Matt Tomkins On Winning His First NHL Game 11 Years After Getting Drafted.

This is the Bob Accom podcast brought to you by the Bet Rivers, download with the Bet Rivers online in Casino and Sports Book app today. John Shannon, Darren Mallard and for Bob this week, you know, there is something to be said about our prognostication of calling this goalie week because in a few minutes, we're going to talk to a National Hockey League goalie, got his first NHL victory this week in Montreal for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Matt Tomkins, kind of cool, he was drafted 11 years ago, more than 4,100 days after his draft, and he got his first victory in the NHL, so I like stories like that, Darren, so we're going to talk to Matt, but really, the thematic of goalie week continues even in Las Vegas, doesn't it? Let's be honest, goalie week is always goalie week. You've been busy all day, and are you sore? No, no, don't touch a lot of pox when I get a chance to go out with the guys. Okay, so explain what you've done, what you did. And just every now and then, one of the goal tenders with the Vegas goal tonight will take an option and won't skate, and I will get a call or a text from my good friend down in the dressing room, Sean Burke, and I'll say, do you have your stuff here? And I always try to have my stuff around. And so I went out on the back, you know, hold on, I try to have my, I try to have my stuff here. It is in the back of your car every bleep and day. That's wrong. I leave it at the rink. In a locker room that's rarely used, so it's always that because I don't like to carry my stuff around. I just take my laundry to and from the rink. So yeah, no, I do, I do plan for those types of situations. And even though they kind of change it on the fly and they didn't really need me, I went out and did some work at the end of practice. What do you mean they didn't need you? Well, they did a lot of one-end drill only with Logan Thompson, and he got a lot of work because he hasn't played in a couple of games, so he really dove in and he stuffed 17 little two on ones, two on O's in a row. And you stopped how many? I was on the bench banging my stick. I didn't even go on the ice for the first half because I didn't want to get in the way. I told Joel Ward, the assistant coach, I'm going to sit over here so I don't get blame for screwing up a drill. And then I went down to the other end and the guys just did their different work that they want to do. If Marcia Soe breaks out tonight, I'm telling you, it's because of me. Marcia Soe or Brett Houten, if they're on the ice tonight for a bunch of goals, it's because of confidence that I built up. So basically they blew a ton by you. Well, yeah, a little bit. No, no, no, no, do you actually try to stop the puck? Oh, try to, yeah, yeah, why wouldn't you? But it's crazy in the sense that they're so good. They were doing a drill with Marcia Soe and he had this, what it serves as a player screening you. It's this tripod out there with adding and players, goalies will look, try and look through it. But Marcia Soe uses it as getting the puck through. And I couldn't believe what he would, he would feather that thing through the tripod and be able to go off the post and in. And I just told him, I said, you're scoring on a good one here. If you can keep that up tonight, you'll have yourself a great game. And they looked at me and went, uh, who, who are you? You know, just in the name, you, you called yourself a good one, a good one. Yeah. Well, because I had a, I had a pseudo defender out there. So he's got to be two people, he's got to get it through the screen and he's got to get by me. Okay. I'm going to pull a Darren Millard question. Yeah. Ready? Yeah. What's your mask like? I have a great one here. It's brand new. It was done courtesy of Dave Reed from Calgary, who does both Aiden and Logan's. But I was independent of that through Ingle magazine. We got this done and it's got a duck coming through the VGK logo and, uh, and some cool things on the side. It's all VGKed up, but it's, it's got my mallard right in the top and then my, uh, my girls in the back. It's, it's pretty cool. I'm not going to lie. I wish I had it here right now because I'd love to show it off to you, but it is, it's white based and it's got some really cool things to it. Next time, next time you're on, we're going to remind you to bring your mask. Yeah. Because it's for the record folks that Darren and I have been talking, uh, for the years and years and years and, and, and we can have the most critical discussions going on in the world. And all Darren cares about is, isn't that a cool mask, the guy's got, that's guy, that's guy, that's guy, that's guy's got a cool mask. And I'm turning a look at him. Yeah. Well, could he stop the puck first? You know? No, but his mask is cool. Dom Dusharm came by today because I haven't skated since Dom joined the organization. He skated by and he said, uh, how much fun is, is this? I said, uh, it's good. He's like, good warm up for tonight to, to be talking about the game. I said, Dom, I find I'm a, I'm a lot less critical of the goal tenders on days that I do this. Hey, just out of curiosity, um, Aiden Hill and Logan Stanley, uh, one just helped Logan Thompson. I know. Uh, it's hard. When you're old. I know. Um, um, different styles. You see different styles in them. They, they both catch on different sides. They catch. That's one's a stuff. Pa one isn't. Um, one's way more, uh, active in the goal. They both battle like crazy. That's one thing I will say about Aiden Hill is he, when he is involved in the game, he is involved in a situation where it's not a clean save or a clean play. Uh, he's blown me away with his ability to battle. And that paddle save in the stand that could final is a great example of that. But there's, there's, uh, nightly where he