Hockeybird.com: Hugh Talks to Bird

Hugh Talks to Bird

Sunday - December 05, 2004

Hello NY and everywhere else, welcome back to the Birdcage. I know, it's been a while but I've been rather busy and in case you didn't know....there are no freaking games to watch!

Today we are lucky enough to have a few minutes with Dartmouth's own Hugh Jessiman. As most of you know, Hugh was a 2003 1st round pick of the New York Rangers and we all look forward to seeing him skate at MSG. I wish to thank Huge for putting up with me and having some fun answering a few Qs. I've only seen him on tape but the guy can play.....here's hoping to a long successful career in Blue.

Bird: Welcome to Hockeybird, Hugh. I guess I first need to ask, how's the rehab on your ankle going?

Hugh: The ankle is good, thanks. I haven't started rehabbing my ankle yet since I've had a cast on since the surgery. I get the cast off this week in New York so I'm looking forward getting back to work. In the meantime, I've been working out my upper body with the team and on my own. I have a reclining chair here in our house and I have a couple of dumbbells that I use while putting my foot up. My buddies tell me I'm going to come back top heavy!

Bird: I like to ask our guests what their first hockey memory was. What was it that drew you to this sport and what made you decide to pursue it as a career?

Hugh: When I moved to Connecticut from the city at age four my dad put me in the might hockey league in town. We used to play every Sunday morning at five in the morning. I remember running into my parents' room at three telling them we had to go to the rink. I always dreamed of playing in the NHL since was about 10 but fortunately over the years the possibility of me fulfilling my dream has become more and more realistic.

Bird: You have been quoted as saying that you and your friends have been Rangers fans growing up. I even read that you went to game 6 at the
Meadowlands in 1994 when Messier scored that famous hat trick. How cool is it to be selected by the very team you have rooted for as a kid?

Hugh: It is pretty special to be a part of the organization that I grew up rooting for. I used to play street hockey for hours in my driveway and I would be the Rangers. I would make my little brother be the Devils and I'd beat up on him. He took it well, but hey back then, that was the way it was haha..

Bird: Besides yourself, what other players from the prep school league you played in should we be aware of?

Hugh: Well Bird, although Connecticut isn't a hockey hotbed, I grew up playing in the Darien Youth Hockey Program with two guys in particular who I consider two of the best college hockey players in the country. The first is Ryan Shannon (captain of BC). He skates so well and sees the ice better than anyone I've ever seen at this level, the type of guy you want on your line. The other is Jamie Sifers(captain of Vermont). Jamie is a great leader and as tough as anyone. Both of them were much better than I was back then and went on to play at Taft together, but I'd take them both on my team any day.

Bird: What can you tell me about the Hotchkiss hockey program? I hear they have a great rink there.

Hugh: I don't know much because I got accepted there as a freshman but it seemed like a great school and I know a lot of good people who graduated from there.

Bird: What do you say to those who would rather have seen you in the AHL this year instead of staying at Dartmouth?

Hugh: You will see me soon enough. I made the decision that I believed was best for me. The Rangers have been so supportive and I trained at their facilities all summer to prepare for this season. Coming into the season I felt like my team and I had a lot of unfinished business. I came to Dartmouth to win an ECAC championship and make a run at the National Championship. It's never possible to make everyone happy but I felt I wanted to go back to finish what we started here.

Bird: When will you be making a decision about turning pro and will your injury have any impact on your decision?

Hugh: I'm not sure about when I'm making that decision but I assume it will be at a time when my ankle is completely healed. I know there is a possibility that I can still play this year. After that, Ill know where to go with everything.

**Hugh scores to beat Yale, Jessiman's four goals and five points tied his career high**

Bird: Which Ivy League rink is the coolest to play in and why?

Hugh: Our house! Well, besides our place, the best place to play is Cornell, no question. They have an old barn and great fans. I'll never forget as a freshman walking into the arena a couple hours before gametime and the band was already there playing. When the visiting team steps onto the ice the whole student section pulls out newspapers and pretends to be reading them while you warm up. Then, they crumple them up and throw them at us before the National Anthem. It's pretty fun.

Bird: As a Ranger fan I'm sure you looked forward to Islander/Ranger games. What do you think playing in one will feel like?

Hugh: Well, I have a lot of work to do to get to that game, but I'm looking forward to it. Islander/Ranger games are always fun to watch because the players play the game like it's a playoff game. There is emotion, intensity, and pride, all things people like to see the players play with. When I get there, I'll be able to tell you what it's like to go at it with them.

Bird: Does the full cage in College Hockey help or hurt the reduction of stick fouls to the upper body in your opinion?

