Q&A II With Kevin King

[IamMOOSE 361]

            Today we’ll be sitting down with Kevin King to discuss the draft, the end of the season, his future plans, Flex Motion LLC, and maybe some behind the scenes on the continuation of a proposal for the reform of finances in the VHL.

 

 

Q: You’ve had some time to adjust to your game 6 loss to Mexico City, how has that process been and what did you take away from that result?

 

King: “Well, I’ve been through this with a few people now, I know that the spirit of competition can boil over and some frustrations can be a bit harder to keep in check. I’ve always taken great pride in my competitive nature. I don’t feel that hurts me or the team in any way, I understand how to direct that fire and use it as a motivation to get better. Mexico City is a good club, they’ve moved on to the finals now and I need to move onto the draft and where I’ll be placing my sticks next season.”

 

Q: You’ve mentioned a lot about that competitive fire, how does that translate from where you are now to your next season and possibly next team?

 

King: “I think that drive, that fire brings a lot to a team. There’s an argument for the M being a steppingstone and that wins/losses don’t make a difference and I don’t believe in that. I think if you aren’t trying to win wherever you are, you’re doing a disservice to the team and the players on that roster. It’s important to keep that competitive passion in check when it comes to your teammates mind you. I’ve seen a lot of guys take out frustrations on their club, their teammates, management. You can’t control that. I’ve said my peace on the sim engine and maybe that’s a bit unfair as well. I can’t control that. All I can do is put myself in a position to succeed. If I’m struggling on the draw, well let’s look at our Faceoffs, maybe our Strength. I need more Puck Handling, let’s focus on that. Defense, you name it. Those are the things I can control. That’s what I bring.”

 

Q: Moving towards the draft now, you’re ranked 26^th amongst your VHL draftees and 7^th among VHLM draftees. Where would you like to end up in either league or what are your expectations for yourself this next season?

 

King: “I’m not overly concerned with where I end up. There are a lot of great clubs at my position in both drafts and I’ll be focused on the success of those clubs that select me. I’ve talked to friends about it in confidence, I’ll say with complete honesty that I’m ready to build on whatever team shows interest in me. I’m excited for the opportunity to play. As for next season, I want to showcase my skillset. I had a season below my expectations this time around, and I want to correct that for next season. I’ll likely be spending my time in the M, so I want to make the most of that.”

 

Q: You’ve been used in a few roles over this season, what do you feel your role should be on a team?

 

King: “That’s a tough one as you don’t want to start to make demands as a player. It’s a team and you need to understand your part of that team. That said, there are situations you do and don’t want guys/gals to be in. I’m much more of a penalty kill purest. I will work on anything and everything to be a top penalty killer and to create shorthanded chance whenever possible. But I also understand that I had some success on the powerplay this season and that shouldn’t be overlooked. I want to be a leader. In the lockeroom, on the forum, in the league. That’s the role I want to fill.”

 

Q: You debuted your equipment brand in the playoffs. While it’s not tied to any official VHL affiliation, you have been very outspoken about recruiting others to the brand. What are your aspirations for Flex Motion next season, and what would you say to people who aren’t familiar with this or on board with the brand yet?

 

King: “Flex Motion is the combination of next generation equipment and the safety tested products that I feel are the future for any hockey brand. As of now, we’re in a bit of a holding pen as other things take center stage in the league. If I had anything to say to people about it, I’d say to keep an open mind and that when the time is right, we’ll get the ball rolling on our brand.”

 

Q: On the subject of branding, my last question is in regard to your continued push for a branding/sponsorships overhaul in the league. Where does that stand and are there future plans to do anything more with that on your end?

 

King: “I absolutely plan to continue to push that. Right now, we’ve hit a point where we’re focused on the larger picture of finances in the league as a whole. I wasn’t able to secure a position where I could see the system in play but I’m still looking at that as my main focus off the ice. I think we can do a lot more to incentivize money in the league and make it more useful and palatable for users in the league. I’ve been open in my focus going more towards our wonderful web designers in this league as opposed to anything related to the sim and that’s where the focus should remain. I’m working towards building a blueprint and proposal to the league’s BoG and am excited to get that conversation going.”