One on One - with the Texas Brahmas' Mark Carragher
Mark Carragher recently signed on for his second season with the Texas Brahmas. As a rookie center last season, Carragher notched 19 points (7 G, 12 A) in 63 games played during the regular season regular season. This season, the former University of Southern Maine star is focused on one thing: helping the Brahmas win a championship.
I spoke with Mark recently by telephone from Nova Scotia.
Q: Who influenced you the most early on in playing hockey?
A: Obviously, growing up in Canada, hockey’s a pretty big part of our lives and I started playing at an early age. I learned from my Dad. He played some university hockey and he coached me through my minor hockey days. He got me into hockey early, playing in the ponds and the backyards. He was the biggest influence on my career.
Q: Where did you play during your high school years?
A: I played minor hockey in Charlottetown up until I finished high school and then I went away to college after that.
Q: Did you consider staying in Canada for college or did you plan on heading for the states?
A: After I finished playing minor hockey, I could have played junior here at home but I went to play at prep school in upstate New York instead which opened the doors up for a few universities in the states. So, I thought that it would be a better experience for me. The university style in the states suits my game a little more, so that’s how I got to Southern Maine.
Q: You had a great career playing for the Huskies, especially in your senior year. As team captain, you set or tied several single season and career records and were the all-time leading scorer for the program…
A: Yeah, I had a pretty successful career there. I was lucky to play with a couple of good players. I started out with a pretty good season in my first year and I was able to improve each year and things worked out pretty well for me there.
Q: Did you intend to go pro after graduation or did you consider hanging up your skates and doing something different?
A: I kind of left the door open for any options. Obviously, I wanted to keep playing hockey and my ultimate goal was to try to move on to the next level, so playing pro was definitely a goal of mine…I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do but something I was definitely striving for was to play pro.
Q: How were you recruited to play for the Brahmas?
A: Shortly after I got home after my senior year at school, I was contacted by Forbes MacPherson, who was also from PEI (Prince Edward Island); I didn’t really know a whole lot about the league itself or the team but Forbie was great at selling the Brahmas to me and they made an offer and I was excited to jump on board.
Q: Once you made the trip down to Texas to attend training camp, what was your initial impression of coaches Wildfong and MacPherson?
A: Well, they both have different styles and coaching philosophies I guess you’d say but I liked what they were trying to do. I could tell right from the start that Dan wanted to win and he wanted guys on his team that wanted to win too. We knew right from the start what was expected of us.
Q: You came into a unique situation with the Brahmas having sat out a season in order to move into a new venue and changing the name of the team. Dan and Forbes had to put a team together pretty quickly. You had a lot of veterans coming in as well as a few rookies. Did you all bond pretty quickly?
A: Yeah, you know I think we had a pretty good mix of, like you said, some older veteran guys who have been around the league and we had a good group of young guys too. Dan and Forbes obviously worked really hard; they knew what players they wanted and they did a good job of getting a good mix of guys. I think our team got along pretty well. We all hung around each other a lot. It was tough to come together in such a short time like you said with being a new team and nobody playing on the same team the year before but I think overall, we came together pretty quickly.
Q: Did you find it helpful to have a couple of guys from your hometown there, Coach MacPherson and your teammate Greg McConnell?
A: Yeah, It definitely made it a bit more comfortable knowing that they were there, for sure.
Q: Having played the previous season in Portland, Maine and then coming down to North Richland Hills, Texas, there’s obviously a big difference in the towns, the weather and the people. What were your first impressions of the area and the NYTEX Sports Centre?
A: I didn’t really know what to expect because I’ve never been down south before last year. I have nothing but good things to say about the people, our fans and the way I was treated down there. Everybody was extremely friendly and extremely nice and willing to go out of his or her way to help you out. As far as that goes, I was pleasantly surprised with the hospitality that we received. The weather obviously is an added bonus; we got to do some golfing and stuff. As far as the rink, I like the atmosphere of our rink a lot. It’s not one of the biggest rinks in the league. It’s a rink that other teams don’t want to play at…that’s something we can definitely use to our advantage with the atmosphere that we have in there.
Q: When you say that other teams don’t want to play there, do you think that its because it is such an intimate atmosphere, with the level of the noise and the fan participation, it really affects the other teams’ play?
