Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Naslund: New York Has Been Relaxing

With his former team the Vancouver Canucks in town tonight, Markus Naslund talks about his transition from hockey crazed Canada to living in relative anonymity in New York...

“I envisioned myself retiring as a Canuck, but things happen,” Naslund said to Steve Zipay at Blue Notes. “More and more as I was uncertain about the future at the end of last year, it was more likely that I was not going to be there. But this situation presented itself and it was an easy choice....It’s a big difference...It’s been relaxing in many ways. Coming to the rink is the same. You’ve got a full house that’s going to be loud and excited. That’s no different. But outside of hockey you don’t get recognized as much, which is kind of nice.”

...while New York can be imposing, media wise, for baseball, football and basketball players. It is nothing compared to the media scrutiny hockey players face playing for Canadian teams especially in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

...also the ability to walk around Manhattan or go to dinner without many people noticing you or bothering you must be a welcome change for Naslund, who as the captain of a Canadian team was probably reluctant to leave his house.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I believe it. Although, I played open hockey here in NYC with a kid who recognized Redden at a restaurant one night and that was at the beginning of the season. I guess now I would recognize a player or two on the street. I did bump into Avery the day he was traded to Dallas.