USHL: QA with David Eddy

In fluid dynamics, an eddy is formed when fluid flows past an obstacle. In hockey, a David Eddy is formed when a California hockey player is unable to play high-level hockey for three years, moves to Minnesota in the middle of his freshman year of high school, and gets back into the game playing public high school hockey for a school that has had moderate success at best. Despite those obstacles, Eddy persevered to become one of the most storied players in Woodbury High School hockey history and a USHL All-Rookie Team member after averaging just under a point per game with the Sioux Falls Stampede in 2008-09.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey was able to catch up with David Eddy of the Sioux Falls Stampede one week before the end of the regular season. Eddy discussed the 2008-09 season, his move from California to Minnesota, leading Woodbury High School to new heights, his commitment to St. Cloud State, the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, and growing up a Kings fan and then a Ducks fan.

McKeen's: I was kind of going to say congratulations on clinching playoffs last night, maybe not the way you guys wanted it to happen.

Eddy: Yeah.

McKeen's: But you had a goal and an assist yourself, though. So, what was your reaction after that and how did the guys feel clinching the playoffs and then doing it that way (a shootout loss against Sioux City)?

Eddy: We're happy to be in the playoffs and to make the playoffs. Of course, you want to win every game. (Pauses) Kind of mixed feelings. We got in the playoffs after a loss, but we've just got to go back to work and keep going at it.

McKeen's: Along that track, you guys, unfortunately, have been in a bit of a slide to end the season. What are some of the things you guys have identified as the reasons behind that?

Eddy: We've been a streaky team all year. When we get into a slump like this, we get down, we don't get shots, we get out-shot by a lot. I think we were out-shot by double today. We don't get enough goals, we don't get enough guys going to the net, we don't get anything generated.

McKeen's: Moving to yourself, you're averaging close to a point per game this year. How do you feel things have gone for you in 2008-09 and what have been the biggest adjustments for you coming out of high school hockey in Minnesota?

Eddy: I didn't expect to be having this good of a year. I mean, I had great linemates going through the whole season, getting me the puck, or I gave them the puck and they scored. So, it's been pretty nice playing with guys who've been putting the puck in the net consistently, compared to high school hockey where maybe you have one or two guys that can do that every once in awhile. Whereas, coming to this league, everyone can do it. So, it's been really nice, really fun. And the league, I'm having a blast. It's a lot better, a lot faster pace, a lot more fun to play.

McKeen's: Having good linemates helps, but your abilities to work with them helped propel you to play in the USHL Prospects/All-Star Game for Team Reebok, the West Division team. How did you find out you'd been named to that, what was your reaction, and who told you?

Eddy: I actually didn't even know. I was at a teammate's house and one of them said, "Hey, congratulations on making the All-Star." I was like, "Oh. What?" It was a kind of surprising thought. It was a big accomplishment, and I didn't think I'd make it being a first-year player. There are a lot of guys on our team who deserved it, and obviously you want to show them.

McKeen's: How did those two days go for you, what were the highlights, and how did that compare to what you face every night in the regular season?

Eddy: We were just out there having fun. Kids you've played with before and guys I've played with when I was growing up. Seeing all of them, just hanging out, and having fun. We were just out there having a good ol' time playing hockey, just like we were back on the pond back in Minnesota. So, just having fun, getting to know more guys on our teams. It was a blast.

McKeen's: What have been some of the areas of your game that you've been focusing on improving this year with Sioux Falls?

Eddy: Getting a lot stronger, getting faster, because, obviously at this level, guys are faster, and at the next level they're even faster, and beyond that every level is going to go faster and faster. So, just always working on speed and getting stronger every day and trying to make that big step up to the next level.

McKeen's: I guess on the flipside, what would you say are your strengths as a player already and the style of game that you like to play?

Eddy: Kind of an all-around player. I grind in the corners. If I can make a move on a guy, I'll make a move. I can take it wide and get a shot on net or go to the net hard and bury a rebound or set someone up. Either way, as long we get a "W," it doesn't really matter to me, as long as we win. Blocking shots, whatever it takes.

