 Rookie forward Joey Gaynor is the second to last player in “Breaking the Ice with…” this season. The feature has been a season long series on plymouthwhalers.com and has showcased a different Whaler so we can get to know them better.
Drafted in the 2nd round (37th overall) in the 2005 OHL Draft by Plymouth, Gaynor turned 17 half way through the season. On September 30, 2005, he made his OHL debut vs. the Soo. Before the holiday break in December, he tallied his first career goal and multi-point game at Oshawa and followed it up with his first game-winner the next game at Toronto. The Goderich, Ontario, native took a few minutes after a skate around to help us break the ice.
» On the best advice he has been given…
“Hard work beats talent if talent’s not working hard.”
» On how he started playing hockey…
“In my hometown Goderich, my dad would drag me around the ice to teach me how to skate. I was about three or four.”
» On his most memorable goal…
“My first OHL goal against Oshawa (12/16) just before Christmas. I went down the ice on a two-on-one with Army (John Armstrong). He fed me the puck and I scored 5-hole.”
» On his best moment in a Whalers uniform…
“Watching Gino (Pisellini) knock Scott Todd’s face in (3/4).”
» On if he ever played with any of the guys on the team before…
“No, but I skated with Leo Jenner last summer in the Stratford Cullitons camp.”
» On the championships he has won…
“I won an international tournament with my AAA Huron Perth Lakers in Prague (Czech Republic).”
» On his troubles getting back from Prague…
“They searched our bags when we were coming home. My dad had a Febreze bottle and they didn’t know what it was, so they searched all our stuff. He tried to explain it to them and told them just to smell the hockey equipment. I had a 2 liter of orange juice in my bag and they opened it and sniffed it and when they put it back, they didn’t put the top on right, so I had orange juice all over my stuff when I got home.”
 » On his rookie year…
“It was a long year with a 68 game schedule. Everyone is bigger, faster, better. You have to pick up your own game to compete with them. As the year went on, I thought I improved.”
» On his family support…
“My parents, Larry and Michele, and my brother, Josh, and sister, Jenelle, have been very supportive. My entire family is supportive of my hockey, including my grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, and everyone in my hometown.”
» On who has influenced him in hockey…
“My dad. He always pushed me to be better and he taught me the game.”
» On playing on the same team as his brother Josh…
“It was great playing with my brother last season, mainly because of our 5 year age difference. It was the first and probably the last time playing together on an organized hockey team. He kind of showed me the ropes.”
 » On his hometown…
“I live in a small town, so there is a lot of country life. Most of my friends hang out on the beach in the summer. I live on the beach. I’d rather live in Goderich than a big city.”
» On his most embarrassing hockey moment…
“Hopping over the boards last year, my foot got caught on the boards and I did a face plant into the ice.”
» On his typical day…
“My typical day is that I get up at 6:15 in the morning, shower, eat, get ready for school. Class starts at 7:15 and goes until 2:10. From there, we go straight to the rink for a 3 o’clock practice. After practice, we might have a light workout and on Tuesdays we have study hall until 8 o’clock at night.”
» On high school life…
“Plymouth-Canton High School is tough mainly because it starts at 7:15 and my old school started at 9 o’clock. I hate the mornings. Another thing I find difficult is American history. It was the first time I was introduced to it, so I had no prior knowledge. American history is about wars and events with specific dates, but Canadian history talks about events like the Summit Series and how Canada was established, things I’m familiar with.”
» On his favorite class…
“Math is my favorite class because I’ve always found math easier than most.”
» On his pre-game routine…
“If we don’t have school, I’ll sleep until about 11 o’clock. Get up and have a nice breakfast. Usually part of my routine is to watch a movie and relax. Then I shower, get moving around, until pre-game meal at 4:15, and then to the rink at 10 to 5.”
 » On adjusting to billets…
“I lived with a billet family last year, so this year the transition of living with another new family wasn’t as hard, especially with the family that I’m living with. The Sequins made it really easy for me and they are really nice. My billet mom, Sue, comes to all the home games and cheers the team on and is supportive about hockey around the house.”
» On living with Steve Ward…
“Ward’s a good guy to live with. He’s one of the leaders on the team so he’s really supportive. We share a room in the basement. He usually sets up pre-game meal for me. He’s a great cook, especially on the barbeque.”
» On the player he admires most…
“I admire Joe Thornton because he’s a top power forward in the NHL. He battles in the corners, scores goals, and can knock players all over the ice.”
» On the toughest player he has played against…
“Leo Jenner in AAA. He was always out there working harder than everyone else and I have to give him credit for that.”
» On his nicknames…
“Gains, Gaynor, just my last name.”
» On his superstitions…
“I have a lot of little things that I do before the games to get prepared. They are just little things that I don’t realize I do until I don’t do them and then it bothers me.”
» On if there is anything behind his jersey number…
“Number 5 is my favorite number and I couldn’t have it last year and took 25, so I thought I’d carry on the tradition again this year.”
» On his funniest teammate…
“Ryan Stephenson. He’s just that guy.”
 » On what he should bring to the team…
“I want to be a physical presence like Joe Thornton. I want to a grinder and do all the little things right.”
» On the craziest thing that has happened on the road…
“I was one of the few that didn’t get stuck in the elevator and I just laughed at all the guys that did.”
» On what he'd do if he didn't play hockey…
“If I wasn’t a hockey player, I would be back in Canada finishing up school and preparing to be a sports agent.”
» On his dream goal…
“Mem Cup winner in OT, breakaway, top shelf.”
» On what one thing he could not live without…
"Hockey."
» On what TV show he would be on…
“Making the Cut. It was that reality TV where guys tried to get a chance to go to an NHL camp.”
» On what other five players he would want on the ice with him…
“Sidney Crosby and Ryan Smyth up front, on defense Ed Jovanovski and (Ray) Bourque, and Martin Brodeur in goal.”
-Natalie Shaver and Marc Baron, May 3rd, 2006-
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