Emmitt Finnie – First-Year Focus

Emmitt Finnie – First-Year Focus

on the Dylan Marin. [Applause] Oh my goodness. You’re not done, Pete. You’re Ken. You’re the hockey guy. I don’t know anything about Patrick Kate in Chicago. Oh my god. With the overtime winner. Welcome everybody to another episode of the conversation line brought to you by Figer Law. I’m Danielle Bruce alongside the TV voice of your Detroit Red Wings, Ken Daniels. And joining us today, one of our rookies, EMTT Finny. EMTT, we are so excited to have you on today. Has anybody given you like any warning about joining us for this podcast or you how do you feel? No, actually I didn’t I didn’t even know you guys really did a podcast. So, this is this is news to me. Yeah. Marketing marketing. Yeah, I think because I said to him I did say yesterday though. I said, “You’re our next victim.” Said, “Victim?” I said, “It’ be great. You’re going to love it.” Actually, yeah. Brady and Jr. said they they’ve been on the podcast. They told me that yesterday, and they they said it was great. So, um they just like to talk about themselves, though. Yeah. They just love to talk about themselves. Okay. Now, we’re going to make you talk about yourself. Um you’re a seventh round draft pick in 2023. And I mean, it’s not often that somebody that’s drafted in the seventh round finds their way to the NHL, especially as quickly as you have. But go back to that draft. What was that like for you? Because I’d imagine it’s not the same as a first round draft pick. Yeah, I mean going back to that, I wasn’t even really expecting myself to get drafted necessarily. Um, you know, I wasn’t even really watching the draft when I was drafted. I was I was at the gym. So, um, my phone started blowing up and I found out I was drafted. So, um, you know, that was a pretty cool moment for me. Did anybody talk to you? Any teams talk to you prior to the draft? Yeah, I talked to the Red Wings a little bit. Um, you know, there was maybe one or two teams that I also talked to just like briefly, but um, you know, there was no like real signs that I was going to get drafted or anything. So, um, I really had no clue what it was going to be. How does it work right after? Who were your first conversations with, at least in the organization after you were drafted? Yeah, I was uh I forget who phoned me. Someone I got phoned right away from someone from Detroit and uh, they took down all my like information and said I was going to be on a flight the next day. So, I didn’t really know how that worked that I was going to be leaving to go to Detroit that soon. So, um you know, that was uh a pretty like fast experience for me. Well, the Red Wings western scout Greg Hogood Mhm. uh was also a seventh round pick. Right around where you were picked, had you spoken to him because obviously he had his eye on you. Yeah, I’ve spoken to him a couple of times. So, um you know, I I didn’t know he was a seventh round pick. So, um, you know, I knew Hendrick Zedberg was obviously a seventh round pick. So, that’s who I’ve kind of thought as like, you know, when my last couple years who I’ve like thought like I could get myself to, not like obviously get to where he’s at in his career. Like, obviously, he had a great career, but, you know, that was kind of someone I I wanted to, you know, follow into. Hey, no offense to Greg Hog, but if you’re setting your sights on Henrik Zedberg, you know, as seven because I I have to because I don’t want to get this wrong, but only seven seventh rounders since 2015 have played a 100red or more NHL games, most in a season all time, Marty Rat and Doug Gilmore. Do you know either of those two names? I know Doug Gilmore. Okay, good. You would there. Uh, in a first year played 80 games, joined three others all time from the early 80s to play their first 10 games of the season. Jeff Lmer is Steve’s brother. Doug Gilmore and Brian Mullen and you did what they did. So that’s that’s pretty neat. Do you ever give yourself time to think I’ve done what very few others have done now way past 10 games in every game uh for a first year as a seventh rounder? That’s pretty cool. Yeah, I mean I try not to think about it too too much. I I kind of just try to focus on playing. But um you know I feel like uh you know my parents see a lot of that stuff so they always they always tell me about stuff like that. Well, you mentioned Henrik Zedterberg. you actually got to meet him for the first time when they were in town for the FanFest, all the alumni in town. So, you had already, you know, kind of you kind of thought about I could be like a Henrik Zedberg before you had the chance of meeting him before you were, you know, even a Redwing. Yeah, I mean, you know, being a seventh round pick, I feel like, you know, you get counted out a little bit. Um, you know, and he was a seventh round pick and was drafted later than me. So, um, you know, just seeing where his career went out and how it turned out, that was, you know, kind of something I’ve I’ve been setting my, you know, goals