A few minutes with...Joe Palmer

Assigned to the Brahmas by the Rockford Ice Hogs, the rookie goaltender talks about coming to camp and working for a spot on the roster

I spoke to Joe the day after the announcement was made on the Rockford Ice Hogs website that he had been assigned to the Texas Brahmas. Among other things, I spoke to him about coming to the Brahmas training camp, his work ethic and some other interests besides hockey. Here is our conversation.

Q: Did you have any familiarity with the Brahmas before you were assigned by Rockford?

A: I really didn't hear much about the team at all until the general manager of Rockford, Mark Bernard, told me about the goaltending situation in Chicago (with the Blackhawks) and them possibly sending somebody down there to Rockford. The space on the East Coast was very limited and Texas was a great place for me to go and be able to play a bit; to go down there and earn a spot to play more importantly.

Q: You've been pretty busy during the last couple of weeks with the Chicago Blackhawk's training camp and then the Ice Hogs camp. Are you ready to start your third camp in as many weeks?

A: Yeah, I mean it's hard work and everything but you're still playing hockey and that's the biggest thing to recognize. You're out there and playing a sport you love and you're competing against other people. It doesn't matter if it's one camp, two camps or five camps; it's hockey and you've got to enjoy it no matter where you are and what you're doing.

Q: You are coming into a great situation as far as the Central Hockey League goes. You're coming to camp with the league champions and you'll be working alongside one of the top goaltenders in the league in Brett Jaeger. How does it work for you, working with another goaltender?

A: I think with any position, whether you're a forward, defenseman or a goalie, a healthy competition brings out the best in both guys and whether you're competing...if you're a second line guy trying to get to the first line or one goaltender competing against another, it's really good to have that competition to push you everyday in practice. I'm looking forward to working with a guy like him. He's a couple of years older and he obviously has some experience, so with it being my first pro season, it'll be nice to learn from somebody like him.

Q: Work ethic is a key in the Brahmas organization. Brett is probably one of the hardest working goalies in the league. How would you describe your personal work ethic?

A: It's just a goal to get better, get stronger every single day. You can't go to the rink one day and have an off day or just kind of go through the motions. You have to go to the rink every single day looking for improvement, whether it be handling the puck or challenging shooters. Every single day you've got to make it an opportunity to get better and to make yourself and your teammates better.

Q: For yourself, looking at your game, is there any particular areas that you would like to focus and improve upon?

A: Like I said, every day is a chance to get better at everything. Being a goaltender, you can always be faster laterally or you know, just getting out and challenging shooters, stuff like that. You can always improve in any aspect of your game. If you look at a guy like Sydney Crosby, he's probably one of the best passers in the league but I'm sure every day he looks to get better at passing the puck and making the right decisions with the puck. It's imperative that you work on all aspects, all the time.

Q: The Brahmas home games are played at the NYTEX Sports Centre, a multi-sport facility where they have indoor soccer, indoor volleyball and of course, ice hockey. The rink is a bit more intimate than some. Do you have any preference on playing in a smaller or a larger venue, or does it even matter?

A: It doesn't matter. As soon as the puck drops, it's an ice hockey rink and you're playing against another team and you've just got to do your best no matter what the venue or the crowd.

Q: Let's switch gears a little bit and talk about golf. I heard a rumor that you are a pretty good golfer.

A: Where'd you hear that rumor (laughing)?

Q: A little birdie maybe, I heard that's something that you have an interest in.

A: Oh yeah, absolutely. I belong to a fantastic club in upstate New York and I'm very fortunate to get out and play quite a bit during the summer. I enjoy getting out there with my friends and playing all the time. I'd say I'm alright...unfortunately I left my clubs with the people I live with in Ann Arbor on my way up to Chicago. I wasn't sure where I was going to be and going into Chicago, I didn't want to be the guy rolling into camp with his golf clubs. So, unfortunately, I don't have them with me but I'm sure I can find a nice rental set and I'll be ready to go.

Q: Have you ever been down to Texas before?

A: No. The whole Midwest here is a new experience for me. Just driving through Missouri and Oklahoma on the way down and getting to Texas. I'm pretty excited about it. I've been a lot of places in the country and in the world and I'm looking forward to being there. I'm a huge Dallas Cowboys fan, so it's even more exciting for me to be in Texas. I watched the opening day (at the new stadium) against the Giants. I had a few bets going on with friends at home; a lot of New York Giants fans back at home, so that was a disappointing loss but they played great on Monday Night Football. The second half there, they played awesome. That stadium looks incredible. I'm really excited about the chance to maybe get down there and see a game.

Q: Most Texas Brahmas fans don't know a lot about you - Is there anything in particular you have to say to them?

A: I'm just excited to be here. I'm looking forward to working hard and fitting in with the team. I know there's a lot of returning guys so it's going to be crucial for me to come in and fit in with the guys and blend to their chemistry. I'm real excited about it, to meet new players and see some new faces.