The Ride to The Rink: Street Hockey Skills That Build NHL Dreams with Ryan Carter

Hello, hockey skaters and goalies around the world, and welcome back to another edition of The Ride to the Rink. It's Lee and Mike here today, and we've got a Stanley Cup champion. He played for Team USA. Super nice guy. Been around the NHL. Ryan Carter is joining us today. He's been so humble with his time. He was our guest on the big episode this week, which we recommend you all listen to. But kids, one of the things Ryan spoke about that we want to bring to your attention.

is when he started hockey. He described being in Minnesota, watching kids play outside on the cul-de-sac and his desire and want to get out there. And I want him to talk to you for a few minutes about how that cul-de-sac, how that street hockey, how playing with the ball developed some of the skill sets and some of the mentality he needed to go where he went. So Ryan, let me throw it to you. Feel free to repeat yourself. Talk to us about that cul-de-sac and how that helped your game.

Yeah, twofold. One, street hockey. So we would get the tennis ball out and everybody would have to take turns playing goaltender. But just playing, you learn things too.

The ball would bounce differently on the pavement than it would on the ice, and your hands would have to get good at settling things down. You'd have to learn how to keep a tennis ball on your forehand because the spin would get it to roll off your backhand. It's just being around the game and playing and coming up with our own little games.

We had fun doing. I remember we'd also play games where we'd sit on one end and we'd sit out in front of the net and we'd just have to shoot like the puck back and forth from end to end. And our goal would be to just try to tip it and hit the post. If you tipped it and hit the post, you got a point. First one to five points wins. We just played games. And with that, we had friends in the neighborhood and winter rolls around. And then all of a sudden the backyards turn into an ice rink.

We would play out there and people would just come. And for me, that was a time where I really developed as a player just playing outside. It was unstructured. You had to try new things because there was a different variety of skill sets out there on the ice with us and ages and sizes. And I'll tell a couple of stories on that rink outside. I have far too many, but...

And I remember one day realizing, holy cow, I actually am strong for the first time. There was a kid that was two years older and he'd put us in the snowbank on a play. You know, he'd be going down the wall. The boards were about knee height. So you just a little bump near the boards, you go flying over in the snow.

um one day it was his turn and i'd kind of had enough and it was the outdoor rink and um he's skating down the ice and boom a little bump and he's in the snowbank and uh he kind of looked at me and he got up and i thought i was gonna get i was gonna get a beating uh but i didn't instead it was

game on or we continue to play so it was out outside on that rink too that like i started to learn hey you you can really play with anybody and the game is the game figure it out somebody might have a skill or a way of playing that is hard or challenging for you to play against how do you incorporate that into your own game um and uh we absolutely loved the the outdoor rink and we spent all our time there maybe too much

I can tell you another story where we would play, I think it was probably like a New Year's Eve kind of night.

and we had lights so we were out there late and eventually into the cul-de-sac we see the police car roll in about midnight and we're like oh what do we do well it just turns out we're keeping all the neighbors up because we're hitting the posts all night long and they just needed to get some sleep the next day so the police were like hey guys we love that you're playing but uh you you got to keep it quiet so uh we we didn't go in we just stopped hitting the posts maybe a little bit but um yeah absolutely loved playing the outdoor rink but that's where uh foster

the love for the game because it was just play it your way. Play it with your buddies. And I didn't have to drive the middle lane on a three and two. I could figure out like how you cross behind somebody, how to make a quick little area pass. And you really learn a lot and develop great skills just organically playing the game anyway, whether it's on the street, on the outdoor rink, just having fun with friends. You know, Ryan, I got to say this too.

I am a very competitive person, right? And when I was at games or practices, I wanted to compete. But when I look into my memory bank, the need, the want, the drive at the outdoor games where there's no coach, there's no ref, there's no structure to accomplish something or try something or be competitive with my friends. I remember specific examples of like, kids are going to laugh at me, but trying to do a toe drag for the first time.

you know, correctly or or just really wanting to beat the older brother of my friend on the block who had three years on me. Like those are not things you're getting at practice. Now, kids, here's the funny thing. I know you do this. The problem is that's not a problem. I know you do this. I see you doing it in Fortnite. I see you doing it online, which I'm not going to I'm not one of those people to tell you don't play video games. All right. Like if you love that, that's great. But you can transfer that outside as well and have just as good a time.

with the actual skill sets of whatever sport you're playing, right? I love that you said you didn't just play hockey, you had different games. I'm sure you guys played other sports aside from hockey at times as well, right? But those outdoor games, that creativity, that time to kind of not yourself, but that time away from the structure is invaluable to grow your skills. And as Ryan said, really importantly, your love of the game.

Ryan, I know you did this and I did it too. You will imagine being in the Stanley Cup final. You will imagine getting the big goal. And those dreams can turn into reality in a lot of different ways. So, Mike, I'll throw it to you for a question too. Sorry.