to. And, you know, obviously I didn’t think it would happen this fast that I’d get to the NHL at, you know, 20 years old, but, um, you know, I’m just super fortunate to be in a in a good situation right now. Want to go back to Cam Loops, uh, when you were 5′ 3 and maybe 110 lbs and a fourth round pick. Um, at that time and a growth spurt, I think a year and a half later, you were 5’10. Did you start waking up every month and go, I need new clothes? How did the growth spurt affect you mentally at the time and how happy were you? I’m growing. Yeah. Um, I mean, I had a tall dad and, you know, I was pretty underdeveloped at, you know, 14 when I was 53. So, I knew eventually that I would grow. Um, you know, that grow spurt did I felt like I was pretty awkward for a little bit just with my my length and stuff. Like I grew a lot in a short span of time. So, had to get all new equipment and all new clothes. So, um, you know, it definitely I feel like impacted my game a little bit. My dad was happy I never grew, so he didn’t have to get me equipment. You still waiting on your girls? I’m still waiting on my girls. It ain’t happening. Trust me. Um, Shane Don and Jerome McIlla own Cam Loops. Uh, had you had conversations with them at the time when you were there? Yeah, I’ve talked to Shane Don a little bit. Um, you know, he he’s good buddies. His family’s good buddies with one of my close buddies. So, um, you know, I’ve got to meet him a couple of times through that and he’s been around in Cam Loops a couple of times. So, u, you know, I’ve had some conversations with him. Who do you think was the most impactful on your career starting in Cam Loops? Because the way that you were able to improve yeartoear, the way that you were able to get stronger and and make yourself into the hockey player that you are, who influenced that? There was lots of people who influenced it. Um, you know, all my coaching staff and Cam Loops were great. um you know just with the development and stuff and you know even lots of players that we know before me like you know Logan Stanco Fraser Minton just seeing those guys and their routines every day and you know what they were doing to you know develop each day was was definitely huge for my my development. And you weren’t playing in cam loops a lot early on so practice was your game time. How much did you concentrate on getting better at practice through practice? Yeah, I was focusing on that a lot. um you know just you know trying to get as much reps as I can after practice, before practice, stuff like that. And then even in the weight room I felt like our our leadership group was was always in the weight room and you know all of our older guys I felt like we’re we’re working out extra. So you know seeing that was encouraging for me at a young age and you know tried to follow in their footsteps and you know it eventually worked out for me and it would have because Logan Logan Stanovven who’s not a big guy and you show up all of a sudden you’re 6’1. What what the hell happened? what what was his reaction to that? Yeah, I mean, you know, I feel like from my 16 to 17 year old, I feel like I grew and developed a lot as a player. So, um I feel like it was surprising for a lot of guys um you know, how much I progressed over the years and you know, even the the year after that, I feel like I progressed even more. So, um it was definitely a big jump. And then Logan leaves and you took on more of a leadership role. Would that be fair to say? Yeah, that was correct. Yeah. How much did that help you? It helped me a lot. Um, you know, my 16 and 17-year-old, I played fourth line pretty much the whole year. So, you know, we we had a good team. We hosted the Memorial Cup in Cam Loops. So, um, you know, we had, I think, 10 guys who left that team that year. So, I was able to jump into a way bigger role and even take on a leadership role. So, that was it was huge for me. How does the fourthline experience and the things that you have to be good at in that role help you with the new and expanded role and ultimately again get you to where you are now because I’m imagining you had to focus on some different things when you’re getting fourthline minutes. Yeah, for sure. Uh I feel like it helped me a lot just you know it helped me round my game I feel like to be a complete player. Um you know I wasn’t focusing on offense when I was playing on the fourth line. I was just, you know, trying to, you know, stay in the lineup and do what I could to stay in the lineup, which was, you know, forchecking hard and, you know, blocking shots and getting hits. So, um, I feel like that’s definitely made me into a more complete player. And you were with Fraser Mitten, who’s now a Bruin was a a leaf trap, right? Did you and Fraser tight? Yeah, we were very tight. Um, he was my roommate in in junior for three years there. So, um, I got to know him pretty close off the ice, too. I know you want to speak about Daniela about the the neighborhood with Christopher Stig. Yes. I I I’m glad you brought that up