Jimmy Carson: Excellence is a Mindset | E13

do. We all have different backgrounds, personalities and surroundings. And we all have different routes on how we hope and want to get there. today. My guest is my great friend Jimmy Carson. Jimmy is a former professional hockey player who played 13 seasons in the NHL. He was the second pick in the NHL draft in 1986, was named to the all rookie team in 1987 and played in the All Star game in

1989. In his second season in the NHL, he became only the second teenager in NHL history to score 50 goals in the season. The first was Wayne Gretzky. He scored more goals as a teenager than any other player in NHL history 92 goals in the hockey world he's best known as the player who was traded from the Los Angeles Kings to the Edmonton Oilers for Wayne Gretzky, and what was one of the biggest trades in the history of

professional sports. Jimmy has not only had a great career in the NHL, but not surprisingly, he's had a great career after hockey. He's a great guy and a great friend, Jimmy, Welcome to In Search of Excellence.

about the company. And I had a lot of people calling me and emailing me asking for things to get together. This was a friend of a friend. So I figured this was for sure. Another one of those. When I asked Gail who it was, she said some guy named Jimmy Carson. I said the hockey player Jimmy Carson, she wasn't a sports fan. And she replied, I think he used to play hockey. I've been a huge hockey fan and a Detroit Red Wings fan all of my life. I said yes, I want to

meet him. And that's the beginning of our relationship 21 years ago, how did it go on your end?

doesn't ring a bell. And then he started telling me that kind of the big story, you're from Detroit area, and you moved out and you you founded some, some big technology company, and you're out in LA and I had been going to LA quite a bit back then. And my wife was from LA. And somehow I said, Well, he

would be a great guy to me. At some point, I suppose the first conversation the second, I said, you know, I go out to LA LA and I'd love to meet the guy and just network and see what you know, I always admire people who've, who've done great things and taking risks and et cetera, and hard working people and, and he's like, Yeah, I'll talk to my neighbor. And the next thing I know that kind of the wheels were in motion. And somehow we got connected. As far as you know, I called you or you, I

emailed you or something. And then I came out to LA and we kind of had our initial conversation slash meeting. And we've been friends ever since.

Orleans. And he jumped ship literally and he got us When he got to Detroit because he had a distant relative in Detroit, and then he was a very hard worker and like most Greek immigrants at the time and a little bit now he became eventually a restaurant owner. And he owned a restaurant. Right across from for you hockey fans that the Olympia stadium which was one of the original six stadiums, and was kind of the heart of Detroit. That in for you Detroiters. It was Grande River

and McGraw. And I actually have pictures of the Olympia being built, taken from my grandpa's restaurant. So years continued. The Red Wings became a big deal in Detroit. And many years later, Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay, you know, all time NHL greats would tell me that. Oh, yeah, we would all go eat at your grandpa's restaurant and they said they'd say I remember your dad and uncle is like

Little Tykes running around. And one of the things I'll never forget Gordie Howe specifically told me it was two things he said that, I don't know if it was featured in Sports Illustrated or not. But when he was talking about his first game, or excuse me, his first NHL goal and the build up and what what was like the, you know, the pregame routine. And he mentioned that he ate at my grandpa's restaurant, which I

thought was pretty cool. And then the other thing that both he and Ted Lindsay told me who I got to know over the years, especially when I joined the red line was was that Jack Adams who was the the general manager, president of the team, and everyone feared him, he would like, impose punishment to the players if they weren't performing well, or whatever. And he was just in a bad mood. So you can't go across the street over to Carson's restaurant. And I remember going

yell at Tommy. Oh, yeah, Jack Adams would punish us by not letting us go to your grandpa's restaurant. So my grandpa who I never really got to, he passed away in 75. But he had been ill he had a stroke. So I didn't really have a relationship with him. But I had heard so many stories over the year that he became friends with a lot of these, maybe not friends going out and stuff. But friends like seeing him in his place all the time. So it was so that was kind of my initial historical

connection. And then my grandma and grandpa, having established themselves in the Detroit area, and back then Detroit was booming, like that was the, you know, the Model T days and Henry Ford doing the assembly line and cetera. I mean, you're from Detroit. So you know, a little bit of Detroit history, I presume like that. Detroit was

rockin back then. And he eventually sold that restaurant you got another restaurant, bigger restaurant, kind of by the the GM headquarters and then you know, my, from them, always had tickets at Olympian red wings have kept that connection. So that's kind of the the initial Greek component and as well as kind of my very first entree to any type of high anything hockey related.

the Greek islands. But the island of Rhodes is in the south Aegean historical in the sense of one of the ancient seven wonders of the world. The Colossus of Rhodes was there. And it's a very historical place and interesting story here. So my grandma on that side, they lived on a little tiny island in the Aegean as well while the during World War Two the Germans came in. And literally, the stories I heard were just heart wrenching. They just dispersed

from the island. She was a widow with seven kids, my mom being the youngest, they dispersed and they ended up going all these little different islands literally to try to survive. And they weren't alone. Everyone was doing the same thing. So they ended up in roads, which is this the biggest of the islands and back then they bought a lot. When I say right on the water, I mean, right on the water. And back then the poor people or the disadvantage were buying and

living on the water. The wealthier people were living inland with a you know, a bigger lot and a fence and a lawn and a yard, etc. And because you know that they didn't want the migrant fisherman and the drunks in the middle of night. And so that's where my mom grew up was literally right on the water in the Aegean Sea overlooking the mountains of Turkey. Well as the decades started due progress, living on the water and having waterfront property suddenly became a nice thing to have. So

they've kept this property. And then, about 20 years ago, they knocked down this old dilapidated house and put up a three storey building, the first floor is like a restaurant and a shop. And then my aunt's family has kind of a middle and we have the top. So like, we have an amazing view. They call them houses, I'm going to come apartment, right right on the water, and one of the Greek

islands. So we've gone quite a bit, we tried to go, it's a great thing culturally, and I love going there, I speak Greek I was raised, you know, with, with a lot of heritage, etc. So we try to keep that, that going.

whatever. And then if you remember, they turn on the music on and people were dancing and flipping off wall. I mean, it was just a very exuberant fun evening.

he ended up he was a lawyer. And he did a lot of state law, some immigration, etc. And he passed away three years ago, but he I had amazing parents for supporting me, but my dad never missed one practice or one game like that one. Like everyone knew, like he never missed. And no matter where I was, he was my biggest fan. And sometimes he was the one who gave me the truth, sir, on when I thought I

played well, or whatever. And he would be like, not that over intimidating dad, but just, he wouldn't sugarcoat it and just say, Hey, if you want to, like, get to the next level, you need to do this better or whatever. But listen to your coach, you always say that listen to your coach. But, you know, your work ethic wasn't where it should have been today, or whatever the situation was. So I had amazing parents very blessed, very thankful, and huge shoes

support. So I've actually tried to emulate their parenting skills with with my four kids, in trying to give the truth, sir, um, but being very supportive.

copyright program. But they really revolutionized hockey, in my opinion in the United States, and especially in Detroit, the owner Peter Karmanos, who own the Hartford Whalers and became the Carolina Hurricanes and his NHL Hall of Fame, famer and American Hockey Hall of Fame, etc. He's Greek, him and my dad knew each other, and they were very good friends. My dad did a lot of legal work for him, etc. But they were friends first and foremost, and had some family

connections. And much like you were referencing Acme and kind of a big deal, but he went public in the Detroit area in 1992. And that was a big deal in Detroit. Everyone knew Compuware. Well, he not only was was very driven for success on the computer software side, he would we would go to these tournaments and he's just like, You know what, and I won't use the exact words he use because he was a very intense still as I

still see him. Occasionally, very intense person, he's like, you know, we go to these Canadian tournaments and like, we're just as good. There's no reason why we can't have a factory of American Hockey players out of the Detroit area playing in the NHL on a regular basis. And people laughed at him. They said, Oh, come on, that's impossible. And he said, Well, I'm going to show you so he created copyright, copyright

hockey club. And I was on like, one of the first teams of and we were traveling, both countries, the United States and Canada. And we started really picking it up and winning tournaments and making a name for ourselves in the program and individual

players. So that was, that was an interesting kind of start was once you start getting some exposure, you know, but back to the original question, I'm, I'm at this prep school, I'm going to go to school and do whatever investment banking or law and but now you're getting this

explosion. You have scouts coming at you at 14 years old from the Western Hockey League, and the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Hockey League, and they're like, you've got some real talent, we want to draft you and I'm like, what are we talking about there? So just fast forward back then the man isn't America

