As an athlete, one of the greatest career accomplishments is being able to play
 professionally at the highest level in the world. For New York Rangers
defenseman Brady Skjei, fulfilling his childhood dream of playing in the NHL
has been something that is indescribable.

Skjei grew up in Lakeville, Minnesota, a rural city south of Minneapolis. He
spent his youth playing hockey, football and golf alongside his best friends
and eventually attended Lakeville North High School in 2008. After two
successful seasons with the Lakeville North Panthers, he was faced with one of
the most difficult decisions of his life. Leave his family and friends behind
in the town he spent the last 16 years in or move to a new state with the hopes
 of furthering his hockey career?

I was fortunate enough to sit down with the 2016-17 First Team All-Rookie
selection and discuss his career path that led him to the Big Apple.Q&A with
Brady Skjei

Evan Peterson: What was it like playing high school hockey in Minnesota?

Brady Skjei: It was unbelievable; I couldn't imagine growing up in a different
state. The city I grew up in (Lakeville, MN) had a great group of seven guys.
We just really enjoyed the sport of hockey and we all had a passion for the
game. We used to all go out to the outdoor rinks every winter and play pond
hockey, which is a big part of the culture in Minnesota. I couldn't have asked
for a better place to grow up.

Peterson: What was your most memorable moment playing for Lakeville North High
School?

Skjei: For sure the [Minnesota] State Hockey Tournament. We made the tourney my
 sophomore year, but unfortunately we lost to Minnetonka in the first round
(Skjei had North's only goal in a 6-1 loss). Just getting the opportunity to
play in the tournament that I grew up going to and being able to play in front
of 18,000 fans was something that I will never forget.

Peterson: In the Summer of 2010 you were selected to join the United States
National Development Program (USNTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After two
successful seasons at Lakeville North, how difficult was the decision to leave
for the USNTDP?

Skjei: It was very difficult. After my sophomore season I knew that I had an
opportunity to play for Team USA. When I was officially selected to go to Ann
Arbor I sat down with my parents and discussed the opportunity at hand. It was
a difficult decision and I had to give up a lot of things such as leaving the
town I grew up in, my family, my buddies, and quitting competitive football and
 golf. However, at the time I thought it was the best possible option to
achieve my lifelong goal of playing in the NHL. It was difficult, but I was
very fortunate to live with an amazing billet family, and they made the
transition to Michigan a lot easier. Obviously it was hard to leave the place I
 grew up for the past 16 years behind, but it all worked out in the long run
and I am glad that I did it.Team USA, Brady Skjei. (USA Hockey/Ellen DeLuca)

Peterson: How close were you to turning down the offer?

Skjei: I think I was all in, especially after making it to the (Minnesota)
State Hockey Tournament. That was my biggest goal while playing high school
hockey, and maybe if that did not happen, who knows? But it definitely made my
decision to join the [USNTDP] development program a lot easier.

Peterson: How did your game transition in Ann Arbor?

Skjei: Going into my first season I was definitely more of an
offensive-defenseman. I think I had the skill going in there [USNTDP] to
continue to be an offensive-styled player, but once I got there I really
learned how to defend and play in my own zone, while also using my stick to
break up more plays. That really helped me to become a two-way defenseman and I
 believe that if I would have stayed for another year or two at the high school
 level I would not have been challenged like I was playing against older
competition in the USHL and international tournaments. The biggest thing was
learning how to play defense and adding to the offensive side of the
game.Photo: USA Hockey/Ellen DeLuca

Peterson: What was it like representing your country on an international stage?

Skjei: When you put on the USA jersey for the first time, I mean it's so
cliché, but it's an unbelievable feeling and you can't even put it into words.
 I remember the first time I wore the jersey we were playing in our first event
 in Chicago and it was amazing skating around in warm-ups and seeing our entire
 team in the red, white and blue. Also, getting the opportunities to play at
the World Juniors and World Championships is something that you can never take
for granted and it was truly an amazing honor. You're representing something
bigger than yourself.

Peterson: What were your feelings and emotions like after hearing the Rangers
call your name on draft day in 2012?

Skjei: It was an unbelievable feeling. Being drafted was another goal and dream
 that I had growing up, and to be picked in the first-round [28th overall] by
the New York Rangers was unbelievable. Having my friends and family in the
crowd to share the moment with was awesome and I couldn't have picked a better
team to go to. I was projected to go a little higher, but when I started
falling and saw the Rangers were within range at number 28 I just wanted to
fall a little further and end up there. It all worked out. Being drafted was an
 unbelievable feeling, and I was able to meet the management along with other
players on the team. The whole event was special and one of the greatest days
of my life.

Peterson: After two successful years in Ann Arbor, what was the transition like
 to college hockey at the University of Minnesota?

Skjei: The first year was actually tough. I came into a situation where the
previous team was a Frozen Four finalist (NCAA) and they only lost two or three
 guys from that roster. I had to earn my stripes and figure out the game, but
after that, I was able to settle in more comfortably. My sophomore and junior
years I made strides and was used as more of a shutdown defenseman, which
translated well for my game in the NHL. In order to make it in the league you
need to know how to defend; it doesn't matter if you're the best offensive
guy-you need to know how to play defense.

Peterson: Was it an easy decision to leave the Gophers after your junior year
and sign pro?Minnesota Golden Gophers Defenseman Brady Skjei at the 2014 Frozen
 Four (Josh Smith/THW)

Skjei: No. It was another tough decision and I think that when my junior season
 came to a close I just felt that it was the right time. The Rangers were also
on board and felt that it was the right time to sign as well. Once again, it
was tough to leave my college teammates, but moving on and playing those last
few playoff games in Hartford was a great step for me to learn the pro game and
 head into camp in the fall with some added experience.