because Lethbridge and and we had this the story that you were actually a Blackhawks fan growing up. So to re Yeah. Really? But do you imagine Okay. But when you say that though, who do you think a kid his age was a fan of that on that Blackhawks era? Right. Patrick Kane, right? Yes. Yeah. you think but no you said when I asked him this question he goes well of course you like kanir right it’s enjoyable to watch him but your guy was Chris yeah and why is that uh he’s my neighbor in Lethbridge so um you know growing up in hockey I didn’t know too too much like obviously you know the top players but you know getting to know him kind of he has a hockey camp out in Lethbridge that he would run every summer so I’d do that and you know get to meet him a couple times and then kind of realized after one of the hockey camps driving back home that he he was my neighbor. So, I got to know him a little bit more as I grew older and stuff. So, yeah. To put that into context, he was born in Chris Versteig’s final season of Junior and Cam Loops, right? I think so. I think you would have been born then, probably. Yeah, that’s Well, having somebody like that though, and you may not have even realized it at the time, like someone that you can bounce questions off of. You’re just a kid, so to have that looking back, how important was it? Oh, it was super important. Um, you know, I feel like I did wanted to be like him when I was younger and you know, uh, we actually started working out at his gym when I was like around 10 years old. So, just being around him and you seeing what he was doing and trying to do what he was doing was definitely a huge influence on my my hockey career. Who got you into hockey? What what what did you first see either on television or family or friends said, I want to put skates on? I’m not too sure what got me into hockey. It it was my parents obviously who who put me started skating, but um they were both basketball players growing up and played university basketball. So I don’t know how we kind of got into hockey and like we have a basketball court in our house than Lethbridge. So I feel like basketball maybe when we were younger was the like what they wanted us to do, but I feel like we were better at hockey from a young age. So cuz you weren’t dunking on anybody at that size. No. No. At 5’2 I wasn’t dunking on any Can you dunk now? Have you tried? I can I can dunk now. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Now we Yeah. Yeah. Now I can. How many siblings do you have? I have an older brother and a younger sister. Older brother, younger sister. All three of you play hockey. Yeah. All three of us play hockey. Yeah. Very cool. So was We always hear the older brother stories, right? When you grow up with an older brother, you’re always a little bit more competitive. Is that the case with you guys? Definitely. Yeah. I mean, we could be playing anything and it most of the time it would turn into a fight. That’s just how competitive we were. And even with my sister, we do lots of 2v2 stuff where it’d be me and my brother versus my dad and my sister with floor hockey or whatever. And that would always get competitive and turn into a fight. So, um, you know, I feel like my competitiveness comes a lot from them. Who do you call first after a game or after your first goal? Who’s the first call to? Yeah, it was to my mom. Well, they were here, so I got to see them after like my first game and stuff, but you know, most of the time after the game, I always give my my mom and my parents a call still after most games. Yeah, pretty much every game I’ll call them after the game. How would you describe mom and dad? What are they like? Uh, they’re they’re pretty laid-back. Um, you know, they’re very competitive themselves and, you know, we’re a big sports family, so you know, whatever it is we’re doing, we’re we’re watching sports. They’re, you know, big into football and college basketball, basketball. So, um, you know, they everything we were doing was involved around sports. Big into football. Like, do you watch the CFL? The NFL. Never really are a CFL family, but um, you know, my parents are big NFL fans. So, um, you know, actually all three of my myself, my brother, and my sister are named after NFL players. So, Oh, yeah. They Wait, which who are you? EMTT Smith. Okay. Um, Marshall Faulk. And then Walter Payton for my sister. Her name’s Payton. Her name’s Payton. Yeah, that’s amazing. Know Emtt Smith. That’s cool. Yeah. So, my whole family’s Cowboys fans, too. So, I was I was born into that, too. Cowboys fans. Yeah. You haven’t worked it to ever meet EMTT Smith? No, I’ve never worked anything into meeting him. Now, you’d be good at something like that. You could work it to get him to meet Well, I think there are people more important than I am. Probably get him to do it within that that dressing room than me, but we can work on that. Yeah. I’ve never I’ve never even thought of that, but that that’d be pretty cool for sure. Yeah, that that’s awesome. I think it would be. So, when