does not give up on a puck. Logan, so he's more active. Logan's flashier. Uh, Aiden's more of a controlled, uh, I guess blocker would be the term. And it doesn't go according to script. He, he is really, really good at making things up on the fly. And, uh, that, that's a part of his game that I didn't see until I got to watch him a couple of times. Interesting. Right? Because they, they, they, and they're both big guys. You see, that's the other thing, right? They're both people. So here's, here's something. And I haven't nailed this down yet. But we've had the conversation in the office the other day. I've seen Aiden Hill listed that six foot six and six foot four. Okay. Why is that interesting? Well, if it's six foot four, he's the same height as Logan Thompson. But what makes it more interesting is if he's six foot six, he would be the tallest goal tender to ever win the Stanley Cup. But I don't know whether he's actually, because Andre, because Andre Vassalowski's six foot four. Right. Yeah. I don't know whether he's actually six foot six or six foot four, because he's. That's a good idea for a little morning thing with a tape measure. Yeah. Get a growth chart, get a growth chart and have them stand side by side. And get it. Yeah. But the marker on, you know, and have fun. That's what you got to have fun on television, you know. Well, this is why I bring this up with you. And now I will do that. And if my boss gets mad at me, or George, uh, is it says. George won't be mad at me. Then, then I'll say it was John's fault, because George loves you. He absolutely adores you. We talk about it when we go riding our bikes. And he is such a big fan of yours. I can say, I can do anything. I believe it on John. And then I'm. I get it. Yeah. Well, that to me, that, that, that, that's a fascinating one, because. The two guys put them back to back. Who's taller? I mean, if they're six, if one's six four and one's six four, then they're the same. I mean, they're the same. If they're the six and the other. Believe it or not, the guy's two inches taller. Yeah. That's. That's my, That's my yoga barrow for the day. If the guy wants taller ones. The any one six four, one six. Six, then one of them's taller. That's an open book. Yeah, yeah, there you go. Hey, we're going to take a break. Oh, we are. up later, but Darren and I are going to talk about what the heck is going on in the National Hockey League. The Ebb and Tenoilers can't win. The San Jose Sharks are on a streak. I don't know if you watched Brian Rust last night, Darren, where you scared us or two over time goals to win. That's kind of cool. There was some great hockey and there's a hall of fame weekend that is already underway. Everybody got their rings today, so everybody's smiling. It will be a fun to do. This is the McCown podcast. Darren and I'll be back after this. Hi, this is Bob McCown for betrivers.com. Hey, if you're looking for a sports book or casino app, you should check out the betrivers sports and casino app today. Play all of your favorite casino games for real money anywhere and anytime. Plus get in the action with each sports game with hundreds of sports betting options and get ready to feel like a VIP. Because you'll earn both loyalty level points and bonus store points on every real money wager you make. You must be 19 plus available in Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, contact Connex Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 or speak to an advisor free of charge betrivers.com. Before we finish talking about the hall of fame because we won't talk about it next week, Dave Hodges is going to be on Monday. We're going to go back to basketball or sorry, baseball because the general managers have been meeting in Scottsdale and stories on Alex Manoa and what's next for the day? Do they get Joey Vato? Do they want Joey Vato? There's some good stories coming. Do you want Joey Vato? I do. I want Joey Vato. I've always wanted Joey Vato. I think he'd be fantastic. I think that if there's something missing on this team from a leadership perspective, from a gravitas perspective, I think Joey Vato would fill that void. And I think it would be just a fantastic story for the greatest player. From Toronto to finish his career in Toronto, you know, in so many ways. I just think it would be remarkable. Toronto. No, but where would he play? What position? D-H, he could D-H, he could play a little bit of first base, you know. He could just be around. I'm prepared to give up one of the 26 positions on the roster for Joey Vato. I really am. Just to be around. Yes, sir. There's a few things that this team needs. And leadership is one of them. And I think Joey Vato would be good. Either way, that's another story for another day. I think you're being a little too sentimental. No, I'm not. This is a human game. We have destroyed. That's a very interesting accusation because we have desensitized every aspect of professional sports because numbers are easier to talk to and talk about. People play the games. People in emotion take over situations. I think that we, it's so much easier in 2023 to put blinders on and talk about analytics, and it is to talk about what makes a person tick. And I think that's easier to understand analytics, to be honest. No, it isn't. No, I don't agree. I don't agree. I want it right in front of you. And the other one you kind of got to get a feel for. Feel. You know, it's an amazing word feel to have a feel for that situation for that opportunity. And there's just not often. But I mean, listen to what Dick said yesterday about getting to know the players and what they were and the stories they told. And that's a big part of our business in being able to tell stories. But I think people have gotten into the knack of just looking at numbers and think they're telling stories with numbers. And they may be doing