a stroke. So my dad would was kind of in charge of this parking lot. So he would go down for every Olympia event. And it was about 15 minutes from our house so he would bring me along. So here's I'm this little tyke five, six years old, going to Olympia stadium. And the Canadiens were in town. Or it was a I remember one time it was a KISS concert. I mean, everyone, The Beatles played there, Elvis played there. You had the NHL, you had Harlem Globetrotters, you had whatever

you can imagine. So this parking lot was literally across the street. So he was always full. So my dad would take me he would drop me off at the door. I knew the Usher. I knew the popcorn guy. I had charge accounts with all these guys, the popcorn guy, the ice cream guy, the coke guy, whatever. And we had like the season seats that I go to, I actually knew, which I'm sure will dovetail to a story later

on is the Redwing players. Their wives sat in a certain section while I got to know all of them, I would sit on Marcel Dion's wife slap, and then my dad would come in after about a period or two and five, by the way, five or six years old, and then a year or period or two, and then he'd come grab me. He said, Oh, my dad seen all $2 Guys, screen guy and $1, the popcorn guy. And then he takes me home. So of course, I have this real love of hockey, just because I'm going

to the Redwing game. So now you have a go to the school where we're going to learn how to skate in gym class. So that's where I first got my spark is okay, I'm going to use Redwing games. I love watching it. So now I'm going to go try skating. And I was pretty good and skating. And then the next step was okay, I'm gonna go play on a team house too. So that's kind of how it all started.

amazing. Like you you go to that upper deck, you were like staring straight down at the ring.

started playing up. And then we I transition, but now this is where the copyright story comes out. A couple years later, Peter Kamada, starting his copy or hockey program, and I started playing for him. And then I played for him all the way through until I left to go to junior hockey. You were

midgets and bantams. So but Alfie's dad rial who created reality Turcot hockey stick handling schools. He was my coach at 12 years old and he was from Montreal. He was French Canadian. I love the Montreal Canadiens and Gila Fleur, and that was all my aunt. He came in at 12 years old and said to me, he pulled me aside one day and I loved him. He was such a great influence. He recently passed away. And his son was Alfie. And his grandson was second pick for the kings. Last year, I believe he was

to the program. He said other than my son, Alfie, you may be the most talented player I've ever coached. And he says, You can make it to the NHL, if you work really hard, and you have a good frame of mind. So that just boosted me so much. Because I knew that that was the first time I thought in my head, you know what, I want to be a pro hockey player. It went from like, I'm pretty good. And the team is good. And we're having

fun, too. This is now going to become a more serious endeavor where yeah, I'm still a kid still having fun playing, doing all the fun stuff. But it's like, okay, I need to I can't skip a practice. I can't, you know, I got to train in the summers, I have to be dedicated. If I'm going to try to get to the next level. It just elevated that inner drive from. This is fun. It's an activity, but it's serious, I can do this. So you need to sacrifice your

colleges. So Michigan State Michigan, Minnesota, one of the Minnesota schools, Harvard, but I had two years to I don't know if waste is the right we're going to have two years to get there before on going to college. I was just finishing my sophomore year of high school, or I could go to junior hockey, which that's a big risk if you get hurt and you don't play etc. It was a risk. And so anyways, we got the tour of the Western

teams. I rolled that out really quickly as my dad, he's like, way too much traveling you'll never go to school. I mean, you're like the geographical territory of the Western Hockey League was huge. And Ontario and Quebec so Quebec, Pat LaFontaine all time, NHL great, and local Detroit great. He had just gone to Montreal Junior Canadians for gun. Well, I was enamored by Montreal, I was a man enamored by the Montreal Canadiens. So the Montreal Canadiens owned the

Verdun Junior Canadiens. And they made a strong pitch for me, and search smart if you're a hockey guy, you'll know that name. He was the GM of the Montreal Canadiens. At the time, he was literally royalty in Montreal and hockey circles. He had won, I think, 10 or 11, Stanley Cups as a player, and he was running the Canadiens now.

And he said, We want you and he was the second person who told me other than some scouts, you can definitely play in the NHL, and we want you on our junior program, and we will take good care of you. And we will help you develop etc, etc. And that just that personal attention kind of sealed the deal. And then there were some other factors too. But then I left home at 16, roughly, and I had two years of junior hockey in Montreal.

was like 11. So he idolized me and I would bring him to the locker room and bring him around. He was just in these Canadian towns of the junior hockey town, like it's a big deal. It's almost like an NHL team. I loved it. And I started to learn French understand French and tremendous cultural experience in a so happy I went that route, not only for my hockey point of view, but also just, you know, the life experiences and living with the French Canadian family and 16.

recipe. So it was a lot. It was a lot of fun. But yeah, they came out a lot.

wondered. They sacrifice a lot of their weekends, but they were super supportive parents to have a great relationship with their kids. And I always thought that was something I really admired. I thought it's great when you have parents who are going to each game your practices. The parental love, I think is very important to your development as an athlete mentally from a confidence perspective.

life. So being a parent now with four kids, their various ages, but I know there's a lot of times where I would say, Wow, I can't believe my dad did that because I didn't really want to go to 7am practice, you know, wherever I I'd rather go off the night before with two other couples and sleep in.

second pick of the draft. And there was a bunch of chatter in Detroit, if they would take you but think they were saying from the beginning, they plan to select Joe Murphy as the number one pick, which they did. And the Kings picked you as with the number two pick. Did you know The Kings was coming? And how many other teams did you talk to? What were the interviews? Like?

it. In hindsight, I think it was the best thing that could have ever happened for me personally, just the style of play, etc. So as you're going through this process, you start getting, you start having some interviews. So I get a call from the Los Angeles Kings. They want me to fly out and give me an interview. So I looked back how naive I was. I'd never been to LA. I knew nothing other than Hollywood and TV, really about California, let alone LA. So I remember flying in and they

picked me up. I knew la wasn't a huge hockey town. So imagine I grew up in Detroit, even though they were the dead things. It was still a good hockey town, and had a great long, original sixth history. I go to Montreal, where hockey is the religion, like hockey comes before everything else. And you live and breathe hockey every moment. And that was the atmosphere I was in for two years. And now I'm going to LA where hockey and the LA Kings are probably about 37 on the list of activities and

things to do in LA. So But nevertheless, to me it was NHL was very exciting. I got there. And I remember Yeah, it was the heyday of the Lakers. And the Lakers were it was Showtime magic and Kareem and James worthy, etcetera. So I was excited to go to the forum, the fabulous forum at the time, I think it was called. Not really as much for the hockey I only knew I only knew like Marcel Dionne and LA Kings. But I mean, I wanted to go to kings or to a

Lakers game. And then I got a tour with Dale drive and Santa Monica just kind of all about the hotspots and I'm sure that the touristy things that they bring people in. And then I got to meet Rogi Rashard. He was an all time great. So he was the general manager, Pat Quinn was the coach, Phil Mayer, longtime NHL guy who I still see in Detroit. He lives in Detroit. And Mike Murphy. We got I got

interviews with all of them. And they showed me the NFL locker room and it was you know, I'd see Marcel Dionne, and it was I didn't meet Marcel at the time, but it was a, I knew Marcel from Detroit. As I told you earlier, I was going all the games. And it was a real controversial move when he came to LA. But and then I'll never forget, I came up and I met Dr. Buss, Dr. Jerry buss that was very interesting, you know, but it was just all kind of surreal. I'm, uh, I wasn't

even 18 yet. Because my birthday is July 20. I was turning 18 at July. So here, I'm 17 years old. And I'm, you know, having a private meeting with Dr. Jerry Buss and, you know, talking about the kings in the Lakers and, and magic and all that. So yeah, it was it was very interesting. I got interviewed by a few other teams, New Jersey, devils, etc. And I remember we went to a Mets game

with some other prospects. And then, but yeah, but I had no clue that kings were we're going to, we're going to draft me but interesting story if you want to hear how I first heard about the Kings drafting and this got a lot of publicity. Back in the day. I kind of forgot about it until you asked me the question. Did you know so we were staying back then all the NHL drafts were at the shared while they

were at the Montreal forum. But they were like, everyone stayed at the lasondra Sheraton, which was the shit the big Sheraton in town in Montreal. I knew that place very well, because my parents coming in almost bi weekly or almost weekly, sometimes. That's where they would stay most of the times. I was at the Sheraton all the time. So here we are for our draft. And we're we're at the Sheridan and we're in a room and I think was like a one of those

adjoining rooms. And I remember hearing all kinds of entry prior I remember going into my truck Canadiens suite certs of art come on by this nice is we're going to try to get you but you're we're too low and the thing we're no way he'll be there but so I was talking to him so we go back up to the room. night before the draft. I'm hearing all kinds of noise in The room directly adjacent to

us. And it clearly was deliberations on an organization talking about who they're going to pick and what their draft and whatever else is going on. And I remember very distinctly hearing, Pat Quinn's voice, like a very booming voice, and I'm like, That's the LA Kings. So I remember for about 10 minutes putting my ear to the door with

the cup. And I remember then deliberating if they're going to take me or not, and they all said, Yeah, we're going to take, and I went in the other room, and I told my parents, I said, I'm going to the kings tomorrow, like, what do you know, I said, they're next door, and I just heard him say they're gonna take. So anyways, that's a true story. And he couldn't believe it. And it was 20 years or so ago or longer. That reporters were all asking me, how did you

first hear about the kings? I remember telling that story. They were like, Look at me. Like that was weird. I said, No, that's a true story.

