Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
I've always thought the best goons were the ones who had successfully battled substance abuse or other personal issues. Gives them a pragmatism. You can see it in his body language when he went with macentyre.
Mcgrattan has no illusions. Rather than a guy who uses his demons as distractions from his professional life, a goon who has embraced the day to day lumps of the job has an extra edge, an extra intensity to get the job done.
Going back to the box after pummelling your opponent to the cheers of the fans must be an amazing feeling, but walking back into the room after the game to the respect of your teammates must be another level for a guy like mcgrattan.
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Also, McGrattan said after he left the first time, that he owed Darryl Sutter and the Flames organization big time for having the faith and conviction for bringing him in and allowing him to continue his career after his susbtance abuse issues. Makes it that much easier for him to come back here and go to the wall for the organization...he's made 4 years of a NHL player's salary, and stayed in the league to have that connection with teammates, thanks in big part to the Flames taking him on in 2009.
Good interview...plus I am sure he's much happier talking to a friendly face like Hallet than Kerr or, even worse "Stare at you an extra three seconds" Mark Stiles, who was the other may have been doing that interview thing 4 years ago.