No, no, no. This is, I mean, I think just in that same thought process, Ryan, you know, maybe talk a little bit about just maybe a comment about like, don't get hung up on those age categories. You know, you see kids, they show up to a skating clinic. It's like, oh, there's all little kids out here, but they show up to the gym and they're intimidated because it's all college guys or something like talk a little bit about like the, the ability for a player to walk on the ice, walk on the, the, the outdoor rink, ball, hockey, gym, clinic.

And just be, you know, just work on performing against themselves. You know what I think that the outdoor rink is to kids these days? It's YouTube. Kids go to YouTube and they watch all these highlights and they see what pros can do or the hands that they have. But seeing it on video is different than seeing it in real life. So you go to that outdoor rink.

When you're with older kids, kids that have faster hands, that are quicker, that make better plays, you're watching real-life YouTube clips of skills.

When you see it, you appreciate it. When it beats you, you understand it. I think when you watch it on YouTube, you think you do, and then maybe you have to even go apply those things someplace. That's the outdoor rink. So the outdoor rink is the YouTube for kids. Spend time out there on that outdoor rink, and you'll see the highlights that you see on YouTube or on your social media feed.

But they'll resonate and they'll stick with you. And the next thing you know, you're actively practicing them. So I think it's tremendous. I keep a rink out in my backyard for the girls.

by 80 with the lights and it's somewhat of a dad passion project but it's entirely because I believe wholeheartedly that the love of the game is forged with their friends outside in free play and they love the locker room and then eventually they love playing the game of hockey but it starts with free play

It's fostered by locker room and camaraderie, and then it's the game after that. So I'd encourage any parent and kids, you, to ask your parents to take you to the outdoor rink and just get dropped off with a lunch pail, a hat, and some choppers, maybe a nice hoodie that has your team logo on it, and just go to work, play, have fun, and invite all your other friends because I'm pretty sure they'll show up.

They'll show up, and I'll tell you what, kids, that is a big movement that I hope that you take on if you're listening to this show. If you're listening to this show, you're the kid that can lead that, all right, because you're the kid that wants it. The other thing I'll say too, right, you brought this up about YouTube. When you kids see whoever you love, McDavid, Celebrini, pick your favorite player. When you see them make an amazing move, we always like to say, remember, that's a lot of little moves coming together to create a highlight.

And to Ryan's point, you've got to work on those little things every day. When we talked to Ryan on the big episode, again, you want to listen to that. He talks about his development and just the passion and the time and being correctly placed with the right coach, with the right team to learn. And my favorite quote you said in that episode, Ryan, hockey development is a slow cooker, kids. It's not a microwavable or what's it called? Air fryer.

situation for you all right you got to do it the right speed the right way and develop your game ryan again dropping gold on this for the kids any final thoughts for the kids you want to here's one for actually i'll phrase this a question i'm sorry you still love this game can you talk to the kids a little bit about how your passion and love for this game has not waned at all how you still feel it and then any parting advice you have for them yeah no it's the the my love and passion for the game hasn't waned at all and actually so kids i played

uh youth hockey junior hockey in the ushl college hockey then professional hockey got done at 35 and i i was afraid at that point because i was like i didn't know what my identity was and and

Whenever anybody asked that, it was, what are you? I was a hockey player. It turned out that I was more than that. I was a dad and I was a son and I was a student and a bunch of other things, but I put a lot of stake into being a hockey player.

I was willing to sacrifice to be called that. And that's a great honor. And I'm so grateful to be part of that hockey family. So to any kid, I would say, hey, just invest in yourself and in the game of hockey because the love of it will take you places that you can only imagine. And it might not look like what you think it's going to look like. But there's the potential that it's going to be better because so often in my hockey career, the worst things that I thought,

happened to me turned out to be some of the best. And I'll share one quick example. I was playing in the NHL after probably year five and I wasn't off to a great start and I was put on waivers. It looked like I was going to go down to the minors and I was maybe just going to disappear and fizzle out of hockey. And I remember that day being the toughest day ever. And I was like, this is it.

You know, this is it. Hockey's done for me. I'm no longer a hockey player. And I ended up getting picked up on waivers by New Jersey. And then that year, we make a run to the Stanley Cup final. And I have a great playoff. And it was like, boom. I was so close to being done. So close to it almost being done.

It didn't go that way. And I thought it was a terrible moment, but it turned out to be a very positive one because I got an opportunity and then I was hungry to do something with it. So you're never out of it. Continue to foster that love and fight for it any way you can. And the game will pay you back for any sacrifices you make.

I love it, Ryan. We're going to end on that. Just once again, fantastic information, fantastic advice, fantastic stories as well for the kids. Thanks for joining us on the Ride to the Rink. All right. Thanks, Lee. Thanks, Mike. Appreciate you guys. Hey, and go get them, kids. Have fun. All right. I love it. Kids, remember, wherever you're at on that journey, remember, we believe in you. You should, too. That's going to do it for this edition of the Ride to the Rink. For Mike, for Ryan, I'm Lee. We'll see you next time, everybody. Take care.