a tale of two Brothers // Interview with the GM

[Daniel Janser 2,165]

Graphic courtesy of Leandrofg

 

We had the opportunity to meet up with Kris Rice (KR) and Daniel Janser (DJ), GM of the Calgary Wranglers, in the Saddledome's sports bar. Jean-Luc Lieuxperroux (JLL) was conducting the interview.

 

JLL: 'Kris, in the S81 draft you decided to go for Daniel in the first round and then also picked Marcel in the second round. Would you say you made the right choices on this far away draft day?'

KR: 'Absolutely. Dan is a valuable player and this season specifically he is nothing short of spectacular. He was not elected captain for nothing and he brings a lot to the table. He has a defensive conscience, he makes his hands dirty with the bodywork and he is one of the best in the league from the hashmark. Marcel is a solid depth player, who knows when goals are needed. He sacrifices his body every night, but without taking too many penalties. In fact, 4 penalty minutes in 38 games for a stay-at-home defender is very good indeed. He may have not developed on the same pace as his brother, but there are players picked in the first round who have not made the VHL yet and players picked ahead of him who have already retired.'

JLL: 'Was Daniel high on the shopping list in S81 or were there other candidates?'

KR: 'Well, one has always alternatives on draft day in case your preferred player is already picked once it is your turn. However, when it was on us to make a pick and we realized that Daniel was still on the board, there was no hesitation.'

JLL: 'What about Marcel's election? Was this to appease Daniel or was it a genuine positional need?'

KR: 'Well, once Daniel had taken the photos and all the usual procedures on draft day, we of course had a chat with him, whether he would prefer to continue to play with his brother. He was all professional and said, that we should draft in the interest of the organisation and if we see value in Marcel he would of course not mind to continue his career alongside him. But he made clear that they both understood that in a draft system it can well be that siblings do not end up in the same team. In hindsight everything turned out well and Marcel made it to the big show. He is a little more introverted than his brother, but they share the same values, attitude and work ethics. It is also interesting to see, how they complement each other on the ice. Marcel with his willingness to eat pucks (which is the only thing Daniel is hesitant to do) and Dan's boneshattering checks. We call them Hammer and Anvil.'

JLL: 'Daniel is according to VSN a viable candidate for some of the most prestigious awards in the VHL. Is this something you expected to happen?'

KR: 'If you look at the dedication Daniel shows in every training session, his willingness to go the extra mile and his talent, one cannot be surprised that this will be recognized by his peers and that in the end it will show on the scoreboard. I always thought he has what it takes to be one of the best two-way forwards in the league. But that his scoring explodes like it does this season so far and make him a contender for the scoring title, that is a surprise even to us, who work with him on a daily basis. The most remarkable thing is though, that he does not even try to win individual hardware. All that counts to him is the cup, and if his efforts to help the team achieving this goal, brings him silverware, he will take it.' 

 

JLL: 'Daniel, you are a veteran for the Wranglers now and in a long term contract with the organization that selected you. What could you tell us about Calgary in general and its management specifically?'

DJ: 'Calgary is a highly professional and ambitious organization. One can feel that it is rich on history. The fans are amazing and support us on and off the ice no matter what. I felt welcome from day one, and even during my time in Europe, I was checking in with the results, and could not wait to dress for the Red, White and Black.'

JLL: 'So would you say that the Wranglers are a good spot for young aspiring talents?'

DJ: 'One hundred percent. The staff is helping you with your play and your development. That expands on non-hockey related issues like English courses for import players, getting you in touch with trustworthy real estate agencies or helping you get the driving licence. The Wranglers aspire for the cup, yes. But they do it in a way to make it fun to get there. The message is: 'Just because we want to win, does not mean we cannot have fun in the process'. They rather pick a stretch in the draft, because they fit in the locker room than electing a future super star with a diva attitude. Justice and Strasmore for example were not the most talented players available at the pick they were drafted, but the management knew that they fit into our locker room.'

JLL: 'Would you say that this is one of the reasons Calgary has made the playoffs the past three seasons?'

DJ: 'Without a doubt. See if you are friends or almost brothers (well in Marcel's case I suppose there is no 'almost'), you are more willing to do what it takes to win. You make the extra check, you expose yourself to the not-so-gentle treatment in the slot, you take the extra stride to be first on the puck to prevent a turnover. And sometimes you even block a shot with your body (Dan winks and smiles, well knowing that blocking shots is not his forte). It helps that Kris has played for this organization on a competitive level. That makes him very credible and you listen if he gives you tips, how you could do better next time. He is a hands-on GM and takes pride in paying attention to every detail.'

 

Normal service will be resumed in our next issue.

 

 https://vhlforum.com/topic/127417-a-tale-of-two-brothers-on-the-upswing/

https://vhlforum.com/topic/127598-a-tale-of-two-brothers-almost-mid-way-through-the-season/

https://vhlforum.com/topic/127619-a-tale-of-two-brothers-competing/

https://vhlforum.com/topic/127638-a-tale-of-two-brothers-on-track/

https://vhlforum.com/topic/127680-vsn-presents-s85-vhl-awards-race/

 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Daniel Janser