LA was not a hockey town. They were a dormant organization, at least in my mind. I knew nothing about them. They were never making the playoffs. All I knew about them was they had a half empty stadium. Or I should say half full stadium, glass half full. And they had Marcel dia, other than that I knew nothing about. So here I am, I get

drafted by him. And I'm still so excited to be a second pick overall NHL, but the mixed feelings were like, Wow, is this going to be as exciting as if I were in a real hockey town? That's kind of what I meant by the mixed feelings. But in hindsight, it was a great place to go. There was a more offensive division. They needed some help. And you know, it was we were an up and coming team.

with me. He doesn't you know, His English is so sorry. With us. That's no, that's fine. And he had arranged with his neighbor for me to live with his neighbor, but literally right next door. So here we are in training camp. And I'm going to to practice with Marcel Dionne drive. And I was just like, This is insane. So like an all time great player, someone idolized growing up. And he's now we're

going to lunch together. And we're going to practice and, you know, I'm hearing him complain about how early the traffic and the 405 and Crenshaw was always so damn busy. And, you know, you just like normal stuff. And it was such an amazing thing. So now we're building up, we're getting the training kit, training camps over and now I made the team Luke made the team and now we're getting ready for our first game. We get in the car, we're going to we're going to the game with Marcel. I'm a

nervous wreck. I kept looking at Luke and he's just like, like, we're just like this our first NHL game. And of course there's butterflies now we have played some exhibition games, but still it's your first NHL game. It's like the real deal. Very

nervous. I remember Luke got a goal his first game I got it and says I think I got a goal my second game once you got to kind of got on the scoreboard you know alleviated some of the jitters I just kept saying prove you belong prove your blah Cruzi belong like that I just every shift like provable law. That's all that that was my that was my model.

it. And there he was. You guys are both rookies and he lit it up. What's the story about that? I mean, you hear about Tom Brady, the sixth round pick. And here's Luke, who finished the highest scoring left wing in NHL history.

eight times a year. So I got to know him kind of grudgingly on the ice. We there was a lot of, we call it media attention paid to us for different reasons. He was, you know, French Canadian, he was kind of a hometown guy. I was the Americans following and Pat LaFontaine, footsteps, who was going to be a high tech, so and then last year, the All Star game for the Quebec League was in Hall. And I remember just going up to Luke and we were talking and his English was

okay. And my French was okay. It was just kind of one of those things. You knew each other. And we, we developed the bond. So now we show up at training camp together. Well, I knew him right away, he knew me. So we kind of were talking and we got we hung out a little bit in in training camp. And very quickly, we became friends. And I never view I know, the scouting report said that and he was slow, and he couldn't. But I saw him play junior hockey, and he lit it up.

And he did very well. So I never really, I just didn't think much of it. I just thought, yeah, he's gonna be fine. I didn't think he'd be that fine. But you know, like, no one knew he was. The thing about Luke was he had such tremendous enthusiasm. He, nothing got him down. He had a great work ethic. And I think for Luke looking back, and I don't want to speak for him. But from my point of view, I think going to LA was also a great

move for him. You know, you're an entrepreneur, you talk a lot of times you like looking for an investment opportunity or business, and they say it's location, location, location, or the right idea. I think, the true, that's true in pro sports. Because if you go to the wrong organization, and you don't get the ability to play, even though you get you're the exact same person, the same work ethic, the same physical skills, you don't

get that opportunity. Sometimes you just don't look and I've actually talked about we've known players who played one or two years in the NHL, that if they've gone somewhere else, they would have a great career. It's just I think the stars align. And Luke started shining right away. And being with Marcel, I think was great. He and myself, were linemates here, one I had Dave Taylor, was a great all time NHL player and was the captain of the team that Luke was, he was just so

enthusiastic. And right from the get go. He said,

And, of course, there are a lot of times where you're, you know, this game was horrible, or, you know, you had your doubts, but you're still, you know, an 18 year old kid in my case, and the coaches are like, Hey, kid, you got a bad game, don't worry about it. This, this happens. Like hopefully, you'll have a decent career and you'll play a lot of more games. And then you have those those exhilarating times where you go, you know, get a goal and three assists. And you're the first star of the

game and the team wins. And you're thinking, wow, this isn't the NHL, I can't believe it. And you have those those highs and lows. But yeah, there were definitely more highs. And suddenly you're like, wow, I can definitely play in this league. And this is a great spot.

the team's culture. I want to start with the late Jerry buss. And then I want to talk about Bruce Bucknell both larger than life figures, and both visionaries. Let's start with Jerry.

know. I mean, I'm a rookie NHL, your team's gonna get sold, you don't only you're thinking about your next practice or game. And then all of a sudden they call a meeting. And there's Dr. Boston, this other, this other guy who we've never seen. And the deal was that Bruce got, like he bought 25% of the team with an option for another 24%. Long story short, Dr. Buss was on his way out totally focusing in on the Lakers. And Bruce McDonnell was becoming the sole from

minority to sole owner. And even when he was minority, he was in that locker room. Every day, he started befriending us he started, he was the presence he was the gregarious guy. And he was bringing in Rob Lowe, and all kinds of celebrities into the locker room on a regular basis.

this for me. Hey, Jimmy Hanlon, I'm going to come in afterwards and introduce you to someone and stuff like that. So I developed a pretty, I'd say closer relationship with him. I know Luke did as well. I can't speak for a lot of the players, I don't know. But I think he had a few people that he was kind of conversing with more than others. He then became more like in the offseason, hey, why don't you come to my office? I'd like to buy your lunch. I'm gonna

show you what I do. And I remember somehow, he had mentioned something about Ronald Reagan, because you want to meet him. I got Yeah, sure. Let me Ronald Reagan. And he's like, yeah, hey, call the Secretary and be like, Assistant, Hey, call President Reagan's office and get gymea an appointment to go meet him. Stuff like that. He's like, you know, one time I asked him, Hey, I'm looking for, I don't know, it's tickets for something. And he's like, Oh,

how many? Like he was always just kind of like, he was just that larger than life, trying to please everyone, kind of guy. So I got a good relationship with him. I actually invested in some of his points. He told me about it way back when he started getting some players involved. And hey, why don't you if you're interested, you know, I got this. I got that. And then at the end of my second year, he says to me, Hey, come on, come to my office. So I got a

sanctuary city. I go through, and he is making a real name for himself. Like he becomes the NHL, chairman of the NHL, Chairman, the board the NHL, and he's talking all kinds of stuff. And he's like, You know what, Jimmy, we need to sign you to a long term deal. He says go buy a house. I'm 19. Okay, go buy a house. And he goes, Oh, my wife Jane. She's an interior decorator. She'll outfit it for you. Here's Jane's card. Carla. She she knows he'll be calling you know, like, he just moved.

Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick. He says you go find a house and tell me when you got it. And then we'll start negotiating a long term deal. And Jane will come Janell outfitted for it. And this was all I could do. And I remember buying a house in Redondo Beach. And Jane and his wife at the time they've separate or since divorced. Very nice lady very accomplished. He basically

helped me outfit the house. So here I am an 18 year old kid, just finished my second year got a beautiful home in Redondo Beach fully outfitted. And I'm now going to go home to Detroit for the summer for about a month and then come back for training camp and we had started negotiating a long longer term contract.

trouble. It was run by a guy named David begelman. And I think there may have been some fraud involved. And next thing you know, David begelman has committed suicide in the Century Plaza Hotel. And Bruce was in trouble financially. And what happened at that point next?