that. But they're not really, they're, they're, they're dehumanizing athletes in so many ways. You need to be honest. You know what? Okay. What? Okay. Yeah. On the subject of being human and telling stories. You found out yesterday how honorary Rashad got his number. No, I know Maurice. Maurice. Sorry. I got. I was just younger brother. There's the rocket and the pocket rocket rocket rocket. That's what we called Darren Shannon and Darryl Shannon when we played pickup, he had new market. One was the rocket. One was pocket rocket. Darren was was the rocket. Anyway. So there's only one rocket. Maurice gets the number nine. And you find out how he got that number in that great story. Cool. Cool. How many people have you told that story to since we got off the area yesterday? None. Because I hope they listen to the podcast. I told, I told about eight people. I know you have, but, but you've been, I, I don't go on anymore. I'm, my semi-hermit. So I don't need to talk to people. I've been shown on like crazy. Well, but that doesn't mean I won't tell the story at some point on television. You know, that doesn't mean in the next five or six weeks when I want to be a bit more, I won't, I won't be telling that story. Like I invented the story. And by the way, I owe Dick an apology. I owe Dick an apology. We talked about still apps wearing number nine. And it was not still apps. I thought you were right on this. I thought you were right on this. It was Ted Kennedy. It wasn't still apps who was Ted Kennedy. Kennedy came back for one more year at the end of his career. And they had already given 10 to George Armstrong. So he wore nine. And so I had my apps mixed up with my Kennedys. So I owe Dick Irvin an apology. I hate it when the app jams up. I have too many apps. That's my problem. Hey, by the way, I'm going to do a blatant plug for your podcast. I sat down this afternoon and listened to Greg Cronin. You did a show with Greg Cronin. And for the first 20 minutes, I thought, yeah, it's a good old coach speak. This is going where he normally goes about this and that. And then holy smokes. Talk about Barry and the lead. The last 15 minutes, Darren. And I'm not going to give it away. I just think people should go to the go to the chirp and listen to it. The last 15 minutes of that podcast were as good an interview as I've heard in a long period of time. And how giving Greg Cronin was of his life to you was to me mesmerizing. And you had told me that it was a good interview, but you undersold it to me. It was really good. I just want to make the point clear. I don't think that I had a lot to do with that interview. I think it was Greg felt comfortable in speaking to me and had an unbelievable sharing conversation. It wasn't that I brought anything out of him. He felt, well, you asked the right questions in sharing that. And yeah, it was, I say goodbye to him and looked around. I was all by myself in the studio. And that was, that was really cool, different, unique. Well, I think he, I think probably, you know, we get lots of what we do interviews with guests on this podcast. We get comments back saying, hey, thanks for making me feel so comfortable. I had fun. I'd love to do it again. I can probably guess that Greg Cronin taught the same thing when he finished with you. He certainly volunteered. I wouldn't say that I pried stuff out of him. Yeah. I took the, asked the questions like, did you ever think you would never get a job? And, and he, he followed through on that with some, some cool thoughts. And about his, his age and how he, how he dealt with his players in the summer. I was direct with them. My favorite line, I will, I will share this with the listeners here. Pressbox parasite is something that I don't think I've ever heard as a saying before. No, but no, it is, it makes sense with the way Greg Cronin used it. I was surprised. He said press box parasite and how people campaign for jobs. But that was one where if you could have saw my face was, oh, that, that's some heat. Well, I'm, I'm, I'm putting Cronin on our list to try to get actually, I'm going to try to get Pat for big first because I know Pat better. And I think Pat would be great to talk about the, the chains that they have made in their organization. But I am going to try to get Greg on and, and ask him to define press box parasite. So that will be my first, that will be my first question. That, that looks to me like a, a great t-shirt in my head on my press box parasite. Yeah, well, unfortunately, most of us can wear them. So yeah, right. So I was talking about Brian Rust last night, Pittsburgh, who I think for one of the first times in franchise history, won all three games in California. And let's face it, the penguins have struggled. They, they took the game to overtime. It looked like Rust had scored. They were offside. And in fact, it was Brian Rust, who was offside. So they brought the teams back. They had to start over time again. And about 14 seconds later, he does a wrap around and scores. So he had to score twice at overtime. I've never seen that in my life. Yeah, two goals at overtime. Yeah, it was, it was, and then he did the famous, he got out half way up to the face off circle. And he turned and pointed to the net like it's a goal, like he was a referee, like Austin Matthews did a few years back. It was really kind of cool. In a way, I mean, I'm not a big fan of the waiting in an overtime situation for something that's offside. It's the rule. You have to live by it. It, it does make the game clunky. But for it to work out like that, like that, that's a story across our league as, as the way it turned out, the visual, the, the statistic and the way that Brian Russ played along with it was, was wonderful and made a late night game on a Thursday night, a talking point today. And I, and Pittsburgh, they were in trouble going out in that