Wait, is this Marky Mark in the Funky Bunch? Is that who this is? That is? Uh, that's fact for you. Oh man, I wonder how many of our listeners know that Mark Wahlberg, once upon a time was like a rapper and an underwear model at that before he became like a famous movie song multi talented. Well sure you know, and his brother Donnie Wahlberg one of the founding members of New Kids on the Block. Yeah, I did not
choose this bump. Porter did not choose this bump. But our next guest is and I'm excited for this because he's going to be a consistent guest on this radio show from the Utah Mammoth. Do not call the Utah Hockey Club spicy tune of himself, Liam O'Brien on a Monday, Liam, Happy Monday, Man, how are you doing?
I would do it great? You know that song? Like I've always said, there's some teams they have guys, they have their like, do you have to pick their goal song? That would be my goal song.
So I gotta say, man, that rules. I told Porter, because we have like a fun thing on the show. I like to let my guest pick what I call the walk Up song or the Gold Song to gotta get them in the right mindset. So I said, let's ask our guy what he wants. I got to know that you could have given me a million guesses, I would not have landed on Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Is this always been a passion of yours? Is it a recent passion? Like? What's the origin story here?
And it's just bringing good vibrations?
Okay, all right?
Bringing good vibrations?
Well, and that's It's just a song I.
Listened to a lot when I was playing junior, So it kind of brings me back to my junior days driving around in my ninety four ninety four Chevy or whatever it was. Oh yeah, I was driving piece of junk. But yeah, it just brings me back to those days.
Well, you're kind of like a good vibrations guy, right, You're kind of like the good vibes guy. I mean, you were the first kind of player to capture the hearts and minds of this community as a result of that introductory press conference when you took the mic and everybody was chanting spicy tuna. Have you always been this type of personality, like even way back when you were a kid.
No, you know, it's funny. I did an interview not too long ago. My parents jumped on and they were talking about me, and I was always actually kind of a shy kid. But I left home at an early age. I left home when I was fourteen years old and I went away to prep school, and I think I just evolved and changed, and I think became more comfortable socializing and in social you know, environments and things like that.
So yeah, it's kind of just evolved. And I've become sort of that guy even in the room, and I just enjoy the game so much and I find, you know, I'm just going to the rink and being myself. So I just like having a good time.
Love it, love it. So one of the things I wanted to do today, since you're going to be a consistent guest on the show, was just allowed my audience to get to know you on a way that maybe they hadn't prior to. So take take me back, Liam, When were the first gates given to you? When was the first experience on ice? When did you know that this is what you wanted to do with your life.
Yeah, I think it was probably when I was playing street hockey. It's my grandmother, you know, shooting balls down the drain. That's when I think I decided, Okay, let's be a hockey player. You know, my mom would take me to the to the rink and you know, they bought me skates and I'd have to skate with the figure skaters. Right, I cried, go, this isn't hockey, Like, this isn't hockey, This isn't what, This isn't what I
signed up for, mom. So that those are the day you know when I think I you know, I fall in love with the sport and just continue to fall in love with the sport. Did you know the team aspect of it, the environment of it, you know, the feeling of the cold rink, and just fell completely in love with the game. And I'm still in love with it. So it's uh, you know, it's a special sport. It's great to have it in Utah.
It is, for sure, and for your frame of reference. And we did discuss this when I was able to catch up with you and your agent and connect that way. I'm I'm a Northeast boy and you're a Halifax Nova Scotia kid. So I grew up in this hockey hotbed. I've been in Utah for basically twenty five straight years now, so it's very much home and I very much love
it here. My family's still back east, so you know, for our listeners out here that are still kind of getting used to the sport, and it's been so fun to have NHL hockey hearing you guys here help help us all understand just what hockey means to where you grew up and just how intertwined it is in the tapestry that is your region, where where you grew up, just how important hockey is to everybody.
Yeah, I mean where I'm from, we don't we don't have an NHL team. So the team for us growing up was the Halifax Mooseheads. That's you know, that's the that's the junior team in the city that I'm from, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and that's that's Those are the guys that I grew up watching, you know, those are the guys
that I idolized. And then you know, we obviously have we have some you know, pretty good little talent pool of Brad Marshawn, Sydney Crosby, and Nathan McKinnon, who are all from from that area as well, and have kind of paved the way and and helps you know, uh, you know, shine light on on the area and and uh you know Scouts of Scouts has started to show up a little bit more. So. Yeah, it's like hockey in Canada is it's like religion, you know, well, like
you know, baseball or football in the US. It's it's everybody you know spends their weekends at the rank. You know, all four I have three siblings, all four of us grew up playing hockey. And you know my parents, you know, we weren't going to Mexico. We were going to monked In, New Brunswick because you know, I had a tournament in my in in Monkedon and then you know my dad and he might have been in Cape Breton or something,
you know, so with my brothers. So yeah, it's just it's just the way, just the way it is, just the way it is back home.
