overall every like I I said I I look at a lot of things day by day and we try to do that and uh learn and get better and when the season was going on we just want to make sure we’re getting as many points as we could because the end goal is to make playoffs every every team want to be in that situation to give theel a chance to to win and um even right till the very end you know we are trying to make sure we won every game to give ourselves the best hope so and it was never out of our mind that we held off for anything we wanted to make sure we kept on pushing

Video/audio courtesy of the New Jersey Devils

0:27 Brendan Smith
17:03 Dawson Mercer

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