road trip. They were three and six. And there was some question marks about where that team was going. And the changes that they made and were, did they overestimate how good they were? They're back to 500. And that, that's pretty in a pretty big accomplishment, especially the way L.A. is playing. Well, well, and look, we all thought L.A. who went into Vegas in one, you know, they were on a long road trip. They've had a great record on the road. Now they kept learning how to win at home, which is kind of ironic in, in so many ways. But schedule for L.A. Cut the road and then back to back. Yeah, there's been a tough schedule for a lot of those teams when, when you think about it, about, you know, going, you know, and we look at, look at Vancouver and Ottawa played last night in, in Ottawa. And Vancouver sitting in Ottawa Wednesday night, you know, they're out for dinner. You know, they're, they're sitting in the Chateau, Laurier, having a, you know, a nice glass of cab. And the senators are fighting their way through a victory in Toronto and get home. And then they have to play at home. I mean, the schedule, the fact that it's seven days a week, you know, for 182 days, the schedule sometimes is unfair to teams when you, when you think you need a break. And that was, that to me was one of them. There's another similar Chateau, Laurier last night. Where, somehow that came up, I don't know. Are you going to take her to the Chateau, Laurier? No, you know, when it came out, it came from the White House visit and, and why people are so enamored with the White House in the States, which good reason. But we, we kind of undersell Parliament Hill, because the, oh, and now hold on there. Have the night's been there yet? They go on Monday. Are you going? No. No. Oh, no. Why? Yes, you're not a part of it. And I mister Biden to you. President Biden. And I will say this, I've been gone going down a West Wing rabbit hole the last few days, because of my love of the White House and that area. Oh, really? I would love to go to the White House just because of my fascination of the West Wing show and President Bartlett. I think you'll be disappointed in the West Wing itself. Really? Have you been? Yeah. Yes. And, and the West Wing is, like, it's the working part of the building. Yeah. It's not the Oval Office. It's not the residents. No, but it, the West Wing is cubicles. And offices. So you know, everybody, Nate, you will, vice president, communications, content. Yeah. You, you was with the, was with the Washington Capitol for a long time. He's, he's my boss. And he, everything has to be submitted. I don't know, I hope I'm not saying this out of turn, but when you go there, like, Mark Stone's going to speak. The captain always speaks. So they, they've done some notes, Mark's talked to Nate, Nate's talked to Mark, and they've gone through it, getting some, some jokes and things like that lined up. And Nate, during lunch yesterday, said, you know what? I've had meetings at the White House this week. I'm writing speeches, jokes for the White House visit. Does that make me a White House speechwriter? But yeah, it does. No, no, no, no. And then I said, you're basically Nate, your rob low from the West Wing. Oh, it's a speechwriter. Now, you got to, you got to be, you can make sure you're with which rob low time of your life, but that's right. But, but yeah, he's, my buddy, Nate is, is Rob Low. My favorite White House movie is American president. Oh, that's a good American. Yeah. American president. And, and the speechwriter is Michael J. Fox. Yes. So you could tell date, forget about Rob Low, you're Michael J. Fox. Michael, I think Nate looks a little more, he looks a little more like Michael J. Fox, and he did Rob Low. So that's not an knock at Nate, but that's just a reality. That's a compliment. Rob Low. I stopped complimenting Rob Low on about two minutes every young blood. So, I think it's a frozen ice. How did they keep the ice cold and not barren and young blood? That's not how I never understood. One of my last years at Hockey Night when I was an executive producer, we did a three on three tournament. Poor Carlin? No, we did it in Huntsville. Okay. We did it in Huntsville and it was 37 degrees Celsius every day. It was 105. It was unbelievably hot for three days. And how we kept the ice in the old Huntsville, even close to usable was scary because we were running these 50 minute hockey games, about six to them every in the morning, six in the afternoon in order to get a tournament that we would tape and edit and record and then produce a winner on the set. And the first intermission of the game, two of the double hitter on Hockey Night in Canada. It was the Labat Blue three on three. It was in Labat Blue three on three. Labat Blue Pond Hockey. I think what was called that? It was great. It was great. The best story out of it was we decided to do this thing and we got all summer to plan it and somebody says, I think it was me said, okay, what are the guys wearing? We didn't have sweaters. So next thing you know, I'm trying to figure out who would have a lot of sweaters of different teams and they couldn't be NHL based sweaters because you didn't want a player who wasn't with that team wearing that sweater. So I phoned a friend, I phoned a friend of mine at Nike. And I said, how many different nations play hockey that you do sweaters with? He says 54. I said, I need, I need 10 batches of sweaters. I need a goalie sweaters, which are obviously bigger. And I need five other sweaters of each team. So, you know, in essence, I need about 85 sweaters in total in 10 different color schemes. And I need socks. Yeah. I need all this stuff. And I need I need shells for pants. I need the whole thing. And Nike, Nike, the boy, was it Nike came through? Oh, no, and they all had, no, they all had to have the hockey night and Canada logo on the front. Wow. Oh, so they all had on the front. The big crest on the front, right? Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, but names and numbers and everything like that. But hockey night and Canada on the front. So, and they had the Nike swoosh in the corner. So this is actually I haven't told this story in ages. So we're, we get everything planned and now we're 10 days out. And it's a Friday night. And the phone rings and a Steve Solomon, who is, he's the bill daily of his time. Number two guy at the National Hockey League. And I'm out, I'm my barbecue. I'm barbecue. I cook it away. And he, and Steve says, John, y'all said for the tournament, the three on three, we're going to come up and watch for a day. So yeah, sure art says we've got a problem though. What's that? He says, our friends at CCM. And Reebok have gotten word that you're using Nike sweaters. I said, yep, we are. Because Reebok and CCM couldn't provide them. So I said, he said, well, you're not allowed to use the players. Unless you cover the Nike swoosh. This is 10 days before the tournament starts. No way. Yeah, yeah, I said, Steve, come on. Everybody got the first right? I've been through the Olympics and the rules of the Olympics and logos and all this stuff. If they can't provide, you have the right to go outside of the, you know, the preferred providers. He says, we know, but, you know, this is a touchy issue for us when the middle of a sweater negotiation with, with suppliers. Can you cover the swoosh? Nice to know. Another headache. Another headache for me. So the answer was we had, and if you watch the shows, I think there's somewhere on YouTube. And we had, we had to hire a seamstress to come in to Huntsville for the day. And she put a labat logo on the corner over every swoosh on every sweater. Now I happen to have a set of sweaters from the pond hockey in my collection. And they don't have the labat logo. They still have the Nike swoosh. Really? Yeah. So, anyway, that was, there was, there was, in those days, there, and there was always something. There was always something. I can't believe that they found out about it and, and raised the, oh, it's, this should be for Twitter too. Gosh. Who's your buddy and Nike? John Pickett was my first contact. But Kent was there, right? Yeah. But, all the guys, because we all, we, we had done seven or an Olympics with them, right? We had all worked together in the Olympics. That was like, I don't know if, not going to Japan, not going to Japan. They go over with hundreds of extra Canadian hockey sweaters, because they think they're going to be able to sell them after Canada wins the gold medal, right? And have the guys sign them, right? The Canada gets eliminated in the, in the semi-final. The Nike boys come to me and say, John, we got a hundred sweaters. What, can you help us get rid of them? I says, I'll sell them all. We sold our whole, we sold them to our CBC crew. CBC crew, we, we bought, we bought everyone. It's one of my favorite additions of the Canadian sweater. Was that Nagonal, 1981? I love that. Anyway, anyway, anyway, that's a, that's a, we were, we were going to talk about the whole, we didn't even talk about the Edmondon Oilers, because heck, by the time he just gets on the Edmond, the answer is, you can't say anything, because I think people are so stunned it's happening. Yeah, I think they're in shock. So, but our, we've got a guest coming up after the rate. Matt Tompkins, he played, he played the Olympics, he's also from Edmonton. So that's kind of cool. And he won his first NHL game for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Matt Tompkins is going to join their enemy on the Macaulde podcast after this break. Welcome back to the Macaulde podcast, John Shannon, Darren Millard, joined now by Matt Tompkins. If that name isn't familiar to you, it's familiar to some of us. I worked, I was closely involved in the Olympics in Beijing, with Canada's hockey coverage. Matt was the starting goal tender in the end for the team in Beijing, was drafted in 2012 by the Chicago Blackhawks in the seventh round. And 4,147 days later, Matt, you won your first game in the National Hockey League in Montreal of all places. Welcome and congratulations. Thanks so much, guys. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. I love it. Tell us, as John started giving the bio and then brings up the win, the smile just appears. You're still floating on cloud nine from that? Yeah, it's just crazy to hear it out loud, and how long it has been since being drafted in day four. Obviously, it feels like a long time ago and has been, but when you hear it out loud like that, it's pretty crazy. You're phone anybody right after the game? Yeah, I had a lot of incoming texts and calls from family, friends, everyone else likes. So those cool just to see all the support from everyone. So midnight, really memorable for sure. So you played in the CCHA. You had a great career at Ohio State. You've been to Europe and made an impact in the Swedish elite league. Did you ever think your NHL time was going to come? And how did you keep positive about trying to get to the NHL? Yeah, two parts of that. Obviously, I always felt like I could play. I always felt like I had the ability and I was confident in my game and knew that I've ever got the chance that I could play and have an impact and perform well. But obviously, there was some long years in the minors and ended up overseas for a couple years. So certainly a lot of days where that dream felt like a long shot. And just kind of stuck with the path and trusted the process as much as I could and tried to just stay enthusiastic through the whole thing. And being over in Europe the last couple years, I really made me realize how much that fire was in me to want to play in the NHL. So I was really excited that there was an opportunity to come