10 Questions: Lately retired Nate Thompson on the Canadiens, California, and his 844-game profession

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Nate Thompson introduced his retirement from the NHL final month at age 38 after enjoying 844 video games over 15 seasons with 9 totally different groups, together with the Canadiens.

He additionally performed for the Boston Bruins — who chosen him within the sixth spherical (183rd total) of the 2003 NHL Draft — New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Geese, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and Winnipeg Jets. Final season he performed for the AHL’s Ontario Reign.

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Throughout a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon from his residence in Studio Metropolis, Calif., Thompson agreed to play 10 Questions.

Right here’s the way it went.

1. What was your favorite reminiscence of enjoying for the Canadiens?

“I’d should say most likely after I received traded there (from the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 11, 2019) and I scored my first aim as a Canadien — I feel it was in opposition to Tampa and it was a reasonably large sport. We have been chasing a playoff spot. These reminiscences I’ve enjoying on the Bell Centre in entrance of that crowd and placing on a Habs jersey are reminiscences I’ll always remember being a Canadiens participant.”

2. Who was your favorite participant as a child?

“Steve Yzerman. I missed (enjoying in opposition to him) by one 12 months. He retired proper earlier than I got here within the league. I appreciated every part about him. I used to be a super-big Detroit Pink Wings fan. Stevie Y was the captain. He was one of the best all-around participant within the league. He did no matter it took. To me, he was the final word man, final captain, final chief, every part. I used to be an enormous fan of Steve Yzerman. As soon as I received to play in Tampa he was the final supervisor and signed me to 2 contracts, truly. It was fairly particular.”

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3. What was the important thing to your longevity as a participant within the NHL?

“I feel simply making an attempt to evolve my sport over the course of my profession. As you understand, the sport has modified so much. I feel the sport adjustments so much now in increments of 5 years. Over the course of my profession the sport actually modified and I needed to evolve. I needed to proceed to work on my abilities and proceed to attempt to add offence to my sport. Various things that have been going to assist me keep within the league. The second half of my profession it took me to a different stage so far as taking good care of myself off the ice — coaching, diet, restoration, all these issues. That was a giant game-changer after which clearly getting sober (nearly seven years in the past) was one of many largest issues to assist me proceed my profession and have a protracted one at that.”

4. What was it like ending your profession final season within the AHL, the identical league the place you began your professional profession in 2005 with the Windfall Bruins?

“It was a variety of enjoyable. I’m not going to lie, I used to be a bit of apprehensive at first. However enjoying for (head coach) Marco Sturm, who I performed with in Boston, after which having that relationship with him and the Kings administration and getting to remain native was undoubtedly attractive for me. I feel as soon as I received into the thick of the season with these younger guys and began enjoying I actually had a blast and it actually sort of helped me change my perspective a bit of bit in regards to the sport. I used to be undoubtedly doing a variety of instructing final season whereas enjoying and it was nice. It was an important group of youngsters that I received to play with. It was a variety of enjoyable for me.”

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5. What’s it like residing now in California?

“Being from Anchorage, Alaska, I didn’t know that I might find yourself residing in California. However, truthfully, that’s why I’m so grateful for not simply my profession, however I’m grateful for hockey. All the things I’ve in my life — relationships, every part — it’s all due to hockey, so I’m very fortunate. … If I hadn’t change into a hockey participant I most likely would have labored within the oil enterprise up in Alaska at residence. I feel that’s most likely what I might have ended up doing.”

6. What was your favorite NHL metropolis to go to?

“Montreal. The eating places change there a lot … I really feel like there’s all the time a brand new place. I cherished Beatrice … that was an important Italian spot. I cherished that spot.”

7. What’s the best factor you ever purchased your self?

“Most likely my first white Chevy Avalanche after I signed my first professional contract.”

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8. What’s the No. 1 factor in your bucket listing that you simply haven’t checked off but?

“Since I’ve began jiu-jitsu a few months in the past, I’d prefer to be a black belt in due time.”

9. What’s one thing folks could be stunned to learn about you?

“That my mother’s aspect of the household’s all from Trinidad.”

10. When folks ask what sort of man Nate Thompson is, what would your reply be?

“The 2 issues that I’d prefer to be remembered as — and I feel I used to be over the course of my profession — was a great professional and a great teammate. These are two issues I can look again on and say that I used to be these two issues.”

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