Tuesday, 28. March 2023 | EHC Red Bull Munich Interview: Ryan McKiernan in private
Between genius and acumen: McKiernan in a personal interview// INTERVIEWChampions League winner, German and Austrian champion: There is much more to Ryan McKiernan than just a physical defender. The 33-year-old is a true mental monster. It can be said that he is made for the playoffs.McKiernan has played 20 playoff games in the DEL so far, scoring 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists). No Munich defenseman comes even close to such a scoring rate in the hottest phase of the season. And his attitude is also more than playoff-worthy. Want an example?
An effective dance
In Game 3 of the quarterfinal series against Bremerhaven, McKiernan engaged in a little dance with Penguins forward Dominik Uher. Once in the penalty box, our number 58 really fired up the fans in the sold-out Olympia Eisstadion. Apparently not only the fans, because in the end it was a 7:1 victory for the Red Bulls, the second highest in the playoff history of our club.
Die besten Szenen von Ryan McKiernan aus der DEL-Saison 2022/23
// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS
On Friday (19:00 | LIVE in our blog) McKiernan & Co. start into the semifinals. The opponent will not be known until Wednesday evening, but you should secure your ticket now! The seats are already sold out. But before the #Mission4Minga continues, you can experience McKiernan in a private interview.
Ryan, you've been playing field hockey for a living for over eight years. In that time you've met a lot of people, but who would you count as your best friends in the hockey world?
McKiernan: "Phew, it's actually impossible to rank. In every team there are two or three guys you get along with the best. In Berlin, for example, it was Mathias Niederberger, Mark Zengerle and Austin Ortega. I even shared a room with Tegsy when I was away from home, which brings you even closer together. When you celebrate the championship with a team, you're bonded for life anyway."
How would Mathias, Mark or Austin describe you as a person?
"As someone who takes life with a certain lightness and can occasionally be quite funny. But on game days it's a different story, I'm extremely focused."
We dug a little deeper in the archives and came across your blog from 2012. There was a focus on entertainment there too....
"Okay, wow. How did you even find that one? I had completely forgotten it existed. Unbelievable. The blog was created for a project in an IT course. We each had to be active on social media like Twitter for a month and just blog sometimes."
You studied at McGill University in Montreal, one of the most prestigious in all of Canada. "That's right.
I did my bachelor's degree in finance and accounting there. I've always found math exciting, and with this degree, I can go in different directions in the future. If I had known I was in for such a long professional career, I might have even chosen something like kinesiology to understand my body even better."
Your face isn't that unfamiliar at McGill University. Why is that?
"My sophomore year, I celebrated the national championship with the McGill Redmen. That actually got us into the university's Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was last October. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there, but I'm incredibly proud to have been a part of that team."
There are some other celebrities with McGill pasts, too....
"I definitely know that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, actor William Shatner (Captain Kirk in the Starship Enterprise series) and Mike Babcock graduated from McGill. Babcock has had an incredible coaching career in the NHL and also spoke to us regularly before important games."
You left a lasting impression, and not just on the ice. "A charismatic, mature young man and outstanding student," said your coach at the time, Kelly Nobes. Being awarded the "Guy Lafleur Trophy" confirms his statement.
"Kelly was just outstanding, not only as a coach but also as a mentor. I'm a very ambitious person and wanted to get the most out of my four years at the university. I gave everything I had to be able to enjoy every second. Winning the 'Guy Lafleur Trophy' was a great honor for me and made me hugely happy because it was recognition for all the hard work on the ice and in the classroom."
Were you always in the front row then?
"The front row it wasn't, but I was already sitting relatively far in the front to be able to concentrate on the lectures. Because there was a lot of competition, especially in the management courses. It was simply a matter of being better than your fellow students. I love challenges like that."
What were you like as a student: always over-punctual or everything at the last minute?
"The latter, definitely. I'm sure every McGill student can tell at least ten stories about last-minute submissions. Whereas, we're talking more like seconds. Then you're sitting there in the middle of the night, crossing your fingers, and all you can do is hope that your document is uploaded in time. But it's always worked out, so there's been no reason to change tactics."
It's been over eight years since you graduated. How often have you been there since then?
"Not that infrequently, since the university is only about an hour away from Drummondville. That's where my fiancée, Meredith, and I have made our home for the summer. The town has special significance because I celebrated my first championship with the Voltigeurs and met Meredith through teammate Philippe Lefebvre."
In the meantime, you have a son together. Is the field hockey DNA already noticeable in him, too?
"James is only a little over a year old, but he already loves playing with his little stick in the living room. Basically, I let him choose whether to bend right or left. Okay, maybe I push the one with the right into his hand a little more often (laughs)."
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