Crown winner. And then he started, he bought the kings. So, of course, at the time, I didn't I don't know, when the financial troubles hit. It was none of my business. I mean, I've read his book. And he's told me stuff. But at some point, I think it started a year or two later, but what do I know, he started having, I think, financial issues. And then that's where the I think the legal issues arose from, and trying to keep everything afloat.

hours away from closing. And he was basically going to wash his hands of the whole thing, he put the money back, he would sell the team, but he would not be in financial trouble. And of course, one of the auditors notice something. And then his world unraveled, he went to prison for fraud. This was a guy who was on top of the world. He was living his dream, he had come from poverty. And this is a guy who at one time, this is pre net jets world on seven jets outright and four helicopters.

And this was a guy who regularly had staying over for dinner, who played the piano for he and his two kids and for Jane. So he goes to prison. And it keeps all of his friends. He's in prison in Northern California, but he had everyone's still coming to visit him, you know, you really find out who your friends are when you're down. Gretzky came to visit and Magic Johnson came to visit, the CEO of Disney came to visit him and he was such a

distraction to the prison. They moved him to Milan, Michigan, which is in the middle of nowhere. That's where I would go visit. That's where you would go visit, as did a lot of people. I mean, it was hard. You're playing hockey and you want to go there. And from what I understand it was a bit of a drive.

go to visit them. I've never been to a Federal Penitentiary penitentiary, and I go there and I drive an hour and 40 minutes away and and he knew about it that was gonna come and I get to the big screen you and whatever they doing is very intense. And they're like, you can't go in. I'm like, why are you have khaki pants on? The way? That's the rule. The prisoners have khaki pants, like, well, you can't come in. That's the rules. They said, Don't you have any pants in the car? I said, I don't

know. I just want my pants from home. I don't have other pants. So I remember going in. I'm like, oh my god, I felt so guilty. I thought Bruce is going to think I stood him up. So I'm calling people I know in LA get Bruce a message. I said, Can I get a message? No. He'll, he'll figure it out. I'm like, Oh my gosh. So finally I got a message that, you know, there. There was a wardrobe malfunction. There

was a pants issue. So years later, I was talking to Mike Ilitch the owner of the tri rattling so he passed two years ago. wonderful person. I became pretty close to him. And he was a friend of Bruce as to why he told me the same story. He's like Jimmy. I told them I go visit Bruce. He goes, Jimmy, I went there. I was so nervous. I went there. Now this is the owner of the Redwings Little Caesars Pizza a big mogul in his own. He gets there with khaki pants, and they won't let him

in. So he goes back and he goes I was so shaken up. I wrote. He said I wrote this two page note to Bruce saying I'm sorry, I just can't do it. I can't come visit you but the moment you're out, I'm going to visit us that I can't stop there. are because of my khaki pants. So anyway, so I never wear khaki pants again.

years. Ken Starr shows up on announced at Bruce's sentencing hearing and Bruce guidelines for what he did, I think was a three year prison term. And Ken Starr shows up and tells the judge, this defendant helped cost the American taxpayers $80 million. And the judge threw the book out and he got five years in prison, the maximum sentence, kind of a crazy story there. I met Bruce through you in 2001. He had just

been released from prison. He was living in a halfway house and you said to me, Randy, you should go meet him said he was a great guy, you would enjoy each other's company and I had read about him I had read. Here's a guy, a huge downfall was on top of the world. And I'd read in the Los Angeles Times. He has all these people coming to visit him, which says something about him. He's a great guy, he treated people well. And so I said, Sure. I'd love to meet them. And you're 100% right, we

became good friends. I got to know Bruce very well throughout the years. And I thank you for the intro. And I want to thank you now, when I got to know Bruce, whenever the Redwings were in town, my ex wife and I and he and his girlfriend, Dana would go to the games with them. And what an experience this was we had VIP access to everything which meant we went into the Staples Center through the private entrance, and we were walking around the tunnels of Staples Center before the game

which I had never seen. I thought that was so cool. And had been many years since he had owned the team. But there were a lot of people who work there who had been there very long time and every single one of them who had been there a long time came up to Bruce say hello, give him a hug. And at some point, I want to get some pizza and some cotton candy. So we walk into the Main Concourse. And the next thing I know people started

rushing over towards us. And I'm not exaggerating, it was like we were Drake or walking with Mick Jagger, there were 50 people, three people deep, following us as we were walking yelling Bruce Bruce, but people shoving programs and Sharpies in front of them sign this. It was really great here. It was years later, the guy that brought hockey to Los Angeles and the fans

absolutely loved them. And sort of the players we stayed after the games we waited for the players come out of the locker room and we were hanging out where they all parked their cars, which I think is super cool. And they would all come up to him, they would hug them as well. And it's interesting. I've been around a few other owners of professional teams over the years and I've never seen any owner or player have that kind of affection with one another. So it says a lot about him. And

it was fun. For me. It was like I was walking with the biggest celebrity in the house. And it was really funny. It was there was one guy as we were walking, and the guy had a tray full of beer and he was coming the other way and he sees Bruce and he starts backing up. And there were just a throng of people around us. And Bruce accidentally knocked the guy he had like for beers and Trey, in the beer flew everywhere. Little bit on Bruce, but it probably

around 10 different people. And Bruce and I were looking at each other was we were laughing our asses off. It was it was funny. But there's a second story which I have to tell as well. So I was sitting again with Bruce, my ex wife, his girlfriend. We were a restaurant in brown. We're in Brentwood called Tuscana. And we're talking about hey, what are you doing now? And he had been in the movie business. So he's back to being a producer.

He had a partner. And I said, Hey, Bruce, what are you working on? He said, I'm working on this movie called Alpha Dog. It's starring Sharon Stone and Justin Timberlake. I said Sharon Stone. I said, Why aren't I in that movie? And I get up, I go to the bathroom. Five minutes later, I come back and he said, you have a casting call Monday morning. This is a Saturday night. And I look at him. I say Haha, yeah. Right, Bruce. And my ex wife says to me, he really called in and I said, Bruce, are you

serious? Monday said Yeah, Monday, and I show up on Monday. I knew nothing about the movie business was never in a play, took an acting class in college. That was it. And I show up, they tell me where to show up. I'm in this office. And there's all these young kids there with scripts in front of them with the agency's name on My Carver's CAA William Morris, and they're pacing around, they're nervous. They're flipping through. And here I am, I'm looking around thinking, I don't have 90

minutes to be here. I really can't wait here. I had a job and I gotta go back to work. But meanwhile, I finally get called in and sitting there. I'm with the casting director and we're sitting in the office, we're shooting the shit. And he said, Oh, yeah, you're a Detroit fan. Hockey Fan, Bruce cool. And then in walks Nick Cassavetes. He was a big director at the time he had just come off the movie, the note, notebook. This was a huge deal. This was his next movie. And he sits down. He flops

himself on the chair. And he says, so your friend, Bruce. Yeah. I understand. You want to be in the movie? Yeah. He said, Alright, you're in the movie. I said, just like that, just like that. So he sends me I don't even get a script at home. I'm waiting for the call. I'm waiting for the call. I finally got a call come and show up in this location. I showed up in location, I took a bus. I played a police officer who was taking a missing person report from

Sharon Stone. The movie was about a middle class drug dealer who was kidnapped and held ransom for his younger brother who was killed. And this is a true story about Jesse James Hollywood family grew up in the valley. And I was to play a police officer. And I get there. I take a bus, you know, you go to a parking lot. They show you over I take a bus. Nick said, Come find me when you're there. Someone checked me and he said you have to. So I get into a police uniform. I had no idea

what I was doing. They gave me a gun in the holster. Obviously a fake gun look like a real gun. They said whatever you do, don't take out the gun. And so I had no idea where to go. I was nervous, really was completely out of my mind. I said, Where's where's Nick Cassavetes? And people are looking, say, well, he's really busy right now. I said, Yeah. Well, he needed he told me to come find him. So we were shooting in a neighborhood

in the valley. And I go up and I see neck, and there's a bunch of people near him right there surrounding him. He has a directory, setting up the next scene. And I go over to him. I'm in a police uniform at this point. I've got the hat, the uniform. I have some fake name on my tag. And I said excuse me, Nick, you remember me? And he looked at me? Sorry, funny. Oh, Randy Kaplan, Bruce's friend. Yeah. So they said, Okay, here's what you're going to do. He told me at that point, what my role

was going to be. And he just yelled out, he said to me, you have a pen and piece of paper? I said, No. So he just yelled out into the air, pen piece of paper. And someone put the piece pen and piece of paper right in front of his face. And this was a neighborhood so they were pleased around to guard the scene. So he calls over one of the police officers and they said, Okay, Randy's playing a police officer, he explains that he's taking a missing person