you come here, who was the first when you you’re at camp, what was your wow moment? I mean, I feel like, you know, when Patrick Haynes signed here, that was pretty cool to see him. Um, you know, just being a Blackhawks fan, obviously, he was one of my favorite players and one of one of second favorite player. Hey, Patrick, you’re my second favorite player. Second favorite player. Yeah. Um but yeah know when he signed here that was I was pretty excited for that and you know even now getting to be his teammate. Like I never really thought growing up that that could be a possibility. So um you know that’s pretty pretty special. How impressive is he? I mean I they say don’t meet your heroes sometimes but you get to meet a guy like Patrick Kane. What are your impressions of him? Yeah, he’s a he’s a great guy off the ice. Um you know on the ice he’s a very special player. Just how you know how craft he is and how he controls the game. So, you know, getting to know him on a personal level has been has been very cool. When you’re on the bench and your first game was against your first goal was against Edmonton, right? So, you’re out there, you’re on the bench, you’re watching McDavid, you’re watching Dry Cidle. Are you in awe or are you learning? I mean, a little bit of both. I was playing against McDavid and Dry Cidle all night. So, um, you know, that opening face off lining up against them was kind of like an an awe moment. Um, you know, once that first puck dropped, you kind of just got to, you know, forget about it and just and just play. And, you know, they’re two special players, so uh, you know, anytime I get the chance to watch them, you kind of try to, you know, learn from them a little bit, but when you’re playing against them, it’s kind of hard to do that a little bit. Just a few games into your NHL career and your line was matched up with McDavid and Dryidle. What was your reaction when you found out that was going to be your assignment for the night? Yeah, I was I was very excited about that. Um, you know, it was a big challenge and you know, those are two of the best players, if not the two best players in the world. So, uh, you know, getting to play against them was was very cool. Topline, left wing. You see, he’s with Larkin and and Raymond. What are you going to do? He’s my guy. I got him. Was there a strategy there? Did you talk to Dylan about that and how to Obviously, you’re not going in, you know, how to play the game. Yeah. But there might be a strategy different when you’re playing against those two. Yeah, with those two, you got to stay above them all night. So, um, you know, we were talking larks, we talked about that before the game, just trying to, you know, stay on top of them and try to, you know, limit their speed and you can’t give them oddman rushes because they’ll they’ll pick you apart on those. So, just trying to, you know, match their speed and try to, you know, have numbers on them as much as you can. I want to follow on the the speed theme. Now, you are perhaps besides Dylan maybe the fastest skater on this team. I don’t know that and I don’t expect you to say so. So, how did you get to be such a good skater? Yeah, I feel like, you know, over the years, um, I wasn’t the fastest skater in junior necessarily. Um, you know, I was pretty awkward skater when I went through a growth spurt. So, I started doing a lot of, uh, power skating back home during the summer to, you know, improve my skating. So, um, I’ I’ve been doing that for four years now with, you know, elite skating back in back hometown in Langley. So, um, I feel like that’s improved my skating a lot. I’ll ask you, do you think you’re the second fastest guy on the team? I mean, yeah, we got some we got some pretty fast guys on our team. Like Copper and JT are pretty quick and you know, if they ask you ask them, they’ll probably say they’re faster, but I like to think I’m one of the fastest guys on the team. Yeah, you’re right there with Dylan. I think they would say that, too. Yeah. Did you ever figure skate? Figure skate? No. Never figure skated? No. Jeff Skinner did. I mean, a terrific skater. You know, the 10 and two and the skates go some of the players did figure skating just for strength. That’s amazing. I I’d never tried it either. Yeah. No. Yeah. I’ve never tried it. My power skating coach was a she was a figure skater. So, who’s that? Uh Kim Marfleet back in Langley, BC. Oh, nice. Yeah. So, um she was a figure skater and you know, they’re obviously very impressive skaters. So, um you know, if you can learn from them as much as you can, it’s I feel like it’s helped my skating a lot. Okay. Well, this year in Detroit, it’s been the year of the youth. We as people who cover the team have been waiting, anticipating for some of this youth to get here, and it’s happening. and it’s been so much fun to watch. But from your perspective to have a group of you together that gets to experience a lot of firsts together and adjusting to the NHL, how much fun has that been and and what have you