 Alternate captain Gino Pisellini is this week's player in “Breaking the Ice with…” The feature will be a season long series on plymouthwhalers.com and showcase a different Whaler each week so we can get to know them better.
Selected in the sixth round (116th overall) by Plymouth in the 2002 OHL Entry draft, Pisellini is in his third season with the Whalers. He was a fifth round draft pick (149th overall) of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Pisellini took a few minutes before practice to help us break the ice.
» On the best advice he has ever been given…
“Never give up in any situation because there have been times where we have been down, or I’ve been down personally in a game, a few goals and within two minutes you can get three goals and come right back. You always have to work your hardest and never give up.”
» On how he started playing hockey…
“A guy that my dad works with, his son was playing, and basically he told my dad, 'You should try to get your son in hockey' and ever since then I loved it. I was about five then, so that’s what happened.”
» On who has influenced him the most in hockey…
“My dad. He works hard at what he does and always teaches me to do that. He’s always been there for me. He’s never yelled at me for playing a bad game. He’s never been riding me or anything. He’s just a good person and somebody I look up to. He’s always there for me.”
» On being an American and choosing major junior over college hockey…
“The style of hockey in major junior is a lot more like my style – the roughness, the hitting, and fighting – that’s my style of hockey. College is more for the speedier guys who have good hands. I also chose major junior because it’s closer to the NHL style of hockey.”
» On his youth hockey highlight…
“When I was in midgets we won probably the biggest midget tournament that you can win – the Mac’s tournament in Calgary. We played in front of I think 14 or 15 thousand in the Saddledome, so that was a pretty good experience. It was definitely the best.”
» On his most memorable goal…
“It was in midgets, against Sidney Crosby. We were playing against Shattuck-St. Mary’s and we were shorthanded in the national championship game. I beat a defenseman to the puck and scored on a breakaway.”
» On his NHL draft experience…
“I was actually at the draft and that was probably the coolest thing that has ever happened to me. It was just awesome, the atmosphere of just being there. When they called my name I was just in awe, just shock. You go down and get your jersey, get your hat, and shake all the hands of all the people at the Flyers’ table. It’s just crazy – interviews after and pictures. It was good that my dad was there with me to share the experience with me, it was just amazing.”
» On his best moment in a Whalers' uniform…
“Probably when we beat Kitchener in Game 5 of my first year in the first round of the playoffs. It was just awesome; the whole team was playing well. We just beat Kitchener, one of our main rivals. In five games, they only beat us once, and I don’t think they even deserved to win that game. After that Game 5 was over, that was probably my best experience as a Whaler.”
» On the Chicago connection between him, Mike Letizia, and Jared Boll…
“It’s pretty cool. Me and Mike didn’t really know each other before we came here, but me and Boll played on a team together. It’s pretty cool having guys from your hometown and knowing each other before you get here. It’s a good experience to have guys you know.”
» On the White Sox winning in the World Series…
“I’m strictly a Cubs fan and I was pretty disappointed when the Sox won. I know that’s kind of gutless because I’m from Chicago, but you’re either a Cubs fan or a Sox fan and I’m a Cubs fan.”
» On the player he admires and tries to model his game after…
“Well, I’ve gotten in trouble for this one before, but I’d say Todd Bertuzzi. Not the cheap shot, but just because he’s a great player, he has great hands, he hits, he’s on the power play, I think he’s on the penalty kill. He can fight, he can just do everything, all-around-package player.”
 » On the toughest player he has played against…
“Marco Caprara or Cam Janssen, but Caprara is just always in your face. You don’t know what he’s going to do. He’ll either spear you or just drop his gloves and start throwing bombs unexpectantly. He’s just pound-for-pound the toughest guy I have ever seen in my life. He’s just so intense all the time and just so unexpected, that it’s just so hard to play against him.”
» On his first OHL fight …
“It was with a 20-year-old (Nathan O’Nabigon) when I was 17 in Kitchener. We went toe-to-toe, it was an awesome fight. I think after the game I had a concussion or something. It was good to get the first one under my belt in the first game. It was a good experience.”
» On when he knows it's time to fight…
“When the other team is all over us or we’re down a few goals early, just whenever we need a momentum swing. Fighting really is just to try to get things going for your teammates and get everyone in the crowd into it and everything.”
» On his recurring scraps with Scott Todd…
“My rookie year he beat me pretty bad and then I was interviewed on a website and I said that he threw punches pretty soft. So we kind of got a rivalry going from that and last year we went toe-to-toe one time and both landed some good shots. It was a good fight, probably the best I’ve ever had.”
» On his pre-game routine…
“I usually sleep-in until about 10 o’clock, have breakfast, stay up and eat a big plate of pasta at 2:30, then take a nap, then take a shower, come to the rink and run a mile on the treadmill, and get ready to go.”
» On if there is anything behind his jersey number 24…
“Yeah, (Bob) Probert. No, I don’t know, I’ve always been one of the bigger guys on the ice and one of the strongest. Whenever we were kids and would fight, I’d fight and kill guys, so I guess it is after Probert.”
» On if he has any nicknames…
“I don’t actually. At least I don’t think so.”
» On if he has any superstitions…
“Yeah, I make them up everyday though. If one game I get a point, I’ll do the same thing the next game. Stupid little things like taping the left shin pad first and then the right shin pad or vice-versa, whatever.”
» On living with a billet family…
“I’ve been fortunate, all three years I’ve had good billets. The billets really make an effort to make sure you’re comfortable and make you feel like part of the family. It has been a really good experience and I’ve met two great families through the billet process.”
» On the craziest thing that has happened on the road…
“There’s probably so many, that I can’t think of one. During one of our London games, one of the fans in London hopped over the glass and ran across the ice and the refs had to take him down. He fell a few times and it was pretty funny and crazy.”
 » On what he would be if he didn't play hockey…
“Probably a stockbroker. I’ve always been into stocks; I trade stocks now, so getting warmed up just in case something happens.”
» On what he brings to the team…
“Just toughness, intimidation, solid in the defensive zone, throw in points here-and-there, fighting, hitting, and leadership.”
» On his funniest teammate…
“I’d say Ryan Stephenson. He does the best impressions and he always has a comeback to anything you say to him. Funniest guy ever.”
» On the rule changes in hockey…
“I think it’s good. I think once everyone adjusts to them fully it will work out really, really well, but so far I think it’s good for the game with the new rules. The scores have been a lot higher, and it makes it more exciting. Once there’s not 20 power plays in a game, it will start getting a little better.”
» On a movie about him…
“Paris Hilton would be my girlfriend. Brad Pitt would star as me. Well, if Paris was in it, I definitely would want to star as myself. What would it be about? I guess probably a 17-year-old moving away from home, trying to adapt to a new lifestyle. Overcoming things like being a rookie and how hard you have to work to make it to the NHL.”
» On if he could play golf with anyone in the world, who his foursome would include…
“Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, and I don’t even know, that’s a tough question, and Paris Hilton.”
-Natalie Shaver, November 1st, 2005-
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