McKeen's: I have a few questions related to your high school career, but before that, perhaps we should address how you're originally from California. So, tell me how it was that you went from California to Minnesota.

Eddy: Umm, we lived in California until I was about (pauses), middle of ninth-grade year. I stopped playing. I actually didn't play hockey in seventh- or eighth-grade year, because we just couldn't afford it, going through family problems. It just got too expensive and it got to a point where I couldn't play hockey anymore. Then we got to the point where it was just kind of expensive to live there, so we moved. We had a couple options to move and we chose Minnesota and started picking up hockey again. Going from there, now I'm here playing in the USHL.

McKeen's: Minnesota high school hockey costs a little bit less than travel hockey in California.

Eddy: Yah. It was 150 bucks to play there, compared to the $9000 it would have to play in California.

McKeen's: In California, what were some of the teams that you played for out there?

Eddy: I played for the Wave growing up, the California Wave, the Westminster Wave, whatever they're called now, I don't know. I played for them through my pee wee year, then I couldn't afford playing for them anymore and played just local rec. hockey and just tournament teams, Bantam A and mess-around hockey on Sunday afternoons. I wasn't really competitive in my bantam year, or until we moved to Minnesota. So, I wasn't too competitive going into there. So, it was kind of a big jump. It was a little harder to come back.

McKeen's: It turned out okay in the end.

Eddy: Yeah.

McKeen's: To Woodbury, in your senior season, and I'll read all these off, you helped the team make it to the State Class AA Consolation Championships, which is pretty good for Woodbury, but you were named AP All-State Honorable Mention, Star Tribune All-Metro, Pioneer Press All-State Honorable Mention, and All-Conference, of course, scored 33 goals and 35 assists. So, which of those personal honors are you the most proud of and why?

Eddy: I think going to State, just because the whole community was proud of us. The first time we went to state after beating Cretin, it's always great beating the private schools and knocking them, especially since they were the defending state champs, then we get back to the rink and there's a crowd waiting for us after the game, and they were happy. I think they were probably happier than we were. It was just a great feeling that the community was behind us and accomplished something that's never been accomplished in Woodbury school history. With the new school going in, who knows when they'll be back again. Then, making it two years in a row was just (pauses), we'd never hung a banner before and one year we hung two and the next year we hung three. So, it was a big accomplishment.

McKeen's: In 2006-07, that was the first year Woodbury had ever been to State.

Eddy: That was the first year we'd even made it into the section championship game.

McKeen's: Wow.

Eddy: And we made it to state. So, that was probably my happiest memory when I was at Woodbury.

McKeen's: I'll also mention for the record that you were an AP All-State Honorable Mention in 2006-07. Now, prior to your senior season, you played for Team Southeast in the Upper Midwest Elite League. Was that the first time you'd played in that and how did the Elite League help you?

Eddy: Yeah, I played football the year before, so I didn't play that. I actually only played about six or seven games in the Elite League. I was playing football and that, then I got hurt early in the season, so I didn't even start playing until midseason. Actually, my first game back, I got checked from behind, broke my nose, got 16 stitches, a concussion, so I was out for another two weeks. So, I didn't even come back. I came back for seven or eight games. It wasn't much of an Elite season.

McKeen's: And the first injury was football?

Eddy: The first injury was football, the second injury was hockey.

McKeen's: Right.

Eddy: Getting hit from behind, so… It wasn't the greatest Elite League.

McKeen's: With the Elite League games that you did play, how did that compare to high school?

Eddy: Obviously, it was a lot better than just regular high school, because you've got kids that were, a lot of them, that are now playing in this league or playing the NA (NAHL) or other junior leagues, or they went straight into college. So, there's a lot more depth, a lot better players. It was kind of like this league, only when they're younger. So, it was a lot of fun.

McKeen's: Speaking of college, last March you committed to St. Cloud State. When did colleges first start talking to you, what other programs were recruiting you, if I might ask, and what made you decide on St. Cloud?

