The one and only: Lucy Leitner interview

[Mutti 191]

Hello there, my dear, amazing readers!
Today, I have a special treat for you. I finally managed to get to do an interview with legendary Lucy Leitner. How this thing went? Pretty nice, as you can read right now.

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Good afternoon, Lucy. First of all, thank you so much for finding time to do this interview.

Second of all, even though actions speak louder than words and especially in your case, it is probably useless as everyone knows you, but.. Could you say a few words about yourself nevertheless? How would you introduce yourself?

 

L: It's my pleasure! I guess I would say I'm a bit of a hockey nerd.  I love playing and watching the game, but I also have some pretty eclectic interests away from the sport as well.  I love music and creative writing and I really enjoy spending time with friends and teammates.  For me, that's the most fulfilling part of being on a team-- sharing those experiences with good friends.

 

 

Everyone knows that you are an amazing hockey player and you are very valued amongst your teammates. You proved to be a very solid piece in the rosters of teams you’ve been part of. Do you think that you’re becoming a young idol for upcoming generations of hockey fans/players?

 

L: I appreciate the compliment! I don't know if I'm any kind of idol, but I do want to be a good role model for anyone who might look up to me.  I just want to be the best I can be, both on and off the ice, and I think that comes with a responsibility to be a good person as well.  So I guess that's my ultimate goal-- be a good player and a better person.

 

 

Life of a hockey player can be tricky due to numerous reasons. You can get stressed from upcoming games, the thrill of play-offs, the news trying to shame you down for even the tiniest mistakes. And to add to all this, you frequently have to travel. Both when the team is on the road and when you change teams. Last time you made a major change, you moved from Houston to Europe. How do you deal with those stress-inducing factors?

 

L: A lot of that change and travel is still kind of exciting to me, though I'd be lying if I didn't feel any kind of stress or nervousness with new places and situations.  The best way to handle it, I've found, is not to dwell on any negative emotions, but just enjoy the excitement that comes with the stress.  I try not to get too ahead of myself and just enjoy what's in front of me every day, no matter where I am.

 

 

As I mentioned, the last major change for you was a change of continents. To Västerås, Sweden, specifically. How do you feel about this town, Sweden or Europe in general? Do you hang out with your teammates?

 

L: Vasteras is a great city!  I've really enjoyed being here so far and Sweden has lived up to every hope that I had so I can't complain at all!  We've got a great group as well and we've had opportunities to hang out in the town or go out for drinks.  Off the ice, I've had a lot of personal stuff going on so it's been a bit harder than usual to make time for teammates, but when I can, I love spending time with them.

 

 

I believe that your career is steadily going up and up. And the leagues’ GMs think so too. After having an amazing season in Minors with Houston Bulls, you have been drafted in first rounds in both major drafts. That is VHL and VHLE, where you’re currently playing. Do you feel more star-ish than when you started?

 

L: Haha, I guess I feel more star-ish!  Being drafted 2nd and 3rd in those drafts is definitely a great feeling, but I also feel like that comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility to live up to the expectations and hopes of those teams that drafted me and used that high pick. I suppose that's what comes with feeling star-ish, but it's absolutely a great honor and I hope I live up to those expectations.

 

 

 

I know your personality just flourishes, as if it didn’t flourish before, hehe, and that you like to socialize. However, hockey is a different thing and some people prefer to remain professional in the locker room. Do you often find yourself bonding with your teammates, both on and off the ice, or do you focus more on the practical things, like practise, talking about tactics, etc.? In the end, you have some Europeans on the roster, right?

 

L: I do like to socialize, there's definitely a balance to strike between professional work and personal life.  I do love spending time with my teammates though and I try to keep things fun around the rink.  It is a game after all and it should always be fun, even if it is a job.  I do take time for practice and I'm always happy to talk tactics to make our team better, but  it's hard not to enjoy the company of teammates, especially with so many awesome people on the team.  We do have some Europeans and so far I've learned that I can't keep up with them if we go drinking, but I do my best!

 

 

 

There was Easter last week. How did you celebrate, if at all? I am sure that Czech traditions must have scared you a bit, at least. Did Ondra tell or show you? He told me about it and it seemed fun.

 

L: My family was in town and we had dinner together for Easter, but not much more than that.  It's just a good opportunity to be together as a family though, which is becoming a rarer thing as time goes by, so I do cherish those moments.  And if Ondra did tell me about Czech traditions, I honestly can't remember, but my imagination goes to wild places!

 

 

 

You’re a defenseman, a very good one, and that means you are in a direct connection with your goaltender. Do you find Jorgen and Ondra as good pieces to the defensive side of Iron Eagles’ game? That is, if Ondra is finally sober.

 

L: I don't care what Ondra's drinking, he can do whatever he wants if he keeps playing like he has!  Both goaltenders have been absolutely unreal this season.  By far, I think we have the best goaltending tandem in the league with both of our goalies at the top of the league statistically.  They've been a huge part of our team's success this season so they deserve a ton of credit!  If Ondra's drinking, the next round is on me!

 

 

 

Alongside Ondra, you managed to pull of some sort of a ‘miracle’ in the minors, where you made it all the way to the second round of the play-offs with Houston Bulls. I believe that the mood wasn’t filled with disappointment. More than that, you guys showed that you can fight and shocked some, to be sure! Do you think season will turn into a bigger success? Västerås is a much stronger team than Houston was at this point last season, currently sitting on a second place.

 

L: I really hope that we can have some success in the playoffs this year with Vasteras.  It would have been amazing to have won with Houston, but I feel our chances this season are a lot better with the quality of our roster, so I am hopeful.  We can't be complacent though, and it's going to take commitment from our whole team to make a long playoff run, but I believe we have the pieces and people to accomplish it!

 

 

 

Now for the final round of questions:

 

 

Why is the vanilla ice cream light in colour, when vanilla itself is dark in colour?

 

L: I have no idea... Aren't vanilla flowers white though? Maybe that has something to do with it.

 

 

What would be the one and only thing that you’d eat for the rest of your life if you had only one option?

 

L: I love Vietnamese spring rolls-- the kind with rice paper, not deep fried.  I could eat those every day forever!

 

 

And if you had to spend a month on a shutter island with one of your teammates, who would that be and why?

 

L: That's easy, I'd bring Ondra because I need someone I can trust, but also someone who's a lunatic in the best way possible! 

 

 

Alright, that is all for this interview. Lucy, thank you so much for participating in this, even though you had to wait so long for it. I apologize for that. But it was amazing and sweet having you here, I hope we can repeat this joyful activity soon!

 

L: Thank you! It was fun to chat with you and I'd love to do it again sometime!

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I hope you liked this interview, dear readers. Thank you for reading it up until here, I will see you next time with fresh news and articles from the hockey world!

 

-        Ben Icio del Torro

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1543 words capped for week ending 04/21/24

All answers of Lucy Leitner were written by @LucyXpher