learned just having that group with you? Yeah, it’s been super fun. Um, you know, P and Danny and, you know, even Taxi when he was here at the start, um, you know, it was great. Those are some of my best buddies away from the rink, too. So, you know, just getting to go through this experience with them and, you know, make it, you know, at a young age like we are, it’s it was pretty special for sure. And you guys were all in a hotel for a lengthy period of time. Those hyphenated ones lived together. You actually had your own room. Yeah. Yeah. That worked out well for you, didn’t it? It did work out well for me. I was with Danny for I was rooming with him. So, when he got hurt and was in in GR, I I got my own. So, it was kind of lucky. It was kind of lucky that way. Yeah. Yeah. ASP and Nigard were Yeah. Those with hyphens had their own room together. Yeah. And they would speak Swedish, right? The Was it um when it was all three of us together, we speak English, but when they’re together, I assume they Okay. They didn’t speak it around. Okay. That That’s good of them though. That’s good. So, you and Nate Danielson mentioned you’re roommates. You guys are pretty tight. Yeah. Um where did your relationship start and and how did you guys become so close? Yeah. I mean, you know, just being from the same Providence, we uh we grew up playing against each other a lot and, you know, just being around the same age. You know, my brother played with him a little bit growing up and, you know, I’ve played with him. So, um, you know, I feel like we had that connection and then just playing against him in the dub and stuff and, you know, we were both drafted here. So, um, you know, since then, I feel like we’ve gotten pretty close. Is he as quiet as he seems with us? I mean, he’s not as quiet like when it’s just the two of us or when we’re in a group together. He’s he’s talkative and stuff and has a good personality. So, Okay. He does. We’ll have to get it out of him. Yeah. What was it like now you got to play at the end of the game against Seattle or the third period line made with him? Yeah. Yeah, it was it was great. Um, you know, I feel like we read off each other pretty well and and have pretty good chemistry. So, you know, I I like playing with him and, you know, I think he likes playing with me, too. So, it’s it’s fun when we get to play together. So, on the ice, you guys are tight. You can see the chemistry. Off the ice, you hang out a lot. And actually, your girlfriends are sisters. Yeah. Which makes your relationship even tighter. I’m sure you guys hang out and do things together all the time. How did this happen? How did you guys meet sisters and and this is kind of the group of four now? Yeah. So, uh yeah, he he was dating her um before me and then I was actually hanging out with him this summer and you know, got connected through them. So, um you know, Yeah. Nate Danielson, matchmaker. Yeah. Yeah. Come on. We need more than All right. First date story. First date story. Um, first date story. I was in Calgary for a family reunion and, you know, went to her house and, you know, got to hang out with her a little bit. So, Okay. So, Nate wasn’t there? No. Well, the first time the first time we met, we were together. We were back at uh at their place and we were playing cards together. So, yeah. That’s nice. That’s fun. Yeah, it is. Mhm. Have they been able to get to Detroit at all to see you guys? Are they here now or? Yeah, they were they were just here the past week, so both of them were here. So, yeah, that was pretty fun. That is very cool. Do you guys are you like celebrating holidays together and stuff? Uh I I haven’t got there quite that far yet. I don’t even I don’t even know what’s happening for Christmas or anything yet. So, I I guess we’ll have to see about that. Well, she’ll definitely she’ll have the plan. Yeah, she’ll get So, the call came when you’re in the hotel. How did the call happen? They said find a place. Yeah, they actually they told me after the game in Vegas um they pulled me aside and said um we’re going to give you your housing letter and that you could you could start looking for a place. So, you know, that was that was pretty exciting for me. Oh, that Yeah, that’s a big step. So, um when you get that like what what’s the first thing you do with it? Have you found a place yet that you’re permanently in? Yeah, I’ve I got moved into this past week. So, um, you know, that’s been a a little bit of a busy time for me getting, you know, that all situated. So, um, you know, but it’s it’s good now to be finally moved out of the hotel and into my own little space. Well, is Nate staying with you? Uh, he’s at the hotel right now. I’ve only got the the one bed set up in my place. So, smart. I got to I got to get another one of those before he starts staying with me. And he can help you unpack boxes and move everything if he’s going to stay there rent free. That’s true. Yeah, he could. You know, I’d have to maybe get him to build the, you know, the bed frame if I was getting another bed. But is he handy? Uh, I’m not too sure how handy he is. Um, are you are you? Yeah, I was just going to say I mean I’d like to say I’m pretty handy, but uh, you know, my girlfriend actually, she did most of the work. Look at her go. Yeah. When I was on the road, she built the the bed frame for me, so you know, that was very nice of her. Is her sister handy? Is my sister handy? Oh, her sister handy. Oh. Um, I’m not too sure either. Maybe. I don’t know. We’re going to have to revisit this after. You’re going to learn a lot more as you go through this relation. