Login

***notorioustig*** · 07-07-2018, 02:29 PM

(dat sweet, sweet 2x draft media content bonus)
Word count: 1207

SMJHL DRAFT PROFILE: Tig Murphy, D – Victoria Prep Sockeyes

Projected to have his name called anywhere in the first three rounds of the draft, Irish defenseman Tig Murphy looks to become one of the highest-drafted Irishmen in the history of the SMJHL. But what makes the smooth-skating defender tick off the ice? We asked Murphy a few questions to help fans get to know him a bit better before Sunday’s draft festivities kick off:

What is your favourite food?

If our team nutritionist from Victoria is reading this, it’s definitely chicken salad with lots of greens, no dressing.

…. If she’s not, it’s pizza. Always pizza.

What is your typical pregame meal?

Depends on whether we’re at home or on the road. On the road we’ll usually eat together at a restaurant, so typically some pasta. At home I got into a routine of Subway meatball subs a few hours before a game. No matter what, I try to load up with both carbs and protein and try to eat pretty much three hours before a game on the dot.

What is your pregame routine?

I like to get to the rink at least two hours before a game, especially for home games where I have a little bit more control over when I get to the rink. From there I’m usually in warmup gear before some of my teammates arrive. I like to spend some time bouncing a tennis ball of a wall and catching it to get my hand-eye going before moving on to some stickhandling practice. Finally, I like to wrap up with some stretches of my own before we go for a light warmup as a team. I try to do some visualization before games as well, it’s something I learned from our team’s goalie coach actually.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals before games?

I wouldn’t say superstitions so much as routines that I don’t like to break. I do my right skate before my left and I have to be the last one on and off the ice, but that’s probably it. I try not to let myself get too wrapped up in things like that because if they don’t happen work out for some reason, it can throw you off mentally just because you’ve decided that things need to be exactly one way.

What is your favourite type of music?

Kind of a mixed bag. A fair amount of what I listen to is probably electronic, but honestly I listen to a little bit of everything that I think sounds good. I usually don’t even like more than a few songs of any given artist, I have a pretty weird taste in music now that I think about it. When it comes to pump-up music before games though I’m pretty much on the same page as everyone else. Loud, fast, and something that really gives you that goosebump feeling.

If you could run onto the ice to any song, what would it be?

Joker and the Thief by Wolfmother. Bar none.

How would you describe your personality?

I’m very laid back, usually pretty quiet unless I’m around people I know and am comfortable around. I tend to get louder at that point. I tend to stay pretty calm and centred and try not to get off-keel when I’m stressed or under pressure.

How would your teammates describe your personality?

They’d probably say that I’m a comedian and a prankster. I crack a lot of jokes pretty much all the time. I like to think they’re laughing with me most of the time. At least some of it anyway.

What would you say are your two biggest strengths are on the ice?

My skating and my vision. They’re both so crucial to my ability to make plays on the ice. If I’m able to see an opening for a pass, I’m able to get the puck there. If I don’t have an opening or a play is too risky to chance it, I know I can fall back on my skating to carry the puck and then reevaluate my options from there. Being able to see the ice and read the play helps me stay calm with the puck, knowing that my speed will allow me to escape if I do get into trouble.

What would you say are your two biggest weaknesses as a player?

My strength and my physical play without question. My positional defense is pretty good in my opinion, but I lose a lot of board battles against bigger, stronger guys. There are times where I could have ended rushes by stepping up and making a hit but I stayed back trying to use my positioning and stick to break up the play. I’m not a small guy so my physicality is something that can definitely be improved. I’m never going to be a bruiser, that’s just not my game. I do think that leveraging my size and skating to be less passive in the defensive end is something that’s definitely attainable and it’s my main focus this offseason.

Who are your biggest influences off the ice?

The obvious answer is my parents, they’ve been amazing in helping me pursue my dream while also making sure that I kept my head on straight with things like school and just generally having a life outside of hockey as well. Since I made the move to Victoria, my coach Trent Schultz has become a huge mentor for me and helped me develop so much. Without him, I wouldn’t be here about to get my name called by an SMJHL team this weekend at the draft.

Who are your biggest on-ice influences? Did you have a favourite player growing up?

The thing that really got me into hockey as a kid was actually watching my dad play. SHL games were always on during the middle of the night so I didn’t really watch any of those growing up, just clips and highlights. Going to the rink and watching my dad play made me want to grow up to be just like him. It’s funny to think about it like that because his playing style was the exact opposite of mine. He’s a big, slow, defensive defenseman who doesn’t even really score much now that he plays beer league. He always says my mom should have played hockey because I got my skating from someone and it definitely wasn’t her.

Do you have a preferred team to be drafted by this weekend?

No of course not! I’d be really excited and really honoured to go to any of the eight teams in the SMJHL. In the junior circuit, things can change pretty much on a dime. Struggling teams can become powerhouses, longtime contenders might need to rebuild, and the cycle only lasts a few seasons. I’m pretty confident in my abilities and I really believe that no matter what team I’m drafted by, I’ll be able to push for ice-time right away and contribute. There are eight awesome teams with eight awesome management groups, and I’m definitely excited to hear my name called and pull the jersey over my head, no matter what colours or logo are on that jersey.