Yes, it is all right. Let me follow up with this question. You gave us kind of the origin story of when you were given your first pair of skates and when you kind of started to get interested in the sport. When did you know, like, hey, I'm pretty good at this like, when did you know you belonged and when did you know you could excel and get the idea that maybe you could be a professional.
Yeah. I mean I was always good when I was playing in Halifax. I think kind of the moment where I thought, okay, like I'm a pretty good player was when I I left. We left Halifax, we moved to Toronto for a few years. My dad got a job in Toronto and Toronto's you know, big city, big minor hockey league, the GHL, and I was able to go there and try out for a team. And then I tried out for the team and I did really well.
I played really well, And that's I think that's kind of the moment where I was like, oh, wow, okay, I am actually pretty good, and let's keep pushing, you know I could, Let's keep pushing and let's keep chasing the stream.
Did you have a hockey hero? Did you have a hockey idol? Excuse me? Did you have a player looked up to and wanted to emulate when you were a youngster going through the REGs?
Yeah, you know, my favorite player I used to wear number sixty one. My favorite player growing up was Rick Nash he was just a big power for it, had good hands, skilled, protected the puck really well, and so that was someone I always I always really enjoyed watching. And then another guy who I think I play, you know, similar to, would be Scott Hartnell. You know, he was like one of those guys. He played hard, he was you know, pissing people off, he'd fight, he'd kind of
do everything. So those are the two guys that I looked up to the most. Plus Scott he had good hair and he had a good beard, so you know, those are those are two guys that looked up to. So yeah, it was always fun, you know, watching watching those guys play. You know, people would ask me, you know, who's your favorite team? And my favorite team was the Columbus Blue Jackets because you know, they had Rick Nash and then they had a guy named Jody Shelley. He
was a fighter and he was from Nova Scotia. So yeah, it was a big Blue Jackets fan fan. Nobody understood that, but yeah, it was. You know, it was it was fun watching them play.
So as a result of the players you looked up to, it makes sense that your role with the Utah Mammoth and kind of your career has been defined by being a bit of a scrapper. Do you remember your first fight? Do you remember when you first hit somebody? Do you remember when you first got hit real good?
Yeah? I grew up always being like a physical presence within the game, whether it was when there was fighting or when there was just you know, checking was just starting. I remember a good friend of mine, he was a smaller player on our team, and we were playing against this team. They're from Sackville, and Sackville was kind of notoriously one of those teams that was tough. The kids that come from that area are just they're just bread,
pretty tough. And they had this big kid that would run around and I remember, you know, I was a year younger than him, but I was like, you know what, I'm going to take a couple of runs, healthy runs at this guy tonight because I know he's going to try to hurt my teammates. So yeah, I remember that really well. I would say my first fight. My first fight was when I was sixteen. I was in pre season. It was I remember, I didn't grab the jersey. I
fought this guy. He kind of had long hair like me, and I ended up screwing up, and I ended up having a hold of his hair and I was kind of just pulling him with his hair and punching him. I didn't really know what I was doing, to be honest, I probably wasn't read ready to fight, but I got it out of the way, and you know, my teammates gave me the taps and they're proud of me, and it felt good. As a sixteen year old kid, you know,
you're playing with eighteen, nineteen, twenty year old guys. You know you want to earn their respect, and it felt good to kind of earn their respect in that moment.
So, Liam, you're you're a big guy, but you're not like Bob Probert big. You know, do you ever feel like there's like ty Domy wasn't a big dude, so you don't have to be like six three, six' four. Whatever do you ever feel feel intimidated when you look across the way and another enforcer who might have some size on yous dropping the gloves because he knows you're the guy that's ready to THROW i, mean, what what what are the thoughts that go through you in that?