Hugh: Great question, I think the full cage in college hockey is technically effective in reducing the injuries to the head during games. However, it doesn't necessarily reduce the number of stick fouls to the upper body and that's what I don't agree with. Some players wouldn't give you an elbow or a punch to the mask if they didn't have a mask on themselves. I think if we didn't have cages guys would be more aware of their sticks in the first place.

Bird: What coach has had the most influence on you and in what way?

Hugh: That's easy, Coach Gaudet, my coach here at Dartmouth, has been most influential to me. He was one of the only coaches who recruited me while I was in prep school and he gave me the opportunity to prove myself right when I arrived. He is a Dartmouth graduate himself so he knows how lucky we are to be able to at Dartmouth. He encourages us to make the most of our time here at this great place, on and off the ice.

Bird: What CDs get the most play at your place right now?

Hugh: Well, Keith Urban gets a lot of love at our place. I live with some country lovers so I was recently introduced and love it. Being from Connecticut, I didn't get much exposure to country but now I love it.

Bird: Do any of your professors treat you more leniently or more harshly because of your status as a hockey player?

Hugh: Well, I've heard about some professors being prejudice towards athletes but I haven't come across any. It helps to introduce yourself at the beginning of the term and tell them you play hockey. A lot of times the professors are actually fans of our team so that's cool. I think it helps that our team has a good reputation for strong work ethic in and out of the classroom.

Bird: Is it true that Yale chicks are hotter than the ones at Dartmouth?

Hugh: Easy, Yale doesn't hold a candle to Dartmouth. Although Dartmouth chicks aren't anything to write home about, its great when you can find a nice girl to keep you warm on these cold nights up here haha...

Bird: The day you were drafted by the Rangers, two girls posted comments here on Hockeybird about you....fighting like cats. Have you had more "offers" from the ladies and how do you handle them?

Hugh: Well I guess when I got back to school after the summer I was drafted I started to get some more love from naive freshman girls. I was tired of answering the same questions though, so sometimes I would tell them that I actually play on the badminton team and tell them one of my unsuspecting buddies was me. I might as well have fun with it, right?

Bird: Tell us about the biggest goal you ever scored.

Hugh: I have never scored a goal that I would consider a really big goal. I guess my best "moment" was a pass I made my freshman year against then #1 BC. Our barn was packed and we took them to overtime. I picked up the puck in the offensive corner with a couple minutes left and made my way towards the back of the net. As I was moving I saw my linemate Mikey Oullette driving to the backdoor and slid a pass behind the defender that he buried. BC was a great team so we celebrated after that one.

Bird: Which do you think puts more pressure on you to succeed, your size or that you were selected in the first round?

Hugh: I think my size had something to do with being selected in the first round, but I don't see it as a pressure. Being drafted so high to a program so prestigious as the Rangers is an honor and obviously there are high expectations that come along with it. I understand those expectations and see it as a good challenge.

Bird: Care to share a thought or two on the current NHL lockout?

Hugh: I have been following it a little and just wish there could be an agreement. Now that I'm injured I just want to turn on the TV and watch some hockey!

Bird: What class do you most enjoy these days?

Hugh: Well, I'm a history major so I find those classes the most interesting. I am taking a "Founding Fathers" class right now that I am enjoying. It's interesting to learn about the group of men that played such a big role in why we are here today.

Bird: If you didn't play pro hockey what career would you see yourself in?

Hugh: Well, I would try to win the lotto and move to Hawaii, learn to surf, and have a peaceful life. I guess we can all dream, but realistically I would try to find another passion and start a business.

Bird: Here on Hockeybird's messageboards there has been a raging debate that I'd like your take on.....using Jessica Simpson as a point of reference, at what point does a girls "hotness" outweigh the airhead factor?

Hugh: Great question. I'll start by saying Jessica Simpson can ask me if buffalo wings were made of buffalos everyday for the rest of my life and I'd still take her in a second. I think before you make the argument, an arguable point of reference must be established. I am generally not a fan of airheads but Jessica Simpson is a no brainer. Look at Nick Lachey; all he does is drink beer and watch tv all day...What a life!

Bird: This is an open section.....anything you'd wish to say to Hockeybird readers or Ranger fans....anything at all?

Hugh: Well, I think in your next interview you should interview Kaspar. I worked out with him over the summer and he is one of the funniest people I have ever met. Much different guy than I expected and a great guy to be around. And finally, Go Rangers and see you on Broadway!

Well now....there you have it. We want to thank Hugh for taking the time to talk to us and on behalf of all Ranger fans I want to wish him much success as a New York Ranger.