Peterson: During another developmental year with Hartford in the AHL, the
Rangers called you up to make your NHL debut on Dec. 15, 2015, at Madison
Square Garden against the Edmonton Oilers. What was the feeling like when you
received the phone call?

Skjei: It was another amazing moment that I will always remember. I was sitting
 in my room in Hartford and the phone rang and it was my d-coach, Jeff
Beukeboom. He said that I was getting called up. I left in a car service that
night to head to New York and we played the very next day against Edmonton. My
parents flew out for my debut and it was truly another incredible experience.

Peterson: Two nights later you came home to St. Paul for your second career
game against the Minnesota Wild. How surreal was it to have your homecoming in
just your second career NHL game?

Skjei: It came full circle for me really fast. I was able to get the first-game
 jitters out the night before against Edmonton, but coming back home to play
the Wild in front of all my friends and family, I definitely had the jitters
again. It was just pretty ironic how it worked out, and it was another special
moment for me in my career. My camp had about 50-60 people in the crowd, and
seeing them all after the game was really cool.

Peterson: After being sent back down to Hartford near the tail end of December
2015, New York re-called you for the final games leading up to the 2016
postseason. What was it like playing your first NHL playoff series against
Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Skjei: Again, everything just happened so fast. I played the last five games
with the Rangers before the start of the playoffs and I was very excited.
Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous and felt I was playing loose. To play against
[Sidney] Crosby and [Evgeni] Malkin the first series was eye-opening to say the
 least. These were some of the guys I looked up to and watched growing up, so
to be able to play on the same ice sheet against them was really special. I
felt that I played pretty decent, but unfortunately the outcome did not go as
planned. Overall, I think it helped solidify my spot on the team the following
year [2016-17], and I gained some much-needed experience going forward.

Peterson: What was it like scoring your first career goal against the New
Jersey Devils?New York Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei (Danny Wild-USA TODAY
Sports)

Skjei: It was awesome. It took a bit of time for me to find the back of the
net. I think it was mid-December [Dec. 11, 2016] when I scored. I remember the
play like it was yesterday; the puck got won back off of a faceoff to [Derek]
Stepan, and he one-touched it to me from the boards. I took a one-timer from
the point that went off of a Devils player on its way to the net and went in.
It was an amazing feeling, and my momentum carried me right towards our own
bench where all of the guys were going nuts. It was just awesome to be able to
get your first one and it finally got the monkey off my back for the remainder
of the season.

Peterson: A few nights later you had a near-life threatening injury scare
against the Chicago Blackhawks in which you were featured in an ESPN article
the following month. How did the fluke-like experience take place and how lucky
 were you to be able to walk away healthy?

Skjei: It happened so fast. It was a defensive-zone draw and Marian Hossa cut
back on Kevin Hayes. Hayes' leg got kicked up somehow and his skate blade
sliced me right in the chin. Looking back, I was so lucky that it wasn't
another inch lower around the neck area. I left the game briefly and received
over 30 stitches and lost two teeth. The doctors and the Rangers organization
did an amazing job. I was able to return to the game in the third period after
being all numbed up. It wasn't too heroic, but it was a scary moment that I
look back on and realize just how lucky I was.

Peterson: What was the transition like living in NYC as opposed to growing up
in rural Lakeville, MN?

Skjei: It was a huge change for sure. I think it's nice right now because I
have the best of both worlds. Nine months out of the year I get to live in the
best city in the world (NYC), with the most amazing food and social setting.
The best thing is our fan base and how much these die-hard fans enjoy the
Rangers. It's a little slower in Minnesota, but I get to spend my other three
summer months out on the lakes and play golf with my buddies I grew up with. I
truly get the best of both worlds.Brady Skjei, New York Rangers, Mar. 22, 2018
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Peterson: After a successful first full season with New York in 2016-17, the
Rangers suffered a setback in 2017-18. Where do you feel the direction of the
franchise is heading now?

Skjei: This last year was obviously very tough for us. We lost a lot of older,
veteran guys, and as they say, it is kind of a rebuild now. But I like the
direction of this team as we have a lot of younger, skilled players. We now
have three 2018 first-rounders and a new coach, David Quinn. Quinn is a former
Boston University guy and is good with younger players. He has coached in the
pro hockey level so it is going to be an exciting time to be a Rangers fan. I
think we are going to be a young, fast-paced team with a lot of skill. We won't
 have much to lose so we will be hungrier than ever. It's going to be a great
year for sure.

Peterson: You have been a leader at essentially every level that you have
played at; do you see yourself being a captain for New York in the near future?

Skjei: Obviously I would love to be a captain and it would be a huge honor.
This past season with all of the ups, downs and trades, I was put in more of a
leadership role with younger players being called up, especially with the
younger defensemen. Even though it is still pretty early in my career I feel
that with my leadership role last year and my previous experience it would be a
 tremendous honor to wear a letter for the Rangers.

From Minneapolis to Broadway, Skjei';s dedication to the game has taken him to
new heights that he hopes will continue in New York for many years to come. He
is currently a restricted free agent and is hopeful of reaching a new,
long-term contract with the Rangers this summer.

The post One-on-One With Brady Skjei: His Journey to the NHL appeared first on
The Hockey Writers.

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