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That’s So, you get your own place now. Um, how do you decorate? Are are you decorating? Yeah, I let uh Abby handle most of that. Yeah, she she was pretty excited for that. She has a degree in interior design, too. So, she was she was on top of that. I might have to call her. I need help. I’m not good at that stuff. Yeah, I know. Me neither. So, we went to HomeSense and I just let her do her thing. Are you decorating for Christmas? Yeah, I haven’t got that far yet with the, you know, getting the tree and whatnot, but I’ll I’ll probably get a little one out, I would think. So, yeah, he’s got it all under control. This is awesome. I I I into numbers. 58. Yeah. How come? Just given to you. Yeah, that was the number given to me. I I’ve had a couple numbers over my years at the development camp. Um, my first development camp, I was wearing number 88. Oh, yeah. So, not available yet. Not Yeah, not anymore. And then the year after that, I was number 64. and then 58 these last two years. So, if you had your choice of any number, what would it be? Uh 32. And why? Christopher Steig wore number 32 with the Black Ox. Uh that was my number growing up. And I’ve had that number pretty much my whole life. So, that’s the number I So, would you like to switch at some point down the road when you feel comfortable and say, “Okay, can I ask?” Because a lot of a lot of rookies are say, “Oh, they just give me the number, you take it until, you know, you feel the time is right.” And it usually is. Yeah. Would you like to change? Yeah. I’ll probably ask next year to switch to number 32. But, uh, you know, this year I didn’t I was just coming into camp hoping to, you know, have a good impression. I didn’t feel like it was the right place to ask to switch my number. But, you know, next year I’ll look to switch to 32 Pro. It’d be interesting who decides that who just Oh, he does. He just says numbers available. Well, they have some that aren’t. Like number six isn’t in the Raptors for Larry Ory, but just no one uses that number. You’ll learn about that. A history goes along with the with the Red Wings, but um yeah, some numbers aren’t available. I I don’t think uh anybody’s ever going to get 13 or a 40 or any of those, but um yeah, so cool to ask. And in your number, too. That’d be all right. So So the fans are looking to get a Finny sweater. Yeah. Did you say sweater or jersey? I say jersey. Okay. And you’re Canadian. It’s a kid thing, I think. I I would say. Okay. I’m kidding. I’m calling myself a kid. I’ll stick with sweater because I’m I’m putting myself in the same category. Even though we’ll wait for the Finny 32 for next season. That’s actually a great note. Anybody that’s going to purchase a Finny jersey, it’s going to be 32 at some point. Or a Finny sweater, whatever. Yeah. Yeah. You want to go with some one-times? Yeah, go with it. Except you’re going to kill me. I forgot my sheet of one-times at my desk, so you might have to let me borrow some. Okay, you have them right there. Okay, here we go. One-times. We’ve got lots of them, though. This is how we learn about your life in in short sentences. Perfect. Okay. Your best And if you if you don’t have one, just say I’ll pass. Best pumpup song. Oh. Best pumpup song. I use I listen to a lot of like mixes on Soundcloud. So, it’s kind of like a bunch. If I had to go one pumpup song, it’ probably be Him Allong by Gunonna. Wow. Yeah. Okay. I like lots of Gunonna songs. I like that. I dig it. I do have to ask this though as a follow-up to that. Simon Edmonson created the warm-up. Yeah. playlist. Are we fans? Are we not fans? Do we like it? I like it. Yeah. Did he consult anybody? I don’t know if he consulted anyone. Um he definitely didn’t consult me on it, but um you know, I like it. It’s I think it’s good. He’s done a good job so far. Yeah. Okay. Two biggest pet peeves or one if you can think of it. Oo, probably chewing with your your mouth open. That’s the worst. You have a f my daughter, I have to chew with my mouth closed because some people have this phobia and it’s a real thing. Does it really bo If you hear someone chewing Oh, I It wouldn’t like I don’t know if I’m calling them out on it, but like I definitely notice it a little bit. Yeah. Okay. It could end a relationship, too. It could. Okay. So, that’s one pet peeve. Is there another another one? I don’t really know. People who like this is more like a hockey pet peeve of like someone