Moment, yeah you, Know i'd be lying IF i IF i, said you, KNOW i never have any, fear but most of the, time LIKE i, Think i've done it so many times now that there's nobody in the league that really scares. Me you, KNOW i don't really care how big you. Are you, Know i'm more than willing to fight. You i'm normally WHEN i, Fight i'm normally the smaller
guy in the. Fight most of the time that there's maybe the odd fight Where i'm bigger than the guy That i'm, fighting but it's it's very rare just Because i'm not. Tall I'm i'm you, Know i'm strong, physically But i'm not like a tall, guy Don't i'm not going to have that that you, know length. Advantage so you, KNOW i have to fight a certain, way a certain. Style you. Know SOMETIMES i have to take a punch to give a, punch And i'm more than willing to do.
That but, yeah i'd be lying if there isn't. Fear sometimes there's obviously. Fear BUT i think AS i get older and the MORE i do, it it definitely gets it gets, Easier i'd.
Say, So you've referenced your mother a couple of, times And i'm a self proclaimed un a shamed mom's boy. Myself do you get a call from mom after watching a game where you're squared up with, somebody it might be a little. BIT i, mean how does it ran with mom that you're always scrapping with these other.
Guys, well WHEN i, said WHEN i first started fighting a, lot because in, JUNIOR i didn't fight too too. Much i'd, fight BUT i didn't fight too too. Much but WHEN i started fighting a, lot my, mom uh, know she'd be throwing plates in the. Kitchen you, know she doesn't love, it, RIGHT i don't think any mother loves to to watch her on in a. Fight but you, know it's the same thing with my. Wife they're just they're used to,
it and they support. Me they know that i'm you, KNOW i know What i'm doing AND i know how to protect myself and they understand. That you, know it's my job and you, KNOW i take it seriously AND i, UH i put work into. It and whether it's working with you, know MM a coaches or you, know just working on things on the ice on, skates you, KNOW i put time into. It it's it's a skill and it's something THAT i continue to grow in my game AND i continue to work.
At so you reference your wife and you guys welcome your first child. Recently DID i read that as, Well?
Dian, Yeah, yeah her Name's leilani and she's, uh she's woned a, bit she's, yeah she's what thirteen, Months, yeah thirteen. Months and it's been the best thing. Ever you, KNOW i don't think you know, obviously you, know playing hockey is it's you, know it's it's a, love but she's just it's a different kind of, love and it's it's been so much fun having her around the rink at games and warm, ups you, know even you, know just
wearing a little. Jersey. Uh, yeah it's been it's just been such a good experience and you take such a great place to raise a, family and so we're loving.
It how did you meet your? Bride is It? Adela it is that your wife's?
Name, Yeah so my, wife she's From, chech she's From Czech. Republic SO i HAD i had a TEAMMATE i played with and we were in the, minors and he invited me over to check to see Because i'd never been. There he invited me To. Prague SO i went over To prague and we were just at dinner and this group of girls that was friends with his girlfriend at the time walked by and they stopped to talk and, ANYWAYS i was, Like, hey tell those girls like to come hang out later a guy, game and hung out,
later and next thing you, KNOW i met my. Wife so, yeah just. UH i definitely wasn't THINKING i was going to meet my wife on that, trip BUT i. Did and you, know she's. Uh she's my biggest, fan my biggest, supporter AND i don't Think i'd be WHERE i am without, her definitely. Not so, yeah IT'S i was lucky to be in the right spot at the right. Time put it that.
Way that's awesome AND i love the. Courage, Okay AS i always tell my, friends the worst thing you can hear is, know so just at least go out and try to talk and try to approach and see what happens. There but, LOOK i don't know you. PERSONALLY i hope to meet you in person and maybe have you in
studio at some. Point BUT i will tell you that one of my best friends from high, school a guy Named Eric, lynde was Not lynn ros not that, famous but he was drafted by The penguins and spent a number of years in the, minors and as he made his way through his hockey, journey he would oftentimes invite us out with his hockey. Teammates and you gotta be careful if you're gonna go out with hockey. Players, okay
like some of you guys can really get after. It SO i wonder if there's anything here at, all like Meeting adela and Having, leilani has it changed your coach off the? Ice are you a little bit more careful about going to the clubs or the bars or. Whatever has it has it kind of colored your perspective on how you just kind of, live if that makes.
Sense, yeah for. SURE i think WHERE i come from In, halifact there's a big drinking, culture you, Know And i'm from The, maritimes and when you're from The, maritimes it comes with a bit of a. Reputation but you, know you just the game is so fast, now it's it's completely, changed and guys are are much more, disciplined you. Know AND i think you, know you hear a lot of these stories about the guys back in the day and
the partying and everything like. That it's it's not it's not what it was, then there's not even what it was maybe even ten years. Ago you just don't have you just. Can't you can't play it at the level that we're at in that. State so, yeah, NO I i. Don't it's been a while, since you. KNOW I i like to have a good time And i'll go out and we we we pick our. Spots but it's definitely different than it was in the old. Days like the old, days the boys would hit.