back to North America and then obviously, you know, read out a training camp here if I had had the chance to play a few games. So it's been amazing. What reignited the fire overseas? I think just once I was kind of out of that out of the mix in North America, I really missed kind of that chase and that drive that I had while I was playing here in the American League and really, you know, pursuing that dream of playing in the NHL. Obviously, I really enjoyed my time over in Europe. It was a great couple of years and it was the best thing for my game in their long run. I think it was amazing to get the chance to play a lot of games and be the guy there and really develop my game. But yeah, certainly, I felt like it was a long way way to come back to North America, but that fire grew bigger than it ever was while I was over there. So I was really excited to have the chance to come back. How would you describe your style? I like to play like calm and efficiently as possible and just keep it simple really. I know I can be athletic at times and use those, you know, athletic type stays if I need to, but I try and say it's structured and calm as possible and just kind of let pucks hit me. How has it changed from when you were drafted then? I'm just curious along this journey. Yeah, I think my game has changed so much. It's been so funny, you know, seeing a lot of old footage that's been brought back up from, you know, college days and all that and even early pro days and almost unrecognizable, but I think it's just been such a great journey to have the opportunity to work with so many different goalie coaches who have all, you know, offered me so much advice and input and really helped shape my game. So I feel better now than I ever have about it and every year I feel like I just kind of keep adding more tools to it and yeah, but it's been crazy to just see the journey that it's gone on. What's the biggest ad that you've made to your game? I think just like trusting my game and being calm and collected and just kind of really just patient and that's been a big focus for me this year coming back to North America and trying to adjust to the NHL speed and pace and with all the skills. So I would say it's one of my biggest attributes for sure is my patience and you know, the efficiency that comes with that. Does that come with playing or does that come with getting older? A little bit of both. I think of course, you know, the more you play, the more confident you can feel in your game and really just trust it. But of course, as you get older, you start to read the game a little bit better and have that experience under your belt and really know what's important and what to watch for. So obviously throughout the years I've seen so many different goalies play and have the opportunity to play alongside so many different guys and seen a ton of styles and just been able to really just talk shop with so many different guys, goalies and coaches and really take what I felt was important to add to my game and help shape it. I'm more patient because I can't move, but that's the reason why I'm making my patience. Just slow. Well, you're just you're just old now. Yeah, that's that's the only reason. So I'm just I'm curious that you were in that Chicago organization at a time when they were in Stanley Cups. So and yet in many ways Corey Crawford was there for a while. You were was there a time where you thought you were never going to get a chance obviously in Chicago or did you ever wonder and say, how long? Mr. Bowman, I can play for you and would you and how aggressive would you get it in your discussions with with the Black Hawks? Yeah, two sides to that. I felt early on maybe my game needed some time to develop a force. I spent my first two years primarily in the East Coast league, which which was great. I mean, I think it's good for young goalies to be able to play a lot of games. But the other side of that was I couldn't actually play in the NHUX. I didn't have an NHL contract. So that didn't come until near the end of my third year. So that was about the time that I felt like, you know, maybe there was a chance of kind of climbing the depth chart and being able to make an impact one day. You know, it was just really a slow burn. I felt like I was really making progress every year that I was there and and felt like I was getting a lot better and maybe opening up some eyes as far as a future with them and what they thought. But it's just it's so challenging as a goal. There's so many different guys that are coming in the mix and so many moving parts as far as free agents and new prospects and and guys kind of getting thrown into that. So that was certainly the case in Chicago. I felt like as much as I was getting better, I wasn't able to climb the depth chart enough to really be in contention for for a job there. What was Beijing like? It was amazing experience. Yeah, it was obviously high stress with all the all the rules and regulations and COVID over there. I think that's no secret. But an amazing experience start to finish obviously to to get the call to represent your country is something that, you know, everybody dreams of and being able to go to the Olympics day. I'm an Olympian and and I have that experience is unbelievable and one of the the best memories of my hockey career for sure. But respectfully, respectfully. There are a lot of people that we're saying as the games started and you started to play. Who's this Matt Tomkins guy? And yet you and so you were probably getting texts from people saying who the heck are you? What are you doing? You know, you're finally you're finally fulfilling something that you thought is it a 15 and 16 year old and suburban Edmonton that you could play in the national hockey? They can play play in the Olympics man. Yeah, I'm sure there was a lot of people that didn't even know