who has their tongues out on their skates. Oh, like if they don’t tuck them in their shin pads. I not a big fan. Is there anyone that does that on the team? Bergie does that. Yeah, there’s that, too. Yeah. Okay, that’s a different I wouldn’t have thought of that. Yeah. Music or talk or silence driving to the rink? Music for sure. Lots of country music on the way to the rink. Yeah. Is there a reason for that? Does it kind of relax you or why country? Yeah, I feel like it relaxes me a little bit. Um, you know, I enjoy listening to country music, so I feel like uh that’s usually what I’m listening to in the car. What was your first car? Even though that would have been like what, four years ago for you, it might still be the first car. Yeah, I’m still driving the my car that my first car. It’s a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. Okay. So, yeah. Have you ever driven stick shift? Uh, no, I haven’t. No, my dad’s uh he’s got a couple cars that with a stick shift, but um you know, he’s never let me drive. Learn stick shift. It’s actually a lot of fun. I I wish I I should learn how. I do not know how at the moment, but I I should learn. First concert ever attended and what age? Oh, first concert I think it was a flow rider concert. Okay. It was in Lethbridge and I was probably 10 or 11. I am dying thinking about that. But wait, I I actually This is like a hot take of mine. It may not be that hot of a take. Flow Rider has like if you go look at his biggest hits, they’re all bangers. Yeah, they are. Every single one of them. Yeah. Yeah. Do you know? I’ll take your word on it. I was just going to say Well, I know. But I’ll take your word on that that they’re all bangers. The fact that you use bangers in a sentence that was wonderfully done. Yeah. Um, do you still have a ticket stub from that concert or were there even stick tubs stubs available from that concert? That’s a good question. I was pretty young. I don’t know. Took you. My parents took me to that. Yeah, probably all electronic even then because not that long ago. Probably. Yeah, I would think. I I don’t remember the last time I’ve had a ticket stub. I have them all from my childhood and all framed. Oh, really? everything. Concerts and and Blue Jays games when they started in 77. Yeah. I ticket subs. I think it’s it’s a lost art. Yeah. And and I wish they were still around, but that’s not the way of the world. Yeah. It’s a It’s a cool thing. I I think I have some from my first concerts back in the day. You keep going. We got lots of one time. Yeah, we have a ton. Which one do I like though? Oh, do you I love this question. Do you prefer to watch movies or TV at home with closed captioning? So, like the Oh, the subtitles. I I watch them with the subtitles. I do too. Thank you. Yeah, I do. I feel like if I’m like trying to take like go to sleep or something, I want to leave the TV on, I’ll turn the volume down to like one or two. So I You just read I’ll just read the subtitles if I’m That helps you. So you don’t read a book, you read the television. I read books, too. But like I’ll I’ll read the subtitles, too. I’ve I think I I like them. That’s nice because subtitles, well, they they don’t make television nor movies now with the audio quality that they used to. And that’s a proven fact. So it doesn’t come through your system as audibly as it used to. So subtitles do well. I nothing to do with age. See, I think I pay more attention to the show. Like if it’s I feel like I’m more involved in it. Yeah, that’s great. I didn’t know if your generation did that, but you said you read. Yeah. What do you like to read? Uh just kind of anything. I like to read lots of like sports psychology books and Oh, you know, just even stuff on like diet and sleep and stuff like that. So, Mhm. Favorite binge TV show? Um, The Office probably. Okay. Yeah. Do you rewatch it a lot? Yeah. Like it’s one of those rewatch that and uh Seinfeld. Watch that a lot. Yeah. See Seinfeld. Two shows. Curb. We had Jeff Garland in the room the other night from Curb. So Seinfeld. Awesome. Yeah. If you could be great at one other sport and you could be a pro, what would it be? probably basketball. Okay. I feel like I like just having a basketball court in our house growing up. I feel like I played that a lot and played a little bit in middle school and I feel like that’s uh one of the sports I feel like I don’t think I could go pro in it, but like I think I that’d be my best chance at another sport. I like that. Did So you did play. Were you good? Yeah, I was I was pretty good. Yeah, I like that. We talked music a little bit. Favorite band, artist, who do you listen to the most? Is it gonna Hudson Westbrook right now, a country artist? I’ve I’ve been listening to him a lot recently. Best piece of advice regarding life that someone ever gave you. Deep. That is deep. Um I don’t know. I just I’ve had like lots of people tell me not to, you know, just even in the NHL, just not take anything for granted in this league. And you know, like I was talking to Hammer