Eddy: I, hmmm, I don't even remember. I was talking to Mankato, Duluth, Wisconsin, Gophers a little bit, but I have a buddy on St. Cloud, Ryan Lasch, he grew up a block from me in California, and so when we moved to Minnesota, we always went up and watched him. We got to the point where, during sophomore season, he brought me down to the locker room, kind of checked it out, said hi to the coaches, and they didn't know who I was.

McKeen's: (Chuckles)

Eddy: Then, junior season, kept going up there, would watch his games, and I just loved the campus and the atmosphere and everything. I was kind of like, "Wow. That would be so awesome to play here." The next thing I know, I get a phone call from them. "Maybe I'll even get the chance to play here." Then, senior season, went up there and watched him more and talked to coaches a little more and was having a pretty good year, and then it just ended up offering me and I ended up committing there. So, that was a big accomplishment.

McKeen's: That worked out well.

Eddy: Yeah.

McKeen's: Going back to the very beginning, when did you first start playing hockey and how did you get that start?

Eddy: I was about four-and-a-half years old. Well, no, actually for my fourth birthday, my neighbors bought me roller blades. My dad wasn't too happy with it because he wanted me to be a football/baseball player. That's what he was, and living in California, there's no hockey. Then, when I was about four-and-a-half, I played in a ball hockey league down the street, an outdoor ball hockey league where I started. Then when I was five, I started playing ice hockey.

McKeen's: And that's when the expenses began.

Eddy: Yeah. That's where the parents pretty much said, "If you're going to play hockey, you're going to have to get a scholarship, because there's not much money because you've been playing all these years."

McKeen's: June will be here before we know it, and this is your second year of draft eligibility. Did you receive much interest from NHL teams last year, and would you say there's more interest this year?

Eddy: There's more interest this year. I didn't really talk to a team last year and I've talked to a couple this year, but I don't expect it to happen. If it does, that'd be amazing, but, otherwise, I'd be fine. It's not going to make or break my career or anything. So, just hard work. There's millions of guys that don't get drafted that make it. More hard work that I've got to do, but I'm up to the task.

McKeen's: John Moore of the Steel told me, "It's all great, but all you really come out with it is a hat and a jersey."

Eddy: Yeah, exactly.

McKeen's: And an NHL team has your rights.

Eddy: Yeah, yeah. They know your name a little more, but you know what? It's alright. I've got enough hats and jerseys at home.

McKeen's: You've shown up on Central Scouting's list, so there is a chance, of course. So, if I'm a director of amateur scouting for an NHL team advising my GM on draft day, what are some reasons I should consider drafting David Eddy.

Eddy: I've never given up in my career. I've always been up for working out, trying hard, and doing anything for the team to win. I've been a team player, just always out there trying to get guys better and make myself better every chance I get. Listening to coaches and trying to make my game better any way I can.

McKeen's: Now, for a staple question, who were some of your favorite players growing up and why and who's a player or two today that you'd like to equate to?

Eddy: I've always grown up liking Mike Modano, just because he's a U.S. born hockey player. Then, I don't know, I love the way Jarome Iginla plays. He's playing offense, he'll come back and wreck someone, go back and put one top shelf and make someone look silly. That's someone I've always loved watching, because he's just an amazing player and a lot of fun to watch.

McKeen's: Lastly, what was your favorite NHL team growing up and why?

Eddy: I always grew up (pauses), when I was little, I was always a Kings fan, we'd go to King games. Then we got switched over, we got Duck tickets, so I always went to the Ducks game. First started rooting against the Ducks, since I was always a Kings fan, and then we started going to more games, so I started to become a Duck fan. So, always a Duck fan, and I always hated the Devils.

McKeen's: (Laughs)

Eddy: Now, I don't really hate a team. I just remember growing up hating the Devils. I don't even remember why (pauses), I think it was when they beat the Ducks.

McKeen's: In the Stanley Cup Finals.

Eddy: Stanley Cup Finals, yeah. Didn't like them too much after that one. Otherwise, that was the only team I can remember not really liking. Nowadays, I like pretty much every team.