A: Yeah, for sure. Any time you go into another team’s rink, it’s an intimidating factor that’s going to play a role coming into the game. Our fans are great and it was a great atmosphere. We wanted to make sure that we played hard at home in front of our fans and we wanted to let other teams know that it was going to be a tough place to play in.
Q: How do you feel about your first season pro? You did pretty well; you had 19 points, seven goals, and twelve assists. You played 63 regular season games, twelve in the post-season. All in all you had a very good season for your rookie year.
A: I like to set high goals for myself. My first year was a great learning experience for me. It took a little while to get adjusted to the new style of play and the league itself. Once I got into a routine, I think I did pretty well. I didn’t put up a whole lot of numbers from what I’m used to in the past but I made sure that I played my role effectively and did whatever it took to help the team.
Q: The CHL is a pretty tough-hitting league; I don’t know if it’s rougher than what you experienced playing NCAA. Not being one of the larger forwards in the league, what did you think about the physical play?
A: It’s definitely a very physical league. There are certain teams that are more physical than others obviously and there are a lot of pretty big teams out there. With my size it’s really important that I don’t back down from anything and I make sure that whatever I lack in size, I can make up in other areas, whether it be getting to the puck first or whatever. I make sure that I don’t back down from any opportunities; I definitely have to play bigger than my size.
Q: Did you find it to be an advantage sometimes? You definitely had a speed advantage…
A: Yeah, there are some advantages. I’m not going to lie to you and say I wouldn’t take an extra foot in height or be a little bigger but there are definitely some advantages to it, to be a little quicker or to be underestimated, I guess you would say.
Q: What do you think is the biggest strength that you bring to the organization?
A: I’m a really competitive person so first and foremost I bring a strong work ethic to the team. I think that kind of work ethic, you know, the harder I practice or play in the games, that kind of rubs off on other players.
Q: Did you have any idea that the team could come together so well and as the season progressed, especially after December, that the team was able to accomplish all they did?
A: I knew we had the talent and the team to do it. It was just a matter or whether we could actually come together and put a little run together…once we started to come together in January and things started to fall in place, I think we had a lot of confidence going and we knew we could do some damage and end the season making the playoffs.
Q: Looking back now at the season, was there a particular highlight that you were most fond of?
A: I think the highlight of the year was when we beat Shreveport in the playoffs in four straight. The emotion going into that series was strong; there was a lot of hype going in and we were the underdogs, but we didn’t let that stop us. Finishing them off in four games was one of the highlights of my hockey career thus far and it’s something I’ll definitely remember for a long time.
Q: Can you describe your feelings on the series with Colorado?
A: Obviously it was tough starting out against them. We were still on a pretty big high from the series before and we didn’t start off the series the way that we would have liked. That might have made the difference in the end. But overall, it was tough because we were so close and a few bounces here or there and we would have won one of those games. Going away from the finals was pretty tough to take but I think we played pretty hard and I think we left it all out on the ice and that’s all you can do.
Q: You didn’t play Arizona last season but were you surprised that the Sundogs took the Eagles down so easily?
A: I was little bit surprised for sure. I hadn’t seen them play before. You have to give Arizona a lot of credit for going in to Colorado and beating them twice in their building, something that’s very difficult to do. I like to think that we might’ve wore down Colorado a little bit but momentum’s a big thing in the playoffs and once you get it, it’s tough to get it taken away from you.
Q: What are you personal expectations, coming in to this season?
A: I’m hoping to have a good year. I’m working hard in the off-season so that I come in ready to go once camp starts. Personally, I hope that I can have a break out season. I have a year under my belt now, my first year pro, so I’m kind of hoping to have a break out season.
Q: You’re going to have a different makeup of your team this year. So far the Brahmas have signed a few new forwards, Lance Galbraith from the Idaho Steelheads, Andrew Leach from the Trenton Devils and Pete Rouleau from Michigan Tech. What are your feelings on coming in and playing with some new guys?
A: It’s always tough to bring everyone back from the year before but I think we’ll have a pretty good core back for next season. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the players you mentioned and I’m sure Dan and Forbes have done their homework and are bringing in the right pieces to the puzzle and I’m sure that whoever they bring in is going to fit in fine.
