Dec. 29, 2016

By Julia Backus - griffinshockey.com

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Defenseman Joe Hicketts and center Dominic Turgeon, along with the six other rookies to skate with the Grand Rapids Griffins this season, have made tremendous contributions to the team’s success in the first half of the year.

Hicketts and Turgeon have quite a bit in common when it comes to how they got to where they are today. Both players served their apprenticeships in the Western Hockey League (WHL), played for their respective national teams and are now establishing names for themselves in the American Hockey League (AHL).

The two recently answered some questions regarding their rookie season and hockey background.

Being new to Grand Rapids and the Griffins organization, how do you like the city?

Hicketts: “It’s been great. Being up for the playoffs the last two years, I have been able to get to know some of the guys and get to know the city. But having a car here now while living here, I am able to venture out on my own. It’s overall been a great experience so far. The Griffins are very supportive throughout the community and I think that helps a lot.”

Turgeon: “I love it so far. Coming in as a rookie, the vets have been great to us. It’s easy and comfortable. As soon as we come into new towns it can be hard, but it has been unreal so far. I love living here.”

What was the transition like coming from the WHL to the AHL?

Hicketts: “You are playing with men now. I think that is the biggest difference. Guys are a lot stronger, they’re quicker, they know where to be and there is some higher hockey intelligence here. I learned a lot in the WHL that has helped me get to this point. I have learned more here in the American League to just try to get to that next level of the National Hockey League. But right now, I’m taking it day by day, trying to improve and help the team win.”

Turgeon: “It’s a big jump, that’s for sure. I say just the strength of everyone is huge, especially since you are going from playing with other kids to men. Strength is huge and then the pace of the game is a lot quicker. But overall as the games go on, I feel like I am getting better and better.”

Being a leader on your team in Victoria (Hicketts) and Portland (Turgeon), how has that experience of being a captain helped you here in the AHL?

Hicketts: “It was good, we had a real tight group. Obviously, I had a lot of help from the assistant captains, but I thought we had a really good leadership group to help bring the young guys along. Heading it up though is a huge honor and something that I am very proud of. I thought that during my two years as captain we did a lot of good things within that organization. I think we changed the culture a little bit. When I left, my goal was to leave it different than when I came in and I think I accomplished that.”

Turgeon: “I loved being a leader in Portland. I was there for four years. I was just trying to guide the younger guys from when I got there when I was 16. Trying to make them feel comfortable because once everyone is comfortable they perform their best. Transitioning that to here I have felt nothing but exactly that. I am just trying to play my role for the team and win.”

Since you played for your home countries of Canada (Hicketts) and the United States (Turgeon), what was the biggest takeaway while playing for the national team?

Hicketts: “It was great. I had a couple opportunities, being able to play in the last two [World Junior Championships]. It’s coming up right now so I am kind of keeping an eye on it and hoping the best for them. But it was a great experience. Anytime you can represent your country on a stage that’s as big as the world juniors, it’s something to be proud of. Then to be able to win it two years ago in Toronto was something that I will never forget. A lot of hard work goes into that and moving forward, I try to take pieces of everything that I have learned over these past experiences.”

Turgeon: “I have been through a couple of camps with Team USA and to do that has been great. Being able to represent your country is a huge thing. Every time I am able to put that jersey on it’s been an honor and very exciting for me.”

Could you tell me about your first professional goal? Walk me through that play and how it felt.

Hicketts: “Well it was an overtime winner, which it made it a little more special. I went to pass it to Kyle Criscuolo but he broke his stick. It ended up pulling the goalie, who then tried to clear it, but I ended up reading the play and knocking the puck down… it might have been in the air, it might have been on the ice, I’m not sure, it’s all blurry after that. I came in on a 2-on-1 with (Tomas) Nosek and I actually tried to pass it to him and it ended up hitting the D-man’s skate and going five-hole. As I was coming around the net I saw it go in. It was pretty special.”

Turgeon: “It took a little longer than I wanted but it was in Cleveland and it was just off a rebound there. I am pretty sure Crisco (Criscuolo) shot it and then (Matthew) Ford had a chance to knock it in too. Then there was another rebound and I came and just tapped it in. It was a treat.”