 Rookie forward Mike Yovanic is featured in this edition of “Breaking the Ice with…” The feature showcases different Whalers so we can get to know them.
Yovanic joined the Whalers at the beginning of the season as a free agent and made his OHL debut vs. Erie on September 22nd. At 6'7 and 222 pounds, Yovanic is known for dropping the gloves and fighting some of the toughest guys in the league. The Highland, Michigan, native, took a few minutes after a summer workout to help us break the ice and chat about a crazy fan in Kingston, how he got started in boxing, and being a country boy. » On the best advice he has been given… “Never give up.” » On how he started playing hockey… “I just watched it on TV. My dad always wanted us to play football or basketball, but when I was about 7 years old, I saw one game and my brother, Paul, and I got hooked and my dad got us all the equipment the next day.” » On his youth hockey highlight… “Winning the Hurster Cup Championship in the CSHL (Central States Hockey League) for Dubuque Thunderbirds last year.”  » On his most embarrassing hockey moment…
“Last year at home against Windsor, I fell during warm-ups going over the red line and the ref made fun of me.” » On who has influenced him in hockey… “My parents and my brother.” » On his most memorable game… “My OHL debut against the Erie Otters.” » On picking major junior over college… “It was an easy pick for me. My brother had a lot of influence on me. He told me this would be the style I would like and would have a role in the OHL. I didn’t get any college offers since college isn’t my style. I like a little more toughness in the game.” » On people commenting on his height… “I never get annoyed because people seem amazed by it. I guess seeing someone over 6’4 amazes people, so if that amazes them, I’m all for it.” » On if he grew up as a Whalers fan… “Yes, I came to a lot of games and I actually used to dream of being a Whaler when I was little.” » On billet vs. home life… “I started the year at home, but ended up with a billet since the drive was pretty long commuting every day. Being at home, my parents trust me a lot and can get away with a lot of things. It’s just my normal life that I have grown up with. With billets, you kind of have to go with the swing of things. You have to be a part of everything they are doing. You don’t want to ignore them and not build a relationship, so any time they invite you to do something, you go and join them. At home, I can ignore my brother and do what I want.”  | Yovanic squares off with Richard Greenop of the Windsor Spitfires just 1:55 into the game played at Windsor Arena on January 20, 2008. Photo Credit: Nick Brancaccio, Windsor Star | » On the opponent he likes to play against… “Richard Greenop because he’s always a willing combatant.” » On who he tries to model his game after… “Derek Boogaard.” » On his fan club… “I hear a lot of people say they love the fighting. They want me to go out there and play a little more, but I’ve never heard anyone complain. Everyone jumps out of their seats and gets excited when the gloves come off.” » On his most memorable fight… “In the preseason against Niagara, I started a line brawl.” » On his favorite all-time fighter… “Tie Domi back in the day.” » On working with boxing coach George "Kirky" Scott… “I hooked up with Kirky through my brother. He was doing some training with him down at the Kronk gym in Detroit before it moved to Dearborn. One day I went to watch my brother, and Kirky asked if I played any sports and I said hockey. He said that I was pretty big and I should take on the role of a tough guy out there. He basically taught me to defend myself.”
 » On being a hockey player and not just a fighter…
“I want to go out there and show everyone that I can play the game as well as doing my job on the ice.” » On what he should bring to the team… “I’d like to be a guy who can do his job and fit the role the coaches want.” » On his rookie year adjustments… “Physically, I had to get in shape and adjust to the speed of the game. Positionally, moving from defense to forward was an adjustment on what I had to do. My role as a forward is to go in the corners and try to get the puck, just battle, and then go to the front of the net. I try to be the first one in and I’m always moving my feet instead of sitting back and waiting for their forwards to come to me when I played defense.” » On his typical day… “I get to the rink at 10, I get a nice, good workout in, go back to my house and eat lunch, take an hour nap, head back to the rink and get ready for practice.” » On his pre-game routine… “I get to the rink, change out of my suit into my workout stuff, grab my sticks and tape and wax both of them up. I read the OHL reports and see what is going on around the league. After that, I get psyched and ready for the game.”  » On if he has any superstitions…
“I always get dressed right to left all the way to tying my skates.” » On if he has any nicknames… “Yovie, Yo-Yo.” » On his dream goal… “My dream goal would be a 1-1 game in the third period, almost overtime, and I come out and am the clutch performer and put it in the net and win the game.” » On if there is anything behind his jersey number 33… “I wore it last year and a couple years ago. It was one of the options open, so I picked it.” » On what he'd be doing if he didn't play hockey… “I would be a pro fisherman. I like going hunting and fishing. I go up north and ride quads (4-wheelers) around. It’s nice being out in the country and away from everybody.” » On what reality TV show he'd be on… “I’d be on a Survivor-type series and I’d be the smartest one that could figure out how to get food on the table.” » On the craziest thing that has happened on the road… “We were in Kingston and one of the fans decided to take a run at our bench and tackle our coach or something. I didn’t really know what he was trying to do. I was sitting right above him and it was just kind of weird because the guy was not giving up. He wanted to get at our team. They ended up just smashing him up against the boards and putting him into a world of pain. It was pretty funny.”  » On his funniest teammate…
“Josh Bemis.” » On what one thing he could not live without… “A fishing pole.” » On his dream vacation… “I’d go on a cruise to the Bahamas or something.” » On the person he'd most like to meet… “Tim McGraw.” » On a rule change he'd make in hockey… “I wish we could do more clutching and grabbing and use the free hand like we used to and use more stick on each other.” » On what other players he would want on the ice with him… “I’d put myself as center, Derek Boogaard on the right side, followed by Georges Laraque on the left side. I’d have Zdeno Chara and Dion Phaneuf on defense and Ray Emery in net. That would make the ultimate line right there.” -Natalie Shaver, May 27th, 2008- -- Other Players' "Breaking the Ice" Features -- | 
