AHL: QA with Nick Spaling

Nashville Predators prospect Nick Spaling made waves in 2007-08 by helping the Kitchener Rangers to an OHL championships, scoring 14 goals and 16 assists in 20 playoffs games, and being awarded the William O'Hanley Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player. In 2008-09, the young center is honing his game with the Milwaukee Admirals and providing the Predators' young AHL affiliate with a solid two-way effort.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey had the opportunity to talk with Spaling after a recent AHL game. Spaling discussed his adjustment to the AHL, his strengths and areas for improvement, Kitchener's impressive run in the 2008 postseason, current and former teammates and opponents that have impressed him, and his respect for a Maple Leafs legend.

McKeen's: We're closing in on two months into the AHL season, and going by the numbers, it seems like you're adjusting reasonably well, but how would you say your adjustment has gone so far and what have been the biggest adjustments for you coming out of the OHL?

Spaling: I think so far it's going good. I've got quite a bit of help along the way. It's nice learning form the older guys. The biggest adjustment would be playing with the older guys. It's another level, and it's a little better in everything.

McKeen's: With that, how does the caliber of play in the AHL compare to your expectations of it coming into the season and how does it compare to what you played in preseason with Nashville?

Spaling: I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it's pretty high-caliber hockey here. It's one step away from everybody's goal. It's a step up from what I'm used to. Like I said, they're older guys and they're bigger and stronger.

McKeen's: When Nashville assigned you to Milwaukee on September 28, what were some of the things that they told you and what are some of the things that you are focusing on improving upon here in your rookie season?

Spaling: I think they just want me to improve my game. They want me to play hard every night and just keep improving my skills. I think that's the goal of playing down here, and you know one day you want to get up there.

McKeen's: Any particular skills that you are working on?

Spaling: I think I'm working on a little bit of everything, of course. I'm working on my speed and getting good acceleration at the start.

McKeen's: On the other hand, what would you say are your strengths as a player already?

Spaling: I think I work hard every night. That's one of the things I like to do and try to do every night, and I'm going to continue to do that.

McKeen's: The fact you're on the penalty kill for Milwaukee should reflect you put in at least a decent effort, because you don't play on the PK if you're lazy.

Spaling: Yeah. That's something I've been doing for a while now.

McKeen's: Reading about you in the past, I've seen different sources speak of you as a "jack of all trades," and that you do everything reasonably well but nothing exceptionally well. I don't know if that's true, and I saw some nice moves tonight, but what's your reaction to that commentary?

Spaling: I think that's a good thing. You want to have a rounded-out game, and I'm happy if people say (changes tracks), I don't listen too much to what people are saying, I just try to play the way I play.

McKeen's: Going back to last season, you obviously had a fairly successful season with Kitchener. What were some of the keys in your production going above a point per game for the first time in your OHL career?

Spaling: I had some good linemates to play with. It was my third year in the league, I was expected to do a little bit more, and they gave me the chance.

McKeen's: In the playoffs, you swept in the first round, swept in the second round, lost only one game in the third round, and ended up winning 15 of your first 16 playoff games before Belleville made things interesting. What was it like to be on a role like that as a team?

Spaling: Yeah. Our team was hot then. We were playing well together. I don't think we did anything bad in the last round, Belleville just played really good.

McKeen's: What was the feeling after Game 6, after Belleville evened the series up, and heading into Game 7?

Spaling: I think everybody was nervous, which was good, we should've been, it was a tight series.

McKeen's: You were already slated to host the Memorial Cup, but you earned your way in with the OHL title. Although you ended up losing the tournament to Spokane, what was it like to play the tournament in front of your home fans and then, what was it like losing to Spokane?

Spaling: It was definitely a positive, playing at home. It's always nice. It's helpful being home, you know you get your rest, and in your own bed. Losing in the finals was a tough one. I think we'll look back and remember that, but we still had a good season and there were still a lot of good things we did.

McKeen's: The night that Spokane won the Cup, were you watching their celebration when the trophy broke?

Spaling: No, I didn't see it until about a week later. That was kind of funny. I don't know what happened there.

McKeen's: Yeah, that video made the rounds. Now, moving to some of your personal accomplishments, you played in the CHL Top Prospects Game in your draft year, and then the Canada-Russia Challenge Series, the OHL All-Star Game, and a few other things as well. But, what were some of your OHL accomplishments that you're the most proud of?

Spaling: Those I would say, anything where you get named to any sort of extra-special team like that is something that you remember for a while. It was just an honor to be named to those.

McKeen's: We're kind of in that time frame for the Russia Challenge Series right now. How did that compare to what you played every night in the OHL?

Spaling: You're playing with a bunch of other players, so it takes a little getting used to. But, it was good. It was a neat experience to play against somebody from a different country. It's a different game.

McKeen's: You touched on this slightly, how you played with some talented teammates during your time with the Kitchener Rangers, who were some of the ones that stood out the most and why?

Spaling: I think my first year, I played with a lot of good players, a lot of first-round draft picks, some good defense like Jakub Kindl and Boris Valabik and Matt Lashoff. They stand out. That was my first year, so maybe they were just bigger looking and stuff, but they stand out the most I would say.

McKeen's: You were teammates with Mikkel Boedker, who has cracked the Coyotes' lineup. Tell me a bit about him and what it was like playing with him.

Spaling: Yeah, he's a real smart, crafty player. He's got a lot of speed and a lot of skill. He's got a good shot. I wasn't really surprised to see him up there.

McKeen's: If you could name one Kitchener player during your time there that was underrated, who would that player be and why?

Spaling: I would probably say my linemate last year, Azevedo, Justin Azevedo. He'd been looked over in the draft, but last year he led the whole CHL in points. He got drafted later, and he's been a little underrated so far.

McKeen's: I noticed in some AHL notes recently that Azevedo had a game where he beat up on Hamilton pretty good. Staying along the lines of playing with and against players, who were some of the opponents that you played against during major juniors that impressed you the most and who were the most difficult to play against?

Spaling: It's tough, looking back, but I played against quite a few good players. Bobby Ryan, from the organization that we played tonight, and just a lot of players that have moved on to NHL and AHL careers.

McKeen's: What stood out about Ryan, would you say?

Spaling: He was one of the most smooth, fluent players with the puck I've played against. He protected well and he's really tough to defend against down low. He's a big man.

McKeen's: I think Iowa fans would agree with you, although I don't think they're going to get to see him again without going to an NHL rink. Now, in your short time so far with the Milwaukee Admirals, who are some of your Milwaukee teammates that impress you the most and why?

Spaling: Yeah, we've got a good young team. So, it's been good so far. We've got Cal [O'Reilly], who's the leader on our team, he's got a lot of skill, and [Antti] Pihlstrom. They've been putting the points up for us, so they've been pretty fun to watch so far.

McKeen's: You guys definitely have a lot of young players that I had to take notes on tonight. Lastly, who were some of your favorite players growing up and why, and maybe who are some players you would like to equate to, if those two are different?

Spaling: One of my favorite players growing up was Doug Gilmour. I always looked up to him. I loved the way he played, and I was big fan of the Maple Leafs at that time. So, I guess that's my answer.

McKeen's: Sure, you can't go too wrong with Doug Gilmour, and that might explain the well-rounded game you play, too.