today, like ask him if it’s felt quick, like his NHL career, and he said it’s it’s flown by. So, um, he was telling me today not to, you know, take it for granted and just en enjoy all the little things and all the little moments and keep your teeth unlike him. Yeah. Yeah. Hopefully I can do that. Yeah. Yeah. Do you watch hockey on a night off? Yeah. Yeah. I like to watch hockey. I’m still like a fan of the game I feel like a little bit. So, I I like to watch hockey if I can. And, you know, just having like some guys I know like Stank Hovven and and Minton playing in the league just you know, if I get to watch them on a day off, I can. Yeah. Perfect. Okay. Okay, we’ll give you a couple more. Okay. Coffee or tea? Coffee. Good answer. Black. No. Okay. Well, like yeah, if I have to, but no, usually not. What’s your drink order if you’re going to order a coffee? Uh, Starbucks. Usually it was like the pumpkin cream cold brew or whatever it was. I started drinking that a lot and that was that was pretty good. But now that’s out of season. So, got there’s a there’s a protein latte at the Starbucks. That one’s pretty good. Biggest after contract purchase. Has there been one yet? There hasn’t really been anything that I’ve bought. Um I feel like right when I signed I I bought bought my brother a brand new driver. Oh, that’s cool. And bought my sister some shoes and stuff and my parents and stuff. So that was probably the I haven’t really spent too much of anything really. Have you ever had a coach terrify you? terrify me? Um, not really. No, besides Todd McCau. No, not really. Um, you know, my co coaches in junior were, you know, I wouldn’t say strict, but they were, you know, they’re very direct. So, um, you know, I feel like they coach a lot like Todd, like they’re on the same like wavelength that way. So, um I wouldn’t say they’re they’ve terrified me, but you know, not like maybe when I was 16. Maybe at first I was a little scared, but see I I when I used to work with the Maple Leafs, John Broofphy and Pat Burns, the late Well, both gone now. Yeah. Uh they terrified me and I didn’t play for them. They terrified their players, too. Yeah. But but trust me, we had time for one more. Two more. You got one. Okay. You got one. You go ahead and Okay. Your best Well, the best sandwich. What do you think is the best sandwich? The best sandwich like place to get a sandwich or just like just like if you were to go any place, what sandwich are you ordering? I’m probably ordering, you know, I had Subway a lot growing up. So, I I probably had the same Subway order from the time I was like 7 years old to now. So, it’s uh Italian white bread, ham, mayo, lettuce, cucumber, and white cheese. Huh? Can you cook? Yeah, I can cook. All right. If you could only have one last meal, what would it be? It’d probably be a a turkey dinner. I am really big into like tryptophan. You’ll be great after Thanksgiving. Yeah, I’m really like into like a Thanksgiving dinner. Like so the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, all that stuff. So, did you get that this year? Because do you celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving? Yeah, I I didn’t get any of the like the turkey or anything. I just being in the hotel, I didn’t wasn’t able to cook anything. So, we got to make sure you get one for American. Yeah. So, maybe American Thanksgiving. I’ll see if I can cook a turkey. I don’t know if I’ve I can do that, but we’ll have to see. You may have to ask for help. Yeah. Yeah. Uh any just any superstition? Uh yeah, I always put my tie my right skate before my left. Pretty much with anything like shoes, skates, I always put my right one on and tie it first. So, that’s basically the only thing. This is making me think. Do you pay attention to what shoe you put on first? I’m just bending down. Hopefully I can be done at the same time. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Here’s my last one for you. Okay. Rate the podcast experience. Scale of 1 to 10. Oh, it’s been a 10 for sure. Look at that. Just everything. Just that’s the marketing view and the setup. It’s been it’s been great. Looking right past me at the view. We love Emtt Smith Finny. Emtt Smithy. We still got to try to make that happen. But can anybody give you a nickname that’s beyond fins or uh nothing really? No, there hasn’t been hasn’t been too too much. Your name’s too easy to shorten. It’s too easy to shorten. Yeah. Yeah. It’s always something that involves fins or something. So, yeah. Well, thank you for joining us. We appreciate it. Thanks for having me. Great. Y [Music]

Ken Daniels and Daniella Bruce welcome Red Wings rookie Emmitt Finnie as he takes fans inside his first year navigating NHL hockey. Finnie reflects on his journey from the WHL to draft day and his time in development camp. He shares insight into the tight-knit camaraderie forming among the Red Wings rookies, the veterans helping guide his transition, and the NHL stars who inspired him long before he wore the Winged Wheel.

Presented by Fieger Law