I was on the team until they saw my name pop up on TV or something. But no, it was crazy. Just the way it all kind of shaped up. I mean, the NHL was of course in contention of potentially going still and then they had pulling audible there last second and then put together a group and, you know, I'd been playing well over in Sweden at the time. I wasn't sure if I'd maybe be in the mix and my name got thrown in the hat and it was first of all just thrilled to be picked and then of course wanted to play and didn't play the first couple games and then took over the net after that. So really exciting opportunity for me. I think it was a great, you know, feather in my cap as far as my hockey career is concerned and certainly I think helped open a lot of eyes as to my ability and, you know, the potential I had of going forward and what I could do. You're of an age where you kind of grew up on NHLers at the Olympics. What's your earliest Olympic hockey memory? And then I want you to tell me, did you ever think you'd be in that player shoes or those shoes? First memories for sure, Salt Lake in 2004, vividly remembered. 2002. 2002, sorry, 2002, you're right. And vividly remember watching on TV, obviously super young at the time, but it still sticks out my mind and yeah, I mean, it's crazy to think of the experience that I had and to be able to put on that jersey and how special that was and how rewarding that feeling is to, you know, represent your country and then most importantly to look back at the names who have done it in the past and, you know, being that company is just, it's incredible. So really just truly grateful for the opportunity and it was an amazing experience. So does that mean you're a broder guy or who was the guy you were trying to be when you were out in the driveway? In the driveway was Patrick Law. So he was actually the reason I became a goal in the first place. Funny enough, he was my favorite hockey player, even though I was a defenseman at the time. So I'm not sure why that was, but that's why I made this switch to goalie and I think I was about 10 years old. So I played. Yeah, so I played well. My first year and I'm playing in that team brick tournament for team brick in Edmonton there. So I was pretty good at it pretty early on. So I guess I never really looked back. Hold on. Your first year playing goal, you made the brick team. Yeah, that's true. That's an overachiever. Wow, that's incredible. The amount of attention on that thing. Yeah, so that was cool. And then obviously tying it to the Olympics as well. My goalie partner was Ember and Smashmire, who was representing the women's team in Beijing as well. So that was cool to see our hockey journey collide again. What's the conversation around at home? As far as just talking about goal team, do you take it home? Oh, yeah, a little bit. I mean, I try and leave as much as I can at the ring, but naturally it comes with you and seems to always come up in some fashion or another whenever I talk to my family and friends, I think it's, you know, they're all from Western Canada, so they're all big hockey fans themselves and full DHL forever. So pretty hard not to come up. And obviously now for me to be in this situation there, they're so excited to, you know, hear all about it and what it's like. And, you know, how the experience has been for me. So yeah, I would say hockey's pretty much all that is talked about. I gotta tell you, man, I had met you till today. And as I said, I worked heavily at the Bayesian Olympics on the, on the CBC's coverage. So the moment halfway through the second period in Montreal, that holy smokes, they're up for nothing. Matt, is that the same Matt Tompkins? Yes, it is. There was no question. I was glued to the television. And, you know, Darren and I both know John Cooper well and between what John Cooper means to many people and what you did there, the thing that bothered me more than anything, Matt, was that if I had met one my first game in the National Hockey League, I don't think that you would have had to peel me off the roof of the building. And you know, all you did was you just stood there. You didn't even do it much of a celebration. You just took the guys and smiled behind your mask and got off the ice. Yeah, I was obviously so much emotion comes to you at the time and you're thrilled and ecstatic and everything to get the first win. But it was such a big game for our team. We were just coming off the tough loss that night before and the guys were thrilled. And it was just, it was great to share that with them. And I didn't, I didn't want it to be about me. You know, it was a great team win. And you know, as much as it was a milestone in my career, it was a great, great team win. So I didn't, you know, I don't want the attention on me on a night like that when all the guys deserve a lot of credit. Forget that. John, John, come on. Come on. You brought on a different side of John here. I love this map. No, you know, here's the thing. My son changed from being a skater to a goalie at 10. And I actually think it helped him because he knew where the puck was going. And he learned the flow of the puck. And so he could predict things on the ice. But he never got to the National Hockey League. You know, he was happy to get the double A. Right. But, but, but I, so it being the father of a gold tender when, when, when you have milestones, you got to celebrate the milestones. And that is something that they will never, ever be able to take away from you. That's magical. And it was, it was amazing after, you know, just to see the excitement and the guys in the room. And it was so loud in there like with how excited all the guys were. So that, that was so cool. And just a night I'll never forget. And it was what meant the most to me was just how genuine everybody was in their congratulations. And how happy they