report, what would you say? So he said, to give me your name, date of birth, social, etc, etc. So he said, Randy, write this down. I'm scribbling as fast as I can. So he said, Okay, go over into the house, you'll be there. We'll wait for you. And I go over to the house. And basically, I'm sitting in a room. There's 10 cameras, 50, boom, microphones. I'm on a couch. I'm actually on Autumn in front of the couch. And so we're there all these people on the

couch wearing name tags. I'm in there for an hour, they're doing the lighting. And I go over, and I say to this guy who looked like he was in charge. I said, Excuse me, excuse me. I said, Why don't I have a name tag? And he said, No, no, no, no, you're in the movie. And I went back and I said, Okay, I was too afraid to say, Well, what does that mean? So at some point, maybe I was there 90 minutes now they call in they said, first team. So first team and the actors came in and these people

who were the standings left. And now I understood what they were saying. And Sharon Stone sits down right next to me on the couch, and she had stone face, she was looking straight ahead did not acknowledge me at all. And I'm sitting there thinking, This is unbelievable. It's on my bucket list to be in a movie. Here I am. And I'm thinking my boys in Detroit will never believe in the million years where I am. And so I'm thinking I'm so nervous. I have not recited a single line in my

life. Sharon Stone is sitting next to me one of the biggest movie stars in the world. And she ignores me. And I'm thinking I said to her, You know what? I'm going to introduce myself. So I turned to her and I say, excuse me, Sharon. And she turns to me and I said, Hi, I'm Randy. Nice to meet you. And she nods her head and didn't even look at me. She was looking straight ahead. And Nick comes in, he said, Is everyone ready? Everyone's ready. And I was going to start the scene. So he

said action. And I knew that meant we were going to start the scene. And Sharon, you could see her start trembling. So I sort of waited. And her face. I mean, this was long delivery. She was waiting and waiting and waiting. And she said, Where's my son? And I put, excuse me, we got to go back name, date of birth, social. Next as kaak kaak kaak kaak caught? What's up? While you gotta wait for the answer, name, give me the answer, date of birth, social. And we do it

again. And at this point, she starts yelling at me, where's my son, and I'm sitting in the chair, holy shit, I start leaning back. And again, if someone yells at you, if your reaction is, you got to pause and kind of wait and the eruption was I was not really prepared for that. I didn't have a read through. I messed it up again. And Nick says, cut, cut, cut. And now Sharon's pissed at me. I'm thinking I'm gonna get tossed off the set. And finally I calmed down, and all went

well. And I did a good job. And then at some point, Nick comes over, and he whispers something to me, said, Randy. He said, forget that Sharon Stone right next to you. He said, Do you have an ability to piss people off? And if you know me, it's sort of a laughable question, because I definitely have a quality I can piss people off and he said, forget she sarin stone, I want you to go after her and I want you to piss her off be aggressive interrupter.

And so it was sort of fun. I was getting coaching for all of this. And off I went, I was aggressive with her was super fun for me, I absolutely loved it. The same went down. And the funny thing about this, this all happened, obviously, because of Bruce, I hit something on my bucket list. I got paid that day, I think $600. And I gotta tell you, I still get checks today, residual checks. And I don't want to brag, Jim, and I owe this all to you, I probably should give you a commission on

this. So here it goes. I made $1.57 last year, and I made $2.84, the year before I've gotten residual checks for four cents. So thank you, I really do owe you a commission for all of this. And it all comes from your introduction to Bruce.

him. And I wish everyone well, and I hope he's doing well. And I'm not. I'm not sure exactly what he's doing. But I know he's worked hard to try to make a comeback and carry on with his life.

these one off things. So he donated a dinner with him going to whatever hockey game that he wanted to and spending a night with somebody. I mean, how generous is that? Who does that? And I really appreciate he's just been a great friend. The I didn't want by the way for $14,000. So can you imagine being a hockey fan and bidding on that type of thing.

compliment you. One of the things I've always admired about you is since I've met you like I didn't really know you like preoccupy and then never really made. It never really never meant anything to me. Like Like, okay, you did well, you had whatever the money stuff, all that stuff that didn't really faze me what I what I admired was, I could always had a conversation with you. And you were very in tune. You weren't coming at it from a point of like, I've done this. So you

listen to me. He was very much you would you would treat everyone you know, like we would chat very respectfully. But I admire your work ethic. So so the few things that I've known you've done over the years, and I can only imagine what you did to in the Akamine days, which like I didn't know you really then pretty preoccupied To get there is I've seen what you've done with the justice ball. Because you you are a master of preparation and hard work. And whatever you do, you'll be successful. And

And I said, Of course I do. And do you remember the guy who played the police officer said, Yeah, vaguely. I mean, she didn't know where this was going. I said, Well, that was me. And that was a really fun thing for me. And so yeah, I remember you. I don't think she had a single clue. But I did get to meet her. And it was super fun. And she's a gracious, gracious person. So that was the footnote. to that. Let's get

back to the career. You had this conversation with Bruce in the office, you're talking about a long term deal with the kings. Bruce tells you, you're one of the building blocks of the future. And then August 9 1998 happens, and you're involved in one of the biggest trades in professional sports history.

It's a blockbuster trade this sense you Marty jolliness, three first round picks and $15 million in cash to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Wayne Gretzky, Martin McSorely and my crucial nisky a trade that many people believe really changed the history of the NHL. At the time, the Oilers were coming off a four Stanley Cup championships in five season and Wayne Gretzky is considered the most the greatest player of all time he had spent his whole career there. And the backlash year is

just enormous. It triggered death threats against Peter Pocklington, the owner of the K the owner of the Oilers at the time, backlash against Wayne Gretzky because his new wife, the actress, Janice Joan, people wondered Is he coming to Los Angeles for her? The trade upset so many Canadians that I think one elected official demand of the government tried to block it, Pocklington was burned in effigy great Gretzky was called the trader by a lot of his countrymen, and Janet Gretzky

was branded as the Yoko Ono. So let's go for the trend. I want to hear all about it. What happened here? Where did you find out tell us everything.

going on in this system? And he goes, I really need to talk to you. It's important. I'm like, oh, what's up? He goes, I got really good news. I think we're gonna get Wayne Gretzky in a tray. I'm like, what? Like, that's unheard. Wayne Gretzky in a trade like a you don't sell Wayne Gretzky. You don't trade Wayne Gretzky you like, he just, it is what it is. He goes, the bad news is they want you to go. I'm like, Oh, so you're saying? I was thinking I had bad news for me, but maybe not bad news

for you. So he's like, I'm doing everything I can to keep you out. But I don't know. I was like, No, you know, of course, back then there was cell phones. It was like, Oh, are you kidding me? Like no, I'm not he goes. He goes, I'll do my best to try to keep you on. So of course, I didn't think that was a very strong endorsement of your staying. But I didn't think the trade would happen. I just it I didn't. I couldn't envision that. He was going to actually pull down until three weeks

later, on August 9, at 8am. In the morning, I get a call from routes. And he goes and I can tell right away when he Hey, Bruce, what's up? It wasn't that gregarious, fun loving guy was very somber. He goes, Jimmy, I don't know how to tell you this. And I'm really, really sad, or I don't think he was sad. But sorry. He goes, but we just made a trade with the Edmonton Oilers for Wayne Gretzky, and you are you've been traded to the Edmonton Oilers. I'm like, what?

