Occasionally we’ve featured guest columnists here on MayorsManor. For example, last Thanksgiving Scott Coffman from The Fourth Period penned an article about his love for NHL referees. We’ve also posted pieces from Kings prospects Kevin Gravel, Nick Shore and Ray Kaunisto. Today’s guest has been been a featured writer here a few times of late and he’s back today for a conversation with Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan.
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He’s been the constant subject of trade rumors and was the ‘whipping boy’ for former Anaheim coach, Randy Carlyle, yet Ducks forward Bobby Ryan has done nothing more than score goals. In his four seasons with the team, Ryan has never scored less than 31 goals, despite never seeing time on the number one power play unit.
Recently, I had a chance to sit down with Ryan and discuss several items – including his friendship with the Kings’ Trevor Lewis and Brad Richardson, as well as his love for fine wine.
Q: Now that you have missed your first paycheck, has the lockout finally hit home?
A: To be honest with you it has been the last thing on my mind. With the talk of an 82 game schedule being put out there I am optimistic that things are going to get worked out and we are going to be back playing sooner than later.
Q: If a deal got done in the coming days are you ready to go?
A: I’m in good shape. I’ve been skating with the boys here in Anaheim. There is me, (Joffrey) Lupul, Saku Koivu, (Ryan) Getzlaf, (Cam) Fowler, (Jonas) Hiller and a bunch of others.
Q: Was it tough for you seeing the Kings winning the Stanley Cup?
A: It was a tough pill to swallow. It’s only going to intensify our rivalry. It was also a little bittersweet for me. I’m buddies with Trevor Lewis and Brad Richardson from when we played together with Owen Sound (OHL).
Q: Did you watch any of the games?
A: I was overseas playing for Team USA at the World Championships and I watched game 6. Man, it was tough though. Not because it was the Kings, but it didn’t start until 3:30 am.
Q: How was the World Championship experience?
A: It shouldn’t be tough to get motivated to play for your country but there were days that it was tough. You there for a month after a long season and to be honest with you there were nights when I wanted to check in on the NHL playoff games to see how my buddies were doing. With those games starting at 2am, getting up the next day was challenging. That being said, I would do it again in a heartbeat if the Ducks were eliminated from the playoffs.
Q: Once again, you have been front and center for trade rumors. Has management clarified your situation?
A: I had a chance to talk with General Manager Bob Murray recently and we had a great talk and he told me that there are no plans to move me. That being said he told me he would not apologize if he were to make a deal that would improve the team.
Q: With the team having limited options at center and thin on the blueline would not be fair to say that you would be one piece the team could afford to move?
A: I get it. I just don’t want to leave here. I signed a 5-year deal with the idea of being a part of the solution to make this team a Stanley Cup winner.
Q: How does your passion for wine compare with that of being an NHL player?
A: I love a good bottle of wine and I built this amazing wine cellar at my off-season home in Idaho. I’m a huge red wine guy. I’ve become somewhat of a collector with my collection at about 550 bottles.
Q: Do you have a favorite bottle?
A: That would be Hundred Acre – Few and Far Between. A Syrah from Napa, it’s always rated in the top 10.
Q: So Why Idaho?
A: It is just amazing out there. I live on a golf course. I can play 4-5 times a week. There is mountain biking. I have so much open land around me. There is a barn across the way from me which has been labeled a historical landmark, so the barn can’t be torn down and you can’t build on the property. It is just so peaceful. It is 85-degrees during the day and cools down to the 40’s at night.
Q: Ever thought about asking the Samueli family to relocate the team?
A: Not a bad idea.
You can follow Jon Davis on twitter (@westcoasthky) – where he’ll talk a little hockey and a little baseball, when he’s not providing content for The Hockey News and TSN in Canada.
For more with Bobby Ryan, be sure to check out the interview we did with him a few years ago at a party thrown by Kings captain Dustin Brown. There’s some talk about their time together at the Olympics, plus a brewing feud with Drew Doughty (link).
Also, ‘Bobby Ryan’ was one of the names we used in a recent game of Word Association with Dustin Penner.
Seriously, can the Kings get this guy? I know he’s a Duck, but it’s so hard to hate him.
Q: Now that you have missed your first paycheck, has the lockout finally hit home?
A: To be honest with you it has been the last thing on my mind….
Man, that must be nice to not be worried about missing a paycheck.