were for me. And I think at times, you know, the guys wanted to win more than I did just as far as being able to share that with me. So I mean, they made it so special and made it just unbelievable for me. And yeah, it was just incredible, really. What are your expectations going forward? We know Vassies practicing a little bit than that that will make it a three gold tender situation. So what, what are they told you? What are you thinking? Yeah, I haven't been, been told anything. Obviously, my focus now is just trying to be day to day, which has really been the focus the whole time. Of course, as soon as he got hurt, I felt like I wasn't owed anything. I was never promised anything. I felt like I certainly had to earn the job out of camp and had a great camp and really just focused on being one day at a time and really taking advantage of each and every day and was fortunate to be a guy that they could trust for the first couple of months here until Vassie was back. And going forward, I'm not sure what's in store to be honest with you. I'm really just trying to stay in the moment as much as I can. As cliche as that sounds, I mean, it's really what's helped me get to this point. It's just being day by day and I don't want to change anything going forward and start worrying about uncontrollables. I think it's just great for me to keep things in perspective and approach every day to make the most of it really. Before we let you go, what with 29-year-old Matt Tomkins tell 18-year-old drafted by the Chicago Blackhawk's Matt Tomkins right now? Stick with it and enjoy the process. It's been a long, long road. It's been a very enjoyable one. It's been a very challenging one, but it's been all that more rewarding in the end. Of course, all those days in the minors and when you never think it's going to happen and you're wondering what you're doing and if it's the right thing for you to just keep working as hard as you can to put yourself in the best position possible so that when that chance does come, you're ready and you'll enjoy it all that much more. It's been an amazing journey, an amazing ride and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I appreciate every day that I get to be an NHL player and put on that jersey and it's prevalent in an honor to be in this league and and amongst the best in the world, so it's been amazing. Had you ever prepared yourself for the possibility that it wouldn't happen? That's a tough question. I think naturally when you're in the minors and you feel so far from it, you maybe accept a little bit that it may not happen, but for me, I always knew that I could and I always knew I had the ability and my game was good enough to be an NHL goalie. It was just a matter of time and I'm certainly happy that I took the time for the process to work itself out and I really think that was the difference maker that maybe if I didn't have that mindset, I wouldn't have made it to 29 years old as a professional hockey player and that would have packed it in maybe a few years before so I'm happy I stuck it out and it's been amazing. Let's face it, though Matt, you could have had a real job. I could have had a real job and maybe one day, well, but for now, it's an honor to go, so I'll take that one. Don't do not do that. Trust me. Do not get a real job. All right. I don't have a real job either and I have no interest in it and you've got a better fake job than I got, so stick it on. All right, that's it. We are thrilled for you. We're happy you came on and talked to us about it and let's shock up a few more victories for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Absolutely. That's a plan. Thanks so much for having me guys. We really appreciate it. Matt Tompkins, number one win in the National Hockey League for the Tampa Bay Lightning back after this. Well, there ends goalie week on the McCamp ride. But I tell you what it wasn't supposed to be all goalie week. It was supposed to be paying on Monday, Vernon on Tuesday, Healy on Wednesday. And then Matt Tompkins goes and screws it up and we have to do another goalie on Friday because he goes and wins his first game in the National Hockey League. Just you're learning a new safe selection as you go along mid season. That's what you have there. You're through in the RVH along with the VH and the Panda Safe Selection. The panda is when you're coming, you slide it over to the post and you rub your butt against the post to give yourself a confidence that you're cutting off the short side. You'd be great at the panda. Scratching your butt against the post. What are you talking about? Seriously, I just don't think of you scratching your butt against the post. Oh my god. When I used to go down and cut a piece of foam and be in the backyard and make some great things like George Gardner Vancouver, Canucks, you know, it was pretty good. Now the fact I couldn't skate, that was another problem in the whole system. That's okay. But that's okay. Yeah, it's okay. I still love being goalie. I always wanted to be as I said, my son was a goalie and I only hired goalies. So, John, I'm going to be honest with you, I'm past 50. There's nothing better than when I ice. To this day, there's nothing better than getting on the ice. It's awesome. I've never played on precision and make a save, right? You have to make the save, right? Yeah. Now hold on, I'm ticked off at you. We never asked you, you never asked Matt about it. Ask. That's your job. Yeah, that's true. I never, never crossed my mind. It was such a good conversation. I was so enveloped by him. I never crossed my mind. Maybe you're starting to really influence me by getting me off that bandwagon. I don't think so. You've never listened to me in your life. So, anyway, thanks for a great week. Thank you. This has been awesome. Golly Wake, Macau podcast. We'll do other things next. See you then. You