I was just shocked. And he told me on that call, he says, Don't worry. I'll try to get you back. And I thought what you know, so you know your whole persona brand of, you know, first two years in the NHL, you've grown into this thing and la King thing living in LA, creating some routes there. And now

you're just uprooted. And not just uprooted for any tre uprooted for a tree A that, like you said like there's a resolution in the Canadian Parliament to rescind the trade on national security interest. Like he's a national treasure we cannot allow this to happen. And you know, like Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw, he was leading

story everywhere. And literally what was soon as I hung up with Bruce, I don't know how they did it back then if they timed it, the moment I hung up, like within three minutes, I had people knocking on my I was at my parents house, my parents house, wanting to interview me. And I mean like lots of people, print reporters, ESPN, CNN sports, um, like talk they there was there were cars coming down the street with the big satellite dish, you know, like the trucks they. And I'm just

like dumbfounded like this. Now. It's just the media avalanche is opening up. And of course, that's minor compared to what was happening in LA because there was just 10 times when everything was going on. Wayne was flying in and this and that. So it was just a whirlwind. And I hadn't heard I didn't hear anything from the Oilers for like two more days. I'm like, I was traded. For maybe the next day. I don't know, it felt like two days. And then I got a call from Glenn say they're saying,

Hey, Jimmy, how are you? I'm sure by now you know, you've been trading. I said, Oh, yes, I'm well aware. So that they wanted, they flew me in it. But it was just a surreal feeling. Because it truly was the largest trade in the history of sports, I believe. And it did revolutionize hockey. It really created hockey on the West Coast. The expansion, the docks, San Jose, Arizona, like that

hole. It just expanded the the footprint of hockey in the United States, and the exposure just increased dramatically.

that. And that's when Wayne said that said, pull the trigger Bruce, I had heard other things that Wayne had wanted to be traded and was going to go to Vancouver and that there was a deal all set for that to happen. Maybe even the Red Wings. And then Bruce got in the mix. To be honest, I don't even know what's really true if Wayne really wanted it or he was Pocklington just trying to to you know, he was having financial issues of

himself. So people always tell me flowers, you know, all these interviews over the years, what's it feel like to have be the main player in the Wayne Gretzky trend? It's actually the main player was the sack full of $15 million. That was the main player, but it was surreal.

cup in 1988. His dad Walter told him that the Oilers were planning to deal on to another team and I think his dad had known for months about the news but kept it from Wayne and as you said, Pocklington was struggling big time and he did shot the team to Los Angeles Detroit in Vancouver and Wayne at first didn't want to go or didn't want to leave and he insisted that Marty McSorley calm and Mike Crewson iski calm and McSorely as you know, was the Enforcer don't mess with

Wayne, or you're gonna get your ass kicked by Marty. And at that point, I think Glen say they're the coach of the Oilers. He tried to stop the deal, too. And then when they found out that Gretzky was involved in the negotiations, Gretzky changed the attitude and he wanted to come to the kings.

down. And then it was a decision of like, okay, if I'm going to get traded, I'd rather go to LA. But like I said, it's all speculation, I don't know.

that what was that like? You're playing get your old team where you never want to leave and you're playing against your buddies you guys were actually the favorites and your I think leading a 1.3 to one series lead man Gretzky did his thing and they lead to a comeback and when the series four three what was what was that like that had to hurt a little bit

and this and that. So it was it was a constant drumbeat of negativity of, but we actually had a decent season then we tailed off at the end, but then we went into playoffs, you got to remember there was a lot of good players like all time great players on the Edmonton Oilers Mark Messier. Grant, you're just to see you know, Yari curry, Kevin law. I mean, we're talking

all time. Excellent. Glenn Anderson, great players. So we had played the Kings a number of times, we I think we probably led the season series against them. It was always bittersweet for me whenever we go back to LA, I'm gonna at home I was telling you about in Redondo Beach. My sister who was going to college in LA, she took it over she, she was going to college living there. She invited a college roommate to live in there with her who turned ended up becoming my

wife. I would like, just show up to this beautiful house. I'd spent like two nights in, I would sleep there. And I said to my sister, I said, Okay, I just want the house when I come into play the Kings, which was like, you know, four days a year, and then we play him in the playoffs. So it's always very bittersweet. You knew all these friends and people but you're out of you're out of the loop. It was a different team, a different Jersey color different. He was, you know, the

Gretzky show. And we were up three, one. And then the big story was Bruce McDonnell brought Ronald Reagan in to the locker room, and he gave them a win one for the Gipper speech. I don't know if you ever knew this, this sort of thing. Okay, so this is game, game five. So we're up three, one, game five at the forum and win one for the Gipper and they come on beat us. So now we go back to Edmonton.

And I remember that we were all laughing hysterically as the Oilers Pierre Pocklington tried to one up I don't know one up but he tried to like he felt pressure to do something because Bruce brought in Ronald Reagan. He brought in I forgot his name up the mascot for the Montreal

Expos. We were on the locker room like right before we're gonna go on the ice and here comes this mascot from the Montreal Expos comes in and he was like laughing and we were all looking ourselves like what is this certain as we lose a close game game six and then we went hit and they brought in Reagan again. When when for the Gipper and they beat us and

seven. So it was like a you know, it was one of those made for Hollywood moments where the Kings went and seven against the team that Gretzky came from.

It was actually a very nice city and the people I still have very good friends from Edmonton that I talk to on a regular basis. Edmonton was a nice city, but it was just so much smaller than I was used to. It was like a small suburb almost of what's a, like a big city and take that city and morning. Every conversation is about hockey. Every conversation is about weighing, and four cups and five years. And, wow, we're in third place. And I was the symbol because I was the only American on the

team. And the player traded. The main player traded for Wayne. So I just it was it was a very difficult situation. The players are great. Like I said, some of the greatest players in the history of NHL, but Wayne was a friend. They grew up with them. They want cops together. They came in the league together. We're in each other's weddings, and I was a newcomer and it was just it was tough on all fronts.

was amazing. The our practices were 3538 minutes, we just went, there were the best practices I ever had the most intense the players were amazing like, it was a great hockey atmosphere. The Asterix and all this is the Gretzky trade like You're right. I'm not Gretzky, and I scored 49. But Gretzky scored 92. It was just, we're on a four game winning streak. We won four cups in five years with Wayne. It was a very difficult paradigm in that paradigm. But it was a very

difficult position to be in. And I try not to make excuses and just, you know, as hockey players, you just tried to play the next game. And that's it. But it was just kind of annoying in pain to always be, you know, have that that negativity, unless we won the cup. It was going to be a disappointment.

other is but is there. We're just kind of like being lazy and putting our foot there waiting for a guy to come in and jumping over. And there's a minute to go last exhibition game. Well, we just happen to both jump at the exact same time. And as we're doing that our feet got tangled and my leg, my knee kind of came underneath. So I'm coming with a leg underneath from the top of the boards and I land right on

my leg like this. And I tore my PCL posterior cruciate ligament, which is very common in car accidents when your knee is bent and you get slammed and very common for like NFL lineman, like the ACL is the more common one. Everyone knows what an ACL was, you know, the basketball player on the soccer player it gets extended or the PCL is this way. NFL lineman. So that was the injury I just remember thinking. Are you kidding me like a minute to go on this useless exhibition game and you

get a pretty serious injury. So you were out for a while? Yeah, I was out for about a month or so. But that was kind of the time when I got traded into the Redwings. I asked for the tray.

you in the draft. And as fate would happen, these players then helped Edmonton win the Stanley Cup, the final season, their fifth in seven years. At this point did you care you're home and you're with your family and you're with the team I assume you always wanted to play for I love

emerged. But this was kind of the building blocks of that. I was there when Sergei federoff got there. Obviously Steve Eisman was was the linchpin, Nick Lindstrom, I assisted on his first NHL goal. So literally, I saw these guys come in like major players. So yeah, I mean, the train happened and the Oilers won the cup. Was I upset know what I'd love to have been there and win a cup. Absolutely. But sports a sport so you like you move on? Like what can you do?

up. And then, of course they created years later they created a nice little red wing dynasty. But yeah, so I get a, I get a call. So I become, I don't know, friends is the right word. But I became pretty close to Mike Ilitch, the owner of the Red Wings. And a quick little side story from Mr. Elledge. He told me many years later, he bought the Detroit Tigers as well. He told me I want to tell you

something. I said, What's that Mr. I everyone called him Mr. I, and you want to talk about how Bruce was beloved by his players. So as Mr. Ela he was the love that every all the players loved him. He was very good to his players. So he told me, he says, you know, now you gotta understand. He grew up in Detroit, and he is Macedonian which is very close to Greece, Macedonia and Greece. And we're both Orthodox, I'm a Greek orthodoxies, Macedonian