Q: In closing, do you have anything you want to say to the Brahmas fans?
A: Obviously, growing up in Canada, hockey’s a pretty big part of our lives and I started playing at an early age. I learned from my Dad. He played some university hockey and he coached me through my minor hockey days. He got me into hockey early, playing in the ponds and the backyards. He was the biggest influence on my career.
Q: Where did you play during your high school years?
A: I played minor hockey in Charlottetown up until I finished high school and then I went away to college after that.
Q: Did you consider staying in Canada for college or did you plan on heading for the states?
A: After I finished playing minor hockey, I could have played junior here at home but I went to play at prep school in upstate New York instead which opened the doors up for a few universities in the states. So, I thought that it would be a better experience for me. The university style in the states suits my game a little more, so that’s how I got to Southern Maine.
Q: You had a great career playing for the Huskies, especially in your senior year. As team captain, you set or tied several single season and career records and were the all-time leading scorer for the program…
A: Yeah, I had a pretty successful career there. I was lucky to play with a couple of good players. I started out with a pretty good season in my first year and I was able to improve each year and things worked out pretty well for me there.
Q: Did you intend to go pro after graduation or did you consider hanging up your skates and doing something different?
A: I kind of left the door open for any options. Obviously, I wanted to keep playing hockey and my ultimate goal was to try to move on to the next level, so playing pro was definitely a goal of mine…I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do but something I was definitely striving for was to play pro.
Q: How were you recruited to play for the Brahmas?
A: Shortly after I got home after my senior year at school, I was contacted by Forbes MacPherson, who was also from PEI (Prince Edward Island); I didn’t really know a whole lot about the league itself or the team but Forbie was great at selling the Brahmas to me and they made an offer and I was excited to jump on board.
Q: Once you made the trip down to Texas to attend training camp, what was your initial impression of coaches Wildfong and MacPherson?
A: Well, they both have different styles and coaching philosophies I guess you’d say but I liked what they were trying to do. I could tell right from the start that Dan wanted to win and he wanted guys on his team that wanted to win too. We knew right from the start what was expected of us.
Q: You came into a unique situation with the Brahmas having sat out a season in order to move into a new venue and changing the name of the team. Dan and Forbes had to put a team together pretty quickly. You had a lot of veterans coming in as well as a few rookies. Did you all bond pretty quickly?
A: Yeah, you know I think we had a pretty good mix of, like you said, some older veteran guys who have been around the league and we had a good group of young guys too. Dan and Forbes obviously worked really hard; they knew what players they wanted and they did a good job of getting a good mix of guys. I think our team got along pretty well. We all hung around each other a lot. It was tough to come together in such a short time like you said with being a new team and nobody playing on the same team the year before but I think overall, we came together pretty quickly.
Q: Did you find it helpful to have a couple of guys from your hometown there, Coach MacPherson and your teammate Greg McConnell?
A: Yeah, It definitely made it a bit more comfortable knowing that they were there, for sure.
Q: Having played the previous season in Portland, Maine and then coming down to North Richland Hills, Texas, there’s obviously a big difference in the towns, the weather and the people. What were your first impressions of the area and the NYTEX Sports Centre?
A: I didn’t really know what to expect because I’ve never been down south before last year. I have nothing but good things to say about the people, our fans and the way I was treated down there. Everybody was extremely friendly and extremely nice and willing to go out of his or her way to help you out. As far as that goes, I was pleasantly surprised with the hospitality that we received. The weather obviously is an added bonus; we got to do some golfing and stuff. As far as the rink, I like the atmosphere of our rink a lot. It’s not one of the biggest rinks in the league. It’s a rink that other teams don’t want to play at…that’s something we can definitely use to our advantage with the atmosphere that we have in there.
Q: When you say that other teams don’t want to play there, do you think that its because it is such an intimate atmosphere, with the level of the noise and the fan participation, it really affects the other teams’ play?
A: Yeah, for sure. Any time you go into another team’s rink, it’s an intimidating factor that’s going to play a role coming into the game. Our fans are great and it was a great atmosphere. We wanted to make sure that we played hard at home in front of our fans and we wanted to let other teams know that it was going to be a tough place to play in.
