DBC Tonight: Petan Jr on D.C. and Teammates

[sadie 952]

Welcome back to the nation's capital and DBC's VHL Today segment; I'm Michael Burrows and here with me on the line is Brandon Petan Jr, rising star on an exciting D.C. Dragons team nearing their rebuild's conclusion. We're glad to have you back on the show, Brandon!

Michael Burrows: We haven't spoken to you since your signing with the VHLM's Ottawa Lynx, and since then, a lot has happened for you! Walk us through how it feels to be finally playing at the world's highest level, and with and against the best of the best.

Brandon Petan Jr: It's been honestly as great an experience as I could ask for so far, D.C. has had a massively welcoming atmosphere, from the fans to my team to the management. The first few games especially were kinda hard to believe, it's such a crazy environment in almost every stadium in the league and it's obviously what you work towards your whole life. Getting the first win of the season in that first game has been probably the best feeling so far, although scoring my first was awesome as well.

 

MB: With regards to winning games (many of which have gone down to the wire this year), do you feel the team is happy with the progress you're making despite the super tough conference and schedule you play in?

BPJ: I don't think you can ever really say we're satisfied with where we're at, even though we're largely happy with how we are playing. We know this is the position that was expected of us to start the year, and it's true we don't have a ton of experience. But we make sure we have a chance to win every game we play and there is a lot of belief in the team day-in day-out regardless of standings.

 

MB: And so as not to neglect perhaps one of the biggest stories surrounding the team this year, I'd like to talk about your captaincy. Were you surprised to be wearing the C right out of the gate and how has that feeling been? Many feel it might be placing undue pressure on a rookie.

 

BPJ: I don't think it's affected me or the team negatively at all; it's an absolute honor to be trusted like this immediately and named captain, and it was something I never could have expected. I had no idea how to respond, it was super surprising. The team has embraced me and the other rookies as we have to them and it's easily the best environment I've ever had the chance to play in. There's a lot of amazing things to come out of this team for many years to come.

 

MB: D.C. has already faced the Moscow Menace a few times this year. How does it feel to be on VHL ice with your old Giants teammate, River Harrington?

 

BPJ: It's honestly just ridiculously fun to be able to play with River, it's really something we have dreamed of doing and hope to be able to play together one day.

MB: Is the rookie points/award race something you are following closely? Is there any pressure you put on yourself to excel above the other newcomers?

 

BPJ: I'd be lying if I said I didn't check those standings, but I honestly wish I wouldn't because it would make it a lot easier to just focus on what matters, which is winning. I do care about the individual success but I don't want it to affect my play. The Stolzschweiger is definitely something that I want, but it's not like I'd be sad to see it go to River or one of my teammates. YNFR and Hitstick are absolutely lighting it up and it's already super fun to think about the core we're going to have for years to come. I couldn't ask for better teammates or a more promising team to get to play on.

Edited 11 hours ago by sadie