Orthodox. And he came in one day he goes, You know, I learned many years later that we share the same birthday. And I'm like, we do, he goes July 20. He goes, of course, you're a lot younger than me. He goes, if I had opened that program at that draft table, and I had seen that we shared the same birthday, and that you are a local hometown kid, and you are an orthodox. So he told me, he goes, I would overruled my scouts and picked

you right on the spot. So I thought that was a funny anecdote from a from an NHL owner. He was a tremendous owner, but he pulls me in one day. I remember he's kind of like the Bruce calling me in the middle of July to tell me that you may get traded. So Mr. Lynch calls me up. He goes, Hey, can you meet me down at Tiger Stadium? I had just bought the title see on the Red Wings of the Tigers. Like, oh, wow,

that's interesting. And he pulls me in and we go to a sweet old Tiger Stadium and we're in there and he, he we're chit chatting, and he just kind of asked me he goes, he says to me, do you would you want to be traded? I'm like, No, I love playing here in Detroit. He goes, Well, you're not getting as much ice as you're used to. But he says, you know, he says, But I gotta tell you, Bruce's just lighten me up

every month. He's like, keeps asking me, Hey, do you ever want to trade person I'm, I'm here, you know, whatever, whatever. I had not really thought about it. Because it's like, three, four years after Bruce had said, I'm going to try to get you back. So I said, Well, I said, I really don't want to be traded. But if I had to be traded, I said la would be fine. And he he's sure about that. I said, Yeah, so that'd be you know, he says, I'll be going somewhere where I

think I'd be on it. And three, four months later, he calls me up. Mr. elige calls me up and says, Okay, we're training you. He says to LA, I remember our conversation this summer. And I'm like, yeah, he says, okay, he said, he says, you know, it's just a trade that, I think a workout. Good for both sides. So that so yeah, so I go back to LA. And if you remember, that

was the first real run. The kings had, we went to the Stanley Cup Finals, and we lost a Montreal and the city just exploded in intensity in Kings mania and hockey, mania, Stanley Cup mania. It was insane, in a good way. And it was we were all looking interesting. Wow, what? LA is a hockey town.

kind of a fairy tale run. And then we got to Montreal, we win the first game. And then we lost the next four games and over three games in overtime. And then we won the first one, we lost three in overtime. Then we lost the last one in Montreal. And to this day, that's the last cup that's been one in Canada, because they're all the Canadians always complain we ever want a cup in Canada forever. And that was it. It was 1993.

people nipping at your heels. So once I went from the kings and then Vancouver, I was there for a brief spat, and then Hartford which ended up being the Carolina Hurricanes, which kind of a roundabout for me was Peter Karmanos the owner that I told you about in my, my amateur days. So yeah, I played for three very unique owners that I knew personally and Bruce McDowell, Mike Ilitch and Peter

Karmanos. But I knew at that point after Hartford, I went and played in Europe, in Lausanne, Switzerland, which was a tremendous experience. And you knew like your NHL career was on empty. And the question was, some people just, they're willing to go to the minors and they're willing to, you know, try to bounce back and carrying on and I went to so in Detroit at the time, the Vipers were an IHL. Team, they were getting a lot of people kind of the tail end of their career. So for me,

that was just a lot of fun. And we played good intense hockey, and we actually want to championship in the in the AHL, and we were getting, it's where the pistons played. And they, they just recently knocked the stadium down, which was amazing, because the stadium still looked like it was brand new, but they moved to Little Caesars arena downtown. So we were getting 10,000 fans a game, but you almost felt like it was a mini

NHL team. But you weren't playing with the, at least I wasn't with the hope of okay, if I play well, I'm gonna get back to the NHL, it truly was playing for fun, enjoying yourself getting an extra couple years of competitive hockey, and using it as a bridge to get to your next at least for me to my next kind of career.

club and in the locker room. So you are really and part of it, I assume was the family upbringing as well. A lot of professional athletes go bankrupt shortly after we've all read shortly after they're done playing. We all know the statistics we've

heard about them. When did all that start, I read somewhere that you earned a certification to be a financial wrap things six years before you were done playing talk to me about planning for the future, knowing you wanted to have a second career and being ready for when it actually happened.

Listen, this is going to end. It doesn't matter if you're Gordie Howe or Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby or Luke ribotype, your career is going to end. And it could be a one year career, a 10 year career or a 20 year career at some point that's going to end and what are you going to do? What do you want to do? So and it's not just a money issue.

I know a lot of former players who have done well financially and they maintain, you know, certain standard of living, but they feel like they're not really contributing to society or contributing citizen, whatever, whatever they they're feeling. They just they feel like okay, what am I going to do today? What's my purpose? So I thought it was important to start planning a little bit while I was playing in the offseason. So I really liked

financial markets. I really like learning about business I like I like in entrepreneurship, etc. So I just started getting various licenses in the offseason, which evolved to a series seven, and you know, in the insurance world and estate planning and in the investment world and then securities world and I just started kind of knocking those out in the summertime and then I actually started kind of doing a tailor made internship with some financial companies in the

offseason, just to kind of learn the ropes, because I knew someday when I was done, that I thought that would be a good, a good route for me. You're interfacing with people. Some of the experiences you may be discussing or experiences you've been through as a you know, being an athlete, people were coming Do you say and you should do this, you should invest, you should, whatever. And I just

went down that path. And, you know, it's 25 Years Later I've been, you know, it's been a excellent run and very fulfilling and been successful at it. And I love helping people

and love being involved. It's kind of the one thing about pro sports you miss is the camaraderie of being in the locker room and being part of something out here, you're still part of something, but you're, you're helping families, and you're helping some entrepreneurs that fulfill certain financial goals, and you're part of their team in some respects. So yeah, it's been a great, great ride, and I

enjoy it. And the thing that it's given me is the flexibility to control my time, so that when my kids were growing up and had sporting events and other activities, I, I attended 97% of them, 98% of them because I could control my schedule. And to me, that was the most important while still making a woman. I mean, I don't want to say for sure, it was unusual. I'm sure there must have been a few other people that did it. But to me,

it was just very important. I just took the approach and the offseason, yes, you trained, you got ready, but I didn't go golf, I started. And it was just kind of the way I was wired. And I don't think that's better than anyone else. Or just, that's just the that was the good right route for me to move on. Because I didn't want to have happen.

And even though most of this discussion today has been hockey related, I remember telling my wife and other people close to me, I don't want to spend the rest of my life looking back. I'm proud of looking back and I have some interesting stories and unique experiences. But I want to be as excited about the future. And, you know, I knew people who I like and respect but everything they talked about was back in 82, in Buffalo, or back in 84. In Boston, we had this guy and that's all fun and

nice and good. But I wanted to be more interested in developing new experiences and memories.

We haven't I know we've talked about hockey, but I want to talk about your career and your future and some of the things you've done before this, but I do want to say that, obviously, sports fans want to meet with people who played especially people who are great players like you. I remember getting a phone call one day from Mike Dunn Levy, who had been the coach of the Lakers and the Portland Trailblazers, I think he was the NBA Coach of the Year

1988 or 1989. And he wanted to come in and talk about he was working at a financial firm he was trying to sell me in an insurance policy. And I thought it was very effective to do that. We've seen a lot of professional athletes now. Do the same thing. And I think it's easy entry point to do. But I think you have to know your stuff when you go in and have the meeting. And I remember when I met with you the first time we were talking about AI I want to

test you a little bit. I had a career in finance and I had a lot of background in that and the thing that impressed me is you clearly knew your stuff cold you are articulate, you're well spoken, and you had a lot of substance to you. And I think that's, I'm sure, that's one of the reasons why you've done extraordinarily well, in your career.

whatever it was. So I started studying and getting various designations and, and really learning so that of course, I won't have all the answers. But if I'm going to be part of someone's team, I want to be able to be a contributing member of the team, not get the meeting, and then always bringing other people in kind of a middle middleman Rainmaker.

And that's how I just always fashion myself is like, I'm gonna really study and learn the ins and outs of a particular subject so that I can speak intelligently knowledgeably, and when I may not know everything, not try to be asked my way through it, and say, I'll get the answer or perhaps need to bring someone in. But so that was just kind of my, my approach to it all.

players. And that's what I was saying earlier, I wanted to know that if I'm in a room with David, or any of his partners, and we're discussing something pertaining to one of their clients, that I know what I'm talking.

distributing wealth. So it's usually going to be with individual families, higher net worth or but I deal with all types of people, I have a group of maybe one to three other people that kind of work for and with me, and we get a lot of referrals, I have my network of people and we get referrals from

various places. And that's pretty much my day is dealing with people and reviewing portfolios or talking to someone about you know, they need a Buy Sell agreement, because they have this company that is

valuable. And if something happens to one of the partners, they want to make sure that their families are protected, etc, etc. So that's just kind of a general thing, you know, that is day to day, you know, when you're dealing with people's wealth and people's financial matters, other than health, probably wealth is the second is you have to act very ethically you have to act very, he can't be an afterthought. You have to be very precise and very meticulous and out you have to

be prepared. That's the way I approach it. And the good thing is the vast majority of my interactions of course COVID is exacerbated this this is on the phone or Zoom these days and whatever. We still do some in face meetings and I'm think that'll pick up once the vaccines and everything else is more universal. But once again, I can control my time. A lot of you know most days so that I can do this with you. I can plan and but trust me when we're done here, I'm gotta get done.

signed huge contracts. And athletes today are getting smarter about their future they're saving more think the league's today have financial advisors that they set you up with coming into the league. And I think it's, it's a different thing today than it was back then.

much on your own back then. I'm not totally versed on what's going on now. But I think you're right, it's a lot, you have a lot better chance of being able to be introduced to someone who can help you.

a team in the league. And he surprisingly knew nobody in the hockey world but I had a few friends there. I had you who was retired i LUKE robot tie who's an amazing guy, incredible guy who had met through you and he had retired a year or two before. And I was also friends with Tim lie wiki who was my neighbor, and at that time was

the CEO of the kings. And through you I also met this guy named boots, Dale Biagio, who was a venture capitalist in San Francisco, he owned 10% of the San Jose Sharks at the time, but he wanted to be the main owner of a team and he wanted to run it. So I put this lunch together. And you come out for this and we're all sitting there and why don't you take it from there?

