Meet the Hounds: Noah Hanley [1/2]

[HanManHimself 4]

Meet the Hounds: Noah Hanley

Sports Writerman - May 12th, 2019

 

SW: Hello everyone, my name is Sports Writerman and I'm with Local Newspaper Mississauga Sports. Recently, your hometown VHLM club, the Mississauga Hounds, announced they've signed free agent defenseman Noah Hanley to a contract, in an effort to add some depth to a shaky defensive core. I guess I'll start off by asking: How does it feel to sign with your first hockey team?

 

NH: It was pretty unreal, actually. A couple of teams reached out right away. Mississauga was one of them. I'm from Ontario, plus I have a good friend of mine, Cody, on the squad as well, so it seemed like a good fit for me. I knew I'd be getting playing time right away as well, which was a tip I got from Cody. Everything just seemed right at the time of signing, and I'm really excited to join the team.

 

SW: Have you had any discussions with the Coach or General Manager about your role on the team?

 

NH: No, not really. Obviously, during the signing process, Mr. GustavMattias expressed the need for defensemen on the team, which really did intrigue me. I figured that signing there, I'd be getting the chance for some real quality ice-time, and to help make a difference on the squad. I won't be in the lineup for a couple days yet, coach was wanted me to practice with the team and get used to my surroundings before diving in, but I'll be happy in whatever role I take on; as long as I'm helping the team win!

 

SW: What kind of NHL player do you see yourself being an archetype of?

 

NH: This is something I've been asked about a lot, and I never really give a good answer for. I've switched between a right wing and a defenseman for the past couple of years, because I do try to be defensively responsible. However, I'm more than happy to jump up in an offensive play. The only thing that really holds me back is I can't really throw the body because of my weight; that being said, my lower weight helps with my skating. I don't exactly model my game after anyone; it's more like "I'll be what my team needs me to be to win", and go from there.

 

SW: Do you have any pre-game routines?

 

NH: Nope. Unless listening to my pump up playlist counts. I like to mix things up every so often, to keep my brain and body fresh. Getting into too much of a routine can be pretty bad for your health long-term, so I've been told.

 

SW: What's on your pump up playlist?

 

NH: I'm kind of weird when it comes to music actually.  A lot of people my age are listening to either Classic Rock, or Rap and Pop. My playlists are usually filled with Ska-Punk tunes. That, and some hard rock as well. Metal covers of Taylor Swift songs are my guilty pleasure at the moment.

 

SW: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

 

NH: In the VHL, I'd hope! [He laughs.] I don't really know though; I've mostly been a "live in the present" kind of guy, because I can't really know what the future holds. I would like to see myself as a key member of a successful hockey team sooner rather than later, though.

 

SW: Being a professional athlete is obviously a work-around-the-clock kind of job, but you do see a lot of down time as well. What do you do to pass the time?

 

NH: Video Games are probably my number one thing. They were a huge part of my childhood, and will be probably for the rest of my life. I do like to go out and eat as well. I'm pretty picky with my foods unfortunately, but I'm not averse to going somewhere new and at least seeing what they have to offer.

 

SW: Last question: What are your expectations for the Hounds this season?

 

NH: Well, we're a brand new team. A lot of people have been quite critical about our expansion draft, but Mr. GustavMattias is doing all he can to try and make a winning squad. We've got to prove that we can hang with the veterans of this league. At the same time, we don't really have a bar to reach because we're an expansion team. So rather than trying to meet expectations that don't really exist, I think this year is more of a "show me what you've got" year; we're setting the bar this season, and then we'll try to grow and exceed that bar next year.

 

[Hanley, an Ontario native, will be inserted into the lineup within the next few days. Catch him, and all other Hounds news and updates with Local Newspaper Mississauga Sports.]

 

[Word Count (without headline and Interview Notation) : 782]

[Counting PT for week ending May 12th, 2019]

Edited May 12, 2019 by HanManHimself

[Mr_Hatter 1,608]

Review: Hey, really good article! The writing is very clear and informative, and the questions you asked did a great job of painting a picture of the player. I like how you formatted the question and answer with the names of the speaker, and bonus points for a long media spot! Good job!