Harder oh, man i watched That Bob proper. Documentary i'm, like, dude how are you playing? Hockey like after after those nights?
Out LIKE i read that book And i'm, Like i'm READING i read the book And i'm, like, Wow LIKE i don't know how he did what he. Did i'm not, sure like and and it's it's almost impressive almost like holy, crap, Man, like, uh that's that's impressive that you were able to put up the numbers he, did you, know fight the guys he. Did, yeah, yeah it was a different time for a different.
Time, okay who's the one guy on the Team when you guys go out on the, Road you're, like, dude we got to make sure he. Chills who's the guy the team that likes to get after.
IT i don't, know we don't really have many, GUYS i, mean. Everybody we have such a young. Team all the guys are pretty pretty good that. Way they're all like dialed in. Good it's it's it's really not it's just really not like it, was you, know and yeah and, yeah so, yeah.
Okay let me ask you about your relationship with the coach that we Call Coach Bear Coach. TORNY i was reading that you, GUYS i did not know this UNTIL i was preparing to do the interviews with. You that you've known Coach tourney since twenty, ten twenty. Eleven is that? Correct and tell us about that relationship as far as the trust you guys have.
Together, yeah there's there was my coach in. Junior so he picked me up off of off of a trade WHEN i was. Seventeen he was THE gm and coach Of Ruined, randa and it was probably one of the best things for. Me you, KNOW i was, GONNA i was in a spot WHERE i kind of needed TO i needed to, change and it was the perfect change for. Me so he was he was a great coach, then and you know he's still a great. Coach now he's been he's been. Great it's been great being able, to you, know,
uh play for him the last few. Years he's always been able to kind of get the most out of. Me and you, know he's just he's an easy guy to play. For you want to you want to run through a wall for, him loves his, players treats everybody with. Respect and, YEAH i don't have enough good things to say about all.
Right and BEFORE i say, You, louise appreciate your. Time excited to continue to get to know you a little bit for Our Utah mammoth fan. Listeners your, thought the way you guys performed a year, ago and what you think you can be coming up this year with of course a bevy off season. ADDITIONS i like the guys we brought.
In you, KNOW i played with With Nate schmidt in the in the, MINERS i played with him In, hershey and he was not only like an unbelievable, skater but he just GOT i, think really good hockey I. Q and he's also a great guy in the. ROOM i think the fans are gonna love this. Guy he's got a ton of. Energy and WHEN i say a ton of, energy LIKE i mean a ton of, energy and he's just a really, good really good. Dude and then, Uh.
Chanev he's got a really good, motor plays, hard, hits hard kills, penalties block, shots kind of does a lot of the dirty. WORK i think that was also a really, good you, know good ad for for our. Team And i'm you, know happy to have. Him and OBVIOUSLY Jj patika a really talented. Player so, YEAH i think it's looking, good you, know and And i'm excited to get to, camp you, Know i'm you, know it's it's going to be,
competitive And i'm just looking forward to. It i'm looking forward to, it and, uh you, KNOW i want to. Win SO i think we got the team to do.
It any exciting offseason trips before camp gets, gone taking some downtime at.
All. Yeah so me and my, wife well obviously she's From, czech So i've been spending half THE i spend half the summer in check and then half the summer back home In. Halifax so, uh you, know we we went To greece recently and with our little one and her parents and and just the, family and it was. Nice you, know the food there is great and we've got, to you,
know be on the, beach and she really enjoyed. It she just got two got two little nephews and so she got to hang out with them and they love each other so, much so it was a lot of. Fun it was a lot of, fun good.
Stuff. Man, well thanks so much for the. Time really excited to be able to get you on consistently as the season gets. ROLLING i enjoy the rest of the off. Season most, importantly stay stay stay, safe and stay. Healthy so be.
Good thank, you, Sir, Thanks, bencher appreciate.
It liam, O'Brien better known As Spicy, tuna became kind of like this massive celebrity around here after the introductory press conference when he took the mic and really juiced the audience. Up he is going to be a consistent guest of ours as The Utah mann. Season we'll get going here in a few months with camp really excited for next year after what everyone perceives to be a really solid off season From Bill, armstrong the general manager and his. Staff