Pennsylvania. And they were giving three license I don't two or three licenses and boots thought that he would have the best in to buy the penguins from Mario, who at the time wanted out because he had all this money from deferred comp. I think the penguins had gone bankrupt. He was a large creditor. He you know, and for the longest time the NHL was kind of not flatlining, but was just kind of muddling along. And I think Mario, what just wanted

out. And Luke new Mario boots new Mario I think I don't know how boots met Mario, but they were really close. And Bucha was going to buy the penguins. But he needed a casino operator, the casino guy. And when Luke was in Detroit, I had introduced them to a really good friend of mine and client at the time, who was pretty much the guy responsible for casino gaming in Michigan, like a major player. And I said, Oh, I can call my friend. So literally boots calls me Luke

says hey, penguins boots. And the next day I got a call from boots. He's on a plane what I think is on playing the next day, Memorial Day of 2004 I think I don't know. And so this is a few years before what you're gonna reference. And they spent a year negotiating to buy the Pittsburgh payments. The guy I introduced to boots, and they were like right at the finish line. I think they had basically got a deal done, except the penguins selected Sidney Crosby first overall, and then the deal

was off. So and then the rest is history. The penguins in the NHL skyrocket it up. So boots got shut out of the penguins and was still hungry for an NHL team.

pretty cool for me. I mean, you're helping arrange a school lunch, and you're a hockey fan, you're putting this whole thing.

years. And I was blunt with them. I said, in return for the favor of me introducing you to your partners in order to buy the predators. I would like you to donate $10,000 to a charity of my choice. I never had asked you for a commission on this deal. I was happy for you. But now I want you to do something for me. And not only didn't he do it, he basically yelled at me for putting him in an investment

that didn't go well. Okay. With respect to boots, the footnote there for the listeners and viewers who don't know boots, dial Biagio went to prison for fraud. He was sentenced to eight years and he did something very similar that Bruce Bucknell did. So unfortunately, that didn't work out. And as another footnote to the kings, the owners that bought the kings from Bruce, they also went to prison years later for fraud. So this weird set of circumstances, bunch of people on teams went to prison.

well. I'm assuming he's no longer in prison, and I hope he's doing well and gotten back on his feet.

career in my own life. I think it's really important to be there for your friends, even people who you don't know, well. These people are down on their luck. They're depressed. I know several people who have gone to prison and irate sent boots a note I heard he was going to jail and I had a cell number. So I said to him, says something like, Hey, Boots is Randy, I want to give you some

encouragement. And I wish you a lot of luck and I'm here if you ever want to talk and I've done that to numerous friends as well. And it's funny, there's very few people who are there for you when things are down everyone loves a winner. But when things and there's no one there your friend group It's very, very fun. So I think it's important to give people encouragement, people make mistakes. These people didn't kill anybody. They had serious mistakes and judgment.

But I also wanted to do it within the overall picture of when I was playing hockey, that's going to be short, you're moving to a new career, you need to plan. So you can do both, in my opinion.

sons. The two sons were similar an age that they had to, they had one pair of shoes, and they had to switch off days that they were wearing shoes, and that she would say that there would only be enough food forever, like the family and she may get a bite or two a bread. But she said that was okay. And you would hear like and she would say these stories so nondescript me like that was just kind of a normal thing. And you could see the pain in her eyes of like, remembering some of and I used

to I was one of those. I was just like, I actually learned how to speak Greek because of that. She didn't speak English. So I would like quiz her. So I that was a role model to me to think wow, that, like any problems that we think we might have, you know, like a deal didn't go well or you get traded or your you didn't score, you got benched or whatever it is. You just think like is that really even in the same ballpark of what someone like that went

through? I had a couple teachers we mentioned rial, Charcot coaches earlier on, he was a mentor. Of course, I'd say my dad was a huge mentor.

that for a minute. What it's like being a father to you. You're incredibly devoted. I know and tell me about your family for a minute.

basketball player. He played four years of division three, college basketball. My son John, as a senior who you chatted with recently. He's a senior at University of Michigan. He's Biomolecular Science I looked at his his book one like get a headache just opening the book up. But he's very science might science kind of bright you know, loves anything in the science. We're all these very is a

beautiful kid. He was a great soccer player yet offers to play college soccer, but he very athletic, but he, his dream was to go to University of Michigan and study. So besides Adams, some in a frat life, pre COVID. That's, that's what he's been doing. They are and then my son, Andrew, who's 20 going to be 21 in June. He's an excellent pitcher. He's going to be pitching for Michigan State Division One, starting next

September. He's very athletic. And his dream was to get drafted, and potentially play major league baseball in Major League Baseball. He's working very hard there. And then last but not least, is our daughter Mia. She's a sophomore and very athletic, she plays soccer and basketball. And it's funny yesterday, she was she was talking to me about a play and, and she said, I accidentally, like ran this kid over. I think I heard her. She's very physically she just loves

playing. I always laugh. I said, I played many years in NHL, I don't think I had more than two checks. And you're like knocking people around. But yeah, she's very athletic, and a great kid. So very blessed. It's an honor of a lifetime to be there, their dad and put you know, Paul as a wife, and to see these kids grow,

motivated for their future. They want to know what made people successful. So I want to ask you, what are the three to five most important ingredients of success in your view?

revolves around. So in the way I was raised the way I believe, I believe that our purpose on life in this life is for something bigger. So to try to do good things help other people. And as you said earlier, be there for someone who may be down and to try to be as successful as you can not only for the joys of success, but also to try to be better in this world or helping the charities or institutions you believe in or other people. So faith with that, that bigger picture, then I believe, second

for me would be family. So you got your faith, you got family. What does that mean? Well, we all have families, but for me to want to be successful. I'm doing it. There's people I love, and there's people that are are counting on me, and that I'm trying to do the best I can to. And it's not just the money thing. It's not just trying to be able to buy them a car or send them to a good school is to show a good work ethic to show what being a good citizen is.

And when you mess up. Fessel mess up, fess up and try to be better. No one's perfect. And then that dovetails into work ethic. So faith family, work ethic, if you I don't care what it is, you want to be a yoga teacher. Or if you want to be an investment banker, or you want to be an actor or you want to be pro athlete, it all requires work ethic, and you have to go that extra mile to be prepared to be knowledgeable, to expand your knowledge. Keep your knowledge, put in the grunt

work. Just because you achieve a certain level doesn't mean you're, you know you're some superstar and you can't you can't do the things that got you there anymore. So that's the way I kind of kind of you work ethic you And then I think there's a sense of, of just being thankful that be thankful for what, what you've accomplished and where you're at and not be jealous of someone who has more than you or someone's supposedly doing better or whatever, be happy for

them. You know, back to my, my four foot 10 Grandma from Greece who hit who escaped with seven kids during the World War Two, she used to tell me, the more you give with your heart without an agenda, the more you'll receive and doesn't mean you're gonna receive a big deal or

money or whatever. But you're going to receive blessings, you're going to receive good wishes you're going to receive, you're just going to have a good sense of being about yourself that if you're helping people to the best of your ability, it may not even be something huge. It may be like someone's not doing well just pick up the phone and encourage them to haggle. Talk to him. And then sometimes there

are bigger things. Those are kind of the tenants in my life that I tried to try to live by and go from there.

ethic. Learn from your mistakes, try not to duplicate your mistakes, humility, be humble, etc, I think would be, I don't know, I just visualize that as network and learn.

charitable endeavors. And I think especially your mentorship programs, I know a little bit about what you've been doing with young college kids and trying to help them on their path and you have a lot of life experiences that you've lived and you're very meticulous about the way you like to do things. And I know that your knowledge being imparted in these kids and others has made a big difference. So appreciate our friendship. Appreciate the time to be on this podcast. I wish

you a lot of success. And I'm sure I'll be a regular listener with your other guests. And thank you so much for the opportunity.