Q: How do you feel about your first season pro? You did pretty well; you had 19 points, seven goals, and twelve assists. You played 63 regular season games, twelve in the post-season. All in all you had a very good season for your rookie year.
A: I like to set high goals for myself. My first year was a great learning experience for me. It took a little while to get adjusted to the new style of play and the league itself. Once I got into a routine, I think I did pretty well. I didn’t put up a whole lot of numbers from what I’m used to in the past but I made sure that I played my role effectively and did whatever it took to help the team.
Q: The CHL is a pretty tough-hitting league; I don’t know if it’s rougher than what you experienced playing NCAA. Not being one of the larger forwards in the league, what did you think about the physical play?
A: It’s definitely a very physical league. There are certain teams that are more physical than others obviously and there are a lot of pretty big teams out there. With my size it’s really important that I don’t back down from anything and I make sure that whatever I lack in size, I can make up in other areas, whether it be getting to the puck first or whatever. I make sure that I don’t back down from any opportunities; I definitely have to play bigger than my size.
Q: Did you find it to be an advantage sometimes? You definitely had a speed advantage…
A: Yeah, there are some advantages. I’m not going to lie to you and say I wouldn’t take an extra foot in height or be a little bigger but there are definitely some advantages to it, to be a little quicker or to be underestimated, I guess you would say.
Q: What do you think is the biggest strength that you bring to the organization?
A: I’m a really competitive person so first and foremost I bring a strong work ethic to the team. I think that kind of work ethic, you know, the harder I practice or play in the games, that kind of rubs off on other players.
Q: Did you have any idea that the team could come together so well and as the season progressed, especially after December, that the team was able to accomplish all they did?
A: I knew we had the talent and the team to do it. It was just a matter or whether we could actually come together and put a little run together…once we started to come together in January and things started to fall in place, I think we had a lot of confidence going and we knew we could do some damage and end the season making the playoffs.
Q: Looking back now at the season, was there a particular highlight that you were most fond of?
A: I think the highlight of the year was when we beat Shreveport in the playoffs in four straight. The emotion going into that series was strong; there was a lot of hype going in and we were the underdogs, but we didn’t let that stop us. Finishing them off in four games was one of the highlights of my hockey career thus far and it’s something I’ll definitely remember for a long time.
Q: Can you describe your feelings on the series with Colorado?
A: Obviously it was tough starting out against them. We were still on a pretty big high from the series before and we didn’t start off the series the way that we would have liked. That might have made the difference in the end. But overall, it was tough because we were so close and a few bounces here or there and we would have won one of those games. Going away from the finals was pretty tough to take but I think we played pretty hard and I think we left it all out on the ice and that’s all you can do.
Q: You didn’t play Arizona last season but were you surprised that the Sundogs took the Eagles down so easily?
A: I was little bit surprised for sure. I hadn’t seen them play before. You have to give Arizona a lot of credit for going in to Colorado and beating them twice in their building, something that’s very difficult to do. I like to think that we might’ve wore down Colorado a little bit but momentum’s a big thing in the playoffs and once you get it, it’s tough to get it taken away from you.
Q: What are you personal expectations, coming in to this season?
A: I’m hoping to have a good year. I’m working hard in the off-season so that I come in ready to go once camp starts. Personally, I hope that I can have a break out season. I have a year under my belt now, my first year pro, so I’m kind of hoping to have a break out season.
Q: You’re going to have a different makeup of your team this year. So far the Brahmas have signed a few new forwards, Lance Galbraith from the Idaho Steelheads, Andrew Leach from the Trenton Devils and Pete Rouleau from Michigan Tech. What are your feelings on coming in and playing with some new guys?
A: It’s always tough to bring everyone back from the year before but I think we’ll have a pretty good core back for next season. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the players you mentioned and I’m sure Dan and Forbes have done their homework and are bringing in the right pieces to the puzzle and I’m sure that whoever they bring in is going to fit in fine.
Q: In closing, do you have anything you want to say to the Brahmas fans?
A: I just want to thank them for all their support last year and give thanks for everything they’ve done to go out of their way to help us out. I’m looking forward to next season and hopefully we’ll be able to improve on what we started last year.
Photo Credit: Robert Keith
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